Mourning Our Losses

By now, most of the nation has heard of the lone shooter that took the lives of five Northern Illinios University students on Valentine's Day. Our entire community is in shock that anything like this could ever come to our sleepy little area of the midwest.

Thursday, Feb 14, 2008
Usual morning, kids off to school & then in to work at the library on campus.
10:30am - annoying "Happy V-Day" text from crazy classmate
10: 47 am - another annoying "Happy V-Day" text from former classmate that only calls every 3 months when she's having boyfriend problems.
11:00am - call from the school, Alien #2 trying to get me to come pick him up from school because he's 'gonna puke'. This is his lame attempt to get me to pick him up because he just doesn't want to go back to school after being home sick for 2 weeks, who can blame him?
1:30 pm - clock out & go upstairs to the computer lab to study.
2:45 pm - leave campus to go pick up Alien #2 from school & go get dinner.
3:08 pm - ignore call from crazy classmate who sent text message at 10:30am
3:20 pm - arrive home & listen to voicemail from crazy classmate only to find her screaming hysterically about leaving campus & wanting to know where I was. As I'm listening to the message trying to figure out what caused her to go off her nut this time, best friend & boss calls so I answer it.
"WHERE ARE YOU?"
"Home, just walked in with the kids, why?"
"We're in lock-down, there's a reported shooter on campus! Lock your doors & stay home tonight! I've tried to get through to you on my cell for 15 minutes! I'll call you when we're off campus & headed home."

The line goes dead. I just stare at my phone in disbelief........

A lone gunman took the lives of five NIU students before killing himself last Thursday just after 3:00pm. There is not one person among us that has not been touched by this horrific tragedy. I won't rehash what is already in the news.

All I ask is this: Please pray for the families of the dead and injured, yes, this includes the family of the shooter. They are still on this earth and need prayers to come to grips with what their child has done. Pray for those of us blessed enough to be here to remember that terrible day, especially those students who were wittness to the carnage and aftermath. Pray for our community to heal. Thank you. God Bless you all.