I had plans for a totally different post today, but sometimes, things just change.
My 3 older kids live with me half of the time and with their father and stepmother half of the time. When they are with him, they are in a different town, about 13 miles from here.
In that town today, an 8-year old girl was killed when she rode her bike into the side of a grain truck as it was making a turn. She hit the back wheels of the semi with her bike and she was run over.
A life ended after 8 short years. Eight years.
How does that happen? How do you explain that?
I haven't had a chance to talk to the kids yet. I don't know if they know the identity of the little girl yet. I recognize her name, and it's a very small town, so I'm sure that they know her, even if they weren't in the same grade. I'm sure that their father and stepmother know her, as they both work for the school district.
I can't even imagine how they are all feeling.
I can't even begin to imagine the pain that the little girl's family is experiencing. Or the heartache that the driver of the truck must be feeling.
All I know is that I will never pass up a chance to tell my kids that I love them. I will never pass up the opportunity for a hug or a smile or a touch.
Tell your kids that you love them every chance you have.
Hug them and kiss them, even if it embarrasses them to no end.
Let them know how much they mean to you.
We have no way of knowing if we will ever have another chance.
So sad! I hate to hear of such a tragedy. My heart goes out to everyone in that town.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad! My heart goes out to her family and to your kids. I can't even imagine... :(
ReplyDeleteSad to say, but death is an easier subject when there is a degree of disconnect. For it to happen in the same town is chilling enough, but what if they knew this girl? Or the girl's family? I'd be shattered.
ReplyDeleteI'm 30, and lucky to say I have only experienced one death of someone close to me. It rocked my world for months, and we weren't even blood related. I couldn't imagine how it would have felt if it was, say, my brother. Or mom...
I agree. Turns out that they didn't *know* her, but her brother was in Sarah's class. With it being such a small town, they all *know of* her but they weren't close to her.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, they haven't had to deal with death up close and personally yet. My ex-husband had been out of the house for almost 2 years when he passed away, so while it did affect them, it was somewhat easier for them to handle.
They will have to deal with death in their lives. I just hope that it is a very long time before they ever have to deal with the death of someone close to them.
So sad...prayers for the girls family, friends and the whole town...the driver too...My dad drove truck a lot of years and that was always a fear of his that a child would come out of no where...so so sad.
ReplyDeleteMare
Very very sad! : (
ReplyDeleteMy heart sank when I heard little girl in Halstead (hadn't heard the age or anything other than truck and she died)....I instantly thought of you Amy and prayed it wasn't either of your girls!!
Prayers go out to all involved.
This is so incredibly sad, for everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteIt is terrible.... a life gone so early. So true about living each moment.
ReplyDeleteKristen, I was thinking the exact same thing as I read your blog tonight! I think we're sharing a wavelength or something....
ReplyDeleteThat's just aweful....:( I feel so badly for her parents and family and I certainly could not fathom how the driver of the truck must feel!
ReplyDeleteLoss is always hard but it's especially bad when it's a child who has barely begun life.
Sending up Prayers all around!
Very sad.. Life can sure change fast.. we learned that when my sister-in-law fought and died from cancer in 2008.. Makes you look at life differently and your priorities change!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine anything worse than the loss of a child. This just breaks my heart. I think I'll hug my kids a little closer today.
ReplyDeleteI have always told my husband and son that we can't leave the house angry, because we never know what will happen by the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to everyone in that town, as a child's loss will hit everyone!
sustahl - I totally agree! Life as we know it can change so drastically, so quickly - I've experienced it myself many times - and we have to take advantage of every single moment, especially the ones that we have with those that we love.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is that a lesson can be learned from this horrible accident - the lesson that we need to really, truly live each moment as if it were our last.
AMY, I LIVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ONE TIME AND THE NEXT DOOR FOLK LOST A DAUGHTER. A LITTLE GIRL. SHE WAS JUST RIDING HER BIKE ON OUR QUIET STREET AND RODE IN FRONT OF A CAR THAT WAS TURNING INTO OUR STREET AT THE CORNER.HARDLY AN CARS EVER. THE PARENTS WERE NEVER THE SAME.EVERYTHING CHANGED.I ALWAYS FELT BAD FOR THEIR SON.DOWN DEEP I THINK THEY BLAMED HIM FOR NOT WATCHING HER CLOSER WHILE THEY RODE THOSE BIKES. HE NEVER HAD A LIFE AS A YOUNG KID SHOULD HAVE AFTER THAT HAPPEN. SO SAD WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY TAMPA