Josie is 1 years old today!

The pics are of Josie in the hosp the week she was born and then the other is of her this Christmas. Wow we have come a long way!

Today is Josie's official birthday! She went in before Christmas to Children's Hospital and had a check up from the surgeon that removed her two tumor/cysts she had when she was born. He said she is all clear and that he does not believe that the tumor will come back. So we were very happy and relieved to hear that! So our baby girl is doing good. We had her one year appt today (on her b-day how good is mom!!) She is in the 25th percentile in weight (19lbs 13 oz) and 50th for height (29" long)and ofcourse coming from Derrick and I she has a rather large head. Those of you that know the Keeley side (my mom's side) of the family will know we all have big heads - - - ha! Anyway we are all doing good. Trying to get a few more things done around the house before I post more pics. We are organizing the garage this weekend. Yeah. Cars are suppose to go into the garage! Who knew. It took us 3 years last time we lived here so we are on a mission for organization.

Merry Christmas

Well, we received our official occupancy permit on Dec 24th. The permit guy as we call him, new we were living in the house - but we didn't want to fluant it by putting up the tree and all, so we kept waiting and waiting to get the tree. Well went to go get the tree and all the tree farms were literally out of trees and closed for the season. So I desperately called Kelly Gardens, friends of ours own it to see if they had any trees. The picture you see is of our tree - a little Charlie Brownish, but it is all they had left. I think there were two others to choose from - this is what we get for waiting so long! We put it up on a dresser in the living room, so it doesn't look to short in the pic - but it makes me laugh when I look at it, it is about 3 1/2 feet tall!

But we are officially in our new home now - LEGALLY, now! It has been a long road.

Kids play room

Here are pics of the kids play room. We are going to paint the walls in this room to look like a castle we think. In the corner where the couches are there is a hidden fort in the wall - really hidden right now (we don't have the door cut yet!) But it should be a fun hideaway for the kids complete with a tv outlet! Scary that we have so many outlets. But we figured might as well do it when we are building the house - otherwise the house gets wrapped in wire and looks ugly. So there you go - kids room. It is always neat and tidy! ha

OK - - Some House pics

This is pics of our master bath. I love our new tub! After a stressful couple of years I have loved to soak in the tub and relax! It has been so nice.

This is why we love the country life!

These are two dear that sit out in the field next to our home. This makes us remember why we love this area so much!

Look out I have internet access again!

I finally unpacked the computer today and got it going! woo hoo. I have had major blogging withdrawls! Today John helped Grandma Mary many many different kinds of cookies! He is such a big kid and is so helpful. Here he is rolling rum balls in powdered sugar. We wanted him to shake off the powdered sugar after he rolled the balls - but he would clap his hands together and make a "poof" of sugar instead. Grandma and I just thought it was too cute so we let him make a big pile of sugar mess. Look behind John - notice our new deck off of the dining room! We always wanted to do that when we were in the house before - and the fact we got to do it now is so awesome!

Sorry all - I know I have promised pics of the house and I don't have any to post yet. Actually I have them but I can't post them until we find all the parts of our computer - to put it together. It has been in storage for almost a year. Derrick is in NewOrleans again so I highly doubt I will be able to get it done before he gets back. So as soon as possible I will get the pics up - I am so excitted to share.

Thanks for all your kind comments!

Yes! We have moved!!

We moved on the 22nd. The house wasn't quite ready - but we moved our stuff in and stayed the nights with my parents. Then Sat we moved into the house. We are so excitted to finally be in. It has been quite a long journey. The house burned down Jan 27 of 2005. So to finally be moving in during the month of Novemeber is pretty excitting. It is not a normal building of a house when you are dealing with insurance, and an existing building. Although they gutted the house down to the studs, we still had some fun and excitting things that came up. One fun thing is they believe when the fire trucks came down the driveway, or the cement trucks to pour the new addition, they broke part of the sewer line- so we are now going to have that looked at this next week! The good news is it will all be covered it is just one more item to tack on the things that happen to the Young's list! I promise to post pics soon. It looks great!

Tina told us of an auction last Sat. we so scored we got a new bedframe and a leather chair for the bedroom, for a steal. So I will take pics of our new household items as it is always fun to get new furniture!

So long for now!

We have a move in date!

