Remembering 9-11

On this the eve of the 10th year after 9/11, I thought I would write about what I remember about that day.

I remember being at work on that morning at Mount Olive College in Wilmington. It was a beautiful, sunny day. I'm sure the birthday of my Daddy weighed heavily on my mind, since his birthday (which would be celebrated in Heaven), was the following day. Somewhere between 9AM and 10AM, I received an e-mail from a co-worker that I had previously worked with from the job I left when my husband and I moved to Wilmington in January 2011. She asked me if I had heard that the tower in NYC had been hit by a plane and they suspected it was a terrorist attack. My immediate response was thanking her for the information and then I proceeded to tell my co-workers. By the time the word spread around the office, I received another e-mail from her that said that the second tower had been hit. There were no radios in the office and we didn't have cable tv's, so I was thankful that she was e-mailing me to let me know. All I remember is needing to talk to my hubby. He has always had a way of calming me down when I get upset. I also immediately wanted to make sure that my Mom and Dad, Sissy, and Nephew were fine. They do not live in NYC, or anywhere near it, but I just wanted to make sure they were all okay too. I had only been living in Wilmington for eight months at the time and it was hard to be so far away from family when someone was trying to attack our country. After I talked to my Sissy, and she told me that everyone was fine, I was okay. James called and checked on his Mom and Dad, too. For a while after the attacks had happened, I kept wondering why someone would want to try to tear apart our country like this, and why did they think they had the right to do that, and how did they get control of the plane. Some of these answers, I know, will never be answered. That afternoon on my lunch break, I remember coming home, and spending some time with my son, Baxley. As I sat there petting Baxley, I was watching the news on television. Every channel was covering the events that had transpired, and I learned that even the Pentagon had been hit, too. I distinctly remember one moment from the news where this woman was trapped on one of the floors in the second tower. She was yelling for help. After a few minutes she had lost hope, and in the next scene she was jumping out of the tower. I don't think I will ever forget that scene. Also, the scene of all of the firetrucks that were responding, the people running down the street as the towers collapse, and the white ash covering everything in its path. Thoughts covered my mind knowing that a team of firemen from Wilmington may be sent to help, and my hubby could be one of them. Firemen form strong, almost "brotherly" bonds, and this tragedy was truly hard for James. A picture of the twin towers that I had taken when James and I visited NYC when we were in college, was tucked away in one of my photo books. I got it out and prayed for those that had lost their lives, and everyone that would be affected by this tragedy. Terrorists have tried to destroy us, but as they have seen, it only made us stronger. People turned to God, and asked for His help; He has been faithful, and supplied our every need. God takes care of His children. Thank you God for saving our great Country, and being the sustainer of our world.

OBEDIENCE from a Godly Mother

This blog is one of the many examples that show my Mother's obedience to her Heavenly Father:

Anyone that knows my Mother, knows that she is a Godly, Christian lady. I was always taken to church by my parents, along with my sister, Teresa, and we were always there when the doors were open. She taught Sunday School, and throughout the years has held various roles within the church. When I was very young, my Mother had noticed that the "soft spot" as it is often referred to, on my head had closed up, and this was premature. She called the doctor and he asked her to bring me in so that I could be examined. (I had no idea what was going on because I was very young, and don't remember any of this.) 


After meeting and being examined by the doctor a few times, he then suggested that they take me to see a specialist in Atlanta, Georgia. The doctor there examined me and did a few simple diagnostic tests on me. I had what was called "Cranialsynostosis". It is the premature closure of one or more of the joints between the bones of the skull resulting in a malformed head, which may lead to an increase in intra-cranial pressure and consequential brain damage. The doctor informed my Mother and Father that there was good news and bad news. The good news was that it could be fixed by surgery. The bad news was that there was a very good chance that I could die on the operating table. My Mother and Father had a lot to discuss on their drive back to South Carolina. Neither wanted to have the surgery because of the risk, but they also didn't want me to grow up having a head shaped like a football. (Yes, that is what the doctor said it would look like without surgery.)


One day as my Mother was sweeping her bedroom floor and praying to God about what she should do, she heard a very distinct voice say to her "Do not have the surgery. Your child will be fine." It was in that very moment that she knew it was God speaking to her. She went and told my Father what just happened. She obeyed God, and as an obedient child of God, she trusted Him. She and my Father called the doctor the next day and told him that they did not want to have the surgery on me. I have never had any learning disabilities, and my head is not malformed. I thank my Mother for being obedient to God, and for trusting Him. I thank my God for a praying and loving Mother.