I keep seeing these posts that ask where we all were on 9/11, and I thought, "It's been 14 years, I really need to write my experience down for my kids someday." So, here's a kind of summed up, unedited, VERY ROUGH version that I'm working on. There are many details here I'm leaving out, such as my brother didn't have his driver's license on the way to FL and how much of a problem that turned into, or the fact that my mom was asked by a random, old friend we ran into to carry a family heirloom, a machete, back with us and trying to sneak that through the airport...etc... Anyway, here it goes:
My parents, my siblings and I were enjoying one last day of our Disneyworld vacation at the Typhoon Lagoon park. We had already spent a few days there, so we were intending to take a very relaxed and an unhurried day of leisure.

My mother and I were in the changing rooms heading out to meet the rest of them at the designated spot.  Imagine a mass of panicking, crying horde of people coming towards you heading madly back towards the exit.  Terror. That's the only word that describes it.  There are catchy vibes when something is terribly, terribly wrong.  You look for family first thing among the sobbing, jogging/running throng. And, thankfully somehow, we managed to find the rest of them quickly except for Dad, but the crowd was pushing us towards the exit.

No one knew for sure what was happening.  We heard everything from, "The East Coast is being bombed and thousands are already dead!!" to "Planes are dropping from the sky and running into buildings".  (Here I'd like to commend Disney for their cautionary, immediate, yet mostly orderly evacuations!  Well done!)

Once we grouped up and found Dad again outside the gate, and got back to the hotel, we watched the news along with millions of others and witnessed the tragic truth.  Reality hit shortly after as we were supposed to be flying out of Orlando, FL on United Airlines the following day. When we FINALLY got through to the airlines, they told us to go ahead and come the next day, the twelfth, and it would most likely be a first come first served boarding for all airlines.

Well, when we got to the Orlando airport, there were soldiers everywhere sporting automatic weapons.  We were then immediately ordered down to one end of the airport in a containment area which was an indoor courtyard to a hotel.  We were held in that area with hundreds of others for over 9 hrs.  (Met a lovely English couple. And we thought we had problems!  They had to somehow get back to Europe!)  If we had to use the restroom, we had to be escorted.  Not enough chairs for everyone?  Too bad.  One little sandwich deli made a load off that crowd. There was no one to ask what was going on.  We just had to sit and stay put.

Well, as you all know, all flights were grounded...for DAYS!!  I have a photo somewhere of the Departure and Arrival board posting all the flights and they repeatedly flashed "CANCELLED".  And because of all the tourists being stranded, there was a mad scramble trying to find hotels. When we finally figured out there were no flights going out for a while, we called just about every car rental place in vicinity trying to find a vehicle that would fit our family of six so that we could rotate drivers and drive 24hrs around the clock.  (Mostly two-door hatchbacks left.)  We FINALLY found a twelve seater passenger van!! The last one in the state!  No joke!  The only catch?  It was at the airport again!

Luckily, we got in, got the van, and just as we were driving out of the airport, we turned back to see a ton of people being escorted by soldiers down some ramp.  Apparently, there was a bomb threat. Got out just in time!  (Left in hurricane/stormy weather too!)

Anyway, made it back home in just over three days of driving.  In those three days, what stuck with me the most is that there was not one single plane in the sky the entire time.  The skies were quiet.  That every rest stop/truck stop or ma and pa restaurant we landed in, the tragedy was all people talked about.  When they asked where we were from and heard what happened, we had strangers offering their homes to us, no questions asked. We thanked them but kept moving. Their kindness touched our hearts.

We endured crazy weather in several states.  Yes, it is possible for the sky to turn black in the middle of the day in mere minutes.  And, yes, the wind can blow from both directions at once!  Got to see St. Louis at sunrise, and mile after mile of a whole lot of nothing.  Also, there are some towns with funny names, and a town with a population of two.  And you know what?  I can't remember one argument between all of us the entire time.  (Except when Mom took a picture and the flash reflected off all the windows scaring me so badly I almost drove us off the road.  lol  Even then we laughed.)

And when we finally did get home,  we had Tanner's future bride and very good friend waiting to take us to a camp out.  Two of the most lovely faces on the face of the planet!

Yes, the four of us "kids" went straight to a church camp out after all that.  You'd think we'd want our own beds, which Dad and Mom opted for.  We just wanted to see faces we knew!!  And you know what else?  That's the place where I fell in love with Jacob.  Why?  Because after my first. real night's sleep in days, (A sleeping bag never felt so good!), no make up and honestly wouldn't doubt if there was dried drool on my face...  who should I see on the path on the way to the campground showers, but twinkly Mr. Blue Eyes, who smiles and said in a sweet, voice, "Good morning, Sunshine!"  And at that moment I was hooked.

This is long. I know.  But the point is, that was one crazy vacation I will never forget.  We could have easily been on one of those flights.  We changed the date of our departure from the eleventh to the thirteenth after much hemming and ha-ing.  Millions will never forget feeling helpless, feeling terrified while witnessing that fateful day through a box on a stand. Wishing we could have reached through the screen and caught those falling with our own two palms. No one forgets where they were when they heard of the towers falling.  I doubt many of us forget every time we step on a plane.  This nation is ever changing and full of controversy, but for that one day, we were all united in our cry for our fallen fellow human beings.