We get our keys on Friday! Yeah. I am so excitted I am like a little kid! I can not wait to move - so Friday we will do some clothes and beds, then Sat the big move!

Still in the hotel

I feel like I should get paid for being here! I think I know everyone's first name and when there shifts are! Too funny. The fix it guy I am sure loves us - I think I told you all the first day I set off the firealarm from cooking (the pan did it really!! not me, not the cook!!) then the dresser broke - we have a clogged drain I think he thinks we are sabatoging the hotel! No he is really nice. Anyway we are off to go pick out our granite counter tops, pretty cool. They will be put in after we move in - he is taking measurements today! Excitting. I guess that is it for now, talk to you all soon.

I am so excitted for our house now - It lookds AWESOME!

WE are so close on the house! It looks unbelievable! I can't wait to move in - I think I will have to pinch myself! As soon as we move in I will put up pics I promise.

So today after more than lets see 20 years I have a conversation with my brother J. It was pretty surreal to talk to him for a long period of time. It was the brother I remembered - happy and jolly and a great scarcastic sense of humor! Gosh I love the Cotton family for there scarcasm! Me no I am not scarcastic at all. lol. Anyway it was pretty cool talking to him - I had a million things I wanted to say, yell, ask him, but I kept it light. I think that is best for now. We'll see what happens. Last time I saw him for 5 minutes - then he dropped out of sight for over a year, so we'll see.

Take care to all of you - we are doing good - still in the hotel - but are seeing a big huge light at the end of this long, long, long, long tunnel. (and it isn't a train! AMEN)

Great Grandma

Here is Derrick's Grandma with the kids. Mary (Derrick's mom) wheeled his Grandma around the nursing home while John(Tigger) passed out treat bags to all the residents, he was such a helper!

Trick or treat!

Here are the trickotreaters! We are at Grandma & Grandpa Cottons house.

I finally got the pics up the computer at the hotel has been down! So there tjry are! We are getting closer and closer to moving in - we had a bit of a snafu- the carpet guy put in the wrong flooring for the kitchen - he didn't have the one we ordered it was out of stock so he decided to pick one out for us! Not very nice of him! So we picked out new flooring and hopefully it will be in Mon! What can you do? Besides yell at the flooring guy!! oh well the house looks good!
Love ya - Em

OK - So I found a computer at the hotel - and now that I am addicted I am trying to figure out when is the best time to sneak down here and blog! Things are going well - after setting off the fire alarm the first day at the hotel - things have gotten easier. Kids are doing well and adjusting great - better than I expected. So far we have a new move in date of Sat Nov 5 - That is all I will say, we'll see how it all goes! I found the camera but can't down load pics until I get our computer up - I have to run only have a minute to check emails and blog!



Here is a pic of Josie last Sat - at the Children's Museum in Seattle - isn't she adorable??

Kids went down for a nap before we go to the hotel and I am blogging - I have such issues. Jess this is your fault! Now if only you can get me as hooked on dieting and the gym.... .hmmmm I will work on that. I have learned to say I like myself unconditionally! lol that was a quote someone in my class wrote my senior year - and it always made me laugh out loud so there you go!



Here is Derrick and his second momma Nora , being commissioned along with 4 others; Sun. Oct. 16th for the ministery through Real Life Church. He is already recognized since May as a National Certified Chaplain for the King County Fire & Police in Maple Valley. But the church had a special service to recognize those in te ministry who have recently stepped out in faith or graduated from school. I think I mentioned it earlier but I had a pic now for you to view.

I have missed placed our camera after taking adoarable pics of the kids in a huge pile of leaves - so I will post more pics after we find the camera!! I think it is in one of the boxes already closed up - it will show up at some point!!

ok, so we didn't move did hell and high water come?

No, it didn't happen, the house wasn't ready and our town had issues with us moviing our stuff into the garage. Actually they didn't have a problem they would have just fined us! So we are staying the weekend at The Shooks and going to a hotel Mon. Looks like maybe the 1st or so of Nov. we may move in. Our contractor is doing some awesome custom stuff, so we want it to be great so we are just trying to relax and enjoy this time! Sometimes harder than it sounds. But we are all doing good. What more can you ask for? In a short amount of time we will be in a new home - so I have no complaints. Hope all is well with all of you too!!


