As parents, we are constantly teaching our children of the dangers in life they should avoid. "Don't slide down the steps on that pillow, you'll break your neck" (no broken necks here, only bruised and sore butts), "Riding the skateboard in bare feet is a bad idea, you'll rip up your toes on the street" (I have bandaged raw skinned toes several times despite the warning), "Please don't climb on the counters to reach a cabinet, ask for help next time" (this classic broken rule has resulted in a pretty gruesome gouged knee that hit the open lower cabinet corner--NOTE: that rule was never broken again). I'm sure I could sit here all day and come up with an endless list.
Do they listen? Sometimes, but usually I get a rolling of the eyes and a response of "I'll be fine mom, it won't happen to me". We hope it doesn't and much of the time they are fine. There is only so much protection we can provide without securing our children in the proverbial "bubble".
Then there are the dangers that you didn't warn your children about because you didn't think it was an issue. I don't worry about Rachel walking around our town because it's a nice, quiet town where the cops spend their days patrolling around, chasing kids from the park after dark and writing reports about the occasional stolen bicycle. Nothing bad has ever happened here to fear walking around our quaint little borough any time of day.
But things can happen....and it did. My Ray has walked home from her friend's house 2 blocks away just about every day for the last year or two, even after dark. One evening last week, I was expecting her home any minute (she always arrives between 8:30 and 8:45). The phone rings, Ray is in trouble, get down the street right away, someone jumped her and tried to rob her. WHAT?!? Seriously, is this a sick joke? I scrambled to get shoes on and jumped in the car to get there as fast as I could. And, I admit, may not have stopped at the stop sign at the end of our block.
There she laid on the sidewalk, crying and moaning that her knee hurts. I remind myself to remain calm and ask her what happened, but most of what she said was unintelligible through the cries and sobbing. I dial 911. Within minutes the police arrive, but the bum who did this is long gone. We go through the routine questions from the officer (who was extremely patient and understanding throughout the whole thing) and several other officers arrive after patrolling the area and finding nothing. After a few minutes, she attempts to move her knee around (which she had been nursing and pampering as I practically carried her to my car to sit). Luckily, it seems OK...no swelling or bruising showing.
The officer invites Rachel to drive around town with him for a bit. They return to our house a short time later. Of course, they found no one. It's a cold fall night and the streets are fairly quiet at this time of day. The only person outside was someone hanging Christmas lights.
We sit down in our kitchen to give an official report: Rachel was walking home when she saw a man approaching from the other side of the street. She started to walk away from him so she didn't have to pass directly next to him, but next thing she knows, he grabs her from behind by her back pack and puts his hand over his mouth and asks, in what she called a "scratchy" voice, "you got any money or anything?". She shakes her head no, but he asks again and removes his hand from her mouth. She tells him to check her back pack if he wants. At the same time, he is walking (actually pushing) her across the street. Suddenly, he starts to look around and gets skittish, flings her down and runs off. She is laying on the sidewalk watching him run away and begins to scramble to find her phone which went flying out of her hand when she fell.
She was very quiet, not saying much, other than answering the officer's questions. An hour or so later, it's all over and Rachel goes off to bed. I sit there, stunned, but surprisingly calm. I guess I am just glad she is OK, because deep down, I know it could have been much worse. I shudder to even think about it.
The next morning things seemed back to normal. She hobbles off with her sore knee to the bus stop. I stand at the front door watching and wondering if even walking the 100 or so feet from our house to the corner is a good idea. It's dark at 6:15am, will she be OK ? I am still amazed at myself for being rather calm about the whole thing. I wondered if there is something wrong with me?
Later that day, doing routine things around the house, it hits me. Whoa! Some stranger on the street hurt my little girl, grabbed her and threw her down. Tears start dripping down my face and I stopped in my tracks and sobbed for a few minutes.
Does she now realize the importance of me knowing where she is ALL the time, who she is with, how she is getting to wherever she is going, etc.? I think she has, because since that night, she is checking in with me more often and giving information voluntarily without the usual interrogation.
Despite the fact that Ray is physically OK, she has been scarred, frightened and awakened all at the same time. Sometimes, bad things happen in order for good things to happen. This, I think, is one of those times.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Waves of Emotion
I heard about Surfers Healing-A Foundation for Autism from our good friend, Liz. Her daughter, Tori, had attended the camp the past two years. "Surfers Healing was founded by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz. Their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Like many autistic children, he often suffered from sensory overload-- simple sensations could overwhelm him. The ocean was the one place where he seemed to find respite." The mission of the organization: "To enrich the lives of people living with autism by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing."
