Monday, September 29, 2008

Writing with a Heavy Heart...........

First I'll let you see the pictures from the wedding this past Saturday of Zoe's daycare teacher Amanda. Zoe really enjoyed being part of Miss Amanda's special day. I think she realized how neat it was that Miss Amanda picked her to be the flower girl when she could have asked anyone...........I might also add that Zoe looked pretty darn cute too!!!!!

In front of some of the decorations....

What a smile!

Posing without being asked!

Mama's Little Cutie!

Lovin' the dress!

Zoe & Patrick, the ring bearer!

The entire wedding party.......

Zoe & Miss Clara (another of her daycare teachers)!

Zoe & Miss Brittany (another daycare teacher)!

Zoe & friend Courtney dancing at the reception!

Zoe with a new bouquet of flowers that she collected off of the reception tables!

Why a Heavy Heart?...............This morning a farming accident in our little town of 1,400 claimed the life of a young husband/father. Nick, age 27, lost his life when he became buried in a grain bin full of corn. Nick & Erica had been married a little over two years & have a 6 month old son named Braxton. Our friend Sue, who happens to be Nick's neighbor says it best:

Just when you think things can’t get any worse, they do. Today we lost a friend, fellow firefighter and our neighbor, Nick R. at approximately 9am. He was only 27 years old and a young dad, Braxton is 6 months old. Married just 2 years to a great gal, Erica. Nick and Erica made you feel like family every time you were with them. I worked with Nick’s oldest sister, Camille. She worked part time at the bank before leaving for college several years ago. Today is her birthday. My son Jimmie was a classmate of Nick’s youngest sister Chrysse. Nick and Erica were to be in Erica’s brothers wedding this Saturday.

Nick was the kind of guy that would do anything for you; he worked hard at farming and he loved every detail of farming. He also was said to be one of the greatest basketball referee’s in these parts. I don’t have any personal experience with basketball, but I’ve been told that he wasn’t far from refereeing the NCAA Division I games like his uncle Greg.

My husband Lyle
was first on scene and did everything he could to try to get to Nick. Nick was buried in a grain bin full of corn. He didn’t have much time before suffocating. They just didn’t have enough time to save him. Even cutting holes in the sides of the bin and using a trackhoe to dig into the bin; there just wasn’t enough time.

I’m sitting here in my office at home watching the huge grain trucks rolling by filled with corn. My husband Lyle, and sons Jim and Luke
are among some great neighbors and friends that will haul all the corn to the elevator all night if they have to, just because they want to help. By helping you feel better. And Nick would do that for anyone else too, ANYONE.

I don’t know who is going to mow the weeds on the sides of the road now. Nick was a stickler for mowing. He never let the grass in his yard get too long. And he took care of the neighborhood making sure the weeds were cut down in the ditches.

He was a fireman too. When Lyle, Luke and Jim
would get a call, they’d holler as they were scrambling to get out of the house, “hurry, if you want to beat Nick.” They never did.

Nick beat them all today; I wonder what kind of task God needed him for??

As I leave you with this post, I have a prayer request: Please keep Nick's family & friends in your thoughts & prayers. It's going to be a very tough week for all of them. Perhaps some peace & comfort will come to them as we storm the gates of Heaven asking for God's blessing.

1 comment:

Lianna Knight said...

First...ZOE is an absolute doll! I just can't tell you how big MY smile was when I saw her posing and hamming it up for the camera...TOO CUTE!!

About your friend that passed away...what a tragic story. I will definitely keep his family in my prayers. The Lord will watch over his wife and Braxton and I know He has purpose...He always does :)