This is John being a boy - like the expression on his face? I told him not to get dirty! yeah right! Grandma Pris takes him on Tuesday to story time or to play at the cmu center near there home.... so he is playing at the center.


Here is Dad and Josie - aren't they cute - dad out whitted mom this time and has been secretly teaching Josie to say "da da", so that is all she will say - no "ma ma" yet! Darn he got smarter with this one!


This is John at Grandma Mary's house..... click on the pic to see his face too cute!!

How times have changed

Since we are moving Sat (I think we still are!) It may be a little while until I get everything all set up to post - our computer has been packed away since last Feb. So I thought I would take this chance to put up a few pics of the kids. Some are a couple of weeks old, you will be able to tell by how short John's hair is.

Over the weekend our church recognized a few people for doing work in the ministry and commissioned them. I think I am saying that correctly. Derrick was one of the people that was recognized on Sunday - So I just wanted to say how proud I am of him! Just think, 9 years ago when we met Sep 24, 1996 to be exact I didn't have a clue that we woul dbe married now and have three great kids - - and that Derrick would be a chaplain. Wow. I think about what we were up to when we first met, there has to be a God, because we lived through it all!!

As soon as I get up and going I will post new pics of the house -

House pics - - we are almost done!

they are mudding today - texture tomorrow! We move next Sat. Yes I said we move next Sat. If the house is not done, which I think it will be they are working very hard, our contractor is putting us up in a hotel. So come hell or high water we are moving!

These aren't the most recent pics of what the house looks like - but it is of the sheet rock.



One is of the master bedroom and the other is from te kitchen looking out to the living room. For those who had seen the old house - where the three windows are now - was where there was just one big one before, and the punched that wall out 2 feet.

Bath tub

This is John (before the haircut) and Josephine. What kind of a parent would I be if I didn't take their picture in the bathtub? Isn't that what you do when they are little and then torture them when they get older? OK, that is what my mom did - Yes mom you did, remember it is the picture of me and Ryan Gay in the bath tub! OK, now she can't say it didn't happen! Sometimes we all have selective memories..... my family is more selective then most! ha lol.

The haircut

I just love this picture - John looks so enthused and then sister is smiling away - it is like she knew what he just went through!


Derrick and I have been trying to get John a haircut for a couple of weeks now, we have gone out a couple of times but it has been too late at night and the place is closed. I can't (won't) take John when it is just me and Josie, that would be too hard. John does ok in the seat but he needs full attention. After all haircuts can be hard on kids. We do have a friend that has done his hair - but it is hard to get an appt and plan ahead all at the same time! So I was saying to Justin (who we are staying with) that John needs a hair cut. Justin says we have clippers we should do it at home. Sure I thought. John woke up from his nap, and Justin said to him do you want us to shave your head? Yes he said. I thought ok, maybe he will warm up to it. So dad gets home and we ask him a couple of more times, want to get a hair cut, yes he says. The last time they ask Justin and Derrick jump up and John goes running after them "Yes!!" he exclaims as they head up stairs. I look at Shanda, and we both kind of smile. I said I am waiting fot the crying to start, sure enough he was all excitted, right up until they turned on the clippers. Then melt down occurred. Let's just say he wasn't very happy. When I went up stairs I think 10 minutes later - poor Justin was holding his head as dad was trying to clip is hair off, he had a bowl cut at this point. Actually didn't look to bad, you know the hair cut where you put a bowl on your head and cut around it.... long on top short on the sides and back. So we tried to actually cut the top so it was a little longer, this was not happening - I think Derrick cut himself with the scissors as John moved his head. So out came the clippers and we gave him a crew cut. He finally stopped crying towards the end, but he kept pointing to all his hair on the floor, saying "daddy did, daddy did" yes I said Daddy cut your hair, you look like daddy. Yes he would say. At the end we said John you look like daddy do you like it? Yes. Should we cut some more? "NO!"



I think John was pretending to sleep so he could forget about his haircut!!

