The Hunt Family: July 2009

Sometimes in life, we are faced with the unthinkable. This week, our community lost an outstanding person. Cody Alan Bales. I have been so saddened by this. I grieve for the family, and for Chelsey. I sit here and try to imagine what they are going through and I can't. I can't even BEGIN to. I think about it from every person's view. Mr Delton and Mrs Georgia have lost a child. Oh my God... I beg you to never let me know how this feels. I can't imagine them never having him walk through their door again... never telling him I love you again... never sitting down at the dinner table with him again... and with Cody, I can't imagine them never joking with him again. Clayton and Lauren have lost a brother... I have three brothers. I can't imagine losing one. I know him and Clayton were so close. And him and Lauren still lived at home together. How do you go in his room and him not be there? And Precious Chelsey. God love her. She was planning the rest of her life with him. Where do you go from here? I can't imagine losing Jason! I mean, I know they weren't married, but they have been together for 5 years and were planning to get married next year. Already had their house built! I just sit here and cry for them. All of them! As I look back on the pictures that I took at Clayton and Vicky's wedding, I couldn't believe how many I took of Cody that day. In any other case, I would not have so many pictures of the groom's brother. God knew that day, what we never dreamed in a million years. This is a first for me as a photographer. Things like this make me realize just how important my job really is. As I sat in his service today, I was in awe. There wasn't even standing room in RPBC. What an awesome blessing for the family to see how many lives were touched by Cody. It was a beautiful service. Alot of people were told about Jesus. I hope that through Cody's death, someone can come to know Jesus. We may ask why, but the Lord has a plan and a reason for this happening. We will understand it one day. Someone once told me that sometimes God takes a good person in order to get people's attention. You only get through a tragedy like this, with the help of GOD! I pray that his peace and comfort be all around. They have a long road ahead, and I pray that they turn to God to guide them. For his Grace is Sufficient!

Here is Cody and his precious Chelsey

never dreamed in a million, that this would be their last family portrait...

What a beautiful young man... He will surely be missed!

Every year, our whole family gets together on the 4th of July. We try to change up places every year. This year it was at Pam and Rick's house. They worked really hard to make everything so nice. We always get a waterslide for the kids and of course, we have our big volleyball tourney! Tons of food, watermelons, and homemade icecream!