Unfortunately for the second time since we moved here last year, there was a terrorist attack in Paris.

Our friends and family in the US knew about it before we did, as it happened after we went to sleep.  Ryan was in Germany for work, and Makenna and I were thankfully home safe.  I woke up to messages from both friends and acquaintances checking to make sure we were ok.  I was so touched that people I don’t even know that well or don’t speak to that often reached out to me.

As soon as I saw the messages, I turned on the tv to watch CNN and find out what happened.  I felt sick to my stomach seeing this horrific news and thinking of all the innocent lives that were lost.  It also scared me that  this is the second attack within a year in Paris, which has made me nervous to plan a trip there.  It also makes me nervous to travel, and of course it is scary that we are living not too far from there and we don’t know if something like this will happen again and where it could happen.

I have tried not to watch too much coverage of the attacks and just read the important updates.  I don’t want to live in fear.  I don’t want to read stories of people who “walked by that area before it happened”….people who are just giving an interview but were not there or did not lose a friend or loved one.  It makes me sick that there were people taking photos of the attacks while they happened and of the victims during the aftermath.  I want to be aware of what is going on, but not swept into the hours of media coverage that are unnecessary.

It is sad to be here after a tragic event like this has happened.  But the amount of support France, and the victims, have received from all over the world is amazing.  This world unfortunately has seen a lot of evil, but there is kindness, empathy and unity that will not fail.

Above are some photos of the memorials and support shown in Place de Jaude, the main square in the city.