Test results

So as it turns out our litttle girl is a little anemic, who knew the test was worth doing? so I need to go get her iron drops. Just an FYI

Just a little prick

Josie had her nine month appt. today, there are no official shots for this appt (vaccines) but since I wanted her to get the flu shot, they gave that to her. The told me they typically test to see that the babies are not anemic at this appt as well. Why they are testing I don't know - but I went along with it (Nora, don't give me that look!!!!!) so we went down to the lab for the finger prick. All went well, as well as can be expected when you take a perfectly happy baby prick their finger and then squeeze the blood out of it! So they get the desired amount of blood, and put a bandaid on her finger. I think to my self, I wonder if that will stay on. Grab her up and gather everything else up and head to the car. Half way to the car I look at her and realize she is drooling something looking like blood - its a mixture of spit and red stuff. Oh crap! She ate the bandaid. Have a small panic attack stick my finger in her mouth, after dropping diaper bag and purse, to ge tthe bandaid out. The girl has some great teeth now (six to be exact!) so she chomped on my finger before giving up the bandaid. Now she is just bleeding. For some reason her finger bled better after we left the office then when the were squeezing it - go figure. Now you can't really hold a 9 months old finger to stop the bleeding so - I did my best and have blood droplets all over her clothes (not too many) but then I got irritated after I got her in the car. Is that the best solution they can come up with after all these years of technology is a bandaid which slides off? ugh. Sometimes I think we have advanced very far as a civilization, other times not.

She is happily sleeping now - no permanent damage. lol

I forgot to mention at her 9 month appt. she is 28" long in the 50% tile for heighth and 17# 2 oz and in the 25%tile for weight, it seems my big girl has now shrunk!

Six Year Anniversary!

Yesterday was our six year anniversary! It is hard to believe it has been that long. We talked about the wedding - and how much fun we had, and ofcourse the honeymoon. We want to go back to Hawaii, ok who doesn't? We weren't going to do anything for our anniversary until we got into the our house, but Derrick decided anniversaries only come around once a year, so he called in Grandma Mary to babysit and we headed out for a nice dinner. We ended up going to Muckleshoot Buffet. They have a seafood buffet - I think we ate 5 pounds of crab! (ok Derrick did) it was awesome. It was kind of funny we went to dinner and we were gone for 3 1/2 hours and all's we did was eat! Too funny. Oh we even got to see Elvis sing, I forgot about that, he was actually really good. So Happy Anniversary to us!

Share!

The other night Derrick was teaching John how to share... and Derrick was sharing his dessert with John. John then went over to Justin and wanted Justin to share his dessert with him too. Please share he'd say. We thought ok, he is kind of is getting the concept, after explaining it for the last year. So later John is playing with Josephine, everything Josie wants John won't let her play with. She finally grabs onto a toy pretty hard so he can't take it..... we hear John yell at her SHARE! I guess sharing only applies when you are the one who is going to benefit from the situation!!

The ballet I think?

So I have to tell you this story, a couple of weeks ago Shanda won tickets to the ballet. Since Justin wasn't a willing participant in the adventure (and I happen to like ballet's and theater in general) I got to go! I really like ballets and I absolutely love broadway shows, I thought this would be a good experience for Shanda who had never been before. We were a tad late coming in to the first act, due to a Nine inch Nails concert happening at Key arena.... we looked quite funny all dressed up next to drunk fans on NIN going into the concert!! We made it in for the last part of the first act... seemed good, people were even giving a standing ovation. So we thougt great we'll catch up on the story line after the intermission. They start the second half with the weirdest formations you have ever seen. They were wearing all gold skin tight outfits, and doing the weirdest dances, now I guess it was ballet, cuz well we were at the ballet - but it was so horrible.... we were practically laughing .... then it got worse... the third act, by the way non of the acts were connected together in a story like they normally are at a ballet - they made no sense. The third act was a couple dancing to a pianist and a violinist. The pianist was good, the violinist should have been shot - sounded like they were killing a cat. And the couple that danced well - they were a tad strange to say the least. So after almost going into histarics in the auditoriam (MCaw Hall) we left with out seeing the last act... I couldn't have sat through the rest of it...it was scary. So after explaining to Shanda that usually they are a story about something... I'm not sure if she is convinced they can be better. So, so much for the ballet! I am thining about getting tickets for Shanda to the Nutcracker - now that should be a normal ballet.

