That day we will never forget

It's been 9 years and it still hurts. I was getting ready for work at PeopleSoft and usually have the TV on in the bedroom as I get ready. We were all home - it was still very early in CA. As soon as I turned it on they news guys was reporting the shocking news of the accident in New York - a passenger plane had hit a WTC tower - unbelievable! Then quickly and as I was watching a second plane struck the other tower - what? The talk had turned to hijackings and an attack on our nation. A third plane was still out there under the power of more hijackers. I called my boss Neil on the phone - Neil is from NY, born and raised. His daughter is a nurse in Manhattan, son-in-law a firefighter (at least I think that's right). He was curious why I had called him at home before work - so early. My voice was already breaking up as I tried to ask if he had seen the news. He hadn't. We've been attacked, I screeched! Planes...crashed in the WTC, I croaked. What, he asked? I'm sure he thought I was mad or he hadn't heard me correctly. I then told him all I knew and he turned on his TV. My own family gathered together and my husband - from New Jersey - and I tried to explain what we knew to the kids. We agonized about what to do next - do we send them to school? Do we go to work? It's hard to recall the details but I think they stayed home with him and I know I had to go to the office. We had to gather an executive team and they included me to represent Telecommunications. We had to locate all our employees - we had many "road warriors" and some were surely in NY at this time, some in Boston, many on air travel. It was an intense day, a day where we all worked together regardless of position or title. We learned of the heroes of Flight 93 who forced the plane down in a field and gave their own lives to save thousands of others and to not let the terrorists succeed in their mission - not on their watch. How courageous is that (tears still stream when I think of this). We did not loose any employees but a young lady who worked for me lost her dear uncle at the Pentagon - it touched home.
I will never forget this attack on our freedom and I will never understand the hatred that lives within the likes of those that want us gone. They truly do want us gone - imagine that.

This week there was a terrible fire and destruction in the Bay Area as San Bruno exploded with a tragic gas line break. A friend of my son - a lovely girl who visited him in the hospital recently, a girl whose god mother was his nurse several of the days, is missing her family. She is in her early 20's and has an apartment in Sunnyvale - her mother was at work in Sunnyvale when the explosion occurred but her father brother and grandmother were likely at home on Claremont in San Bruno. They have not been found - there has been no word. I pray for this family today and I am reminded that life is precious. We are very blessed and we should not wait for tomorrow to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us. God Bless.

It's a God Thing

No, the post title is not a typo. I didn't intend to say - it's a good thing. That's what Martha often says and Lord knows I love Martha. Ha! Today it was a God thing for sure. I have been dealing with some annoying back and neck pain. It's not new; it comes and goes. I've been in some agony for about a week now and the discomfort has been such that I have not been sleeping the past 2 nights. All day today at work I was just hyper aware of my neck and my lower back. I knew I needed to get to the chiropractor after work. So after 2 blah days at work and a general down feeling (poor me) I arrived at Dr. Mora's office expecting nothing more than a distracted Dr. giving me his full 3 - 5 mins. of attention / adjustments and out the door I'd go hoping for the best. The visit went like this:
Dr. Mora: Hi, how are you?
Me: Fine, well, er, my back and neck are killing me.
Dr. Mora: Have you been busy?
Me: Well yeah - Patrick had that surgery - it was big - remember? His whole chest got opened up - huge deal? I went through that with him. Thinking...As if I had the surgery myself - poor me. Don't you feel bad for me? I've been stressed.
Dr. Mora: Let's see! Lay flat on your face...twist, turning of the neck, ah, yes this is a difficult place to adjust...oh you are doing so well that was a great adjustment...you are going to feel so much better! Now lay on your side facing me. Folds my arms this way, my hips forward my knee bent - you know, like a pretzel basically...
Me: Realizing I'd done all the talking and he was so upbeat and cheerful I say - How have you been?
Dr. Mora: Great! Thank you so much for asking! I am just so blessed!
Me: Just before the big squeeze, smash, pressure adjustment I exhale - well that's a great attitude!
Dr. Mora: We all are. You know? So blessed.
Me: Breathing normal again - post adjustment - you are so right Dr. I was just thinking that very thing! 'Doh!
That my friends is a God thing! God knew exactly what I needed today and put me straight on a path to visit Dr. Mora - who, by the way, I have never talked to in such a way before. As we walked back to the lobby he told me he had been to Haiti in July and it had a profound affect on him.

Back to School Finale!

It's that time of year again - back to school. This is the last year that back to school will really apply to me - as a Mom. Oh, I'll never forget those "first day of school" photos of the kids in a new outfit, holding a new lunchbox, a new backpack, sporting a new haircut and bright smiling faces taken in front of the house, the classroom, the car, etc. These photos are among my very favorites! What I mean is this year my youngest child of the three will return to college for his Senior year. That's it for me - the grand finale. I remember feeling a loss when he completed high school - the last one through the K - 12 era. Before I could get too sad we were helping him buy all the supplies kids think they need to move away and live in a dorm, packing him up, driving him to college, shipping care packages, responding to emails about laundry questions, cooking questions, banking questions and supplying the credit card to buy all those books each term. I was right back in Mom mode - albeit part time. I liked part time!

