Remembering 9/11

Every generation has their "Kennedy" moment of "where were you". Ours is 9/11.

I remember waking up to a phone call from my husband Bill. The first thing he said was " I need you to find Dad and Karen". Why? was my confused response. You see they were flying out from Seattle, Washington and heading to Washington DC. We both knew that. Why did I need to find them? He then told me that there had been an attack and the towers fell, airplanes were missing and I needed to see what I could find out. I actually argued with him that he had to be wrong because those towers wouldn't fall. The previous bombing hadn't done it, this one couldn't have either...right? I got off the phone, turned on the TV and my world changed in that moment. I scrambled to the phone and called Karen's sister and thankfully Bob and Karen were at their house. The airport had been closed and everyone turned around. I sank into the couch, called my friend Angie and left a message on her machine. I remember saying "Angie get up and turn on the TV". She called me back a few minutes later and told me she knew from the sound of my voice something was very wrong and we spent the rest of the day on the phone watching every channel we could and comparing notes in disbelief. I remember Peter Jennings talking to one woman on the phone that was looking for her husband. She was pregnant with twins and his two friends had made it out. The three men were good friends and inseparable but they couldn't find her husband. She just kept saying she had to find him, her and the babies needed him. I think about her often and wonder if she ever did find him- did he make it home or was he one of the lost? That's just one of the many stories that touched me that day and in the days and months to come as more stories emerged of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It was a horrible moment in our history but it was a shining moment as well as we heard about the Flight 93 men and women who fought back. To this day when I use the expression "let's roll" to the kids I think of and pray for them and those they left behind . I also think of the stories of the police and firefighters and everyday citizens that risked everything to go into the towers that day and didn't make it out... And for those who did , they turned around and went right back in to rescue and then finally to recover their fellow man. That morning when my sweet little baby girl woke up I remember crushing her in my arms and thinking to myself that her world had just shifted and changed and she didn't even realize it. Some ask how God could have let it happen. I believe there is a reason for everything we endure. Sometimes we understand the reasons and other times we have to wait and see. Unfortunately we also have free will and those men that meant to do us harm that day, willingly and freely decided to go against everything that God commands. Was HE there? I know He was... and he had tears in his eyes. In the planes, in the halls of the tower, everywhere someone called out to him and needed him in that moment...He was there.

September 11, 2004 I was looking thru pictures of that day on a news site and my toddler, Justin was looking at them from my lap. We got to one picture and he stopped me cold when he said in his sweet little voice. "There's God." I started crying. I asked him again who it was and he looked up at me and said," mommy it's God." This is the picture posted below... Sometimes it's the kids that remind us that in our darkest moment, 9/11, the days that followed, or even August 1, 2009 when my Aunt was killed in a accident - God is there. Always...
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Newest Addition

This sweet girl is what was waiting for us in mommy's belly while I was taking all those photo's.

She's ADORABLE and we love having her in the family. We needed a little pink in our life.

Welcome sweet girl.

Love, Auntie.

Practice on a willing participant!

My sis in law has been a great sport letting me get in some maternity practice... I"m running out of time though but I am really looking forward to welcoming a sweet new little niece or nephew!

Hopefully She'll let me take baby pictures :)

Photography...

Photography is something that I've always enjoyed. With my HS graduation money I bought a camera with part of the gift money I was given. My little Pentax served me well for many years. Then came the digital years and I rebelled. You see by then I had kids and there was no way those slow camera's were working for me- by the time I pressed the button to capture the moment the kids were gone and I was taking a picture of empty space. I had one or two experiences with point and shoot digital camera's that resulted in me giving them to my kids and I bought a Canon Elan 7NE film camera. I loved it. Then my husband was going off to Alaska fishing and there was no way he was taking my camera so I bought him a Panasonic the day he was leaving and told him to take pictures. He did and the camera was a great find. Finally it was what I wanted and needed a point and shoot to be. Last year when we were planning our trip to Disneyland I told Bill the one thing that concerned me was taking film thru x rays and airports. I've heard horror stories of people coming back from a wonderful vacation and having no pictures to show for it. That's when I got serious about a digital SLR and after much study and a trip to the camera store to see how my choices felt in hand I bought a Nikon D80. I haven't touched my film SLR since. I LOVE IT. Then of course came the need and burning desire to know how to use it... I mean why have it if I can't make it do what I want and use it to it's full potential. I'm also a big fan of photo journalistic family photography. I hated traditional posed photo's and it just made so much more sense to capture life as it was happening instead of creating it or making it look too created. I will admit there is some posing still in this type of photography but it's so much different. So much more artistic and I love thinking up ideas.

