It does exist!!

So yesterday we went over and helped my parents clean out their 1st floor. It was a HUGE mess!! Mike misplaced our camera (eyes rolling) so I don't have any pictures downloaded yet. I did take the one above on my iPhone though. The boat was in the neighbors yard/driveway. The city had to come over w/ 2 big bulldozers and move it over. The whole city just looks like a big junkyard/war zone with everyone getting their mess out. It stinks too. More pics to come when Mike finds our camera.

I wanted to take a few minutes and blog about the blessings we've been given lately and share my lesson in what it is to be a good Christian, friend, neighbor and American. The biggest blessing of course is that all of our friends and loved ones were safe, the other is that none of us has lost our home.

It is always so amazing to me in these times of desaster and suffering to see the American spirit. So many wonderful people, both paid and volunteer, have been working round the clock to provide the basic needs of those in this area effected by Ike. Serving food, passing out water and ice, working all night to repair power lines. I take electricity for granted...and I definitely take refrigeration for granted.

Yesterday while cleaning out the crap, seriously just wet, muddy, gross junkie crap, from my parents house we were shown kindness by some friends. Tom Haynes who does many jobs, but for us he handles all of our radio and television advertisig for both Oak Creek and the Bridal Symposium. He and my dad have worked together for years with his company/companies working with ours. I always knew he was a great Christian w/ a huge heart, and any time he visits our office he brings big smiles and an unmatched energy, but I had no idea what he'd bring to my family yesterday. We had worked for hours in the garage, we were tired and really just feeling exhaustion (both physical and mental) when we looked up and here comes Tom and his wife and 2 daughters. They were not asked to come help, just knew we were there working. They jumped right in and just worked so hard! Not only did we appreciate the physical help, the energy they brought to us was not measurable! This was not a fun job, by any means, and they kept a smile on and kept the energy high, and just gave us such a HUGE blessing!! The example they portrayed as Christians and Americans was just SO AMAZING! I thought, what a lesson they are teaching their daughters (16 and 14) and what a lesson they've taught me. Their daughters are already upstanding people I can tell just from meeting them a couple of times. I know if I was 14 or 16 I would not be as happy to be doing that task.

I wanted to post this blog so that others out there might see that kindness and friendship and chivalry do still exist!! The American spirit can not be crushed! It is too bad we only see it in times of disaster and tragedy, but I will carry my memory of the Haynes family and the kindness they and others have shown my family and Butler's Courtyard with me forever! I will, and already have begun to, "pay it forward" as they say and help others less fortunate than myself.

Thanks Haynes family!! You are amazing and there is no way we could ever repay your kindness and hard work!! THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU!!