That's why when lightning hits you, you die...

A deafening crack out of nowhere. I didn't see the flash, I was sitting in the front room, but it was loud enough that I shrunk back like something was going to crash into me after I heard it. When it didn't, I realized it was just a really loud clap of thunder. I knew it must have hit somewhere really close, but I didn't see the flash, like I said, so I thought maybe somewhere on our block, where I wouldn't have seen it. Well as soon as it happened, though, Chloe screams at the top of her lungs, almost choking on her scream she's so terrified as she comes running into my lap from where she was sitting on the couch in the other room.
"What?!" I ask exasperated. "That was loud wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It was really bright!" she sobs.
"Well it's okay, it's not going to hurt you."
She's still crying her eyes out and won't calm down until finally she breathes, and sniffles, and says, "Mom? That's why when lightning hits you, you die..."
"Um...yes, but no lightning is going to hit you, okay?"
"Okay."
I got on with getting dinner started, then thought for a moment, maybe I better check out back, it could have hit the neighbor's house or something. I peek out the window where Chloe was sitting and see this:

At first it didn't really register. I thought maybe the wind was finally starting to tear the tree apart. But that's a weird way for the tree to start to crack, I thought. Then it hit me. Oh...oh my gosh...I think our tree just got hit by lightning. First I called my mother in law next door to see if she saw it, but she didn't answer her phone. Not home. It's still pouring rain outside, and then I turned to Chloe.
"Chloe did you see the lightning, hun?"
Chloe, still clinging to me with each rumble of thunder that passes. "Yes."
"...what did it look like?"
"...like....a BIG white light."
So the next thing I think to do is call Craig, not that he could verify it for me, but he was just walking through the door getting home from work when I told him that I think our tree got hit by lightning. Sure enough, he goes out back and takes a look, then points out the shards of charred bark and tree that exploded off the tree (we found them my in-laws yard about 40 or so feet away and over the roof too). Then I start to panic thinking how a) about fifteen minutes earlier I was thinking about how perfect the heavy rain was looking as the sun was starting to peek out and how I should take the kids in the backyard to take some pictures of them dancing in the rain. Thank goodness I didn't. And b) the window Chloe was looking out of when it hit, which I had JUST opened wide a few minutes before it hit, is just about 6 or so yards from that tree. Poor Chloe saw the lightning hit the tree right in front of her face. Thank goodness no one was outside when it happened.
Don't worry, though, Chloe is handling it in stride. She already told Grandma and her uncles about the whole thing like it was a dramatic near-death experience. I think she'll be okay. :-) That picture only shows part of the gash, I'm going to go out tomorrow and take some more shots of the whole thing, for anyone interested.