Hello New York - Day 1

“Don’t you love New York in the fall?  It makes me wanna buy school supplies.  I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”  Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), You’ve Got Mail

Oh, I love this city.  I’ve loved it since the first time my love took me there.  And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than those fabulous memories, we did something wild.  We took our little angels there too!  I want to cry looking back at these memories of us.  Yes…my little, southern family in the city that never sleeps.  New York City in the fall…it’s perfect.  I have never made an official bucket list, but if I had, being there with them would have definitely been near the top!  Not near, definitely at the top!  And the smiles and laughter on those sweet angel faces during these four days...priceless.

Earning their wings.

I loved everything about it.  I loved the anticipation of the trip and Jonah’s reoccurring question, “How many more naps till New York?”  And Jesse’s sweet “We’re going on an airplane!  High, in the sky!”  If I only had a picture of the two of them walking in front of me through the airport with their backpacks on, full of necessities, like stickers and snacks and her baby and his DS.  I love how they both tapped the side of the plane for good luck just like I always do just before getting onboard.  And I really loved how Jonah looked at me and said, “We have to wave to Ms. Kelly (our awesome nanny) from the airplane.  She said that she would be waving to us.”  And we did, as soon as we took off.  “Hey Ms. Kelly!”  She and the kids must have talked about New York even more than I realized because Jonah had a list of attractions in mind.  And sweet Jesse mentioned “M&M World” many times.  Oh, her heaven.  And Jonah was aching to see the Statue of Liberty and Central Park.  Yes, we will see it all!  As much as we can my angels!

And boy, did we.  During those four days and three nights, we traveled by bus, by airplane, by taxi, by train, by boat, and yes, even in a horse drawn carriage.  We couldn’t have possibly fit any more into our days and nights.  We never slowed down.  None of us wanted to.  Too much to see and do!  No time to rest.  Resting is for the birds.  Although, I did pass out several nights.  I'm not that good.

We checked in our hotel room and the kids picked out their bed and we hurriedly got our things together to hit the town.  Hello New York City!  Hmmmmm.  Where should we go first?  We never had the time to write out a daily itinerary.  Well then, how about the best toy store ever….a little place they call FAO Schwarz.  Sounds good to me!

Oh, Jonah.  You rocked the piano buddy.  I have a million of these pictures.

And Jesse, you made the sweetest little French speaking friend.  I imagine you guys meeting up again one day when you are studying abroad.  New item to bucket list:  learn to speak this beautiful language.

And then, we might as well go ahead and get a taste of Central Park.

A perfect playground in a perfect park.

Guess it's not vacation unless we play in the sand.

And then, we might as well go ahead and end the day with some New York pizza.  It’s the best you know.

And a quick peak at Times Square.  Just had to.

And that's just the first day.  To be continued...

My passion is...

my family.  

That's it.

Then and Now

I'll never forget where I was nine years ago this past Saturday.  Oh dear Lord, of all places I could have been.  Unless I’ve told you, you would never guess.  We had moved back to Atlanta.  I was working at Lockheed again.  I believe I came into work early that day before leaving for my doctor’s appointment.  Oh, the dreaded appointment…the annual physical.   For us women, well, it’s just not the most exciting thing we have to do you know, but we do it.  We do it because our Mama’s told us we should.

I was trying a new, unfamiliar doctor.  I was still getting reacquainted with the city and trying to figure out who the best doctors were.  You know, in my male dominated engineering field, it’s not that easy to ask around at work for a good gynecologist recommendation.  I am pretty sure I didn’t send out a generic email question on that one.  But anyway, I left work.  I was on I-285 when I heard.   We all know it very well.  There was an explosion at one of the Towers.  I listened as I tried to find the doctor’s office.  Then, I parked and kept listening.  Then, reports came in of the second explosion.  I listened more in my car…in the parking lot.  Then, I finally got out and walked in.

I was disappointed to walk in and not see a television.  Dang it!  I wanted to know what was going on.  I signed my name to check in and sat down.  I was the only person in the waiting room.  Behind the counter, it seemed like a normal day.  Then, I heard a radio in the distance.  Good.  I moved closer to listen.  It seemed like forever I was in the waiting room stretching to hear a word or two.  Towards the end of my wait, I believe I heard the statement that our nation could be under attack.  My heart was racing.  Then, they called my name to come back.  What the?

