So, I have been a neglectful blogger, I admit it. But if you only knew how busy we've been this summer! Not only that, but I've been going through a few things and haven't really known how to articulate them. It's been about deeper things with the Lord and changing my life and all sorts of really good things.  Also a lot of family drama. Not to mention field trips and finishing up a few things for school and all the decisions about next year and...and...and...I'm sure you get the picture!

Hello and thank you to the sweet people who have stopped by to say hi. It has been encouraging. I haven't had/taken the time to respond or visit for a long time and I apologize for that. I was seriously considering hanging up my blogging hat. I'm still not quite sure about that one. There are a lot of things to weigh. You guys are just too sweet!

So, I have to go again. Things to do and get ready for. It's Friday ya know.

One last note:If you guys have the time or think of it, could you please be praying for the people of Minnesota? This last Wednesday a major freeway bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during rush hour. There were a lot of victims and there are people still missing. There are people who have been located but haven't been recovered that are still in their cars under the water.

A Google search with Mississippi Bridge collapse or something similar will bring up the story. A local news website that we usually watch that is not as sensationalistic as some others is www.KARE11.com.

It really could have been any one of us here in MN on that bridge at the time. It's one of the main freeways in the heart of the Twin Cities Metro Area. Growing up here, I've driven that stretch of freeway so many times. Asa just recently switched jobs with Target and moved to one of their suburban locations, but he used to drive that way a lot. Pretty much if you are a driver in MN and you need to get to the Cities or out of the Cities for anything/most things, you drive I-35W and cross the Mississippi River on that very bridge.

That day my own sister crossed that bridge 10-15 minutes before it collapsed. She had my neice and 3 of my nephews with her. That's about half of my entire immediate family right there. A friend of mine's husband was travelling on it about the same time-just minutes before it collapsed-and I think he was leaving at a different time than usual. My daughters father's girlfriend's friend made it mostly to the other side avoiding the river but the part of the bridge her car was on landed on a train car. She was injured, but she survived. That's how it could have been any one of us or any one we may know.

It seems like you can't go anywhere without 'knowing' someone in Minnesota. Or even know someone who knows someone you know. Most often there are only a few degrees of seperation between people around here. I have met so many people who know someone else I know or went to school with so-and-so or married so-and-so who I used to hang around or is a cousin or aunt/unlce or relative of so-and-so and so on and so forth. (It's not in-breeding either!) Minnesotans just have this dynamic of comraderie and feeling connected to other Minnesotans and relating to eachother. We are a close knit community here in this way. That's why this has been a really devastating blow to our entire state. (It's kinda funny/interesting but even as I write this, I can see some of the Minnesota mindset emerge...)

But God...He has a plan and I have heard so many people talk about spiritual things that normally probably wouldn't. I've seen how Christians have been affected and have shared their faith boldly on the news. This has gotten not only national, but INTERNATIONAL coverage. Asa and I looked online and found countries like Australia, Malaysia, Russia, the UK, Thailand, Iran, New Zealand and Switzerland and so on who have covered this story as front page news. There have been tons of testimonies of miraculous things/circumstances surrounding this catastrophe. May these peoples questions get true answers and may the Lord be glorified!  

I hope this made sense. It's still a bit surreal all that has transpired the past few days. Thanks for your prayers and I hope to post again soon.

Blessings,

traci  :)