story7262.xml

story7262.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-13

After a wonderful two week visit to my sister's house in Beaverton, OR., we were just about to awaken my almost two year old daughter, Emma, to head for the Portland, OR. airport. Not fond of flying, I was not looking forward to the return trip since my home in Indiana is so far away and at eight months pregnant the airplane aisles suddenly seemed smaller than I remembered...My brother-in-law called with the terrible news around 6am. One of the most difficult things I've ever had to do was board the plane home a week later. I couldn't help but think my daughter and the son I would meet November 1st had no choice but to board because their mother was taking them on the plane. And then, of course, I realized how fortunate I was to be alive making any decisions at all. If the terrorists had taken planes from out west that day we could have easily been among the missing or dead. Every time I look at Noah I think of all the people who never would have known him or even his gender. I still dislike flying but I'm proud to say that Emma, Noah, and I will be visiting my sister on September 28, 2002. Noah is proof that life really does go on and God is still working miracles in His own way.