My family worked at The Covenant School. Today, I let them reflect.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Covenant community is small but mighty.

Yesterday, I shared that my mother-in-law works at the school. Now, I sat down with my family today for some reflection.

Diana Apple, my amazing mother-in-law, is devoted to her people. Her daughter Emily and her son, Alex, my husband, they love that about their mom.

"There's the family you choose, and the family you're given and that's the family she's chosen," Alex said.

The Covenant School in Green Hills is where a shooter took six precious lives on Monday is the school where Diana works. She works at the front desk. It is her responsibility to buzz people into the building.

"Like mom is just too upset and she doesn't like to talk on camera, but we want to share Covenant's story because it is a kind and gentle community that people need to know," Alex said.

We thumbed through their mom's 2003 yearbook today and reflected. Diana's worked there since the school opened in 2001.

"She's chosen to get up every day and go there for 22 years," Emily said. "I don't think it's ever gotten old for her."

Diana stepped out for a break minutes before the mass shooting. She got back just as police were charging into the building — the building where faith matters more than anything.

"Like someone sent an email to my mom and everyone else that worked there that said like 'the sun rose today and God woke up and he still loved us.' And that's what it's like," Alex said.

These black-and-white photos capture the past. For my mother-in-law, her coworkers, the students and their families — my family hopes there are many more days to come.

"I just hope the school reopens and flourishes in whatever capacity that it can because that's where the people like mom and everyone that works there, that's where they want to be," Alex said.