Tuesday and Tired

You ever have those days you are just so tired you can't think straight? I don't know why but today is that day! I got enough sleep Josie slept, pretty good, just one of those days I guess! ugh.. it is hard to get motivated to do anything.... A million things I should be doing so I decide to write on the blog! Got to have priorities I guess!! we picked up our gas stove yesterday, that was a lot of fun. After much thought, we are going with black appliances! Yes major decision in our lives here... lol the stove is great - and looks good I can't wait to cook fajitas on a gas stove - they are better on a gas stove for some reason. Our friend Liz had a gas stove when they lived here - - and the fajitas were so much butter on her stove! hmmm could have been the cook! Nahhh it was the stove! So when we move in we will have to have a mexican themed party!

Later.

So excitted!

We are getting so pumped about our house being done!! It will be all sheetrocked on Wed, then mud and all that fun stuff. Paint on the 10th! woo hoo so nice cuz we get to pick al lthe colors out - so we don't have to move into a new house and then paint again that is no fun. It looks so different with the sheetrock up, like an actual house we can live in! who new?

Everything else is rockin' and a rollin' around here. Hadn't updated in a while so I thought I would do a quick one... pics to come soon.

Want to go to New Orleans?

For those intersted in going down to New Orleans area to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina here is a sight for any quiestions you may have reagarding the Missions Teams are church is putting together. There are many local and national churches sending teams through our church mission so that it is one coordinated effort and no one has to re-invent the wheel (if you know what I mean) this is the same type of thing we did after 9/11 happened at ground zero. It is the body of christ going, not a certain denomination or church.....everyone is welcome to go.

http://www.realmissionsdisasterrelief.com/

Hey there, giving a shout out!

We went to a church service last night that had a candle light dinner. It was really nice to sit and relax and not have have to worry about the kids (they were safe in kids class). A friend of ours (Jimmy) did something very nice for me, he gave up his cheesecake!! Now giving up food for another person is not always fun, and cheesecake! OK I must say that I felt guilty eating it (notice that I did eat it though :) )- until I said something to Jimmy and he said I am not that nice - there is more cheesecake!! Anyway - funny story I thought I would share. Have a good day - - - - This is your shout out!! Thanks Jimmy!! This is a picture of Jimmy breaking bricks with his head! He is a youth pastor so it fits that he would use his head. Sorry I don't have a non action photo.

On the lighter side of things.... pun intended here

For those of you who don't know - - Suzy our friend from church is on The Biggest Loser 2! She has been doing awesome on the show - if you notice she is almost always smiling! You go girl. It is on Tuesday nights at 8 pm on NBC. So watch her and watch her shrink. We know she makes it pretty far - she was gone a long time (ofcourse she can't tell us if she wins the $250,000!) So have fun.

Dad is home

Well we picked up dad at the airport late Monday night, John was so excitted I had to take him with me! He hugged dad and wouldn't let him go. Derrick is back but I think he left part of his heart in the New Orleans area. The stories of the poeple there are absolutley amazing. The spirit for survival is strong. People fought for the lives of themselves and for others when the waters rushed the streets. Now they are fighting to make sense of what has happened. They are tired, angry, frustrated, but in the next breath extremely happy to have survived. There is much red tape happening with insurance companies, govt agencies and local agencies. Getting the help they need from these avenues will come it just will take longer. This is where other crisis teams have come together to help now. That is what Derrick helped with, getting the infrastructure in place so everyday people lik you and me can make a difference. If you would like to go to New Orleans to help please let me know we will have many teams going down over the coming months to help. We are happy to have Derrick home safe and sound.

St. Bernards Parish, New Orleans Louisiana

The tour of New Orleans went well, as well as can be expected. Derrick said to me the pictures on tv of what you are seeing, are not doing this area justice. I was thinking he was going to say it is not as bad as it appears. But no he said it is 100 times worse than what we are seeing on tv. Derrick and Donovan went to St. Bernarnds Parish (a parish is like our counties) the first day it was opened up for the home owners and people to go back in, Here is a pic of Derrick that was on the front page of the Times Picayune Paper this Sunday. There are other pics on the site as well http://www.nola.com/katrinaphotos/tp/ ( just copy and paste the link) then click on the See Galeries the click Times-Picayune more pics then Taking Survey of Life in NO September 17th group of pics. Sorry that is so long to follow. He said everyone has lost so much, they are very happy to know that people from across the country are worried and are praying for them, not only that but people are raising money to help them.

I have to run for now - but I will write more later.

