this cannot be happening...

My whole world has been turned upside down this past week. I'm not even sure if I'm ready to write about all that has happened. It would be no surprise to me that you all are aware already. On Thursday night I received a call from a friend, telling me that our friend and co-workers teenage daughter was missing. She had gone out for a run after school, and hadn't returned. Search and Rescue teams began late that night, scouring the park that she had been running in. For the next five days, a massive community effort - and stretching throughout the country - to find Chelsea King took place. And despite our efforts, our prayers and our pleas, her body was found buried just yesterday afternoon - in a shallow grave 100 yards off of the running trail. A man has been arrested and is being charged with rape and murder. But it still doesn't bring this amazing daughter back to her parents, and a loving sister into the arms of a little brother. Perhaps in a few weeks I will be able to write more about it. In all my life, I've never faced anything so difficult as the situations I found myself in these past few days. Everyone depends on me to be strong, to know what to do, to have wisdom and answers. But all I've needed is to have someone wrap their arms around me, to let me just cry and mourn, and maybe to lie to me - calming me with words that it will be alright. Instead, it's been necessary to remain strong, to do what needs to be done, and to put off emotions for a later time.

I'm adding an iTunes song in here tonight, that I've often connected with...and even more so tonight. Even with the shock of the unbelievable, and the constant immersion in this situation...it still doesn't feel real. This cannot be happening...

Somewhere In Between - Lifehouse

i can't be losing sleep over this

no, i can't

and i cannot stop pacing

give me a few hours

and i'll have this all sorted out

if my mind would just stop racing

'cause i cannot stand still

i can't be this unsturdy

this cannot be happening

this is over my head

but underneath my feet

cause by tomorrow morning i'll have this thing beat

and everything will be back to the way that it was

i wish that it was just that easy

'cause i'm waiting for tonight

then waiting for tomorrow

and i'm sowehere in between

what is real and just a dream

what is real and just a dream

what is real and just a dream

would you catch me if i fall

out of what i fell in

don't be surprised if i collapse down at your feet again

i don't want to run away from this

i know that i just don't need this

'cause i cannot stand still

i can't be this unsturdy

this cannot be happening

'cause i'm waiting for tonight

then waiting for tomorrow

and i'm somewhere in between

what is real and just a dream