Family and loss

The 'Belles are back from the Christmas break. Hopefully we are well rested and motivated to make 2010 our year. Unfortunately, our family suffered a loss on Christmas Eve. Kori Hall's dad passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer on Christmas Eve. Mr. Hall was only 48 years old and he left behind a devoted wife and two daughters. Yesterday, the 'Belles drove to Houston for the funeral. I am not really sure how to put this, but it was the best funeral service I have ever been to. First, it was standing room only. People were lined up along the walls and standing outside in the entryway. Mr. Hall was not rich and famous. He was just a hardworking, kindhearted man that put God and family first. The service was a two-hour celebration of his life and even though Kori and her family will never be the same without her dad, they had to take some comfort yesterday from how many people were positively affected by their dad during his short time on earth.

When Kori got up to speak yesterday her message was that if we were fortunate enough to still have our mom and dad living, we need to tell them we love them. I wanted to share that message with everyone today. Don't take for granted the people in our lives. Make sure we take the time to let the people that we care about know how we feel. Don't assume they know and don't assume they will always be here. I also wanted to thank Kori for that message and for allowing us to be a part of such a special day.