story7713.xml

story7713.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-17

I lost no-one close, and became closer to those close to me.....
9/10/01 life is good ,I'm on vacation from my job and life in michigan. Today I turn 32. Yesterday was my wedding anniversary......

Hi my name is Chuck. My wife(Jody) and I saved up for a year to take a family vacation. Our destination-San Deiago, CA, to see mom(grandma)and sis(aunt Anne). For our children(Trevor-8, Kayla-5, & Callie-2) it was their fist time on an airplane.
We went to Disnyland.We went swimming in the ocean. We saw palm trees. My wife and I even escaped to Las Vegas for two days for our anniversary, flying back to San D. on 9/10....(Thank you mom for our gift of watching the kids)
Now time to relax. Fly back 9/12 and back to work on 9/13.

9/11/01 Life is different.......

6a.m.-7a.m.? My hystarical mother-in-law called waking us. "How are you getting home?" she asked. My waking wife replied "flying why?". "They're bombing New York, you better not fly" Jody's mom said. What???????
Rubbing the sleep from our eyes, we turned on the t.v..
Is this a bad dream?-Cartoon network is showing a airplane flying into the world trade center. Did someone slip somthing into my drink? This is too real to be a nightmare? This can't happen, this is the U.S.of A.!!!!
This Is real..now the Pentagon.....and a 2nd plane. Why?
Who?...Bin laSOMETHING????????
I had to be the strong father, husband, and son. This was new to me, nothing I learned in school taught me about this-about being scared. How do I explain this to my kids?

9/13/01 Lego Land... a day to cherish

Two extra days of vacation(two more days glued to the t.v.). Lego Land is open we still need to live,let's go!
Mini New York is missing the twin towers, in place is arraingments of flowers. Explaining the magnatude was easier in "miniland".(thank you lego)

9/15/01 scared again...flying home

They told us to be at the airport 3 hours early, due to security. The airport was empty, besides the fully armed presonal and dogs. So my wife and I had plenty of time to pounder our flight home. Being the strong father and husband, I didnt wink when fellow passengers alerted guards of an empty lunch bag under a chair. We needed to get home, we needed to get back to life as we knew it. I was scared!

9/17/02 life has changed

I am blessed I lived through 9/11, to see what is of value. My kids, my wife and our freedom. In 32 years I took things for granted. In my 33rd year I see things to be charished, love, freedom, and peace.
In my eyes life will never be the same...

-I can only prey the rest of the world feels the same as me one day...



-Chuck