It was supposed to be fun day....

Yesterday afternoon I took the Oompas to the store to invest in some Valentines... in the hopes that they might give one to my future in-law and set the date.  It started snowing while we were in the store, that fluffy, flurry stuff I like so much.  It was cold, but it was pretty.  We left the store full of light hearted laughter, catching snowflakes on our tongues and sliding across the parking lot like graceful ice skaters.

Later we would learn that the fluffy flurry that we had played in was a wolf in sheep clothing.  While we were shopping for Valentines, while the snowflakes floated gently down to the ground, it blanketed the ice on the road with a deceptive soft white blanket, hiding the danger beneath.  On the drive home we heard of an accident that had occurred just about the time we left for the store.  I was extra cautious with my last accident still fresh in my mind.  It was a slow drive home, but the truck was full of laughter and Valentines.

It was a typical night in Loompaland.  The Oompas were chattering about school as they prepared their Valentines.  Zack was watching the History channel in between loads of dishes.  Dickidoo and I were in the den drooling in front of the Food Network.  It was a typical night until Zack came down with the news.

'I think you need to talk to Art and Becca, they're both crying.'

I found my high schoolers in front of the computer, staring at a MySpace page.  Art's whole body was shaking as he sobbed silently.  Becca hugged him protectively.  They didn't speak, they couldn't speak.  They just stared at the screen.

'I heard from a source that something terrible happened to Noelle.  Is it true?' was the question from Art's screen name.

'Yes' was the reply.

The fluffy flurry that we had played so innocently in, the gentle snowfall that blanketed the ground in a soft white blanket had taken the life of a good friend while the condition of another friend remains uncertain.

This morning the mood was somber.  Valentines were collected and shoved in Walmart bags almost as an after thought.  Red eyes brimmed over with tears without notice.  Hugs were spontaneous.  Conversation was soft, almost in a whisper. 

But then there was laughter, soft and almost sad, with lopsided smiles as the resilience of youth engaged its survival mechanism.  It will be a tough day, with many more bouts of tears as friends turn to each other for comfort, but these kids are strong and they will carry on.

I cannot even begin to comprehend the heartache her family must be going through right now, to wake up and realize that yesterday really happened and the nightmare was true.

You are loved, Noelle, and so very missed.