Rain, Rain, Wherefore art Thou, Rain?

We've had very little rain in the past three weeks.  Finally, two days ago, some big storms rolled through.  Areas around us got three inches of rain.  Just 15 miles away, in two different directions, THREE inches of rain!  We got...ready for this?  0.15 inches of rain here.  That's right, not even two-tenths!  Arrgh!  Then, today on the way home from town, the rain was so intense that we nearly came to a standstill on the highway.  It was a real toad-strangler.  I was so excited, now we have some rain!  Then we got home...and it was bone-dry.  Not even a drop!  About two hours later, though, we did get some rain.  A whole 0.05 inches. Woo-Hoo! Celebrate!  Not so much.

It is so dry here that I've been praying for rain.

Which is unusual.  Me, praying for rain.

I remember very well one summer that we went to Tennessee to see all the grandparents and cousins.  I was six or seven years old (no older than that).  Here is a photo of my family around that time (Dad was behind the camera) .  I'm the blond girl on the left, in front of the Mother who looks like she's about to pass out from being a mother to five children.  She was exhausted, I'm sure. (Mom, this photo is so funny.  I love it!)

While we were in Tennessee, it began to rain!  Oh no!  The only thing we kids could do in Tennessee was play outside.  Heavens, five children descending upon grandparents who hadn't had kids living in their homes for decades, and what, did you say FIVE kids?  Send those boogers outside to play!  Don't call them in until supper.  After that, send them back outside to chase the fireflies.

We were in our station wagon with Grandmother.  Sandwiched in, up close and personal, getting to know Grandmother better.  Driving through Nashville somewhere, going someplace and under pain of death to be good to our siblings.  And it started to rain.  Rain!  What are we going to do now?


Grandmother, sitting in the middle seat, said how happy she was to see the rain.  "I've been praying for rain!"

I remember just as if it were yesterday, thinking, "What a stupid thing to pray for!"

Now I'm praying that stupid prayer.