COMMUNITY, LOVE, HOPE AND STRENGTH

This is what's been on my mind each day this week, all day and night.  I'm still in shock at this tragedy and my heart is hurting and so sad. I am writing this without any planning or thinking, just need to get it out , sorry for any confusion or misspellings.

I can't imagine what these people are going thru and will be going thru for a long time. To say that they are a close community before it happens would be an understatement. For this week they are closer then ever before, each and every single one of them are holding their arms out to others, helping each other, listening and some are already forgiving the child that took their kids away. They are walking arm in arm in a united front to head back to school yesterday with their parents and today alone but oh so strong. I'm cheering for them and so inspired by their strentgh and hope!!

They found a true hero in all this tragedy, a football coach who chased down the gunman and thankfully the gunman ran outside and was caught. This man didn't think twice about going after this boy, even though he is a father and husband. His reaction was to save the kids first and loves his school.

It's not just their community either it's ours and the ones around here. We are all doing what we can to support this town and show them we care and they are one of us. When riding thru town this morning I saw the ribbons and the signs up at our stores and schools are taking money to donate to these families. We had to play bball against them last night and our team wore red to warm up in and support them. Everyone hugged while hearing the Nat'l Anthem and came together for that short time to just play ball and put aside the pain they were all feeling.

In the paper today a mom who lost her son that day said if there's one thing I want all of you to know and do is this HUG YOUR CHILD EVERYDAY, JUST HUG THEM LET THEM KNOW YOU LOVE THEM.

In the paper they also included this poster for us to hang on our front doors, which is what you see above, my front door. I'm honoring these families who are in mourning and standing by them.There is a red ribbon hanging on my mailbox too. My plans are to send out a letter to the school and to these families who have lost and the for the ones who are lucky their children are still here and give them love and prayers. Bless to some others who are also doing what they can to make it possible for these parents to take time off work without worries of not being paid. They are donating money and their vactions and personal time for them. This last part just makes me smile and be happy. That's the first thing I would do if I worked with any of these families.

So readers, please remember to hug your child no matter what today, tomorrow and everyday after. Tell them you love them EVERYDAY NO MATTER WHAT.

I'm making a new rule for us in this house: HUGS AND MORE HUGS BEFORE WE LEAVE AND WHEN WE COME HOME. CELEBRATE THE COMING HOME TOO!! 

Each morning my son says good-bye to his sister Summer even though she's upstairs in the bathroom getting ready. He screams it so she will hear and she will scream it right back. This is the last school year for these two doing this. From now on my girls will leave early before Sam is awake. Just last week I had asked him about it and he said " I WILL BE SAD WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE TO SUMMER AND HAVING OUR MORNING CHATS"  he's not the only one who will be sad, I'm already sad about it. I told Summer what he said and she said I know it sucks that we won't be together anymore. So glad for these two and the way they love each other. Renee has done ok not having them in the mornings but I know she misses it and says HS isn't good enough till Summer joins her there next season.

Thank you for letting me vent and get my feelings out.I appreciate and love each of you!! Please keep them in your prayers.