OSU attack

Last week there was an attack on OSU's campus.  Basically, a man drove his car into a crowd of people, and when the car became disabled, he jumped out and started slashing people with a knife.  A police officer was near by and quickly ended the situation.  In total, 11 people were taken to the hospital with non-fatal injuries.  However, for several hours there was a lot of confusion about what was going on and the media reported that there was a shooter on campus.  David works in the medical center which is located on OSU's campus, so I was very worried.  When I heard about the shooter, I immediately texted David to make sure he was ok.  He quickly texted back that he was fine, and no where near what was going on.  Then I found out that several schools in our neighborhood, including Eliana's preschool, were on lockdown.  Our neighborhood is fairly close to OSU, so the schools closest to the major roads leading out of OSU's campus decided to be as precautions as possible.  Of course, it turns out that wasn't necessary and the children were never in any real danger.  But it is still so scary to think the school might need to do that.  At pickup from preschool, all of the doors were locked and adults were being let in one by one after checking with the preschool director.  While the children had no idea that anything unusual was going on, the adults were all very somber.  I admit I shed a few tears in the car just thinking about the possibility of something happening to David or Eliana. 

Praise the Lord, we are all safe and no one was ever in any danger.  But it makes my heart ache to think such violence is in the world and it could come so close to my family.  How much we take for granted every day.  This event has once again reminded me that my husband and my children are not my own.  They belong to Christ.  While we live in a very, very safe neighborhood, and I keep a close eye on the kids at home and when we are out and about, I cannot control everything that happens around them.  As much as I want to, I cannot protect them from everything.  I have to entrust them to God.  Nothing has made me lean so much on God as becoming a mother.

I pray for those injured during this terrible act of violence, I pray for the family of the attacker, and I pray for the safety of my family.  I sure am hugging my kids close these days.