I walked in the room.  The nurse wasn’t saying anything.  Am I just over reacting here?  What the hell is going on people?  I couldn’t stand it!  They gave me the paper gown.  I hate this part.  I hate those dang paper gowns.  I managed to undress and put it on.  Then, I sat there on the edge of the table with my bare feet dangling.  There was a window in the room.  The blinds were closed, but not entirely.  I do remember sunlight coming in.  I sat there in that isolated room and waited and wondered what was happening.  I became scared.  I started looking for places in the room that I could hide.  Yep, if I hear a bomb, I might just climb down and run in the little closet room that I changed in.  Is that best?  But no, there’s a window in here.  Maybe I should be in the hall way?  No, wait a minute, I’m in a paper gown and this ain’t no freaking tornado!  Geez, will the damn doctor just come on and get this over with!  She finally did and nothing much was said and I got dressed.  Never put my clothes on quicker.

I went to check out.  Ok, now the radio is loud.  She asks for my co-pay.  She’s been crying for sure.  She couldn’t speak to me much.  I gave her what I needed and ran to my car and turned on the radio.  I sat there in shock and disbelief as I heard reports come in.  My love was out of town in training.  I couldn’t get him on the phone.

Now what?  Do I go back to work?  What do I do?  Somehow, I put the car in drive and started heading back to Lockheed.  I parked and walked all the way back inside in sort of a daze.  I say "all the way" because it takes forever to get inside from a Lockheed parking lot.  I wondered if my co-workers knew what was happening.  I remember walking down the hallway towards my cubicle.  I remember seeing the guys standing in the hall way.  Someone had pulled out a 1970’s looking television on a cart.  They were just standing there watching.  It was silent except for the television.  I couldn’t stop and watch.  I walked past them with tears in my eyes and went to my desk and I put my head down and I sobbed quietly.

Then I started hearing the security announcements.  Lock down.  I must have got back in the gate just before security scrambled.  Then, I realized, what the hell was I thinking coming back to this place?!  Are we a target?!  Should I go back home?  Can I go home?  I’m alone.  My love’s out of town!  What am I going to do?  The rest of the day is pretty much a blur.  I think there were meetings.  I was physically there, at work but, mentally shocked and disoriented and confused.

I finally talked to my love.  He’s ok.  It was good to hear his voice.  He reassured me and helped me relax.

Night came.  I’m back at home…our small condo on Lenox Road.  I watched.  I never slept.  I watched all night.  I thought of Mama a lot and was sort of glad she missed this.  I worried my love would be whisked away from me for a long time.  I worried something else would happen.  I thought that if I died that night, I wanted everyone to know how much they meant to me.  So, I called them all one by one.  At the time, I didn’t care if they thought I was crazy.  (And if you didn’t hear from me, believe me, it was because I couldn’t reach you.)

Every sound from Marta and the passing cars startled me.  I know I prayed a lot.  I’m sure I talked to the Lord more than I ever had.  To protect my family and friends.  To be with those in New York.  I did all that.  And I’m one of those who doesn’t talk to the Lord as much as I should.

Fast Forward.  On this anniversary, I was not alone. Yes, on this day, September 11, 2010, I was on St. Simons Island with my childhood girlfriends.  We've been meeting once a year for a long time now.  And on this morning, I was the first to wake.  I sat on the sofa.  I had forgotten what day it was.  I forgot until I turned the TV on.  And for some reason, I sat there for two hours and watched the replay of what happened, exactly as it happened.  I cried all over again.  I wanted to scream to those people to go faster to get out.  I wanted to scream at the firemen and policemen to not go in.

The girls were still asleep.  Yeah, that’s right.  9:00 now.  I thought to myself, I have got to get out of here.  So, I slipped my tennis shoes on and went for a run.  I walked outside and took a deep breath which would have been great, but there’s this crazy, stinky bush just outside of this condo.  I think someone should destroy it, seriously.  Even so, it felt good to get the F out of there.  It was too much.

I realize it is good to have these days of remembrance; we should never forget.  But, life goes on and it has, and there was fun to be had and I needed to make the most of it.

As I ran, I turned my attention to the moment.  I thought more about how my girls from back home and I are not the same.  I don’t teach Sunday school.  I’m not on any School committee.  I like a glass of wine when I get home from work.  I curse at times.  I don’t do facebook.  I could go on and on.  Goodness, I am a great person though…I think so anyway.

But… I know that if I needed them, they would be at my side in a second.  I know that they care for me.  I’m pretty sure I called them all nine years ago on that September evening.  I couldn’t not.  I know that I would call them tomorrow if anything like this happened again…God forbid.

I ran it out, came back and continued to be myself.  And Saturday night we had a pretty fun dinner and saw a fantastic movie.  I laughed my head off.  I needed that.

Time for the Weekend credits.  No warning needed.  It was definitely not a “Hangover” weekend.  These are pretty G rated.  And that’s Ok.  As I’ve said before, they know the kid in me and bring it out at times. 

Where are you guys?  Who the hell knows?

There she is, My Diana.

Before...

And...After.

Impressive there my traveling buddy, my partner in crime.  Hot.

Ice cream or rum?  Hmmmmm.  

Seriously?

