I had never known anyone up close (except my mom before I was born) who had survived a fire. Maybe you have never known anyone up close either…here are some pictures that give you a glimpse into the aftermath of a devastating fire…..and should you ever have a friend who has a fire…a true friend will go with them and see it…because most want you to not only experience their pain and grief with them, but also to feel it.
Ben and Graham
A children’s book a dear friend authored and sent to me days before the fire. I had just read it to the kids the night
before the fire…..it is a beautiful story!!
I was so weepy to find it so burned and charred…..
A sweet friend of ours, Ann. She and her dear husband lost
A sweet friend of ours, Ann. She and her dear husband lost their youngest son this past Spring in a tragic accident…their oldest son is good
friends with our Emma……we just can’t imagine their pain and yet, Anne took the day off and came with Ben, her son, to help us sort through
our stuff…..
This pile of rubble was once precious treasures!! Take pictures friends, take lots and lots of pictures…you can never have too many!!
Part of Elizabeth’s crib is visable….
Irma
Can’t tell from the picture, but wedding dress has black soot all over it….
Notice the ceiling fan looks like an upside down tulip….and BTW,
Part of Elizabeth’s crib is visable….
Three dumpsters (so far) of 30 years of things ……
Difficult days…..(but didn’t realize just how it takes a toll even on our
expressions till we saw the pictures)…
JoJo (my dear old friend), Graham and Kelly (Jo’s daughter)
Robin
JoJo (my dear old friend), Graham and Kelly (Jo’s daughter)Robin
Irma
Can’t tell from the picture, but wedding dress has black soot all over it….
Notice the ceiling fan looks like an upside down tulip….and BTW, the ceiling used to be white!!!
You are so blessed to have so many coming out to help-bless you all!
I wish I could be there, helping in any way possible.
I have never known anyone that went through a terrible house fire. I’m sure I can’t even imagine the anguish, the tears, the sheer mountain of precious things to sort through, trying to salvage anything possible.
My thoughts, my prayers, are with you as you are going through this time.
Is it strange that a bloggy friend of yours feels such a kinship with your family that she wanted to hit the road and show up to help any way possible? I know it would not have taken much to twist Mr. Daddy’s arm at all – we both have been praying.
And instead of dropping in as part of a road trip, maybe the timing can be when we can actually be of help?
You know, there’s a part of me that wonders if there’s such a thing as creating our own Christ-followers Extreme Home Makeover?
I mean, if you get to pick you own contractors and all… there’s got to be connections all over the bloggy world of people that would love to come and give of their talents?
I know I’m rambling. Sorry.
And by the way… that person who deleted their comment right above yours on our blog… it was just a duplicate comment – so you didn’t miss anything! 🙂
We love you! What can we do for you?
I can feel the pain as I look through these pictures. We’re not there, but we wish we could feel the pain associated with being there with you.
I hope that you will be able to salvage some fabric from the wedding dress, even though there is soot on some parts of it. 🙂
oh, Linn, I wish I could be there to help. my heart aches for each of you. HE will give you beauty for ashes. I love you.
Don’t know what to say other than, continuing to pray for God’s loving peace and restoration.
Barbara Lyman 🙂
Marysville WA
As many others have said I also wish I was there to help. I am so thankful though that God has placed some pretty special friends there for you.
Linn, I am so sorry…I wish I lived closer…Black Forest, CO isn’t very close even though we are in the same state. Is there something I CAN do? Praying for you all!!!!
Wow. It is amazing how quickly things can change- I was shocked when you said the ceilings used to be white! I am so thankful you all were okay!
HI Saunders family! You don’t know me but I have been following your journey since Isiah came home. I have loved following your life story. You are a truly amazing family. The morning of the fire, I came in here before leaving for school (I am a kindergarten teacher!) just to check your blog. My heart broke when I read about the fire. I haven’t posted on here but just couldn’t ignore the feeling to let you know that someone else in Texas is praying for you and your dear family. I have never been through a fire myself but I did lose my only sister and two nephews in a house fire. My only glitter of hope through all of this with you is that everyone got out safe. Thank the Lord for that! My husband and I are waiting to go to China to get a precious little one of our own and you have inspired me more than you know. I am praying and think of you all the time. Hang in there and keep looking up!
My heart aches for all of you. My sil lost her home to a fire years ago and I know how difficult it was for her too. Continued prayers here for healing.
DO NOT POST DO NOT POST DO NOT POST
Linn I’m so glad you got the quilts. I know I had said I’d only send 4, yet I kept feeling I was suppose to send the single quilt (the yellow one) too. I’m not sure why yet as I finished it, I knew it had to be for your family. Hugs Carol
The hard days continue… My heart just aches for you and your family.
How blessed you are to have so many who are willing to step into your trial and walk with you…such a picture of our Heavenly Father who doesn’t just watch from a afar but steps right in with us (thinking of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego!)…
I wish I could be there to help you too and give you a BIG hug!