This past spring, after being presented the opportunity to register Lauren for an upcoming camp, I decided to take the plunge and go for it. After all, the ocean is one of Lauren's favorite places. She will stand at the edge of the water, watching the waves go in and out, in and out, in and out for hours. There is not any frustration, anxiousness or irritability when she is standing at the water. It has a profound calming effect. So why not? It was a perfect opportunity for a nice getaway and the experience of a lifetime. Without hesitation, I completed the online registration for the camp being held in September in Montauk, NY.
There, it's done, I said to myself. Then it hit me. What did I just do? Am I nuts? I just signed my kid up for a camp that is going to have her going waaaay out into the ocean on a surfboard ! And, this camp is 6 hours away. I have to drive there. I have never driven outside of Pennsylvania by myself. Oh boy. After a talk with Liz, who assured me that the volunteers are professional surfers who are trained to do this and it will be ok, I settled down and waited to hear confirmation of her attending.
A couple of months passed, then one day, there it was....the e-mail confirming that Lauren was accepted. Wow! This is going to be cool. Then it happened....the feeling of doubt and fear came rushing back. I talked myself out it, trying to focus on the great time we will have. For the next 5 weeks, I went from excited to nervous more times than I can count.
The day before camp finally arrived. I had familiarized myself with the route there and felt confident about driving, especially since Rachel and her friend Shannon were going along. That afternoon, we headed out, with a car packed full of beach gear and snacks for the long trip.
All was going well, the GPS was guiding me with the step by step directions. Until........we went through the Lincoln Tunnel, heading into New York City.....the GPS signal was lost ! As we exited the tunnel, I didn't know which way to go, the signal hadn't picked back up yet and I needed to make a quick decision. Do I go left or right? Left was the wrong choice. We ended up in the Port Authority parking garage. Now what? Spotting the exit out of the garage and seeing an opportunity to do a u-turn, we were out ! Next thing I know we are heading back into the tunnel, towards New Jersey ! Aaaarrrggghhh! Are you kidding me? After getting out of the tunnel I pull over and call Liz, who had already arrived in New York.
"Where are you?", she asks. "Hoboken", I answer. "What the h*** are you doing in Hoboken?!", she replies. Ummmm, you tell me. After discussing the other options, it's apparrent that we need to go back through the tunnel (and pay the $12.00 toll a second time!). So we start off again, this time, determined to not go into the parking garage. Ahhh, we made it through the tunnel, again, but Ooops, I missed the turn for Interstate 495. "Recalculating route" says the voice from the GPS. The new route was directing us through downtown Manhattan to get onto the highway. Really? Yep, I drove with three kids through New York City. Not much more to say about that.
Four hours after leaving home, we arrive at the hotel in Medford, NY. It didn't take long for everyone to settle in to get some sleep before the big day. Sleep, did I say sleep? What's that? Lauren wasn't having anything to do with it. Every hour or so I would feel a little hand pushing on my arm and hear a quiet whisper, "Mom, morning?" It was evident she was a little excited and I admit, so was I.
We woke to a beautiful morning. Not a cloud in the sky, no humidity, nice breeze. We pile in the car and start the last part of the drive to Ditch Plains Beach in Montauk. After about 2 hours of rocking out to loud music (remember, I have 3 teens in the car) and enjoying the scenery of the northern Long Island coast, we arrive at the beach.
Fortunately, we got there just in time to see Tori catching a wave and finishing her time on the board. Seeing that eases my mind that all will be fine. Lauren gets outfitted with her life jacket and I am feeling pretty good. But that feeling didn't last long...."Lauren", I hear someone call her name. It was her turn. Whoa, really? Now? Ok, here we go. We are introduced to her surfer companion, Bucky, and he and some other volunteers give Lauren brief instructions and a pep talk. Then, off she goes into the water. At first, she hesitates and starts to whine and wants to get out of the water. But the volunteers don't give up that easily. Before I know it, she is laying on the board with Bucky behind her, paddling out into the Atlantic.
To keep my mind off of what is really happening, I hide behind the lens of my camera, taking dozens of pictures of my little girl floating on a surf board, hundreds of feet away from me, in the ocean. Suddenly, I hear clapping and shouting. I look up. There she is, riding the waves! I join in the celebration and watch in awe as she and Bucky make their way back to shore. I focus on the smile on her face as they paddle the last few feet to the beach. It is something that will forever be in my memory. My girl is happy and that's all that matters.
As I start to drive home, I think back on the waves of emotion I have felt the last few months and days.....excitement, fear, elation, nervousness, confidence, lost, frustration, anxious, happy, inspired, sad and back to excitement. Sad that we had to leave the most fantastic experience ever, yet excited to do it all again next year !! (but next time, I know how to get there !! )
This past spring, after being presented the opportunity to register Lauren for an upcoming camp, I decided to take the plunge and go for it. After all, the ocean is one of Lauren's favorite places. She will stand at the edge of the water, watching the waves go in and out, in and out, in and out for hours. There is not any frustration, anxiousness or irritability when she is standing at the water. It has a profound calming effect. So why not? It was a perfect opportunity for a nice getaway and the experience of a lifetime. Without hesitation, I completed the online registration for the camp being held in September in Montauk, NY.
