So long Blogger! It's been real...
Hello Typepad! :) If you have my blog posted on yours, here is my new address: www.jennifersjunkylife.typepad.com
Thank you for visiting! :)
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remembering those from 9/11
9.11.01
It was a mere five months after Mark and I were married.
I was pregnant with Nikayda.
It was a day I'll never forget.
I quit my job shortly after we were married to stay at home. I was really sick with my pregnancy (to the hospital twice for i.v.'s to counter dehydration). So, on the morning of 9.11, I awoke and ran to DQ. We lived in Cokato at the time and I was craving a croissant. It was a gorgeous, sunny, early fall morning. The sky was crystal clear. Oblivious to my surroundings and in a foggy state, I walked into the restaurant. Karen A. (Tom) was working. I chatted with her while waiting for my sandwich.
There was a bit of a commotion within a small group of teens that had gathered near the registers, but I couldn't make out much of what they were saying. Then a kid came bursting through the doors, "Have you heard what happened?!!!"
It didn't sink in, at first. I hadn't even heard of the twin towers before. I grabbed my sandwich and headed for my car. I immediately turned on the radio. The feeling I got when I heard the news is one I'll never forget. And one I can barely explain. It wasn't only the twin towers that had been hit. The Pentagon, as well as Flight 93. We were waiting for what would happen next.
Sheer shock was felt by all, and such an awful sick feeling for those who lost their lives. And the families left behind.
I was on my way to see Mark. (He was building Adam and Michelle A.'s house). As I drove to the house, I couldn't get over the irony of our blue sky. That's something I'll never forget either. How blue our Minnesota sky was at the time. Not a cloud to be seen. It was supposed to be grey, or black, or stormy. Anything but the beautiful, clear blue that it was.
Our world had just fallen down. How could the sky be blue? But looking back, it was blue because it gave us hope.
When I got there, Mark hadn't heard yet and it slips my mind as to whether or not anyone else was there...Adam, Ricko, Nate...I just can't remember at the moment. I'm almost certain one of them was...
So, we ran to the neighbors (Nate & Vicky's) to see it on TV. It was awful. There are no words to explain what it was like to see that raw footage. We didn't stay long, so I didn't see much. But what I did see, made me sick to my stomach. And so sad and heavyhearted.
But in the days...and weeks following the collapse of the towers, there was such a patriotic feeling in our nation. I could feel it. Everyone could feel it. There was so much hope and a feeling of togetherness, as a nation. And it makes me so sad, as this war continues on, that the media is so negative and so anti-war. I don't want a war either, but we need to finish what was started. I only wish that our very liberal media would portray the positive side of this war. Because there is one. That they would do more interviews with troops who DO support the war and the cause. And that as a nation, we could feel as 'one', again ~ as we did on that day, six years ago.
It was a mere five months after Mark and I were married.
I was pregnant with Nikayda.
It was a day I'll never forget.
I quit my job shortly after we were married to stay at home. I was really sick with my pregnancy (to the hospital twice for i.v.'s to counter dehydration). So, on the morning of 9.11, I awoke and ran to DQ. We lived in Cokato at the time and I was craving a croissant. It was a gorgeous, sunny, early fall morning. The sky was crystal clear. Oblivious to my surroundings and in a foggy state, I walked into the restaurant. Karen A. (Tom) was working. I chatted with her while waiting for my sandwich.
There was a bit of a commotion within a small group of teens that had gathered near the registers, but I couldn't make out much of what they were saying. Then a kid came bursting through the doors, "Have you heard what happened?!!!"
It didn't sink in, at first. I hadn't even heard of the twin towers before. I grabbed my sandwich and headed for my car. I immediately turned on the radio. The feeling I got when I heard the news is one I'll never forget. And one I can barely explain. It wasn't only the twin towers that had been hit. The Pentagon, as well as Flight 93. We were waiting for what would happen next.
Sheer shock was felt by all, and such an awful sick feeling for those who lost their lives. And the families left behind.
