Unexpected Beauty

It's messy at our house. It's dusty in the middle of the desert. And when you have all tile floors there's no carpet to hide the dust. More than that it's messy because our emotions are flying everywhere. And when you have 9 people living in a tiny space there's no area rug in the world that will hide the dirt. Add the traumatic stress to the brain injury component of this and it makes for more than a little dust. And so last Friday when I came across a 'story' that our 11 year-old daughter Kaitlyn wrote I wept. Just like I teared up when we were hiking at Colossal Cave National Park last week and came across a green, plush, grassy area smack dab in the middle of the "trail of the ancestors". The beauty was so unexpected. With her permission I am sharing her unedited, unfinished story. ( you must know she had a bird "Jazelle" that we lost in the evacuation and two dogs Frodo and Pippen)


"Sometimes words get to you. For the first time you get a glimpse of the past,the present, and the future. You realize what has happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen. I've always been afraid of death, but for the first time I feel hope, forgiveness, and happiness because I have got family close to me no matter what. Life seems peaceful now, but at the same time it feels harder than ever. There are some things in life that are unforgettable. Loosing 3 loved and loving pets is one of those things. But we as a family should never give up what we have started. Like i'd like to say it we've come to a fork in the road but we haven't turned back. This message goes out to all the people out there who understand that life is a roller coaster. There is always a story behind your beloved ones. So we, as humans have to understand the great creations that are made around us. Those creations are what inspire anyone to do what they are doing now. Think about what you own. Sometimes I ask myself, why do I have all of this stuff? The answer is that the people surrounding you are caring for you every second of the day. When I would wake up in the morning I would have a glimpse of happiness. My bird was chirping, Frodo stuck his ears up at the sight of us, and Pippen whimpering around following Frodo. Those three creatures brought us happiness."