Headed to New Orleans Friday

Well tomorrow they are headed to New Orleans to tour that area. Derrick is very humbled by what he is seeing - so I am sure seeing more devastation will not be easy. They are staying at a church I think I mentioned that earlier, they are staying with police officers from Georgia, and EMS workers from another state. There are reporters from Virginia across from where Derrick is sleeping. He said he has got to talk to the police and try to help them deal with what is going on, tough images they are seeing. He gave me a little more detail on feeding the people in the shelters. He said first off they don't know just how bad the city is... they know it is in ruins but he thinks they think, they will be going home in a couple of months. But from the news pictures and FEMA officials it will take months and probably close to a year to get these people home. The reality of what happened hit Derrick today, the thought that this could have been us, you and me our families. We could be in a shelter in Qwest Field, after an earthquake. Staying 4" away from a stranger, trying to get food, clothes, sleep, and keep 3 kids calm. That is a sobering thought to me, can you imagine losing everything you own, going to where you told you would be safe (only to have to be bussed to another location because the first one was not safe) , and then trying to keep your kids calm as your world just collapsed? I think it would be hard for anyone to keep it together. Stress is running high as you can imagine. He said as he fed the people coming through the line, alls that he could picture on the faces of the kids, was his kids. It breaks your heart. He gave food to a woman with three kids. She took 3 plates and he watched as she made sure her kids got fed before herself. Very humbling. Please keep praying for Derrick and Donovan, but also for the people in the shelters that they will get some light shed on their situation, that they will have HOPE.

Thanks - I will let you know how the tour of New Orleans goes when I hear from him tomorrow. They are getting great contacts and are generating a plan for future missions to help.

Baton Rouge - LA

Derrick and Donovan have hooked up with the head Chaplain of all the chaplains of part of Louisiana, if that makes sense. He said they were really getting doors opened for them to speak to the right people about getting the missions teams staging area going. He went on a tour with the head person today of a couple of the refugee/evacuee camps from the Superdome. He just kept saying you can't image what these people have been through. It sounds like it is just heart breaking, everyone has a horrific story. He was doign well and helped to serve lunches to the 1,700 people in that shelter. They are working hard. Hopefully I will hear from him a little later. Thank you for all the prayers. We appreciate it.

Kids and I are doing well - Josephine slept last night! woo hoo it was so great I feel like new woman. It is amazing how the lack of sleep just makes you absolutely whacko - I was going on three nights of no sleep and wanted to cry! OK I did the night before Derrick left - I didn't want him to be up all night so ended up on the floor in the living room - wanting to just pass out with exhaustion at 2:00 am! But I feel good now - so all is well. Such is the life with a little one. I am done rambling now.

We are sheetrocking!

This is the new fireplace in the master bedroom - check it out we have insulation.
Here is a pic of our new siding! Looking good.
I am so excitted after a month or two of delays for various un forseen reasons we are getting sheet rocked! The insulation is in and the guy was hoofing the sheet rock up the stairs and into all the rooms today - - I feel like we may have a house soon.(I am sure our friends that we are staying with are finally able to breathe after wondering if we would ever move out!!) They have been awesome, and thngs have gone really well, but it is hard to have a family of four with you - including an ever changing two year old! So we will be happy when we can give them their home back - Justin and Shanda have found out what is not kid safe! - Mainly outside where little boys like to rip things apart! But they are having a girl first so Justin is in for Tea parties! I must say I laughed when I read a friends post about a tea party - what is that? we haven't reached that yet with our 8 month old girl, I secretly want her to be a tom girl - mud pies, playing in tree forts! I turned out pretty good, and I was a tom girl. Great because I said that she will be a girly - girl now!

Katrina Aftermath - Heard from Derrick!!

This could make you upset. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434/

I would rather focus on the positive then the negative at this time, however FEMA did fail the people of NO.

I am happy though that there are many many more stories of people that have jumped in to help. With that in mind let me tell you how proud I am of the two men from our church that have gone to help - ok, one being my husband!