I was on my way to see Mark. (He was building Adam and Michelle A.'s house). As I drove to the house, I couldn't get over the irony of our blue sky. That's something I'll never forget either. How blue our Minnesota sky was at the time. Not a cloud to be seen. It was supposed to be grey, or black, or stormy. Anything but the beautiful, clear blue that it was.
Our world had just fallen down. How could the sky be blue? But looking back, it was blue because it gave us hope.
When I got there, Mark hadn't heard yet and it slips my mind as to whether or not anyone else was there...Adam, Ricko, Nate...I just can't remember at the moment. I'm almost certain one of them was...
So, we ran to the neighbors (Nate & Vicky's) to see it on TV. It was awful. There are no words to explain what it was like to see that raw footage. We didn't stay long, so I didn't see much. But what I did see, made me sick to my stomach. And so sad and heavyhearted.
But in the days...and weeks following the collapse of the towers, there was such a patriotic feeling in our nation. I could feel it. Everyone could feel it. There was so much hope and a feeling of togetherness, as a nation. And it makes me so sad, as this war continues on, that the media is so negative and so anti-war. I don't want a war either, but we need to finish what was started. I only wish that our very liberal media would portray the positive side of this war. Because there is one. That they would do more interviews with troops who DO support the war and the cause. And that as a nation, we could feel as 'one', again ~ as we did on that day, six years ago.
Monday, September 10, 2007
A Garden Rake and no Heat
We don't have our heat hooked up yet. Almost, but no cigar. (Where did that "saying" originate from, anyway?) It's been down in the low 40's at night. This morning, it was 58 in our house, when I woke up (46 outside)! My hands are freezing. It actually felt warmer to me when I was outside walking Nikayda to the bus stop! I kid you not. The sun was shining - made all the difference in the world.
I've never felt the urge to get outside in the mornings when it was in the 50's but I sure felt like it today. Come to think of it, I wasn't up, much, in the mornings until now. But we're all adjusting just fine to this earlier schedule and it actually feels really nice. The boys are even getting up a little earlier too.
This morning, I took a few pictures in the entry but I'm going to wait and take more once I get a few things up {for texture. Flowers, linens etc...} I started to decorate in there, last week. Anyone know of a good place where I can find real-looking artificial flowers? I was thinking Joann's or Michaels'... I haven't looked at either place in ages. But I was wondering if there were others. I'm hoping to plug-away some more today - but probably in the kitchen and living room.
The wedding was beautiful. I can hardly believe they're married. {That's an I-can-hardly-believe in a good way.} :) It's a first for me (a brother getting married). It feels so strange to me that I have a brother married. It's so nice to see him happy and married to a Christian wife. Out of the 14 of us only Sara, Emily, and I were married until now. Family weddings are so fun! I only took a couple of pictures. I was waiting until my mom posted before putting any up... We only went for the day. We left late-morning Saturday and got home around 2 in the morning (Sunday).
In the end, I'm so glad we didn't stay the night. Mark and I visited the whole way home - which was nice. The kids slept because it was already after 10 when we left. A part of me really wishes we would've been at rehearsal but I know it was the right thing to not go for overnight. If it was feeling that stressful for me, it was better not to. It's just that I have no idea where half our stuff is right now. Everything's in boxes scattered throughout the house. I'm hoping by the time Ginger & Lars get married (Nov.), things will be a little more in order and we'll make it for Friday night! :)
Friday, September 7, 2007
Brad & Larissa's Wedding
I'll be back on Sunday or Monday. My brother Brad and Larissa are getting married on Saturday, in the cities. In Medina actually...so-close-but-so-far-away from the Junkmarket Bonanza! We're only planning to go for the day. We'll head back after the wedding. It'll be a late one but it's less stressful for me than trying to stay overnight.
