Grieving.

What a crazy last week we have had. It has been quite the roller coaster. I'm sure everyone has heard about the horrific death of Anne Pressly. I think I tried to prepare myself for that as the week went on, but it was still so shocking. Dalton has been quite the early riser over the past month and so every morning we woke up at about 5 and started watching Anne, Beth, and Melinda on KATV. She was so endearing and even though I only had a few encounters personally with her, I was enamored. She was so vibrant, and so fun and just really lit up a room. Being in the season of life that I'm in, any relationship that I had with any young women I held very dear, and the same went for Anne.
I think we hear about crazy horrible things happening all over the world, but this just happened so close to home. I still can't believe it. I cry every time the videos of her come on the news or that someone starts talking about it. It was just such a hateful, malicious crime and he's still out there, probably so proud of himself and thinking he got away with it ... gross.
I just pray that God will use this for His glory. That He would be glorified through all this and that people will lean on Him for strength and understanding. I have become scared in my home though- and we dont' even live in the same city! I made Lisa stay on the phone with me last night, walking to my car at Wal-Mart. I just hug and kiss on my kids all day, even more than usual, thinking of how I wouldn't be able to be lifted off the floor if I were her mother. Ugh, I feel sick again.
Speaking of which, everyone in my family has gotten the stomach bug over the past week, so that helps.
I hope everyone will keep Anne's family, friends, and co-workers in their prayers in the weeks and months ahead. Their worlds have just been rocked and I can't imagine the pain those that were really close to her are enduring, if even those of us who had just met her a few times of us are hurting as much as we are. Our community truly loved Anne, and we are suffering an indescribable loss.