There, it's done, I said to myself. Then it hit me. What did I just do? Am I nuts? I just signed my kid up for a camp that is going to have her going waaaay out into the ocean on a surfboard ! And, this camp is 6 hours away. I have to drive there. I have never driven outside of Pennsylvania by myself. Oh boy. After a talk with Liz, who assured me that the volunteers are professional surfers who are trained to do this and it will be ok, I settled down and waited to hear confirmation of her attending.
A couple of months passed, then one day, there it was....the e-mail confirming that Lauren was accepted. Wow! This is going to be cool. Then it happened....the feeling of doubt and fear came rushing back. I talked myself out it, trying to focus on the great time we will have. For the next 5 weeks, I went from excited to nervous more times than I can count.
The day before camp finally arrived. I had familiarized myself with the route there and felt confident about driving, especially since Rachel and her friend Shannon were going along. That afternoon, we headed out, with a car packed full of beach gear and snacks for the long trip.
All was going well, the GPS was guiding me with the step by step directions. Until........we went through the Lincoln Tunnel, heading into New York City.....the GPS signal was lost ! As we exited the tunnel, I didn't know which way to go, the signal hadn't picked back up yet and I needed to make a quick decision. Do I go left or right? Left was the wrong choice. We ended up in the Port Authority parking garage. Now what? Spotting the exit out of the garage and seeing an opportunity to do a u-turn, we were out ! Next thing I know we are heading back into the tunnel, towards New Jersey ! Aaaarrrggghhh! Are you kidding me? After getting out of the tunnel I pull over and call Liz, who had already arrived in New York.
"Where are you?", she asks. "Hoboken", I answer. "What the h*** are you doing in Hoboken?!", she replies. Ummmm, you tell me. After discussing the other options, it's apparrent that we need to go back through the tunnel (and pay the $12.00 toll a second time!). So we start off again, this time, determined to not go into the parking garage. Ahhh, we made it through the tunnel, again, but Ooops, I missed the turn for Interstate 495. "Recalculating route" says the voice from the GPS. The new route was directing us through downtown Manhattan to get onto the highway. Really? Yep, I drove with three kids through New York City. Not much more to say about that.
Four hours after leaving home, we arrive at the hotel in Medford, NY. It didn't take long for everyone to settle in to get some sleep before the big day. Sleep, did I say sleep? What's that? Lauren wasn't having anything to do with it. Every hour or so I would feel a little hand pushing on my arm and hear a quiet whisper, "Mom, morning?" It was evident she was a little excited and I admit, so was I.
We woke to a beautiful morning. Not a cloud in the sky, no humidity, nice breeze. We pile in the car and start the last part of the drive to Ditch Plains Beach in Montauk. After about 2 hours of rocking out to loud music (remember, I have 3 teens in the car) and enjoying the scenery of the northern Long Island coast, we arrive at the beach.
Fortunately, we got there just in time to see Tori catching a wave and finishing her time on the board. Seeing that eases my mind that all will be fine. Lauren gets outfitted with her life jacket and I am feeling pretty good. But that feeling didn't last long...."Lauren", I hear someone call her name. It was her turn. Whoa, really? Now? Ok, here we go. We are introduced to her surfer companion, Bucky, and he and some other volunteers give Lauren brief instructions and a pep talk. Then, off she goes into the water. At first, she hesitates and starts to whine and wants to get out of the water. But the volunteers don't give up that easily. Before I know it, she is laying on the board with Bucky behind her, paddling out into the Atlantic.
To keep my mind off of what is really happening, I hide behind the lens of my camera, taking dozens of pictures of my little girl floating on a surf board, hundreds of feet away from me, in the ocean. Suddenly, I hear clapping and shouting. I look up. There she is, riding the waves! I join in the celebration and watch in awe as she and Bucky make their way back to shore. I focus on the smile on her face as they paddle the last few feet to the beach. It is something that will forever be in my memory. My girl is happy and that's all that matters.
For the next few hours, we hang out on the beach, enjoying the sunshiny weather that couldn't have been more perfect. I look around the beach at the volunteers and other families and feel blessed to have been a part of this event. The generosity of this organization and the volunteers renews your faith that there are good....no, great! people in this world.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
My Love/Hate Relationship With Fourth of July
Independence Day, Fourth of July....that summer holiday that celebrates the independence of our United States of America. It's our nations most celebrated holiday and with it comes a day off of work (for most), swimming, parades, picnics, the smell of barbequeing grills and .......fireworks. While I am a lover of the history of our great country and get moved every time I hear our National Anthem, I cringe every July 4th as I hear the pop, pop, pop going on outside, all around our neighborhood and beyond. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good fireworks display and look forward to attending a celebration at a local park that, in my opinion, is the best in the Lehigh Valley. But it's hearing that distant popping going on for miles around that puts me on edge.
