Tree Carnage

Where do I start? My niece Lacey was the one that described our yard as just that..."tree carnage". Thursday's fierce windstorm downed 6 of our trees including our beloved pines. Our landscape is so completely different these days and we're still cleaning up. But on the positive side, I am overwhelmed and humbled by all the outpouring of service that so many friends, family and strangers gave. In fact, Jameson described it as a miracle...and if nothing else positive occurs from all of this, it has taught my son so much about our Heavenly Father's hand in our lives and the kindness and generosity of others.

So we're all safe. No holes in our roof, no smashed vehicles and no bodily injuries (except Officer Long has a deep, long scratch across his forehead from one of the branches but this has been fun for him to make up stories of how he earned the gash including something about K-9 training...)

And I have to honestly say, the pictures do not do the storm's power justice. These were taken before clean-up began and the pines especially created this enormous tangled mess. It is not even possible to be where we are in the clean-up process if not for all the volunteer hours spent by so many.