Where were you?

9/11....

I always remember 9/11 with sadness, and I'm still in shock that this happened to our country. For me, it's a bit surreal because I wasn't actually IN the U.S. when it happened. I was in London on a study abroad semester in my junior year of college. I still remember like it was yesterday.

I had just left the Museum of London after a really nice morning just walking around and learning about the the fascinating new city I was now living in. I remember sitting quietly in the courtyard of the museum just enjoying my surroundings and not having a care in the world. I was alone, and I wasn't afraid at all. 

I left the museum after picking up a few presents for people back home and started walking toward the tube. Looking back, it seems like people were in a little more of a tizzy than normal for the streets of London, but I didn't seem to notice at the time. I got on the tube (or subway if you will) and began my short ride back to our flat. I remember looking across the seat from myself at a man reading the paper, and I remember seeing the twin towers on the front page. It looked like they were on fire, but I dismissed it as one of those Enquirer "end of the world" scenarios that trashy magazines use to scare people.

As I exited the stairs leading out of the tube I was stopped by an older woman in casual business clothes. She asked, "Are you American?". I was taught to answer this question hesitantly because people in foreign countries (even England) don't always take kindly to Americans. She looked fairly harmless, so I said, "Yes, I am." She quickly asked me if I knew about what had happened in the States and I said that I didn't. I quickly found the nearest newspaper stand (which is never far away on London streets) and read it for myself...two hijacked planes had flown into the World Trade Centers.

I learned later that there were two other planes, one that crashed into the Pentagon and one that crashed into a field because the passengers fought back.

There is no place like home when tragedy strikes, but I was so thankful to  be in the UK if I could not be in the U.S. when 9/11 happened. It felt, and still feels like a piece of home to me.

Bad blogger...bad

So it's been um....FOREVER since my last blog. Here's what you missed:

I have a new nephew! My brother and his wife just had their first little boy, Logan John, who is (apart from my own) the CUTEST little baby in the world. He has a full head of thick black hair! He is such a little peanut and I miss him terribly. 

Cody started preschool yesterday! As I suspected, I struggled with this transition wayyy more than he did. I was telling a friend that I had chest pains driving out of the parking lot...literally. I think I was having a panic attack. Most people tell me I'll be fine and that it'll be good to have some time alone with Tyler, my youngest. That's how it goes in my own head too. But my heart! Everything inside me was screaming! I've never left him alone ANYWHERE other than at my house with a babysitter! He has two teachers to a class of about 12 kids, but still, 4 eyes can only watch so much at one time! :) No, Miss Sara and Miss Katherine seem lovely and judging by the grin on his face at the end of his time there, he was a VERY happy little boy. It would've been nice if he'd cried...just a little...to let me know he would miss me. Oh well...can't have your cake and eat it too.

Tyler is a big bully. I swear. My youngest child is a little devil! I felt so bad for Cody (who pound for pound could do some serious damage to his little brother) the other day. Cody had just built a beautiful train track in his play area and was playing contentedly (and quietly!) when his little brother came in and proceeded to tear up the entire track! I could hear him saying, "NO, TY, NOOOO!" from the kitchen. Cody has been warned that if he ever lays a FINGER on Tyler other than for a hug he will be in big trouble, so "NO, TY, NOOOO!" has been his battle cry whenever little brother gets too close for comfort. I came in to find Cody almost in tears and Tyler looking MORE than satisfied with himself. Tyler got put in his pack and play in the other room while I helped salvage what was left of Cody's track. I explained to Cody that his brother doesn't understand that he worked hard to make his track, even though I wasn't entirely convinced of that myself. :)

 

xoxo