[Katpo]

Where were you?

I was at work; Judd was at home. He had stayed home a little later because his favorite girl in the world beside me, his chocolate Lab, Alex, was very very sick. He was taking her back to the doctor that morning. His mom had called him and told him to turn on the TV, he did and then called me. Someone found a TV and got it cleared thru security to bring into the area so we could watch it. (Ordinarily TVs and radios and things like that are prohibited.)

We remember this week with extra sadness because Alex died on the 14th.

[aghiowa]

I was at home, feeding my 6 month old dd (#2). I always watched TV when I was nursing, and I remember just sitting there in shock until about noon, with my two children gathered around me. In the afternoon we went out on the driveway to play with sidewalk chalk. I remember hearing planes overhead, and being afraid. Wow, that was a long time ago.

My dad was out in Wyoming with his dying mother - she was dying of lung cancer, and dad had her at her home. She died that day, after seeing what happened. I like to think that God took her back that day to help all those souls who died in the attack.

We had to leave the next day to get to the funeral on time, and we had rented an RV for the long trip. Gas was very expensive!!

Angela

[Vickie]

Kathy, I woke up thinking about the tragedy this morning. I have incredible chills reading about your day. The parallel between your day and mine are eerie. Remember that Jim and I worked together just like you and Judd and with only rare exceptions are always together.

Our Scottie, MacDuff, had bladder cancer and had an operation to remove the tumor the day after Labor Day. Jim had stayed home that day to take MacDuff to the Vet to have the stiches removed. I had to go to work because I was acting Director and in charge of the facility since my boss was in Kansas City. It was a beautiful day here in Chicago bright blue skies and gorgeous weather. I was sitting in my office and received a phone call from one our our Specialists who was working from home that day. The panic in her voice was real when she told me to turn on the TV. We had one for video presentations and training. I gathered my staff and we went in to watch. With horror we all watched the second plane hit the second Trade Center. Jim called me from the Vet office and said that I should get out of there! I told him I was going to keep watching for a few minutes to see what they had to say. When they reported that the Pentagon had been hit I immediately decided to send everyone home. This was unprecedented because usually Federal Employees have to wait for the chain of command to decide to close. You've all seen the chain of command in action this past week and know it's slow! I knew it was big and was afraid that downtown Chicago would be the next hit. We were right on the lakefront and one of the tallest buildings outside the Sears Tower and the Hancock Center.

I left with two Coworkers. People were spilling into the streets from every building. There were no cabs and you couldn't get on to any kind of public transportation which is what I took to work. The cells were all overloaded and it was nearly impossible to make a call. Jim had the car and it would have taken him over an hour to get to us. One Coworker finally got through to her husband who owns a business outside the loop. We started walking down State Street South toward his business to meet him. He had to lie to a Police Officer just to get down State Street to pick us up. We just wanted to get out of the loop and what we considered to be the target area. My GF's husband took us to the office of the other Coworker. The second Coworker picked up her husband's car and drove me home and the husband rode home later with a one of his coworkers. His factory wouldn't let people go. Seeing Jim that afternoon was one of the sweetest visions. It took me about 3 1/2 hours to get home that day.

God Bless all the souls.

MacDuff died on December 17th.

Can you tell this is forever burned into my memory.

[septembersgoal]

It is amazing how things are permanently engraved into our memories isn't it?

On September 11, 2001 I was just starting my senior year of college. I was at home getting ready for my 9:25 class. I was in the bathroom when I heard commotion coming from the tv where I had the Today show on. I stood there in my bedroom stunned--they said someone had flown into the WTC. My first thought was, how could someone accidentally fly into the WTC? And a feeling of horror just came over me. I remember standing there staring at the tv and watching that second plane fly into the tower. I ran downstairs and called Aaron who had already gone to work. I remember feeling petrified, even though we lived in a tiny little town in KY that no one would care much about.
Not knowing what to do I went to class. Afterwards I went to the Student Services office where I worked as a secretary. There I found out that the Pentagon had been hit. I remember feeling like the world was spinning out of control. Students gathered in the student center around a television. We didn't know what to do or where to go.
I remember being scared and glued to the television for days. I just couldn't process what was going on. I still can't, really.
Years later I did training with NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) and heard so many stories about that day, as NOVA is one of the first organizations called in these kind of situations. I still find it all inconceivable.
My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones on this day. It was so traumatic for everyone in the nation, I can't imagine how they are feeling.

[ontarget]

we had a phone call from derik's brother in austin, texas telling us what had happened. at first we could not believe him. later we wished it weren't true.