I don't know where this is from, but I'm seriously treating myself to flowers today.
I want to thank y'all for emailing and texting me about your concern for Shanley Belle.
Shanley was supposed to be in Hiroshima this week presenting her research on fluency for the 2018 World Congress hosted by the International Fluency Association. She flew out of New Orleans on Saturday, July 7, and while on route, Hiroshima received torrential rain resulting in mudslides and catastrophic flooding. While at the Tokyo airport, the airline workers tried to tell her what was happening in Hiroshima which was difficult since Shanley doesn't speak Japanese. They pantomimed mudslides, flooding, and death. She finally googled it and had a complete meltdown in the airport, and I can hardly blame her.
She contacted the embassy, and when she shared the conditions with her supervisor who hadn't left Louisiana, he requested that she come home and he canceled her presentation.
She made it back to Baton Rouge early this morning, and she is completely exhausted. She's had very little sleep, and since she kept us on the phone a lot while she was changing her travel plans, we've had very little sleep.
I'm thankful that she didn't leave earlier and arrive in Hiroshima. The highway from the airport to the city is damaged and (still) closed. She would have had to taken a train and then walked at least a half an hour to her hotel in the rain. There's also rain in the forecast for today and Thursday.
My heart breaks for the loss of life and property. These people need our prayers! One hundred and fifty-five are known dead, and authorities are struggling to restore utilities according to ABC Australia. It's a forty-year flood, and some of the adjectives used to describe it are just plain scary, like apocalyptic, havoc, and chaos.
But I'm also sad that Shanley can't share her research. She's worked so hard, and it breaks my heart that she won't be sharing it.
I'm tired, y'all. I'm planning to rest as much as I can this week
Again, thanks so much for your prayers and concern. I have the sweetest friends in the world!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Oh no!! How terrible. I've been following the news. Thoughts and prayers to all and glad she made it home safely.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry. I haven't been around blog land to read much lately so I wasn't aware that Shanley was on her trip already. I am sorry that it happened but I am happy that she wasn't there in the midst of everything. I know things are hard for her and it could have been so much worse.
ReplyDeleteGod bless your sweet girl and God bless you, too, as you all catch up on your sleep and calm your nerves. xo Diana
This is horrible. So sorry this happened! Glad Stanley Belle is safely back in the U. S.
ReplyDeleteWill be praying for her and for you. Get some needed rest.
I missed this in the news and did not know about your daughter's trip. Somehow I missed that. I've been behind.
Oh my! I'm so glad she's safe and home. I hope that another opportunity will come up for her to share her research. Get some rest.
ReplyDeleteblessings
~*~
OH RJ, so glad she is home safely. This is tragic. I hadn't heard a word of it and now must check on our friends who live in Hiroshima. Their apartment was high up but that doesn't mean damage or loads of trouble. Thank you for sharing this -- I'm sure she will be able to present at another time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrifying experience for all of you! I am so thankful she is back home safely, but how disappointing to have all that work and anticipated speech be cancelled... I can't imagine how scared and lost she must have felt in Japan, but thank goodness she wasn't in Hiroshima! I have barely heard anything about this in the news, other than the soccer team being stuck in the cave, such awful flooding! Try to rest and de-stress...
ReplyDeleteJenna
Thankful! Blessed you are, now rest!
ReplyDeleteOh Ricki I am so sorry this has happened. How scary for you as a mom to have to wait for Shanley to return back to the states safely. That had to be so stressful. I am glad that she was blessed with getting this news before she was trapped there. She will again some day be able to share her research this was just not the right timing. So glad she is back and safe and now you all can get some rest.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kris
At least she found out before she got there but it would have been stressful for her and those who care and worry about her.
ReplyDeleteRicki, that is so scary! I'm so glad your daughter is home & safe. My heart goes out to those in Hiroshima who experienced this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI’d been thinking of Shanley knowing she was preparing for this trip but I’ve been busy and hadn’t heard the news from Hiroshima. I know this must have been so scary for her being so far from home. Yes, glad she didn’t go earlier and get caught up in the terrible conditions there. Bless your heart, had to be terrible for all of you! I’m sure she is exhausted after all of that and I’m so sorry she didn’t get to present her research. I am also thinking about all the people there who lost so much. I hope you are resting and taking care of yourself after all of the stress. Hugs.......
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear. I know you shared with me about her research and the excitement. I am so sorry. I do hope she can go back later when things clear up. The BEST NEWS is she is safe and home.
ReplyDeleteRest my dear friend!
Carla
I'm just catching up and I am so sorry to hear about her disappointment and of course the devastation to Hiroshima.
ReplyDeleteI'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason and I know that another even better opportunity will occur for Shanley Belle.
just getting back to blogging..
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she's safe.
you poor thing! how scary.
praying for the people that lost so much.
hugs!
So sorry to hear this... praying with and for you et al.
ReplyDeletePEACE be with you ~
So thankful she is safe. What a scary ordeal. The lives lost and the horrific conditions are awful and so sad.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to read this..I spent 3 weeks in Japan before retiring and it is a great country with the kindest of people... Sorry she can't share her research
ReplyDelete