"What to say?"...

I am sure I am not alone when I say that I still cannot fathom what happened. A mix of emotions ran through my mind. I could not, and still can't, believe what happened. Those beautiful, innocent children that were probably looking forward to hanging out with their friends at recess that day never got a chance to.

Anger and sadness overwhelmed as I read the ages of the children. My mind immediately went to my nephew. As I thought about the times I hang out with him and how young and carefree they are at that age. Not a care in the world. He loves when I tickle him to the point of him struggling to breath, he runs every chance he gets just to see me chase after him, and when he whispers to me "Aunt Shannon I have a secret to tell you" just so he can tell me he loves me in my ear. 

I cannot wait to see him grow up. See him play sports in school. Go to homecomings. Ask me to drive my car. Meet his first girlfriend. Graduate from high school and visit him at college. See him fall in love. Marry and have children and watch him raise his little ones. 

Me being an Aunt, I can't even imagine how a mother would feel. The sadness knowing that those parents had all that taken away from them pulls at my heart. It angers me just as much as I am saddened by it. 

It made me look a little differently at my nieces and nephew. I will hug them a little tighter, kiss them a little more-even if my nephew is too cool for that while he says "gross" and pull away from me while laughing. It really makes you think how short life is.