Greensburg 1 year later

It was the first time we had been back to Greensburg, and the absence of familiar landmarks was disorienting. Greensburg was the place where Rich and I developed our friendship. We went on Kwick-shop dates sharing bad coffee and a bag of Reeces Pieces.

Our daughter Rina had played at the Big Well Park, and much of my pantry-stocking was done at WB's Bulk Food Store. All of those things are gone now, or are drastically changed. But the biggest reminder of the devastation, and the greatest testimony to life pressing on in the midst of suffering were the trees. Naked trees that had been stripped of branches and leaves. Precious trees that had been nursed and cared for in the middle of the Kansas Prairie. Proud trees that, in spite of their assault, were shooting out tiny branches like fur, struggling to survive.

The people of Greensburg are like their trees. They have been stripped bare. No homes, no clothes, no possessions. They lost all that they had cared for and built up. A year ago they appeared to have lost both their past and their future. But today, like their trees, they are sending out shoots. They are branching out. They are pressing forward with life. They will rebuild. They will go on. The scars of that aweful day one year ago will remain, but those scars testify to the triumph of life over hardship.

The Kansas State Motto is "Ad Astra Per Aspera," To the Stars through Difficulties. The lives of those living in Greensburg are a testimony to the reality of that theme for all the world to see.

Where has the time gone?

Having just realized that I have not blogged since April, I decided it was time for an update. May ...what can I say, I think it may have been even busier than March and April--if that is even possible.
I spent my birthday with my Aunt Jacque and Uncle David in Colorado. It was fun to see them and catch up. We were on our way back from Estes Park and Pastor's Retreat. From there we drove through crazy 60-70 mph side gusting winds back to Kansas and then South into Greensburg.
The original purpose of that trip was to join in the alumni festivities in Haviland for Rich's 10 year college reunion. On arrival, we found that no one was really there from his graduating class.
We spent the weekend, instead, with our friends in Greensburg commemorating one year of recovery from the tornado that left the town bare.
We ended our trip in Wichita staying at my Mother's and heading to Institute Monday night. Then back home on Tuesday morning, May 6th.
I had an appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed on Monday May 12th. Two went with an extraction, two surgically, and by Friday I was eating fairly normally. Having recovered from my oral surgery, I came down with a viral infection that stole my voice for four days, and left me coughing for the remainder of the month!
Now it is June, and I have no idea where all the in between time went. It seems we have jumped from activity to activity, and week to week until here we are, and it is almost officially summer!