First, it's Lauren's love/hate relationship with the pyrotechnics that are the Fourth of July. She also loves to watch the spectacular colors that they produce but at the same time is annoyed by the boom, boom, boom that resonates through the air. It's especially annoying to her when she is trying to go to sleep. I don't know how she can possibly hear it over the loud air cleaner in her room that drowns out just about every noise more than a few feet from her bedroom door....but she does. I imagine that she is just ultra-sensitive to the sound waves bouncing off the windows and outer walls of the house. That girl can hear the train that passes near our house coming from miles away, long before anyone else. She even notices airplanes waaayy up in the sky that no one else appears to hear or barely even see. Too bad it's not a psychic ability, or we would definitely be multi-time lottery winners.
However, Lauren's annoyance is not the worst of my problems.
Most of you with pets, especially dogs, have probably already guessed what I am about to say next. As I type this, Diogi (our adorable Bichon) is camped out at my feet, drooling excessively, watching the windows for Armageddon to happen outside. I lost count of the number of times I almost stepped on or tripped over him today as he clung to my legs in fear of that horrid boom, boom sound. I haven't been able to move an inch without him moving right along beside me. What bothers me most is, why? Why is he so afraid? We have never expressed fear towards them in front of him. In fact, we have always acted very nonchalant about he whole thing. He acts the same way during thunderstorms and we don't pay much attention to his paranoia then either.
Is it the same senstivity to what is going on in the atmosphere that Lauren experiences? Who knows. All I know is that this is not going to end today. The sounds of fireworks will be occuring for days to come, espcially since the holiday fell in the middle of week this year, we have a whole weekend ahead of us to enjoy, or not, the beautiful rockets red glare that are.....fireworks.
P.S. Lauren had just laid down to sleep minutes before I started typing this and I was honestly expecting to hear her get up numerous times, shouting "FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!", and then stomping back to her room. However, she did not get up once, not ONCE !!
First, it's Lauren's love/hate relationship with the pyrotechnics that are the Fourth of July. She also loves to watch the spectacular colors that they produce but at the same time is annoyed by the boom, boom, boom that resonates through the air. It's especially annoying to her when she is trying to go to sleep. I don't know how she can possibly hear it over the loud air cleaner in her room that drowns out just about every noise more than a few feet from her bedroom door....but she does. I imagine that she is just ultra-sensitive to the sound waves bouncing off the windows and outer walls of the house. That girl can hear the train that passes near our house coming from miles away, long before anyone else. She even notices airplanes waaayy up in the sky that no one else appears to hear or barely even see. Too bad it's not a psychic ability, or we would definitely be multi-time lottery winners.
However, Lauren's annoyance is not the worst of my problems.
Most of you with pets, especially dogs, have probably already guessed what I am about to say next. As I type this, Diogi (our adorable Bichon) is camped out at my feet, drooling excessively, watching the windows for Armageddon to happen outside. I lost count of the number of times I almost stepped on or tripped over him today as he clung to my legs in fear of that horrid boom, boom sound. I haven't been able to move an inch without him moving right along beside me. What bothers me most is, why? Why is he so afraid? We have never expressed fear towards them in front of him. In fact, we have always acted very nonchalant about he whole thing. He acts the same way during thunderstorms and we don't pay much attention to his paranoia then either.
Is it the same senstivity to what is going on in the atmosphere that Lauren experiences? Who knows. All I know is that this is not going to end today. The sounds of fireworks will be occuring for days to come, espcially since the holiday fell in the middle of week this year, we have a whole weekend ahead of us to enjoy, or not, the beautiful rockets red glare that are.....fireworks.
P.S. Lauren had just laid down to sleep minutes before I started typing this and I was honestly expecting to hear her get up numerous times, shouting "FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!", and then stomping back to her room. However, she did not get up once, not ONCE !!
Friday, December 23, 2011
The Dark Side of Christmas Shopping
With less than 36 hours until the big day, I am looking forward to it all coming to an end. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas...watching the kids as they tear open presents, enjoying a day of family and food and remembering the reason for the season...that's all good.
What I am anxiously waiting to end is the Christmas shopping season. I have worked retail during the holidays in the past, but working it more regularly this year has me counting down the hours until that moment the stores finally lock their doors and close up for Christmas day.
Most customers have been pleasant, sharing their stories and wishing me a "Merry Christmas" as they grab their bags full of presents and head home. But it's the other few that I am not going to miss.
The Cheapster:
-customer: "I need gift boxes please."
-me: "I am so sorry, we are out of boxes."
