This morning we woke up and noticed that the local scout troop had put an American flag in our yard to commemorate September 11th. As the kids asked us question about the events of that day, it brought back a flood of memories from that tragic day seven years ago.
At the time, Andrew and I were living in Arlington, Virginia and Abby was only three months old. The morning of September 11th, was a beautiful day: the sky was blue, the air had a touch of fall, it seemed flawless. I was in our little apartment with Abby less than two miles away from the Pentagon, when I heard a plane fly overhead. I remember thinking, that the plane sounded like it flying really low, but didn't think too much about it. A few seconds later, I heard and FELT a big boom but couldn't figure out where it had been coming from. I went in our bedroom to see if something had fallen off our shelf but nothing seemed out of place.
Within minutes of hearing that loud noise, my friend Steph called me and asked if I had the TV on. I didn't, so she gave me a quick run-down of the mornings events. I immediately turned on the TV and watched in absolute shock as they descibed the horrific events of the morning. I will never forget watching as the World Trade Center Towers collapsed as Katie Couric and Matt Lauer were describing the morning's events. At first, Katie and Matt were oblivious to the crumbling towers behind them, and I remember screaming at the TV, "The towers are falling! The towers are falling!" I remember sitting there watching in disbelief as the stories and scenes unfolded.
Andrew was in his third year of medical school and was doing his Pediatric rotation at Arlington Hospital. He was on-call that day, which meant I wouldn't see him until the afternoon of the next day. My family was in Salt Lake and I felt very alone in dealing with this event. I remember going outside, and the sky was the most gorgeous blue and there was that glorious feeling of fall in the air. It all seemed so ironic - that such a tragedy could occur on such an amazing day. It was crazy.
I ended up going to Steph's house and for the next several hours, she and I sat there with our babies, our eyes glued to the TV. Meanwhile, at Arlington Hospital where Andrew was, the entire hospital prepared for the worst. All the medical staff in the hospital prepared themselves to care for the wounded masses who might be brought from the Pentagon. As Andrew describes it, it was on that day, seeing those doctors ready for anything that might come through the door, that he decided he wanted to be an ER doctor.
Later that evening, after spending the day on Steph's couch, I went home to our little apartment. I hated that Andrew wasn't there - and wouldn't be home until the next day. As I got ready to go to bed, I put Abby in bed next to me. As I cuddled and loved and snuggled my sweet girl, I wondered what kind of world she had just been born into. There wasn't much I could do except cry a little and hold her a little tighter and pray a little harder. That night, it was enough.
At the time, Andrew and I were living in Arlington, Virginia and Abby was only three months old. The morning of September 11th, was a beautiful day: the sky was blue, the air had a touch of fall, it seemed flawless. I was in our little apartment with Abby less than two miles away from the Pentagon, when I heard a plane fly overhead. I remember thinking, that the plane sounded like it flying really low, but didn't think too much about it. A few seconds later, I heard and FELT a big boom but couldn't figure out where it had been coming from. I went in our bedroom to see if something had fallen off our shelf but nothing seemed out of place.
Within minutes of hearing that loud noise, my friend Steph called me and asked if I had the TV on. I didn't, so she gave me a quick run-down of the mornings events. I immediately turned on the TV and watched in absolute shock as they descibed the horrific events of the morning. I will never forget watching as the World Trade Center Towers collapsed as Katie Couric and Matt Lauer were describing the morning's events. At first, Katie and Matt were oblivious to the crumbling towers behind them, and I remember screaming at the TV, "The towers are falling! The towers are falling!" I remember sitting there watching in disbelief as the stories and scenes unfolded.
Andrew was in his third year of medical school and was doing his Pediatric rotation at Arlington Hospital. He was on-call that day, which meant I wouldn't see him until the afternoon of the next day. My family was in Salt Lake and I felt very alone in dealing with this event. I remember going outside, and the sky was the most gorgeous blue and there was that glorious feeling of fall in the air. It all seemed so ironic - that such a tragedy could occur on such an amazing day. It was crazy.
I ended up going to Steph's house and for the next several hours, she and I sat there with our babies, our eyes glued to the TV. Meanwhile, at Arlington Hospital where Andrew was, the entire hospital prepared for the worst. All the medical staff in the hospital prepared themselves to care for the wounded masses who might be brought from the Pentagon. As Andrew describes it, it was on that day, seeing those doctors ready for anything that might come through the door, that he decided he wanted to be an ER doctor.
Later that evening, after spending the day on Steph's couch, I went home to our little apartment. I hated that Andrew wasn't there - and wouldn't be home until the next day. As I got ready to go to bed, I put Abby in bed next to me. As I cuddled and loved and snuggled my sweet girl, I wondered what kind of world she had just been born into. There wasn't much I could do except cry a little and hold her a little tighter and pray a little harder. That night, it was enough.
The Sunday after 9/11 we took Abby to see the Pentagon firsthand.
I can't believe its been 7years. I can't believe little Abby, I remember taking that picture knowing she'd never remember it. But looking at it with her she connects to it and knows of the tragedy of that day. She feels a connection to it. I remember carrying her baby bjorn under my parka to see ground zero a few months later. I kind of hate to move on and let the raw emotion of that time fade. I felt it so deeply and yet I really don't know how it has effected me in the big picture except that I cry really easily. I still feel intimately connected to the World Trade Center, maybe everyone does, but it definitely magnified by being back in DC and near the heart of it all during that time.
ReplyDeleteGreat account, Elizabeth. I will never forget anything about that day too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading it.
I never want to forget all the feelings and emotions I felt on that day.
Yesterday I asked all my kids if they had talked about it in school (me, thinking that it would be a main topic that day--especially where we live.)
3 of them yes,
1 no--she's in 1st grade..
and my HS son- NO!
I was shocked and dismayed.
(Today, one of his teachers talked about it--he only has this class every other day. He liked the discussion and could recall that day and many other things that happened shortly after--such as Pres. Hinkley's address. He was grateful that he had these memories, and was glad to pay silent honor to the victims of 9-11, even if it was a day late.)
Let us not forget.
thanks ;)
You are right on with the clear blue ski and touch of fall feeling. I can remember it like yesterday too.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how small Abby is in that picture!
I love hearing your and Amanda's memories of that day.
Thanks for sharing! You really were right there...and so neat that Andrew was inspired to go into ER from this.
ReplyDelete