Hold your Loved Ones a Little Tighter

I am very sorry I have been missing..I haven't felt like blogging due to a crazy gliche in the computer that is not allowing me to upload pictures..and I feel a blog is just not complete without pictures. I love taking pictures..and I love when I can share them. I was hoping to share some great pictures by Stephanie Jordan..but due to the crazy rain situation that didn't happen..it was supposed to rain the whole week and I don't think we hardly got any rain! I so hated to cancel, but we will be rescheduling maybe for some fall pictures. She is so talented and I can't wait to use her. We have been in Scottsboro for the whole week and have loved every minute of it..we have got to spend some great quality time just loving on family..something I think everyone in Scottsboro has done this week..it has been a tough tough week for our small town.

We headed home on Sunday and all was well..until I recieved a text from my dear friend Misty asking me to pray for her cousin Ian who was in the hospital..and not doing good. In fact, he was on life support and it was not looking good. I was pure devastated as I knew him and love his family. His brother Justin graduated with me and used to be my "boyfriend"..as Misty reminded me at the funeral..LOL...we were like 10 or 11..so I don't think that counted! Nontheless..great family and so sad to hear this. I immediately went into prayer mode and asked many of the prayer warriors I know to pray. Whatever the situation, it didn't matter..this was a great guy who has a pretty awesome little boy and my friend was hurting over her cousin..so prayers were going up!!! Unfortuanately, he did not make it and passed into Glory with our dear Father on Tuesday night...the funeral and visitation was on Friday and I went with Kerry..it was a very sad time and an unexpected time, but was so happy to see so many "young" people there to pay respects and support the family. It truly showed how much he was loved. I haven't seen or heard from him in a while other than on facebook or myspace..but have fond memories of his smiling face..and I can't help but smile when I see pictures of Ethan, his son, smiling..b/c Ian's smile is always going to live on in him..during the funeral, Heath Tate sang and did a wonderful job on Amazing Grace and I Can Only Imagine...such fitting and beautiful songs and for that day...with the assurance of Ian's salvation..it was even better...I cried..but I smiled too..I was just wondering if he was bowing, standing, falling or kneeling before his precious Savior? It is always hard to lose a loved one and I have said before, if I could bring my grandma back, I would in a heartbeat..but I know I can't and I know that she is in the place we long to be someday with our Savior and King and that makes me happy and I know it does Ian's family too!

I want to ask you to continue to pray for Ethan and his mom Lauren..she is such a special person to me and I just love her spirit..she is such a strong lady and she has been given the blessed responsibility of raising Ethan..and I along with so many others..know she is doing and will continue to do a fantastic job! He is blessed to have her as Mommy!

On Wednesday, a local man was hit by a car as he was training for an Ironman Triathalon...such a sad and tragic thing to happen..again this week. The dear lady that hit him..her life is changed forever as well..but I hope we all stop and realize it could have been us..it was an accident..a tragic accident!

It is so sad that things like this happen and sometimes are the only things that make us stop and realize just how precious life is and how important our family truly is..I guarantee we all loved a little closer and hugged a little tighter in our small hometown..it definitely makes you realize just how short life can be and in a rare moment how lives can change...Hold your loved ones a little tighter tonight and tell them you love them..you never know when your last chance might be...