-customer: "Really?" (then a big, breathy sigh and rolling of the eyes)
Hey, how many retail stores offer boxes anymore in the first place, and what did you expect waiting until December 22 to do your shoppping. And I made the mistake of politely suggesting the Dollar Tree (just down the walkway from our store) to buy boxes. I got everything from smirky looks of disbelief (yep, I'm lying) to comments such as "I really didn't want to have to pay for them." Yes, someone really said that.
Hey, I am all for saving money, but come on.
Impatient Line Waiter:
Since Black Friday, the lines have been long at times. But "people watching" during this time of year can be quite interesting. You can definitely tell the difference between those who expected crowds of shoppers and those who think they are "above" having to wait their turn.
The next customer in line walks up to my counter and sheepishly places her shopping bag in front of me and says, "I am so sorry, but I have a ton of glass ornaments." I appreciate her humbleness and offer a comforting reply, "No problem, glad you found what you were looking for." (FYI, there were about 100 ornaments!) Of course, you know that this customer is going to take a while to check out, since every ornament has to be scanned and then individually wrapped in paper and packaged carefully. I don't mind, I would expect the same service. But unfortunately, the customer behind her was not appreicative of this woman who is obviously trimming her entire tree with new ornaments. She proceeded to huff a big sigh (heard by many around her) and stommped off to another line, like a little kid not getting her way.
The "Reluctant Gifters":
Even considering the current economy, most people will gladly buy a gift for family and friends. In fact, one customer bought about 20 small gifts for her co-workers...candles, ornaments, gloves....I was impressed with her generosity.
But you can tell the ones who wished the tradition of gift giving never started.
The first clue: the item is haphazardly placed, sometimes literally thrown on the counter. Then as I neatly, yet quickly fold a clothing item I am told, "don't worry about it, just put it in the bag." Are they in a hurry (this places them in the previous category) or are they that disgruntled about having to shop for someone else?
Clue #2 (goes hand-in-hand with Clue #1): They will usually ask for boxes and be annoyed when I tell them we don't have any. This means they have to take more time and spend more money to go buy boxes at another store.....ooooh dear, the horror.
Clue #3: No small talk or even eye contact. They obviously don't want to be shopping and are not going to try in any way, shape or form to make it pleasant. They usually leave with a half-hearted "Thank You" or "Goodbye".
Ok, enough of the customer bashing. I am sure I could write about many other experiences I have had recently, but I don't want to dwell on the negative. In fact, my goal in writing this was to add some humor and lightness to the holiday shopping season...at least for me anyway.
As I prepare to go to work for my last day before Christmas, I am actually hoping that there will be plenty of last minute shoppers to make my shift "dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
A Very Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy New Year to Everyone !!!!
What I am anxiously waiting to end is the Christmas shopping season. I have worked retail during the holidays in the past, but working it more regularly this year has me counting down the hours until that moment the stores finally lock their doors and close up for Christmas day.
Most customers have been pleasant, sharing their stories and wishing me a "Merry Christmas" as they grab their bags full of presents and head home. But it's the other few that I am not going to miss.
The Cheapster:
-customer: "I need gift boxes please."
-me: "I am so sorry, we are out of boxes."
-customer: "Really?" (then a big, breathy sigh and rolling of the eyes)
Hey, how many retail stores offer boxes anymore in the first place, and what did you expect waiting until December 22 to do your shoppping. And I made the mistake of politely suggesting the Dollar Tree (just down the walkway from our store) to buy boxes. I got everything from smirky looks of disbelief (yep, I'm lying) to comments such as "I really didn't want to have to pay for them." Yes, someone really said that.
Hey, I am all for saving money, but come on.
Impatient Line Waiter:
Since Black Friday, the lines have been long at times. But "people watching" during this time of year can be quite interesting. You can definitely tell the difference between those who expected crowds of shoppers and those who think they are "above" having to wait their turn.
The next customer in line walks up to my counter and sheepishly places her shopping bag in front of me and says, "I am so sorry, but I have a ton of glass ornaments." I appreciate her humbleness and offer a comforting reply, "No problem, glad you found what you were looking for." (FYI, there were about 100 ornaments!) Of course, you know that this customer is going to take a while to check out, since every ornament has to be scanned and then individually wrapped in paper and packaged carefully. I don't mind, I would expect the same service. But unfortunately, the customer behind her was not appreicative of this woman who is obviously trimming her entire tree with new ornaments. She proceeded to huff a big sigh (heard by many around her) and stommped off to another line, like a little kid not getting her way.
The "Reluctant Gifters":
Even considering the current economy, most people will gladly buy a gift for family and friends. In fact, one customer bought about 20 small gifts for her co-workers...candles, ornaments, gloves....I was impressed with her generosity.
But you can tell the ones who wished the tradition of gift giving never started.