Derrick has made it to Louisiana. He is in Baton Rouge about an hour outside of where the hurricane devastation hit. He is staying tonight (Sept 14) at a church that is housing out of state police men that are helping to recover bodies. I only spoke to him for a minute but he was safe and sound. It sounds as if there are many many voluneers helping with the recovery, thus many people that are seeing much devestation on a first hand level. These brave men and women will need help processing all of the horror they are seeing. God Bless Chaplains, they are there for the men who are in the middle of the devestation. If you think of Derrick and Donovan today please say a quick prayer that doors will open for them, so that they can get the staging area set up for the rescuers to have meals and a place to rest.


I can't post with out a pic of something!! Here is John and Josephine hangin' out - Josie is sporting a Harley outfit! You go girl!

Remembering 9/11

It was very surreal to me to watch the show last night about Flight 93 on Sept. 11. It brought back all the anger and fear that I felt on that day. I was in Bakersfield, Ca when the country was attacked. I was traveling on business. I awoke to my phone in my hotel ringing. When I picked it up all's that I heard was swearing. My boss was on the other end of the line - just screaming and swearing. It took me a minute or two to figure out what he was yelling. Finally I turned on the TV, to my horror black smoke was pouring out of one of the WTC towers. I remember just being numb, what the heck was going on? I immediately called Derrick at our home and woke him up - I was yelling at him turn on the TV you won't believe what is happening. Right as he turned the TV on, we watched as the second plane hit the towers. Now I was panicked. I knew I was ok, I was in Bakersfield, what is there to attack I thought. My attention turned to my sister in law who works down town Seattle for King County. I called my brother to find out where she was.... It is funny looking back 4 years later. I don't remember all the details of every conversation I had, but I remember the feeling of just growing more and more angry. How can someone attack the US. I guess that is an arrogance I had, or an innocence - I am not sure which. For some reason my boss called me back and told me we had to go to work that day. I remember thinking you are an idiot, no one is going to be working. (well he was Canadian, more on working for a Canadian company later - I have worked for 3 I have a strong opinion, I will spare you the details now!!) Any way - - So I went to work, at the time I was working for a company that went in and trained sales people at newspapers on how to sell ads on line. So as I walked into the newspaper in Bakersfield, I remember thinking I shouldn't be here. We sat in the break room for about an hour before we headed back to the hotel. All sales appointments were cancelled. We got back to the hotel and up to my room when some nut job called in a bomb threat - so into the parking lot we all went. Now in your head you know its a fake, but the country was just attacked to you are taking everything a bit more seriously at this point. I remember calling Derrick and telling him there was a bomb threat - he was like we need to get you home now. We also received devastating new the next day that a singer and friend of ours husband was killed on Sept.11, not in an attack but on there 10 year anniversary trip. Trent Lenderink Tammy trent's husband died in Jamaica. I couldn't belive that Derrick had just spoke to him on the phone a week before . How could he be gone? What was Tammy going to do? And I was stuck in Bakersfield. All airports closed and locked down - there was no way home. I think it was 5 or 6 days later - we had finally had enough of Bakersfield and were renting a car to get home. Airports were still closed my colleague and I started driving up towards San Francisco. We were on the phone with the travel agents trying to figure out when the airports would open, no one knew. We got about an hour out of San Francisco and the agent t called us - we are on the first flight out of San Fran to Seattle. As we went through the airport (which NO ONE was in, it was so eery. Armed guards were standing there - they practically body searched us as we went to check in. I don't recall one person complaining of security being too much that day. Everyone boarded the plane in silence. Practically the whole flight no one spoke. I think if anyone would have gotten up on that flight - everyone would have been out of their seat beating the person! We touched down at Seatac with out incident. We all cheered and clapped as the plane landed. That is my memory of 9/11. I am still angered seeing the pictures I still feel helpless that I couldn't do anything to help the people in the twin towers or at the Pentagon, or on Flight 93. I think God the people of Flight 93 rose up and avoided more heart ache and more shattered lives in the US. It makes you wonder what you would do in that situation - I would hope I would find that courage to sacrifice myself to save others. Then again I kind of hope I never have to make that choice. I guess in thinking about 9/11 it reminds me of asking my parents where they were when Kennedy was assasinated, when you ask someone that of the generation you never forget the look on their faces as they recall exactly where they were when there world was changed forever. There is only one other historical event I will always remember where I was, that is when the Space shuttle exploded. Again these are days that changed me forever. I will never be the same again. Don't forget those that paid the ultimate sacrifice - they are heroes.