10 Years Ago....

Photo by Rachel Hudgins

My life was radically different. I was single, living just outside of Washington DC with my bestie, Megs.  We had just graduated from college and were starting our adult lives.  I've heard my Parents talk about where they were when historical events happened, such as Kennedy getting shot, and until September 11th, 2001 I didn't have one of those memories.  I can't describe it, but its far more than a memory, I can recall so many details of that day, what the water label looked like on the bottle of water my manager gave me before I left the office to drive home when our building was evacuated, or the color of the car in front of me as I was going through the toll booth on the Dulles Toll Road on my way home. 

Photo by Rachel Hudgins

I remember pulling into our apartment building and Megs was waiting for me on the balcony, and from that point on we spent hours curled up on my bed watching the news, we didn't move for what felt like days, we were mesmerized by the tragic events unfolding.  I remember smells from that day.  I remember the quiet of closed DC Air Space...we basically lived on the runway of Dulles Airport, and without planes our skys were quiet for the first time since we had lived there, it was unsettling to say the least.

5 trips to the top....

The photos above are taken by my friend Rachel.  Her husband Wayland is a firefighter here in Chesterfield County, and he participated in the Memorial Stair Climbing Event here in Richmond.  The photo below is the group who participated from Chesterfield County. They made 5 trips to the top of the building photographed above...the photos of their boys with Wayland would make your heart melt. (I didn't want to steal all of their privacy since I didn't even ask Rachel to use her great photos) Those little boys were there to cheer their Daddy on as he honored those mothers and fathers who 10 years ago ran into the towers.  Those mothers and fathers gave their lives trying to save others on a day that still haunts me and brings a lump to my throat with just a thought.

I tried to explain September 11th to the girls today in the car.  I was a mess. I couldn't get the words out and I couldn't find the right words to describe the events of that tragic day, but I tried the best I could.  I explained that some bad men hurt a lot of people that day.  Olivia asked: "Why did those bad men do that?  Do they have Mommy's?" I answered that I didn't know why, but that I imagined they did have Mommy's (I wasn't sure where she was going with that), and then she said "I bet their Mommy's were mad at them, did they go to timeout?"  Oh my sweet Olivia, if only the world was as innocent as it is from your precious four year old eyes.

I think we are going to make some cookies for Wayland's Fire Station and make a trip there very soon, and of course we'll say an extra pray today for those that fight and serve, its the least we can do!