I WILL NEVER FORGET

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #519

Thank you Joyce.

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1. Did you watch any coverage of the 9/11 services on Monday? How do you feel on this day some 22 years after the events occurred? Share more if you want to share more. 

I saw some of the coverage but very little. I will never forget that day. When I saw the 11th on the calendar and realized is was September which is the 9th month I was like, Oh my God it's 9/11!

I took Mark to the airport that morning at 5:30. When I got home, for some reason I turned the TV on. That's when I saw what was happening in New York. My father happened to be in town at my aunts house and I called and woke them up. They had to see this. Mark called to ask me if something was going on, his plane was sitting on the runway but not taking off. I had to go back later and pick him up. Of course we were glued to the TV for days. I will never forget.....

2. September 13th is National Peanut Day...do you like peanuts? Your favorite dish that contains peanuts? 

I love peanut butter. I can't say that I am a big fan of peanuts but I eat all the other nuts. I can't think of a favorite dish. I do love peanut butter mixed into my yogurt. 

3. Something you're currently 'nuts' about? 

Well of course it's our grandson James. We will be seeing him on Friday this week to babysit and then again next Tuesday. 

They went to a Fair.

4. Your favorite Peanuts character? There are several quizzes online if you're curious...I took two and got the same character for both so I'm sure it's accurate lol. (Click here for the link)

I was never a big fan of the Peanuts characters. I guess I have always liked Snoopy. I took the quiz and they told me I was Marcie. I never even remember seeing her. 

5. Tell us about a job you worked 'for peanuts'?

I haven't had many jobs. I guess that working on the PTA was 'for peanuts'! However, it was also a very important job. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have to be honest. I am struggling reading posts so if you don't see me around it doesn't mean that I don't care. Life is just extremely stressful right now and it hasn't slowed down for 4 months. I am pushing myself to deep clean the house. Amber and Dylan are visiting in October. 

The littlest of things are stressing me out. My mind never shuts down. Just pray that I find some peace soon. Also bowling started last week Wednesday, along with all the physical therapies and doctor's appointments for Mark and me, so it makes it even harder to get around to reading everyone's Hodgepodge. I'm trying my best.

Mark is making great progress. This injury can take up to a year. His knee bend is now at 90 and it needs to get to 110 or 120. He did go from 70 to 90 at therapy in the month of August which is great. 

Finally the doctor has changed the setting on his brace for full movement so physical therapy can now use more equipment with him. Of course he also added 8 more weeks of therapy which would go through October. He has not been released for driving. Please pray that the doctor will release him at the end of this month. That will help so much. 

My lungs are not where they were a few months ago and it seems as they this is as good as they will be now. I am doing okay, obviously the stress doesn't help, but my oxygen levels are in good shape. 

Take care and God Bless all of you. 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

9/11 - TWENTY YEARS

NEVER FORGET

NEVER FORGET

9/11

I've shared this story before.....I took Mark to the airport early that morning. I arrived back home and I turned on the TV. Normally I would have just gone back to bed. I could not believe what I was seeing. 

My dad happened to be in town, he was staying with his sister and brother in law, my aunt and uncle. They happen to be late sleepers but I knew they had to see this so I called and woke them up. I will never forget that day.

Mark called me from the plane which was sitting on the runway. He wanted to know if I knew what was going on. Of course I gave him all the details.  I'm not sure if I went back to the airport to get him or if he took a cab home.

When I watch older movies I'm always looking for the Twin Towers. I have a small Statue of Liberty from a gift store at the bottom of those building. Adam was there that very summer 2001 and bought it for me.

Of course we visited the 9/11 Memorial when we were in New York in August. With building after building, mile after mile for miles, it it so hard for me to wrap my mind around how those two buildings falling straight down to the ground. 

My heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones and to those who were there and experienced this horrific attack on America.  

REMEMBERING.......

I saw this on Facebook last night....

Mark was all packed that night for his early morning flight on 9/11/01. I remember taking him to the airport very early in the morning and turned the TV on when I got home just before the second building was hit. His flight never took off that day. 

I will never forget.....

I WILL NEVER FORGET

 SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS

Wikipedia 

My prayers are with the families who lost

their loved ones on this sad day in September 2001....

Lamentations 3:20- (NIV)

I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

"We put our hope in the LORD. 

He is our help and our shield" (Psalm 33:20)

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE - REMEMBRANCE

My thought and prayers are always with those 

who lost their lives and their families.

((HUGS))

******************

1. What's the best thing about growing older?

I'm still working on figuring this one out....I'll let you know! 

2. When did you first feel like a grown up?

I think when I had my children. 

3. Chocolate cake with white icing or white cake with chocolate icing?

Probably chocolate cake with chocolate icing. 

4. What's the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

Well when I was in H.S. a few of us girls were hitchhiking and a very nice man picked us up. We were not going very far but he told us never ever to hitchhike because you never know who might pick you up. I learned a big lesson that day and never did that again. That was back in the late 60's. 

5. What's something you learned from your grandparents? 

Sadly I can't think of anything specific. 

6. Wednesday marks a sad day in the history of planet earth-9/11...what's something you do (or can do) to bring peace to your little corner of the world?

