Today as I left to drop the boys off to school, I noticed the flags that the boy scouts had put in the yards. Some days I don't remember what holiday it is, but today I remembered. I still remember September 11 2001 almost as if it were yesterday. It's amazing what moments don't escape your memory. I think everyone remembers what they were doing that day.
Carter was just two months old and I had just returned back to work. I was also looking for jobs because I worked for a group of doctors I did not like and my work situation was horrible for having a newborn. September 11th at 8 a.m. I had an interview for another group of doctors. The interview did not go well from the beginning. I left feeling really discouraged (not to mention tired, working full time, looking for a job, caring for a newborn). I actually ended up getting another job offer later on that day and I took it After the interview I rushed to my job. I noticed something was a bit strange. The radio was on and everyone seemed distraught. It still had not hit me.
My co-worker who lived on base was not able to leave due to security reasons, so I was swamped with double the work. I was super irritated but still it did not hit what was really going on. At lunchtime, KC wanted to come see me. Some drug reps had come and brought Olive Garden (one of my favorites!). I piled a plate high with salad, pasta and bread sticks and met KC in the parking lot. We went to the park and I remember KC breaking down and crying. He had listened to the radio all morning (we had no tv) while he was working on the sink in the bathroom (funny, we still have that same plumbing problem!). Wow, I really hadn't listened to any of the news coverage and had no idea how bad it really was. KC doesn't cry much. Something must be going on!!
As I finally left work, I turned the radio on my car. Every station was broadcasting the news. Wow. I went to my mom's house and watched it on TV. WOW. I just brought a little one into this crazy world?
A few years later, I remember watching an Oprah special on 9/11 survivors. There was a story of a couple who both worked at the World Trade Center. They had a 10 month old and the husband happened to stay home with him that day while the wife went to work. She ended up being severely burned. They showed pictures of her before 9/11. She was a beautiful woman. Not that she wasn't beautiful after. The burns on her face showed she is a survivor. I often wonder how she is today. Maybe I can email Oprah?
I know this war we are in is not popular. But today serves as a reminder as to why we are there.
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