A Week of Devastation!

Tuesday evening the local meteorologists were calling for severe storms during the night.  Trying to be Ms. Tough Girl I thought Drake and I would go to sleep at home and be just fine. (Totally unlike me!)  Well, at 1:30 a.m. I woke up for no reason and turned on the T.V. to check the weather and there were weather alerts saying storms would be severe between 3 and 6 a.m.  I instantly jumped out of bed, packed a bag, woke Drake and went to my dad's to stay in the basement.  Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep after that.  The storm went through Marion causing quite a bit of damage with quite a bit only 2 miles from our house. 

This is the remains of the Old Four Star Arena on Rt. 166. 

I LOVED this old farm house next to the Arena.  It was at one time a picture perfect farm house.  Now, not so much.  It broke my heart when I saw this.

This was taken on Hudgens Road.

This damage was heart breaking, but the storm only got stronger as it went East.  There was a tornado that touched down in Harrisburg, killing 6 and injuring over 100.  The pictures are absolutely devastating!  It is heart warming to see how the community has come together to help in the efforts to pick up the pieces from the tornado and donate food, clothes, soap, and many, many other items for the ones who lost everything.  It will take a long time to get it back together, but these people are very optimistic!  This is a time that I am SOOOOOO proud to say I'm from this community!

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
Psalm 27:4-5

Big Heart!

Last night, just after Drake and I laid down he told me he wanted to text daddy.  After entering Wes' number, I handed Drake the phone.  After about five minutes of him typing a very sincere message that looked something like this

a;lise7r9873oisdflaicyvalekht;
oaicyvlaknsdlu4898263asdf8
asdghasklehyfaisd7faslekjfahl
uriyhtgaliurhasdf6289734lksjd
fhlaksjdhf U,

he hit send.  Only a couple minutes later we got a reply, "Luv u, Goodnight."  I told Drake that was all for the night, it was time to go to sleep.  He begged and begged to send just one message back.  I figured he had something important to say so I gave in.  He replied, "luv u.....i am,"  then he asked me how to spell "with".  As I spelled it he slowly typed, "with u."  He asked me if it was spelled right and I told him yes but I told him he was silly because he wasn't with daddy because daddy wasn't home.  "I'm not really with him but I'm with him in my heart and in his heart", he replied.  OH! MY! GOODNESS!  That was a little more than this momma could handle.  Tears started flowing from my eyes.  I know I under estimate his knowledge and understanding of everything.  I can't get used to the fact that he isn't a baby anymore, and he understands soooo much.  I'm not sure how he got to be so loving, but this child has a heart that consumes about 90% of his body!  (The other 10% is Buffington blood)  ;)  I pray that this big heart stays with him forever!  


All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13 

A Week of LOVE!

We had a wonderful week spent with family and friends!  Monday night, we had a great visit with Mia, Danny and Clara.  Danny needed to come over to work on our furnace which hadn't been working for about 4 weeks.  Drake loved playing with Clara!

Tuesday was Valentine's Day.  Drake had been begging for the movie, "Treasure Buddies" so I thought this would be the perfect time to get it for him.  Since we had a new movie to watch I decided we could stay home for a great little Valentine date.  I picked up a heart shaped pizza on my way home from work.  Talk about EASY dinner!!!  Drake enjoyed opening Valentine packages from "Honey" and other grandparents and family members.

Tuesday was not only Valentine's Day, but it was a very special day for one of my dear friends, Connie.  Connie is the most lovable, caring, courageous women I know!  She has a smile that is contageous and the biggest heart EVER!  Connie and her husband had tried for 8 years to have a baby.  Connie left it in God's hands and he showed everyone that he, indeed is bigger than ANY doctor!  Connie and Kevin welcomed perfect Hadley into the world on Valentine's Day!  What a little miracle she is!  Connie's smile was contageous before, but I have a feeling that her beautiful smile is NEVER going to leave her face!  I went to meet Hadley and I did not want to let her go!

Friday night we went to dinner with some friends.  It was a great night out with friends and the kids.  Drake and Landon had a blast with each other!  They can definitely be a dangerous pair!  It seems like just yesterday that Drake was the only kid in this clan and now Landon is almost 2, Karsyn is 8 weeks (with plenty of boys to watch out for her) and Landon has a baby brother on the way!

Saturday, we took Drake to check out the new jail that was built in Marion.  They had a fundraiser and open house with tours of the jail.  I always sometimes threaten Drake when he is misbehaving by telling him I am going to drop him off at jail.  I thought this would be a great opportunity to show him what it is really like.  Needless to say, he was a nervous wreck the whole time thinking we were going to leave him there.  I think it's safe to say that he will be on good behavior for a while! 

 

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it". Proverbs 22:6