The first clue: the item is haphazardly placed, sometimes literally thrown on the counter. Then as I neatly, yet quickly fold a clothing item I am told, "don't worry about it, just put it in the bag." Are they in a hurry (this places them in the previous category) or are they that disgruntled about having to shop for someone else?
Clue #2 (goes hand-in-hand with Clue #1): They will usually ask for boxes and be annoyed when I tell them we don't have any. This means they have to take more time and spend more money to go buy boxes at another store.....ooooh dear, the horror.
Clue #3: No small talk or even eye contact. They obviously don't want to be shopping and are not going to try in any way, shape or form to make it pleasant. They usually leave with a half-hearted "Thank You" or "Goodbye".
Ok, enough of the customer bashing. I am sure I could write about many other experiences I have had recently, but I don't want to dwell on the negative. In fact, my goal in writing this was to add some humor and lightness to the holiday shopping season...at least for me anyway.
As I prepare to go to work for my last day before Christmas, I am actually hoping that there will be plenty of last minute shoppers to make my shift "dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
A Very Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy New Year to Everyone !!!!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
10 years ago.....
It's been 10 years since that dreadful day. We all talk about where we were when it happened, when we found out or what we did the rest of that day. It's amazing how we can remember with great detail a day that was filled with such chaos, trajedy and heartbreak.
I remember waking up and noticing that is was a beautiful fall day. I got Lauren and Rachel ready for school and we left the house around 8:10am. We drove to Muhlenberg Elementary, where I dropped off Lauren who had just started third grade. Rachel and I then drove to Jackson Elementary where she got on the bus to go to Lincoln Kindergarten Center. I know now that I arrived at home at almost the exact minute that the first plane hit. However, at the time, I had no clue what terrible event had just happened.
I proceeded to turn on the tv, went to the kitchen and made breakfast. I sat in the dining room for quite some time while reading the morning paper. I do remember hearing some news reports interrupting whatever show had been on the tv and thinking "oh boy, another plane crash." I walked by the television without glancing at it, turned it off and went upstairs to take a shower. An hour later, at 11:15, I left the house to pick up Rachel from school.
When I got in the car, the radio was on and tuned to WYSP, Philadelphia. I was surprised to hear Howard Stern still broadcasting his show, which is usually over by 10:30. During my 5 block trip to Rachel's school, I was slightly confused what Howard Stern was upset about now....so I turned off the radio. I parked the car about a block from the school, walked up the street and waited for her bus to arrive. Now thinking back, I wonder why none of the other parents waiting for their children were not talking more actively about what had happened in the last 2 1/2 hours. Did they not know either? Were they just in awe and not able to talk about it? Or was I in my own world and just not paying attention.
Rachel's bus arrives and we proceed to walk back to my car. We drove a few blocks away to Hamilton Mall, heading to the Main Post Office at 5th and Hamilton to pick up a package. As we approach the area, there are roadblocks cutting off the street. I stopped the car and looked around. What I saw will be engraved in my memory forever. U.S. Army vehicles lined Hamilton Street; police in riot gear, running down the street, carrying what looked to me to be very large and serious looking guns. There was no one walking, shopping or sitting on benches. An eerie silence fell over the usual bustling Hamilton Street. My first thought was that some criminal was on the loose downtown and there was a search underway. I figured out later that the Federal Courthouse had been locked down due to the events that were still unbeknownst to me.
I turned the car around and quickly drive to my brother's house a few blocks away from downtown. As I pulled up next to his house, he is coming out his back door, with a look of disbelief on his face. He quickly says, "Can you believe what happened?" Thinking back to what I saw on Hamilton Mall, I begin to get scared and reply, "What !? What is going on?" He looks at me, puzzled and says, "You mean you don't know?" Okay, so now I am no longer feeling scared, but instead sort of stupid for being so out of the loop, because now I start to realize that something big has happened. My brother motions to go inside his house and we proceed to stare at the television, our mouths just hanging open, saying nothing.
It's at this point that I finally find out about the events that were to change life in the United States forever. I stood watching television for a few more minutes before getting in my car and driving home. Upon arriving home, I find a message on my answering machine. It was from the secretary where I work. The Hartford was closing for the rest of the day and I didn't need to go in to work later for my evening shift. What? Did I hear that right? The Hartford rarely even closes for 2 feet of snow. This must be something serious going on. And so it was. The rest of day spent glued to the television, talking with neighbors and even though I now knew what happend, I still didn't really know or understand. And guess I never will.
I remember waking up and noticing that is was a beautiful fall day. I got Lauren and Rachel ready for school and we left the house around 8:10am. We drove to Muhlenberg Elementary, where I dropped off Lauren who had just started third grade. Rachel and I then drove to Jackson Elementary where she got on the bus to go to Lincoln Kindergarten Center. I know now that I arrived at home at almost the exact minute that the first plane hit. However, at the time, I had no clue what terrible event had just happened.
