It seems that even through tragedy, kindness shines through. While this last month has been the hardest time of our lives, we’ve also had so many things to be thankful for. The outpouring of support we received in the days and weeks following Sarah’s death completely blew me away. I kept saying it over and over…”I don’t know how to express how thankful we are”. But that’s totally how it feels. The emotions that we felt from everybody’s thoughts, prayers, and acts of kindness are completely impossible to describe. I honestly believe we could not have gotten through those first two weeks without all that support.
Our small town of Polk City has completely rallied behind us. Travis and I were given two weeks worth of meals from individuals around town. Feeding 6 kids during that time was a nearly impossible task and it was such a relief to have dinner ready every night. I want you all to know that having that food helped us to be able to focus on what was most important in that time. We were able to have delicious dinners with our whole family. Neighbors delivered cards, gifts, and treats. Our dance studio welcomed Devyn at the 4th of July parade with open arms and gave her a couple hours of happiness and normalcy. I am so proud to be from this wonderful town!
Our extended family held us up during the first week. My dad’s side lives in Colorado and my aunt and uncle came to Iowa the day after Sarah died. They organized the get together after the visitation by providing all the food. They helped us laugh and kept us distracted when we needed it most. We were so sad to see them all leave.
When we set up the GoFundMe page, we really didn’t know what to expect. We’d just had so many people ask where they could give financially for the kids so we thought it would be the easiest platform for giving. The generosity of people has blown us away. We will never be able to say thank you enough for the money that will help Roben and Devyn in the future.
My friends and coworkers have checked in with me with phone calls, text messages, and visits to the house. I know you are all worried about me and having people to talk to helps so much. It feels so good just to get a hug when I go to work and you are all understanding when I have random melt downs! Friends have come over and cleaned my house, folded my laundry, and brought me food. We went on a trip that had already been planned with some of our best friends. They made it the best week and we were able to truly escape and be in the moment with each other. We couldn’t have had that experience with anyone else.
The funeral home we ended up choosing was a complete blessing. None of us had ever thought about funeral plans we are not an overly religious family. One of our good friends’ mom works at this funeral home so I called her for some guidance and we decided to have the service with them. They were such a delight to work with. The director was warm and to the point, which is exactly what we needed because we all struggled to make decisions. The church where the funeral was held had a pastor that we connected with the moment we met him. We all felt this connection and a sense of peace. We contacted the man who sang at Jill’s wedding because we all like him so much. He happened to be free for the funeral and learned two of the songs we requested in just a couple of days. We could not have asked for a better musician. Everything about the visitation and funeral felt right and we felt closure and comfort in that moment.
I find myself falling into the depths of grief frequently. But before long, I remember all the good that has happened during this last month and it helps me get through the day. Please, know how grateful we are for all of your kindness. We love all of you so much. You’ve held us up when we couldn’t walk. You’ve let us cry. You’ve let us be angry. You’ve let us just be. You’ve reminded us that every little thing is gonna be alright.
Now, can this post replace the thank you cards that I fully intend on still writing?!