Sending hugs,
Sharla
We are praying for you.
I am so happy you guys have such good friends. We live in KY and I wish we could have came and helped. We are praying for you guys.
Melissa
Linn,
Thank you so much for your comment. Your blog is so inspiring. I love reading all your posts and all the amazing things GOD has done in your life. A friend of mine referred me to a particular post on your healing from your MS symptoms. Praise God. He is all mighty and can move the tallest mountains. 🙂
I would love to hear any information you feel that is important regarding your struggle with MS. I was recently diagnosed with MS, and could honestly use any advice you could possibly give. Praise God for your family and your strong Christian Faith.
God Bless,
Misty
Right now, I pray for a day, a ray of hope for you. Another blissful, carefree, joyous day. One that can start to help heal those wounds. One that has joy seeping from your soul. I pray that for you. Until then, it sounds like your friends are that joy. We care so much for you, and your friends are JUST as wonderful!
Love ya, my friend.
My heart just breaks for all of you, as much as it hurt me to look at these pictures, I can’t even imagine what you must feel like. But I do know one thing, God will get you through this and he will provide more than you can imagine. I posted about your family on my blog, I hope that is ok with you. Try to get some rest, and remember Rome was not built in a day, so REST.
Love and blessings, Kristy
I was just on facebook and saw a flair that had your name written all over it. This is what it said: Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says “oh crap, she’s up”.
Oh my, as I look at these photos I think … they just don’t do it justice. I am sure that things are much worse than they look in these photos. The ONLY thing I have to compare it to is when our then three year old daughter put a piece of toast in the microwave for one hour. I was in the shower at the time and the older children came in screaming, “there’s smoke everywhere!!” I did not know where it was coming from other than the kitchen. The smoke was SO thick and yellow and we could not breath. I sent the kids out immediately and I began to open all the windows and doors to clear out the smoke after calling 911. I was so worried about our cat! Well, I learned from the firefighters that if it had been a real fire I would have just given fuel to the flames and I should have actually closed all the doors. Despite all that, the toast was found and it was cooled off some by then. The aftermath was horrific and it was only REALLY burned toast. There was a light brown film over everything in our kitchen, front room and down the hall. My husband was deployed and I was washing walls, dishes, furniture … everything for weeks. If a piece of toast can do that, I know that the pictures do not even begin to show what a mess this is to deal with. I am SO sorry that you are having to do this yourselves. My heart aches for you and we continue to pray.
Blessings, Lisa C.
Oh my…I think of you so often. Praying for you!
Praise God or your precious friends! I think of you often and pray for you when I do!
My heart gets so heavy when I see how much you are going through- I am so sorry that this has happened. You are in my thoughts and prayers everyday. Bless your wonderful friends that are helping you through this!
Love from MN,
Jean
Dear Linn, We live in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, and our state is ablaze as I type. 107 beautiful people are confirmed dead so far, but the number seems to increase with every radio broadcast. Saturday was a day of record high temps with fierce winds – just the weather was terrifying…and then the fires started. People found their towns ablaze around them when they thought the fires were still miles away. We are OK, and our town is not under threat. But all around us people are hurting so badly.
So we are praying, reaching out to help any way we can, and knowing only God can heal such pain. You guys are always in our prayers too. So many of our friends, here and across the ocean, all devastated by fire. I pray that you and all the people here are freed from the spirit of fear, and can rebuild their lives with the power, love and self discipline which comes from God.
Love Fi
Good Afternoon from Atlanta, GA
I hope and pray you will answer this comment because I rally don’t understand something. I wrote a while back to you about our house burning down, do you remember?? My question is this; Why are you all having to do the cleanup of this fire? Do you not have insurance? When we had our fire, I never saw the house for months after the insurance company had it all cleaned up and refinished. And our house burned completely down. It is so sad for you all to have to do this cleanup. My heart goes out to you all. I don’t understand why you’re having to do it?
lilahuggins@gmail.com
God Bless you all,
Miss Lila in Atlanta
My heart aches for you, and I cannot imagine the feelings of despair and frustration and fatigue you must be feeling. The effects of the fire are obviously devastating to your belongings, probably much moreso than pictures can even show. But the effects on your life and spirit are inevitable also. I have no idea how difficult this process of searching and cataloging and questioning can be, but we are praying for you and your family to have all the strength and love you need to get through, and to rebuild your life. Your faith is amazing and strong, and He is always there with you!
All the best,
Nicole A. in OH
Hi. This is my first pass by your blog. I just wanted you to know that God is allowing me to share a few of your tears right now from afar while you are having to deal with the real work. Praise Him that your family is safe! We had a wildfire pass by us in November… the tips of the plants that stuck through the back fence were singed and we were robbed while evacuated… but otherwise all was fine. Some homes in our neighborhood burned however. I’m kinda rambling but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate this brief time I’ve had in your blog.