I have a couple of things to talk to you about this morning. Neither one easy....Or good. :-( First, it's hurricane Irene...of course! We're indoors, hunkered down, watching weather report after weather report.
...And it's not looking good! O_O Right now our area is worried about torrential rains and flooding from Irene more than anything it seems.
The Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick, on Friday declared a state of emergency and put all kinds of things into play to protect people. WWLP22News quoted him as saying, during a press conference: "We expect this to be a powerful and potentially dangerous storm." Thankfully 'Angry Irene' (that's what they're calling the 'Big Girl' this morning) is expected to be downgraded to at least a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reaches 'the Bay State' (that's Massachusetts' nick-name).
Hubby and I are holding our breath already because his sister and family live in North Carolina, and they're getting pounded right now. We told his sister to call us after it passes...which could be a while yet...so we can know she's okay. O_O His niece and her family were gonna go and stay with his sister and her husband last night...in fact, she was waiting for her to get there when we talked to her...so they could ride out the storm together.
And after moving the hummingbird feeder out of the tree...YIKES! (I'll share that video I mentioned yesterday with you at another time)...and moving the barbecue and the patio furniture into the house this morning, then hubby has to go over and pick up his mother. She's gonna come and stay with us until the storm passes. We had to STRONGLY INSIST!!...She was thinking it wasn't probably gonna be that bad....WHAT?!!!! UGH!...but she also hasn't been watching weather reports!...No problem. I've been watching enough for both of us!!! ^_^
I've already got things on my mind to worry about today. I didn't want my mother-in0law to be another one!!
And herein lies the hardest thing to tell you today...There was a murder in my family this pass week. My sister, a foster mom, lost one of her daughters to a random shooting. I'm not going to get into the details because the person, or persons who did this were not caught...yet...and it's still under investigation.
Suffice it to say...there has been a lot of tears shed this week, and a lot of worry and emotions that hurricane Irene's coming could not even phase!! :-(
She was 16 years old, and was 'looking forward to getting out of High School early so she could look forward to going to College', my father said...Whether that ever happened or not, she did not deserve to die the way she did.
The paper referred to her as a 'juvenile female'. I knew what they meant. That she was not an adult. But my father was very upset at the wording. He initially thought they were trying to say she was a 'bad' girl...After I assured him that it was just 'Official Speak' he felt better. But the whole thing got me to thinking about what any mother, father, sibling, or family member would say about their child if... :-( ...their life was randomly cut short.
Would you talk about the fact that they smelled like bubble gum most of the time because they always had a wad in their mouth?! Would you talk about how when they giggled at breakfast one time, and milk shot right out of their nose? Would you talk about how they loved certain songs so much that every time you thought of them you could hear the song playing as if they walked around with background music?
Well, those kinds of things are the things my family will hopefully be thinking about...after the shock of her death sinks in, and we're able to get past the total unfairness of it all. :-( ....In the meantime, it's a good thing that tears are not made of acid....and that love doesn't literally die when a child's heart stops beating.
Murder Took A Child
Our family lost a child today.
A loving heart, just now sixteen.
As to her schooling...smart and wise.
As to experience of life...still green.
I'm thankful tears are not like acid.
because the burn to us who've cried
would corrode a million planets.
And still we'd miss our girl who died.
I know that death was not God's plan.
And that our grief was not his choice.
I know he wouldn't approve of murder,
nor steal from life a young one's voice.
I know he sees and knows who did it.
And left with 'HIM' will be revenge.
It's not the time for "Ifs" and fury.
The thought of that just makes me cringe.
We'll speak of her, and what she wanted,
which included College...free!
An early exit from her High School;
continued love from family.
They'll be a space now at the table.
Events where she won't take a part.
But still a space for every giggle,
in everyone's memory, and their heart.
Our family lost a child today.
A loving heart, just now sixteen.
As to her schooling...smart and wise.
As to experience of life...still green.
I'm thankful tears are not like acid.
because the burn to us who've cried
would corrode a million planets.
And still we'd miss our girl who died.
I know that death was not God's plan.
And that our grief was not his choice.
I know he wouldn't approve of murder,
nor steal from life a young one's voice.
I know he sees and knows who did it.
And left with 'HIM' will be revenge.
It's not the time for "Ifs" and fury.
The thought of that just makes me cringe.
We'll speak of her, and what she wanted,
which included College...free!
An early exit from her High School;
continued love from family.
They'll be a space now at the table.
Events where she won't take a part.
But still a space for every giggle,
in everyone's memory, and their heart.