I proceeded to turn on the tv, went to the kitchen and made breakfast. I sat in the dining room for quite some time while reading the morning paper. I do remember hearing some news reports interrupting whatever show had been on the tv and thinking "oh boy, another plane crash." I walked by the television without glancing at it, turned it off and went upstairs to take a shower. An hour later, at 11:15, I left the house to pick up Rachel from school.
When I got in the car, the radio was on and tuned to WYSP, Philadelphia. I was surprised to hear Howard Stern still broadcasting his show, which is usually over by 10:30. During my 5 block trip to Rachel's school, I was slightly confused what Howard Stern was upset about now....so I turned off the radio. I parked the car about a block from the school, walked up the street and waited for her bus to arrive. Now thinking back, I wonder why none of the other parents waiting for their children were not talking more actively about what had happened in the last 2 1/2 hours. Did they not know either? Were they just in awe and not able to talk about it? Or was I in my own world and just not paying attention.
Rachel's bus arrives and we proceed to walk back to my car. We drove a few blocks away to Hamilton Mall, heading to the Main Post Office at 5th and Hamilton to pick up a package. As we approach the area, there are roadblocks cutting off the street. I stopped the car and looked around. What I saw will be engraved in my memory forever. U.S. Army vehicles lined Hamilton Street; police in riot gear, running down the street, carrying what looked to me to be very large and serious looking guns. There was no one walking, shopping or sitting on benches. An eerie silence fell over the usual bustling Hamilton Street. My first thought was that some criminal was on the loose downtown and there was a search underway. I figured out later that the Federal Courthouse had been locked down due to the events that were still unbeknownst to me.
I turned the car around and quickly drive to my brother's house a few blocks away from downtown. As I pulled up next to his house, he is coming out his back door, with a look of disbelief on his face. He quickly says, "Can you believe what happened?" Thinking back to what I saw on Hamilton Mall, I begin to get scared and reply, "What !? What is going on?" He looks at me, puzzled and says, "You mean you don't know?" Okay, so now I am no longer feeling scared, but instead sort of stupid for being so out of the loop, because now I start to realize that something big has happened. My brother motions to go inside his house and we proceed to stare at the television, our mouths just hanging open, saying nothing.
It's at this point that I finally find out about the events that were to change life in the United States forever. I stood watching television for a few more minutes before getting in my car and driving home. Upon arriving home, I find a message on my answering machine. It was from the secretary where I work. The Hartford was closing for the rest of the day and I didn't need to go in to work later for my evening shift. What? Did I hear that right? The Hartford rarely even closes for 2 feet of snow. This must be something serious going on. And so it was. The rest of day spent glued to the television, talking with neighbors and even though I now knew what happend, I still didn't really know or understand. And guess I never will.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Back to School.....finally
First day of school, September 6....yeah right. The kids did go off to school that day, but the high school only has students go for a half day on the first day....they were home by 11 am. Of course, I had much anticipation for day two. A full day of the house to myself. It didn't happen ! Cringing at the sound of the phone ringing at 5:20 am, I knew what I was about to hear. "This is Superintendent of Schools, Thomas Seidenberger. The East Penn School District will be CLOSED today." Noooooo, it can't be so. Is the rain really causing that much of a problem? Flooded roads....really? Sigh...... Ok, so let's get through this day and tomorrow....nope, didn't happen the next day either. That same annoying ring at 5:30am giving the same disappointing message.
Remnants of what was now Tropical Storm Lee were still dumping inches and inches of rain on our already saturated land. Is there such a thing as a "stop-the-rain dance"? If I knew there was, I would have for sure been out on my front lawn doing the moves.
Don't get me wrong, I love my children, very much. But this summer has been a loooong one. Even the kids were excited to get back to school and back into a "normal" routine.
Aaaaahhhh, official day 2 of school and the first full day has finally happened. I don't think I have ever seen so much enthusiasm to get up at 5:30 am to go to school. In fact, I didn't have to wake Rachel !! She actually woke me just before 6am and said "Mom, do you know what time it is?" Hey that's my line !
Is this a sign of good things to come this school year ? Let's hope the motivation keeps rolling right along. I could get used to this. 180 school days until summer vacation.
Remnants of what was now Tropical Storm Lee were still dumping inches and inches of rain on our already saturated land. Is there such a thing as a "stop-the-rain dance"? If I knew there was, I would have for sure been out on my front lawn doing the moves.
Don't get me wrong, I love my children, very much. But this summer has been a loooong one. Even the kids were excited to get back to school and back into a "normal" routine.
Aaaaahhhh, official day 2 of school and the first full day has finally happened. I don't think I have ever seen so much enthusiasm to get up at 5:30 am to go to school. In fact, I didn't have to wake Rachel !! She actually woke me just before 6am and said "Mom, do you know what time it is?" Hey that's my line !