This summer has been one of great emotion for our family. The daughter got married and we put on a beautiful wedding celebration for her and her husband and then this youngest son had a very major surgery. He was in the hospital for 6 days. It had a positive outcome and we did know he'd need it this year but still it's a tough thing to take your child - of any age - to the hospital for surgery. He's been with us while recuperating and so unlike last year, when he trouped around Europe and we barely saw him; this year we got attached to him again.

Tomorrow we go to his college town and we will move him into the apartment he will live in for his Senior year. I bought him some new jeans for back to school - ha! I'll see if he can get someone to take his picture on the first day of class and email it to me so I can file it with all the rest I love so much.

Now what's this mid-life momma going to do next? I bought a book and might see if some of my friends in a similar situation might like to do a discussion group around it. http://midlifemamas.com/

L's wedding - fun, fun!

Don't forget to notice the cute Spiegel gold jacket I blogged about on July 3rd! It worked for me. :-)


How do you pick just a few snap shots to share from such a special day?






On July 24th our only girl was married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at a local winery. We enjoyed every minute of it. In fact the wedding was a culmination of several days festivities. The groom had many out of town relatives and we had some ourselves. Thursday evening we hosted the groom's mother and her family at our home for a nice outdoor dinner. They were lovely people. After dinner it was the local wine bar for a family & friends "Wedding Jam"! so much talent in this group. We loved it!
Friday brought flower arranging, bouquet making, mani-pedi's with the maids and wedding rehearsal followed by a huge rehearsal dinner that included out of town guests hosted by the grooms parents. If that wasn't enough there were about 40 of us who spontaneously hit the local pub for Karaoke - oh...do they love to sing & dance this group.
Finally Saturday was here and the 11 bridesmaids (yes, 11!) started arriving at the house at 10 a.m. to get ready and help the bride get ready. I was so thrilled to get to be a part of all that. The photographer even came to the house as did the hair stylist. Can't wait to see the photographer pictures someday soon.
It all came off without a hitch and everyone said it was a great wedding! We think this couple is really blessed with wonderful family and friends. Life is good!

Vagabond Dreaming

I can't help it; my mind keeps bouncing back to this idea of jumping in a vehicle, specifically a VW Westfalia Vanagon and hitting the open road. I want to break free from the normal day to day grind, the land of grey..cubicles, and see the coundtry, see the world. Hats off to these adventurous folks who took that notion to the extreme http://www.vwvagabonds.com/ .

I'm sure I'll have to start a little closer to home but now I know what is possible. Once you know what is possible you've then got a spark; and it only takes a spark to get a little smolder going, and then, with enough of a breeze, a real blaze can break out.

I haven't posted in a while and that's because life was all about the wedding of my daughter. The wedding was a huge success and took place last Saturday. I'll post more details (yes, with pictures) very soon. Maybe it's this post-wedding lull that has me back in that Westy, truckin' down the highway, looking for adventure. Now to convince big D. Ha!

zucchini season...

It's that time of year again - the zucchini is coming in droves. My friends and I have a subscription to an organic farm delivery service - Farm Fresh To You. We've been trying to push our different zucchini breads off on each other and come up with new and different zucchini recipes. I love going to Tasty Kitchen over at the Pioneer Woman blog. http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/?s=zucchini&search_for=Recipes&sort=rating

P.S. This is my first link to another site. Hey - I might be figuring this bloggy stuff out. Ha!

Looking good - for a mom

Well the pieces are coming together with regard to the MOB outfit for L's big day. This Spiegel, deal of the century jacket, arrived yesterday by mail and I could not be more pleased. When you order on-line it is a bit "chancy" especially when considering the fit. You can get the feel for the style all right but the models have nary a bump or curve and you know they are all wearing it in a size 4, right? Ha! I plan to wear this for my entrance to the ceremony atop my royal blue satin fitted shift dress. It has tasteful ruching (sp) and hits at the knee. Let me just say when I tried it on I nearly cried - so hot - so cute...for a mom. Actually I think I better be prepared for L to borrow this down the road - it's that cool.

Well the Mr. and I have the whole long weekend at our feet and no official plans. The family is all busy with other plans and so we'll take it day by day. There's plenty to do around the yard to get ready for out of town guests and entertaining. Today he promises we'll start with a nice long walk before it gets too hot. Now to just get him out of bed. GRIN. I am thinking again about making plans for the 12.5 mile fund-raising hike at Westminster Woods in September. So beautiful - such a great challenge and accomplishment. Can I do the work outs leading up to it? Stay tuned...