We're okay

Just wanted to let everyone know if you heard about tornadoes ripping through Kansas last night that we are okay. We did have to take shelter at about 11:15pm in the basement when the sirens went off but all we got was some rain.

However, please keep in your prayers the town of Chapman, which is about a 30 minute drive north of us. The town is only about 8 blocks wide and a tornado ripped through about 6 blocks of it. We are hearing reports that it is about 80% destroyed. We have friends whose parent live there and I have heard that they are okay but that they lost their house. The schools are destroyed and 2 churches. The funeral home is gone. It basically went through the downtown business district, destroyed 60 homes, 30 homes have major damage and 20 or so more homes have minor damage.

A tornado also hit Manhattan, which is where we go to do shopping. It hit the Kansas State University campus and damaged some buildings there. My bosses home was hit with debris and houses 300 yards from his were leveled (about 30-40 homes gone) and there was a car dealership and lumber yard that were very heavily damaged. Manhattan just had a hail storm that came through there about 1 1/2 weeks ago too. They had softball size hail that destroyed cars parked at the airport and some manufacturing plants out there. My bosses cousin owns a used car dealership and they had about 250 cars on the lot and all of them were totalled.

It is scary and sad and I pray we never have to go through something like that. This has just been a bad year for weather between the tornadoes and hail and the ice storm in December.

Updating Blog

Well, I have started to update the blog after being without internet for almost a month at home. I will still get the story updated on here. But for now you can see the new pics/posts below. I'll update more as I get time.

8th grade Graduation continued

These are the carnations Mark and I bought for Sarah for her 8th grade graduation - they were a surprise and the first flowers that she has ever received. She was very excited.

The kids all made these pages for their parents. I don't know if you will be able to read them or not but their hand prints were on one side and then they could put what ever they wanted on the other side. Sarah put a couple of poems and then a personal note to her dad and I. I took pics of the sayings but I don't know if you will be able to read them. When their names were called to be recognized, they brought these to their parents. I cried.

May 20th - Sarah's 8th Grade Graduation

Me and Sarah after the graduation program. The theme of the evening was Night of the Stars. All the 8th grade parents were in charge of decorating the gym. The kids had a dance after the graduation.

Sarah with Mrs. B - her middle school counselor who is an awesome lady and who took a new job at another school for next year.

The whole 8th grade class - there are 30 of them.

Sarah with 2 of her best friends - C and C.

Some of the decorations.

Before the 8th grade recognition part of the program. The kids had their last vocal concert of the year. They do a 6th grade choir and then a combined 7th/8th grade choir. My baby girl takes after her mom when it comes to singing. She had a solo and a duet that night but the pictures turned out blurry.

This is the 7th/8th grade choir.

May 12th - Sarah's last band concert for 07-08 school year

Here is a picture of the whole 7th/8th grade band. This was Sarah's last middle school band concert.

Here is Sarah playing her flute.

Sarah and her friends - C & C.

Sarah and the other flutists (not sure if that's what they are called???)

1st camping trip - May 16th

Here are some pics from our first camping trip. I just love a good fire and it was a beautiful evening out.

Here are some geese that were hanging out on the lake. We usually take old bread to feed them but they weren't close enough to feed all weekend. So, the bread went back into the freezer for the next time.

Here is a picture of Hannah fishing - Mark had to go buy her her own fishing license this year because she turned 16 in December and now must have her own. She loves to fish and got quite the sunburn that weekend. She had the top of her right arm and the underside of her left arm sunburnt because of holding her fishing pole all weekend.

Mark helping Hannah with her pole.

A beautiful sunset.

Finally have internet!!!

We finally have internet after 4 weeks without (at home)!!! Whoo Hoo!! I will get some updating done - hopefully here in the next few days as I have taken lots of pics. LOL!!!