So, do you remember what you were doing seven years ago???

I sure do. Gabriel was ten months old. I had just finished feeding him some rice cereal for breakfast and was giving him a bottle. He burped, spit up a little - because he always did - and then I was flipping through the channels. Instead of putting Playhouse Disney right on, which is usually what I did, I put The Today Show on. The television was not very loud and Scott called. I was talking to him and looking at the t.v. Not really registering what I was seeing. For some reason, I have no idea why, I thought they were talking about the World Trade Center subway bombing from a few years before. He had to go, so I turned the volume up. About two minutes later, the second plane crashed. I didn't know what to think. I called Scott back and told him. He didn't believe me. It was insane. As first he wanted me to bring him a portable television to his store, but then he decided that wouldn't be a very good idea - no one knew what was coming next. Then the plane crash at the Pentagon....then the field in Pennsylvania. He didn't want me driving to Pontiac. I was glued to the television until noon. At that point I was numb. I had to get away. I was afraid to drive too far. The new Farmer Jack (which has since become a Kroger) opened either that day or the day before - it was half a mile away. I took Gabriel there for some baby food as it was on sale. I remember what a beautiful day it was. So sunny...bright fluffy clouds in the sky. The air in the store was surreal. Everyone walked around with the same shocked look on their face. The energy was very sad and dirty almost, which was very odd because the sun was so bright and the store was so clean and shiny and new. We stocked up and went home. The rest of the day I kept the news on and played with Gabriel. The FAA said nothing could fly. It was very strange around four in the afternoon - we lived by a small airport at the time, and there was usually a lot of air traffic from about 4pm until 9pm. It was eerily calm. I talked to Scott's cousin Danielle on the phone while I fed Gabriel dinner. We were both completely freaked out! Scott got home from work and then it was time for my shift. Then my new paranoia set in. At the time none of us knew what was really going on. I was then scared that "they" were targeting tall buildings. Well, I work in a tall building...and it would have been a perfect innocent civilian target as it is a hospital and filled with lots of sick people and those who have devoted their lives to helping them. I left home fearful I would never see my baby or husband again. I cried. The feeling at work was much the same as at the grocery store. Shock...despair...darkness. We listened to NPR on-line. We were told that casualties may be airlifted to Selfridge Air National Guard Base and then brought to us because of our facility's Level One Trauma status. About an hour before I was to leave, a code was called over head that meant all hospital personnel must report to their work stations and await further instructions. No one was to leave the hospital. That just about sent me over the edge. My co-worker that night, Joan (rest in peace - she passed a couple years later) was so calming. Had it not been for here, I would have had a breakdown I think. Finally, the code was lifted and only Emergency Center personnel was to remain. I was so thankful. I went home and hugged my family and passed out from sheer exhaustion.

Over the next few days and weeks we started to find out exactly what had happened. Everything turned from darkness to red white and blue.

Please take a moment to remember those who died today. I have.

On a side note...today is my 13th anniversary at Beaumont.