A Stolen Life.

I almost forgot while I was at the beach I read two pretty heart wrenching stories.

Day One: A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

This story was truly powerful, heartbreaking, and chilling. Not to mention, it is all real.  Every piece you read is an intimate detail of a life that was taken for 18 years. It is pretty unimaginable to think she survived to even tell her story. Here were some of my favorite quotes or passages...

Who knew a pine cone could mean so much in someone's life. For it to mean something as big as freedom just leaves me speechless. My eyes are tearing up just thinking of what that little girl was going through. 

"When I don't dare to think, I dare to dream."

"Love is the easy part, it's the living without the love you need that is hard."

It also shares some of her journal entries.

She would often list goals, or places she would someday like to visit.

To think of the simplicity of such dreams is hard to imagine.

At one point she even says she will never hate Phillip and Nancy (her kidnappers)

because she doesn't want that sort of bitterness in her life.

That takes one strong person.

And I think she beats the odd.

Of course, I think she has a long hard road in front of her, but her story is inspiring.

The guts it took to right and open up her life in that way is remarkable, and although sometimes you just want to jump in the story and scream, that was her life for 18 years and she had no other choice but to adapt and survive. I commend her. 

So go read. It is a must!

Drifting Away (photo overload)

Last week was the annual family beach trip.
Last week was WONDERFUL.
The beach was beautiful, the water was perfect,
and most days were pretty uneventful.
We ate a lot of shrimp, caught a lot of rays,
and enjoyed each and every moment.
There were 13 people, which included
3 children at and under the age of 3, with 1 condo
and only 2 bathrooms. However, we survived
and I have TONS of pictures to prove it.
ENJOY. 

my nephew, Will and me

 my daddy and me at Doc's

 Meghan (my brother's gf and me)

 My brother, Daniel and me

 My newphew, Judson

 My niece, Ryleigh Bug. No her name isn't "Ryleigh Bug H----. However, if you ask, she will tell you that it is.

 My sister, Jessica and I

 love.

 Meghan, Daniel and me

 My Dad and his gf Michele

 Maybe my favorite picture of the bug.

 Daniel and Meghan

 I have tons more pictures. Actually, in all, 3 people managed to take 1799 pictures!! However, I will spare you the excitement! Hope everyone is having a great week. Also, I ask for lots of prayers for a sweet family. Please read her story here.

Oh my my, how Pinteresting?

Have you checked out Pinterest? It is so lovely. Go now then link up! Happy Wednesday Y'all!!

I am loving this bed.

this outfit

this quote

these braids

and this hottie!

all images via Pinterest.com

You can't fix a disaster in a day...

 this is an actual picture from the tornado on april 27.

As I was driving through one of the tornado stricken towns yesterday morning, I saw houses still left to be finished. I saw work trucks lining the roads, debris in piles on empty, lifeless lots. I drove past construction workers who are still rebuilding, still working, still repaving a community that's in shambles. How long will this take? It's already been 3 months. We could set a time limit but would just end up setting ourselves up for a big let down, or we could do it day by day with no goal or ending in sight. This disaster will not be fixed in a day. It might take some a lifetime to rebuild their homes and memories, while some may never feel whole again. Yet, we still put a timeline on what we think is acceptable. We still expect this world to move on from a past and rebuild a future, when all they want is their past back. In the nursing lingo, that time of grieving is excessive, so we say suck it up, move on, or we will slap the crazy card on you.  We can not rebuild towns in a day, so why must we expect to rebuild relationships, broken promises, or lost loves in a timely manner too? Who made this limit? Who created this expectation? But maybe, just maybe if it were supposed to work in the past then we wouldn't have this to deal with in the first place. So say you do. How long do we get until it's healed? One day, one month, or maybe never? Then we are left with a past that we just can't get passed. Unlike the tornado, this came tumbling down over weeks and months. It didn't strike just one day. Maybe that would make gathering the pieces a little less complicated. So shouldn't we get more time to fix the wounds? When is it time to slap a gauze on it, a little normal saline, add lots a tape, and let it heal on it's on? From of the looks of it, that takes time, but no one is that patient with their time. Believe me. Maybe it's unrepairable, but who am I to judge? I often find myself reliving a past that I may never get passed. This town will not be rebuilt any time soon, and I'm not sure if this past will either.