I'm learning, though I know I have a long way to go... That's the perfectionist in me. I want to give the potential client the best I possibly can. Where it will go- who knows. I would love to be able to make money doing this because you know the saying- do what you love and love what you do but I also know the other side of the coin and that's when you have a hobby you love and make it a business you no longer have time to do what you just want to do for the love of it. Time will tell and so will how far my skills and knowledge grow.

Here's a few more of my favorites...

Loyalty Day

Loyalty Day is observed on May 1st in the United States. It is a day set aside for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom. It was first in acted in 1921, celebrated especially during WWII, and became an official holiday in 1958. Most Americans are not aware of it anymore- which to me is sad.


Long Beach, Washington has one of the only celebrations on the west coast the first weekend of every May. They rotate the branches of our military to honor them and this year it was the turn of the US Air Force. We were lucky enough to attend the Loyalty Day dinner and hear the speakers (Thanks Sid and Bette). One of which was Abraham Lincoln (real name Jim Getty). My mother in law told me that while it's not a big thing to have first person re-en actors on the west coast. The east coast is a different story. They have them at almost every historical sight. This particular "Mr. Lincoln" actually works at Gettysburg and he was wonderful. Not as tall as the real deal but his presentation was amazing. He even told about the use of hot air balloons in the Civil War to determine enemy troop positions so they could fire on them. The ironic thing was that the South actually had the gentleman who helped the Union with this project in their possession and traded him to the Union. http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Civil_War_balloons/LTA5.htm ) What a great tie in to the Air Force of today! He takes questions from the crowd as well and answers them as though it's Lincoln himself. What a lot of studying he's done because he knew his stuff.




Parade Day is Sunday at Long Beach and for years we've been lucky enough to be a part of it. First when Bill and I were dating as part of the Ocean Spray float. Let me just tell you it's still talked about to this day because we girls ran our rears off giving out Ocean Spray Cranberry products the whole length of the parade! Since we've been married and had children however- there seems to be a green obsession in the family. John Deere Green that is. ( Bill's father owns 3 antique John Deere Tractors and He and his wife have an AC tractor as well. The Allis Chalmers has been lovingly named Allison Charmers by our daughter and she prefers Orange a little bit more then green and yellow. She gets that from Grandma Karen.) Usually the tractors are in full force for the parade and we've even included a few Gators over the years to haul all of us. The kids love it and the little kids do too- haha. Bob's tractor club comes over and joins in the fun. There's really nothing more American to me then our military, our flag, our families, and a great American tractor. Thanks Long Beach for another great Loyalty Day. Hope you'll come on up and check it out someday, the parade is especially great. If you want to find us, just look for the Green and Yellow. http://funbeach.com/events/loyaltydays/index.html




Justin was sure of one thing...He was riding with Papa.

Neil saved the day! The Loyalty Day princess float broke down before the parade started so Neil towed it.


Told you she prefered Orange.

Where does the time go?

This girl just turned nine. She is every bit her mother. She has a strong personality where everything is almost always black and white and once she sets her mind to something, it takes an act of God to change it. She worries to much and takes the weight of the world on her shoulders sometimes. She also knows way to much about politics for any nine year old.

She also has a heart for God and is amazingly thoughtful and kind. She has a gift of being able to look into a person's soul and sees things in people that others miss. She's also very smart and more talented then she realizes. Did I mention Funny? Cause she is. Natural comedic talent( and I fully expect an Oscar from her someday, Right after she cures cancer or teaches school in Sierra Leone, Africa.) She gets that funny stuff from her Mommy too :) She is a blessing and I love being her mommy

This big man is 6. And since he started life at 12 lbs. 1 oz. and is currently the same size as his sister, he uses it to his advantage. He loves to push his sister's buttons. Don't let the sweet smile fool you. He likes things to be just so and doesn't do well with keeping his promises to his sister. We're working on that.

He's also too much fun to be around. He's even funnier then his mother truth be told and can bring a laugh to everyone. He's got a sweet and sensitive spirit and like his great grandpa Leo, he makes a friend where ever he goes. He can also pray like no one's business. He is a blessing and I love being his mommy.

This little man is going to be 2!

He's the one with a strong personality.

He knows what he wants and he tries to get it even if it means giving his mommy a heart attack in the process . He has bitten his cousin. Hit his brother or sister on occasion and lets out a blood curdling scream should his brother or sister get in the way. Sometimes when your the youngest you've got to fight for ground. He's also very sweet and loving and a pure joy to be around. His laugh is contagious, he loves to help with laundry, play trucks with his brother and have his sister twirl him around. He shares most of the time and even at almost two he is able to see how to help someone who is hurting. Sometimes he takes a cup of milk to his cousin who is upset, or comes running to give a hug to an upset brother or sister. He is a blessing and I love being his mommy.