Making donations to a worthy cause brings me some peace and definitely sending out my handkerchief's to grieving mothers has given me peace in heart.  Of course being kind and doing things for the people I love will often bring me peace too. 

7.  Share a favorite quote, scripture, or song containing the word peace.  

John 14:27 New International Version (NIV)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Mark's leaving for Europe tomorrow and I don't get to go :(

I HAVE MORE TO SAY....

After Sunday September 11, 2011 I have been going over a lot of things in my head. I wanted to share a few of my thoughts with you.

I come from a family of worriers, it's in our blood. I can also say I am a bit of a "the glass is half full" person. I was the girl, when girl scouts was planning a camping trip, who said "but what if it rains?" There is a dark side to me that I don't like. My mind will, on occasion, be burying someone in my family. This doesn't control my life but I do go there more often then I desire. Sometimes I just say "evil demons get out of my mind." I didn't think I had passed the worrying on to my children but I do remember a time when I was trying to convince my son, who was maybe 7 at the time, to wear boxer shorts to bed in the summer and he said "but what if there is a fire?" He had to be in pajamas to be prepared for the worse. So maybe I passed a few worries on to them! You should see how overprotective I am with Skye!

This is why I don't read the paper or watch the news on television. I just need to stay in my own little world because it is already too heavy for me to handle at times. Yet I have been so blessed from God, He has given me so many things to be thankful for. There are things from my childhood that I don't remember and I learned to block out pain. I cry more now but it doesn't always come when it should, it will come more when I am alone. Imagine going to the funeral for your friends 13 year old son and not being able to cry. I am not a cold person, my heart is filled with compassion and I think you would agree with me on this.

I need to know the good after the bad. I need to know there is hope after loss. I crave the beauty after the storm. I remember when one of our neighbors years ago lost their son who was in high school to a heart attack. It was so sad. Then a few months later I heard the mother on the phone talking with someone and she was laughing. I can't even describe what that did for my heart. The fact that she would be able to laugh again was something I needed to know.

So I decided that I did not want to spend 9/11 watching memorial services because I knew I would have a hard time but still wanted to honor those who lost their lives. I prayed for everyone, keeping them in my thoughts all day. What I did watch were some specials that sounded very interesting. On Showtime I watched a show called Rebirth, a documentary that followed the lives of five people who suffered grievous losses on 9/11. It focused on their recovery and hope for the future. It took you through the years from 2001 and how their lives have changed. Then I watched a special on the History channel called Making the 9/11 Memorial. This show was amazing and I hope to visit the memorial site someday. I also watched two special on the OWN channel that were very good. One was called Twins of the Twin Towers. There were approximately 46 twins who lost their twin on 9/11. This was a British documentary and it was excellent. The other one was called From the Ground Up which profiled the widows of five NYC firefighters who died on 9/11. These shows did show footage from that day but all the shows focused on their lives following that horrific day. They showed where they are today, showing the courage it took for them to move forward. If you ever see them in your guide they are definitely worth watching.

So many lives changed that day. There was of course the lives of the families who lost their loved ones, they would never be the same and our country would forever be changed. I just recently read a post from a friend I follow and never realized how something like this changed her life and the life of so many others who had parents in the service. She was 16 at the time when her mother was called to duty following 9/11. At 16 years old she was now going to help her father and her younger brother during her mothers absence. My friend is Kerri over at Wish You Were Here . I would love for you to read her post from 9/11. Her mother was recently on leave and they were able to spend some nice quality time with her. They had a family day where her mother was awarded for her service while being deployed and Kerri was also honored with a medal for her help and service while her mother was gone. I think it was awesome that they honored her. So head on over and give Kerri a big hug!

New post over at Debby's Tree. (Series Part Two)

You can vote for me "Just Breathe" at Free Fringes!

9/11/01 WE WILL NEVER FORGET

It is hard to believe that is has been 10 years since this horrific day. I had taken Mark to the airport that morning. It was an early flight and normally I would come home and go right back to bed. I decided to turn on the television, this was after the first plane hit one of the towers and the thinking was that it was an accident. Then other reports started coming in. My father happened to be in town at the time, he was over at my aunt & uncles. I knew it was too early to call but I also knew this was way to important for them to miss. Shortly after that call Mark called me from the airport wondering if I knew what was going on. He was on the plane but they were not taking off. Of course they deplaned and I headed back to the airport to pick him up.

I remember going to bowling that day. We certainly were not having our normal fun day at bowling. I remember them having the televisions on as we listened to all the news coverage. I personally didn't know anyone who lost their life that day but one of the girls at bowling lost her cousin in the Twin Towers.

I have a sweet little Statue of Liberty that was purchased in one of the smaller buildings next to the Twin Towers. Adam bought it for me in August that same year when he visited the Twin Towers. Just a matter of a few weeks later and the towers were gone.

Keeping those who lost their lives that day in my thoughts and prayers. Praying for all the families who lost a loved one in this attack on our country and holding them close in my heart. ((HUGS))

Psalm 23
The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and you staff - they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
New Revised Standard Version