Where's Waldo?

Canvassing our property for remnants of our belongings is a bit like playing "Where's Waldo." On our first visit, Matt and I did not see much that was recognizable. Pieces of our duvet cover, scraps of the living room window treatments, and a Vikings sweatshirt were about all that we could identify. It was a surreal site. The next day, we toured the damage to our neighbors home, and could see miscellaneous items from Marit's bedroom in their garage, tangled up with wood, siding, glass, etc. Insulation was sprinkled around the neighborhood, as were the valentines that Annika had received from her classmates and proudly placed on top of her dresser.

To date, we've recovered only a few items, but they are meaningful ones: a favorite family photo still intact in its frame, a small quilt that Matt's mom had made for Marit, and a special canvass painting from Annika's room. Like our dog, it is a mystery how these particular items survived, but we will hold them close.

Although we have lost most of our "things," we feel abundant in the things that matter most. Family, friends, friends-of-friends, neighbors, current coworkers, former coworkers, church members, teachers, school administrators, classmates, girl scouts, daycare buddies, local businesses, and complete strangers have given us the encouragement and support we needed the past two weeks, and equipped us with the necessities. Through the wonders of Facebook, a high school classmate orchestrated an abundantly successful drive to collect clothing, toys, and donations, and put many smiles on the faces of our girls. We are blessed by everyone's generosity and sure hope we can find enough ways to pay it forward!!