My heart is so heavy tonight. I can't even begin to put into words what I saw and experienced today. Everywhere the eye could see was devastation. I've never seen anything like this before and pray I never will again. The pictures, nor television, do it justice. A town that's just beginning to clean-up from this deadly storm...trying to put the pieces back together. A family burying their 16 year old daughter. A father weeping uncontrollably. A mother, with endless hugs for those who came to show their condolances, yet she was the one comforting us. A family's faith so strong that I question whether I would exhibit the same under similar circumstances. Again, the heaviness in my heart contributes to the tears that continue to flow.
We arrived around 12:45 p.m. for Katie's viewing that began at 1:00 p.m. The Powerpoint presentation continued to flash Katie's big smile across the screen just above her closed casket as we waited in an endless line to hug Kathy and Dirk. She whispered in my ear "thank you for all you and the Band Boosters have done" as the tears streamed down my face. Inbetween hugs, he would look up at the screen and get lost in the pictures of his daughter. There are no answers.
I'm posting a few photos below...I took so many, but am too tired to post them all right now. Please continue to pray for the Strunks and if the Lord so leads, assist them financially by giving to the address in my previous post.
This is the line that stretched around the building for several hours before the funeral...
more photos below...
6 sweet friends had to say...:
Oh Tracey! The pictures break my heart and I know pictures never show the actual horror. I remember after Hurricane Ivan here and I tried to capture things on pictures to send to friends and family. It's just impossible to get it all in. So I know it had to be unbelievable. I'm so sorry. I'll continue to keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs. Take care.
it makes me sad to see what's happened over there and what happened to this girls family. you are so right about that we should always say goodbye and so on. I alsways thinkabout this and make sure I do it.
I stopped by for the party and I thanks you for the invite and you are welcome to my brazilian corner to relax a little! All the best to all of you!
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I am sure yesterday was a hard day. I sat here at my desk and watched the time just knowing where you were and what was going on. It's just a terrible thing, there's nothing else to say. Thanks for the pictures...I'm sure they still don't do justice.
Hello from Illinois and the Ultimate Blog Party. Will certainly be praying for you all. My Dad was caught in all this too, please keep him in your prayers as well.
I found you on the blog party list - We watched on the news a few nights ago as they covered the story on Enterprise. I rememebr seeing Katie's picture and the others - and feeling just so saddened by the deaths of these precious kids. Our prayers go out to you and their families.
Thanks for the "tour", even tho it's a very sad one. My heart still aches so much for the families of those who died. Can you imagine, for the rest of your life, needing to tell people that you lost one of your children in a freak tornado?
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