I get really worked-up trying to pack, even for one night. I never used to be like that - it's the anxiety. I can't explain it. {Mark is always trying to tell me not to get worked-up about the little things. But it's something I can't help.} I'm only hoping that it'll be better once we get settled-in here. I'm really hoping that will help. I can't see why not... Things are just a little upside down right now {and will be, for awhile} with the move.
I'm a neat-freak by nature, and I haven't had a neat house in years with all of the moving we've done. (I'm not complaining, I've enjoyed the moving. Well, not the moving-moving, but the relocation. I love change. It's just starting to get-to-me that I haven't been able to have an organized house...until now. :) And our last place, although I really liked it, was so very small and there were boxes everywhere. Literally.
But I'm so excited to see everyone at the wedding! And excited *for* the wedding! :)
Anyhow, I may post later today...I'm going garage sailing. I haven't been for FAR too long. Ok. I really have no idea what I just said in this post. I'm tired. :)
I get really worked-up trying to pack, even for one night. I never used to be like that - it's the anxiety. I can't explain it. {Mark is always trying to tell me not to get worked-up about the little things. But it's something I can't help.} I'm only hoping that it'll be better once we get settled-in here. I'm really hoping that will help. I can't see why not... Things are just a little upside down right now {and will be, for awhile} with the move.
I'm a neat-freak by nature, and I haven't had a neat house in years with all of the moving we've done. (I'm not complaining, I've enjoyed the moving. Well, not the moving-moving, but the relocation. I love change. It's just starting to get-to-me that I haven't been able to have an organized house...until now. :) And our last place, although I really liked it, was so very small and there were boxes everywhere. Literally.
But I'm so excited to see everyone at the wedding! And excited *for* the wedding! :)
Anyhow, I may post later today...I'm going garage sailing. I haven't been for FAR too long. Ok. I really have no idea what I just said in this post. I'm tired. :)
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Wildflowers
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.
I love wildflowers!
Little bits of sunshine, to surprise you, around every corner.
Or in this case, around every tree.
These are all growing around our yard.
Can you call it a yard if it's only dirt and mud and trees?
I don't like Salad
It's bliss. Pure bliss!
It was 66 degrees when I woke up this morning! I LOVE it. Love it. Love it!
I was like a wilted piece of lettuce for the past two days in this heat {low 90's} and humidity! I swear my body doesn't move when it gets above 80, if there is any humidity involved. You can only take off so many pieces of clothing. {I mean, I guess you could take it all off, but that would be...I don't know, weird}. That's why I'm not a huge fan of summer. I like to wear clothes.
My sister Amanda's the opposite. She loves summer! I love cool weather. You can always bundle up if you get chilly. We were just talking about it recently. And I was saying how I love fall and she was sad it was getting cooler. And that all the leaves were changing because pretty soon they'd all be dead. And it'd be dreary and lifeless and cold and yucky and mucky and brown and...well cold.
And I thought, what's wrong with that?! ;)
Really, I don't think she said all of that, but pretty much she did when she said she didn't like that it was getting cooler.
{And, as for the title, I really don't like salad. Very much.}
It was 66 degrees when I woke up this morning! I LOVE it. Love it. Love it!
I was like a wilted piece of lettuce for the past two days in this heat {low 90's} and humidity! I swear my body doesn't move when it gets above 80, if there is any humidity involved. You can only take off so many pieces of clothing. {I mean, I guess you could take it all off, but that would be...I don't know, weird}. That's why I'm not a huge fan of summer. I like to wear clothes.
My sister Amanda's the opposite. She loves summer! I love cool weather. You can always bundle up if you get chilly. We were just talking about it recently. And I was saying how I love fall and she was sad it was getting cooler. And that all the leaves were changing because pretty soon they'd all be dead. And it'd be dreary and lifeless and cold and yucky and mucky and brown and...well cold.
And I thought, what's wrong with that?! ;)
Really, I don't think she said all of that, but pretty much she did when she said she didn't like that it was getting cooler.
{And, as for the title, I really don't like salad. Very much.}
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)