Sorry, doesn't matter if we are 16 or 36, this is still funny.

Peace.

Never grow up.

And to my babies.  I am afraid that when you grow older and ask me where I was on September 11, 2001, I will have to tell you this story.  Yes, I was at some strange gynecologist office, in a paper gown, barefoot, looking for cover.  Sorry, but that’s the truth.  We probably will not gather around a television and relive this every year.  I can promise you that you will know about the wonderful men and women we lost that day.  If you are sad when you learn about it, I’ll follow with some silly childhood story that I shared with these girls on weekends like these, or you can just picture my stupid self in that white paper gown.  Whatever it takes my angels.

Rare like Double Rainbows

Jesse had a pretty rough weekend.  First of all, she's got the crud.  Her voice has been going.  Actually, she has this really cool raspy voice that is pretty awesome to hear. Second, she busted it at baseball practice.  She slid on the rocks as if she was racing home at the bottom of the ninth with the winning run. Scored an extra popsicle and several Dora bandaids for that one.  Third, she fell down the stairs to the basement trying to keep up with her brother who thought it was a good idea to run and skip a few steps at a time.  With this came a nice fat lip.  She is truly my child.

After the fat lip incident, we were calming down in my bedroom with Elmo.  Elmo Goes Potty I believe.  Yeah, that one.  Jonah stayed by her side.  He stayed there even though he "has a headache of Elmo."  He offered up a few things to Jesse, like the blue ball he was holding as he ran down those stairs.  She wasn't interested.  Then something else...then, "Is there ANYthing I can get for you Jesse?"  At that moment, I'm pretty sure I heard my heart explode.  "No" she said.  And then, I started staring at this other child of mine.

Even with her quick denial, he stayed with us.  And he watched Elmo with that headache. And he was obviously into it, not that he would ever admit it.  Brother, there is no denying it really.

And I kept going back and forth.  Oh Good Lord, I love these two children.  Did you send me this beautiful natural light just to help brighten her spirits?  If so, thanks.  Maybe it was more for me, because I sat there in complete awe.  How could these two be mine?  I should say ours because I know my love does the same thing.

This was another one of those moments that I will remember forever.  These pictures are some of my favorite lately.  I realize that they are so much more meaningful than others where I'm trying so hard to get a perfect portrait.  Behind these are memories.  At this moment, I witnessed the sweetest sibling love.  I know, I know...it's like a rainbow.  You have to stop and really take it in because you don't see them very often.  Like that double rainbow their Grandmommy was telling me about the other day!  Most of the time I'm saying..."Jonah, what did you do [to her]?"  Or "Jesse, don't touch him!"  But this moment was beautiful.  Rare, like double rainbows.  I'm so glad I had a front row view.  So very glad and so very blessed.

Little League

It's that time again.  The afternoons are still pretty hot, but the mornings are incredible.  There's just enough chill to let us know it's on it's way.  Happy Fall.  And with that...my favorite little man sport is here...Fall baseball.  His first game was pretty freaking exciting.  I was cheering and screaming and jumping up like one of those I used to make fun of.  Oh well.  I'm one of them now.  And I love it!  His first game...on a blazing Saturday afternoon...yeah, it was blazingly good.

No way he or any of his teammates knew the score.  Well, maybe some of the more experienced.  I didn't even notice much the first inning.  Actually, I didn't want to look because it started off pretty bad.  Jonah seemed pretty out of it too.  I remember thinking...yeah, we're loosing...not sure by how much, but we are definately loosing.  Then, I looked.  12-0.  Oh my.  It's ok, right?  It's all for the fun of it, right?

In the mean time, I am such a sucker for a girl in a pink batting helmet.  Pink bat too?  I can hardly wait Jesse girl.  We have two girls on our team and they rock their pink and are dang good players.  Gosh, why didn't I have one of these?

Just peeking in here.  Hmmm.  Looking serious aren't they?

And then, the second or third inning..we started getting it.  Yeah, a hit here and there.  A few runs.  Ok, we can do this!  Jonah got some good hits.  He scored...he sacrificed one and got a man on third in.  I'm saying this like it was done purposely.  Then, well, our team, the Hobgood Knights,  came back to win 13-12 and I couldn't stand it.  I was jumping and screaming and we were cheering.  So exciting.  I ran on the field to give my boy a victory hug.

Huddle up.

Go KNIGHTS!!!

And then, what a treat.  Nothing better for a boy to have his Granddaddy witness his first game.  Victory carry to the car.  Way to go Jonah!  We are so proud of you!

Man, we are so glad to move up to coach pitch, play by real rules and see our boy learn the game like it should be played.  We're finally here.  You should skip to the next song now.  It's like...well...icing.

"Hello again, everybody.  It's a bee-yooo-tiful day for baseball."  Harry Caray