Is this a sign of good things to come this school year ? Let's hope the motivation keeps rolling right along. I could get used to this. 180 school days until summer vacation.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Empty Nest
Ten days have passed since she is gone. The first few days were really strange, not having her here. Now that we are starting to feel as if things are getting back to "normal", we are wondering, what was normal like...what really is normal now? From the day she arrived in the USA, it was like she was meant to be part of our family. The past 10 months flew by so fast....yes, she was here 10 months ! It seems like just last week that we were cleaning Rachel's room, making space for Jessi.
Hosting an exchange student was an experience I am so glad we were able to be a part of. Teaching her and showing her things that we, as lifetime US citizens, seem to take for granted, was the best part. Not that life is that much different from her homeland of Germany, but all the little things we don't even think about...until you have to explain it to someone else.
Slang. Not always a universal language. I am emabarrassed to say, but if you read my very first blog, you know that "fart" is a part of our daily household language. So, as you can imagine, it was the first slang word Jessi learned. We also learned that there is a German word for that bodily function....poopsen (sorry Jessi, if I spelled it wrong). But that is pretty much as far as it goes in German. Here is the US, we have many choices: "cut the cheese", "let one rip", "pass gas", "break wind" and the list could go on and on. During her stay here, she learned that the English language has a large variety of words that can mean one thing.
One conversation we had was how many words could be used to describe the part of the body we sit on. Have you ever thought about it? No, of course not, it's just natural for us to know the meaning when we hear it....but when forced to think about it, it was hysterical: butt, rump or rumpus, tookus (spelling?), booty, tush...can you tell we live in a house full of teenagers...? And I am sure she learned a lot more slang while attending Emmaus High School than I care to know about.
Ok, so now you're thinking that we sent this young lady back to Germany with a brain full of horrid, slang words. Well, ok, maybe....but we also think we showed her the history and beauty that is Pennsylvania and Eastern USA. Our first big trip was to the Jersey Shore....hey, MTV airs in Germany too...so shopping in the famous "Shore Store" was a must ! It was a beautiful September day and it was one of my favorite trips to the beach that I will log in my memory. Trips to Philly, NYC, Washington DC, Bushkill Falls, Shankweilers Drive-In (the oldest drive-in movie theater in the USA) and Iron Pigs Baseball are all "up there" on the list of great times spent with Jessi.
As I sit here wondering "what is she doing today?", I now know what her parents must have felt 10 months ago. It's hard to let go of a child, even though you know they are just a mere 4,500 miles away. I just didn't think I would be experiencing "empty nest syndrome" quite yet....but I guess the consolation is a new extended family--and a reason to visit Germany !!!
Hosting an exchange student was an experience I am so glad we were able to be a part of. Teaching her and showing her things that we, as lifetime US citizens, seem to take for granted, was the best part. Not that life is that much different from her homeland of Germany, but all the little things we don't even think about...until you have to explain it to someone else.
Slang. Not always a universal language. I am emabarrassed to say, but if you read my very first blog, you know that "fart" is a part of our daily household language. So, as you can imagine, it was the first slang word Jessi learned. We also learned that there is a German word for that bodily function....poopsen (sorry Jessi, if I spelled it wrong). But that is pretty much as far as it goes in German. Here is the US, we have many choices: "cut the cheese", "let one rip", "pass gas", "break wind" and the list could go on and on. During her stay here, she learned that the English language has a large variety of words that can mean one thing.
One conversation we had was how many words could be used to describe the part of the body we sit on. Have you ever thought about it? No, of course not, it's just natural for us to know the meaning when we hear it....but when forced to think about it, it was hysterical: butt, rump or rumpus, tookus (spelling?), booty, tush...can you tell we live in a house full of teenagers...? And I am sure she learned a lot more slang while attending Emmaus High School than I care to know about.
Ok, so now you're thinking that we sent this young lady back to Germany with a brain full of horrid, slang words. Well, ok, maybe....but we also think we showed her the history and beauty that is Pennsylvania and Eastern USA. Our first big trip was to the Jersey Shore....hey, MTV airs in Germany too...so shopping in the famous "Shore Store" was a must ! It was a beautiful September day and it was one of my favorite trips to the beach that I will log in my memory. Trips to Philly, NYC, Washington DC, Bushkill Falls, Shankweilers Drive-In (the oldest drive-in movie theater in the USA) and Iron Pigs Baseball are all "up there" on the list of great times spent with Jessi.
As I sit here wondering "what is she doing today?", I now know what her parents must have felt 10 months ago. It's hard to let go of a child, even though you know they are just a mere 4,500 miles away. I just didn't think I would be experiencing "empty nest syndrome" quite yet....but I guess the consolation is a new extended family--and a reason to visit Germany !!!
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