the help

                              
Finally saw The Help this weekend. I really liked it! It opened my eyes a little bit. I love how the woman would not let a black touch them, but yet they let their children be raised and loved by them. Huh... Chocolate pie anyone!
love, k

another year

Off they go! Hoping for a great year for all 4 of them! I am hoping Senior year for Emma is a breeze and fun filled! I hope Evan excels and gets a 34 on the ACT's! I hope Peter loves his classes and doesn't find a girlfriend! And for Lily...new school...fresh start!

We will never forget

There were a total of 2,996 deaths, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. All the deaths in the attacks were civilians, except for 55 military personnel killed at the Pentagon.

Over 90% of the workers and visitors who died in the towers had been at or above the points of impact. In the North Tower 1,355 people at or above the point of impact were trapped and died of smoke inhalation, fell or jumped from the tower to escape the smoke and flames, or were killed in the building's eventual collapse. A further 107 people below the point of impact did not survive. In the South Tower, one stairwell remained intact allowing 18 people to escape from above the point of impact. 630 people died in the South Tower which was fewer than half of the number killed in the North Tower.  Casualties in the South Tower were significantly reduced by the decision of some occupants to start evacuating when the North Tower was struck.

At least 200 people fell or jumped to their deaths from the burning towers, landing on the streets and rooftops of adjacent buildings hundreds of feet below. Some occupants of each tower above the point of impact made their way upward toward the roof in hope of helicopter rescue, but the roof access doors were locked. No plan existed for helicopter rescues, and the thick smoke and intense heat would have prevented helicopters from approaching.
A total of 411 emergency workers who responded to the scene died as they tried to rescue people and fight fires. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lost 341 firefighters and 2 paramedics. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) lost 23 officers. The Port Authority Police Department lost 37 officers.  Eight emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics from private emergency medical services units were killed.

What I remember...

 

                          

 

 

I remember watching the Today show, Lily was up playing, Evan was at school and Steve was in the shower getting ready for work. 

The first video they showed was right after the first tower was hit. I was watching and listening as no one knew at that point what had happened. I yelled to Steve trying to explain it. While watching, the 2nd tower was hit.

It was terrifying, surreal.

 

We watched it until the towers fell. I remember crying and feeling very worried. All I could think was that I wanted to make sure my family was safe. Nativity did not want to worry the kids, so they kept them at school all day. I knew Evan would be ok.

I watched coverage on it all day, but tried not to let Evan worry to much and kept it off when he was around.    

It changed everything that day. It changed me. I still can't talk about it or see stories on it without crying. 

We cheered at our house when Bin Laden was killed. May he rot in hell for what he did to our great nation....our people.  

love, K

Father Mike

We just got back from church where Father Mike Burke, our wonderful priest, talked about forgiveness and hope.  I didn't want to hear the word "forgiveness" but Father Mike explained that forgiveness does not absolve those who did wrong.  He talked about justice.  He talked about how, when he was reading the paper this morning, he was sad, then mad again.  Father Mike said when he feels like that he remembers the last words Jesus spoke from the cross, "Forgive them Father because they do not know what they do." 

Father Mike talked about this day, ten years ago, and he had the same memories I did...the incredible amount of people streaming into the church all day long...he said it was basically standing room only at times.  That is because of FAITH.

Heidi

September 11, 2001

  I was on the phone with Dad when we saw this happen live on t.v...we had been "kibitzing" on the phone and discussing how a plane could have flown into the WTC on such a clear day...everyone's world changed the moment this second plane hit.  I remember Dad saying "we're being attacked."  It was impossible to tear away from the television or the phone (for weeks/months, actually).  I was grateful that Dad was a retired Captain...and that we weren't wondering where he was in the air, but we were worried about pilot friends and my brother in law, Mark who was in Congress and in the Capitol that morning.

Looking back, immediately I think my thoughts were of Chris and the kids and family...was everyone going to be safe?  Peter had just started kindergarten and Emma was in 2nd grade...I couldn't wait to pick them up.  At some point in the morning, my friend, Kate, came over because we both just needed to be with someone.  It was like being in a dream.

When I picked up Peter at noon, the first person I saw was Anne Phelan (whose son, Michael, would soon become Peter's best friend to this day)...she was nervous because so much of her family is on the East coast and many working in NYC.  Driving was surreal...people were driving slowly and were not in a hurry.  Almost immediately, American flags started appearing...we always have ours displayed on our house, but I remember seeing them everywhere.

Peter was so little, but he knew something was up and he was scared.  For many months, he was worried that Osama Bin Laden would break into our house.  He told us he would "shoot him with his pee pee gun!"  I think the terrorist attacks on 9.11 greatly shaped Peter...he is very patriotic, very American and very loyal to his country.  I think his passion for the military is mainly due to the climate he has grown up in...we've been at war and our country has forever changed.

At some point on 9.11, our church (right across the street), St. Maria Goretti, became a place to gather.  I witnessed people walking into church all afternoon...many dressed in red, white and/or blue.  I think I took pictures or video of this, and I must find that.  I remember calling Chris to tell him what I was seeing on our street...it was incredible and also so sad.

Watching the towers fall was the most awful thing I've ever seen.  Again, Dad and I were still on the phone, or back on the phone, when this happened.  Everyone watching KNEW those towers still had hundreds of people in them.  It was horrible.  I still cry every time I see that footage.  We all felt anger and quickly turned to our leaders...I am so grateful for Mayor Rudy Guiliani and President George Bush...exceptional leadership through such an incredibly dark time.

Not sure how we will observe this 10th year since the attacks.  I can't call it an anniversary because that would somehow mean a celebration, but in a way we will celebrate.  We will celebrate the fact that the terrorists did not defeat us and that they never will.  We will celebrate by living our lives as we should...free and without fear.  Heidi

where are you, Krissy???

it's been weeks and weeks since you've blogged...we are not dishing if you're not on!!  Heidi