2005
Hurricane Katrina
George Bush begins 2nd term as 43rd President of US
Pope John Paul II dies and a new pope, Benedict XVI, is elected
Disneyland celebrates 50th birthday
Lance Armstrong wins his 7th straight Tours de France
Notable Deaths: Rosa Parks, Johnny Carson, William Rehnquist
2006
Saddam Hussein was charged and found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging
Winter Games took place in Turin, Italy
Nintendo Wii was released
Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet
2007
VA Tech massacre took place on April 16 - 32 students killed
Peru earthquake 8.0 - 500 dead
Nancy Pelosi becomes the 1st female speaker of US Congress (for better or worse!)
Introduction of the Apple iPhone
Minneopolis Bridge collapses into Mississippi River during rush-hour traffic
Miriam's sister, Deborah gets married
2008
Fidel Castro steps down as President of Cuba after almost 50 years
Olympic Tourch relay begins in Olympia, Greece to promote 2008 Beijing Olympics
Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals at Beijing Olympics
Notable deaths: Charlton Heston, Paul Newman
Miriam's parents move to Costa Rica for language school
2009
Barak Obama becomes 44th President
H1N1 outbreak
Slovakia joins EU
Balloon Boy Hoax
Plane crash on the Hudson
Guantanamo closed
Notable deaths: Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze, Billy Mays, Ted Kennedy
Miriam's parents move to Chimaltenango, Guatemala
2010
2010 Winter Olympics in Vancover and Whistler, Canada
Haiti Earthquake 7.0
Chile Earthquake 8.8
China Earthquake 6.9
Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland erupts and disrupts air travel for days
Deepwater Horizon Oil platform explodes resulting in one of the largest oil spills in history
H1N1 pandemic declared over
Landslide in Oaxaca, Mexico
Notable death: Gary Coleman
Even with all of these things that have happened in the past 5 years, it seems like only yesterday that we were finding out that Mike's brother, Mark, had paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country in Iraq. What was one of the most difficult days in our lives proved to become a day that God has used in so many lives! Romans 8:28 says "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Though that day caught us by surprise, Mark's death did not catch God by surprise. God had numbered Mark's days and had prepared him for that day. And, He walked with us through those most difficult days and continues to walk with us.
We remember Mark today and are so thankful that because he had a personal relationship with Christ, he is in Heaven with God now.
Feel free to comment with your own memories of the past 5 years or of Mark and his influence in your life.
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