Angels

Took this photo while in New Ulm as well. Found this formation, which I dubbed the Ice Angel, on the wall of a large brick building. Pretty neat huh?

No doubt, many of you have heard about the bus crash that happened last week that claimed the lives of 4 children in the neighboring town of Cottonwood. A completely senseless tragedy.

Oddly, even though I've been in the area just around 6 months, I knew the families of 3 of the 4 children. It's been a very sad time. I work with the mother of the two brothers that lost their lives. I attended their funeral on Monday. It was absolutely gut-wrenching. As a parent, I cannot imagine. My daughters are roughly the same ages as these brothers. It was my first funeral involving children. The other boy, whose funeral is tomorrow, is known to me by his mother and sister whom I am acquainted with through Girl Scouts and his father is a firearms safety instructor with Todd. His brother just got out of the hospital yesterday; so now the funeral can procede.

It's been a week filled with such emotion. As a parent, a friend, a community member and an outraged citizen (surrounding the accident's circumstances). My small kids ask "how can this happen? Why did the kids go to God so soon?" Good questions... All I could do was explain that accidents happen, God doesn't plan those, and an accident is an accident. As many of you know, I walk that fine line between religion and science. In this case, I can definitely see where religion wins out. It provides comfort to know and hope that those children are in a much better place. That because they don't exist physically here on Earth any longer, that they are 'there' . . around us, watching us.. For as a parent, I would have a hard time believing that somehow, if my child's life ended that that was just .. it. Nothing more. I know that may be selfish on my part. But it's the parent side of me that would hope for better, happier things for my children.

This week has pointed out one of the good things about being in a very small community setting. Everyone pulls together. It was amazing to visit the Lakeview School (where the boys' funerals took place) where the halls are lined rows deep with flowers and plants, the walls papered with posters of well wishes, from not only neighboring towns, but from other states as well. A community outpouring of fundraising for the families to help defray medical and funeral costs. An outpouring of support to let these families know that even though their families are smaller, their extended family reaches far beyond what they probably realized. Funeral attendance for Emilee was a 1,000, the brothers was near 1,400 and I suspect the final funeral tomorrow will not be any less.

I've been on a Leave of Absence from work. My boss wouldn't accept my resignation and put me on a 'vacation'. It's been good, I've caught up on lots of paperwork for personal and school lives, volunteered at school, visited Kimmy.. just doing 'normal' things. And be in an overall better mood. Not sure what happens from here.