Fast Forward

I'm not even sure if anyone reads blogs anymore, but I did enjoy writing them once upon a time.  So, I think I'll try again to pick it up and keep it as sort of a diary for myself.

The boys are growing so fast.  I went to hug Jared today and realized how "thick" he's becoming.  Kristopher is taller than me when I sit, and Kolbein just turned five.  My baby is FIVE ?!  I find myself asking the age old question, "Where is the time going?"  No answers of course.

That being said, we are still on Dad and Mom's property.  We lived with them until last year when the shop in the back was turned into a large apartment.  At the end of July, Jacob and a few friends went up and grabbed our stuff from the storage unit in Idaho.  And we settled in by a the first week of August 2012.

I/we were overjoyed to see our OWN stuff again!  They had been packed away for four to five years and some things I forgot I even had.  Other things, like baby exer-saucers and highchairs, we were able to find other homes that could use them.

School started in September, and the usual busy holiday season ensued.  Not too much of note happened between then and the beginning of spring.  Spring, though, was a touch more adventurous.

Jacob's friend, wanted (badly) a traveling companion while he went to Europe for a month and decided Jacob was the guy he wanted along.  So, Jacob went along for two-and-a-half weeks touring Germany, Austria, and a few other day trips to Paris, France and a few other places.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity with a friend native to that part of the world.  He couldn't forgo that, especially when our friend was very generous financially.  That is the extremely short version of it anyway.  :)  

A few days after he got back, we left for a "JIAGAP" (initials of all Jacob's siblings) reunion in Mashpee, Massachusetts at Arthur and Hallie's place.  That was so much fun and so good to see everyone in one place for longer than an hour.  It had literally been years since that happened.  We really got to visit with each other and  kick off a new beginning of sorts.  My sister in laws are wonderful AND I got to play with all my nieces and nephew!  The kids were so good!

I came back with Grace, Adrianna and Peter, while Jacob stayed and visited for a few days with his other half-sister, Linda Glimpse who I finally got to meet last fall.  She's awesome too, by the way!  I hope I get a chance to know her better as well.

Jacob got back Wednesday, and THEN I left Friday bound for College Station, Texas to see Tanner, Noelle and the girls.  I stayed a week and got to see first hand their crazy lifestyle they live while he finishes college at Texas A&M in the chemical engineering program.  Talk about learning to be flexible as the classes change, Noelle works, and the girls go to school.  (I still sit in awe when I think about it!)

It was fun playing taxi for them.  :-D  I feel very lucky that we found time to visit, tour the campus, tour some good shaved ice, tour the town a little, and we even made it to Houston and Galveston.  (Katie and Reagan, I am still thinking of a way to pay you back for that last ride you made me go on.  lol)  I even got to kill a cockroach!!!

 I miss them already and so wish I could make it out there when he graduates in December! Yep, my little bro is finally graduating!!!  It's been a long, intense and crazy haul for them all!  A battle really.  Well fought and victory won.  I think it's been eight years of schooling?  Proud to bursting!

And another note:  I did not expect to like Texas so much!  That is after I got over my initial fear that nature was out to kill me.  I even wore my socks OVER my pajama legs while sleeping under a comforter so spiders wouldn't crawl up them in 90 degree weather.  If you know me and heat, that says something.   No, Texas is a beautiful place, and the people there are so nice!  Would love to visit again.

Well, that pretty much brings us up to the beginning of this summer of 2013.  The final event I'll mention for this page is that Peter, Jacob's youngest brother, is getting married September 14th!!! Susannah is an amazing girl!  Love her already.  More on this in the next posting.

I, once again, have procrastinated long enough.  I have to work on bringing the rest of our things back over to what was for the last seventeen years, Dad and Mom's house.  Yes, we are living back in their house since they moved to Silverton and are living with Grandpa and Grandma Howell.  Tessa and Steve are getting ready to move into the shop in back.  It makes sense, really, because they run the greenhouses sitting next to it.

All that's been an adventure this summer as well.  More like a lot of work.  lol  We did take a break from all the fuss this past week and went camping.  First time since Idaho when Kolbein was little.  One word:  Awesome.  It was much needed.

See?  I've already lined up another blog/mini novel.  I'll insert pictures later.   Until then..must...back away...from...keyboard...

Well, hello again!

Wow! It's been a whole year, almost two since my last post. Nobody probably even reads this or checks it anymore! lol. I guess I'll treat it like an open book diary instead.

I've read the posts from 2009, and it brought back such a flood of memories. It made me take a look at the events since then. It's really just a huge blur! How could I possibly write it all in one posting? I'll just write a VERY abbreviated overview. I'm sure I'll think of a ton of events after I log off. lol

Things are going well. Yep, still living with Dad and Mom. Most of the packed boxes that were set aside did get eventually sorted out. We have a crazy routine that kinda works for all of us. It's still a little crowded, but I'm happy to say that it's been a rare thing for anyone to have serious "issues" with another person. Anything that arises usually gets sorted out quickly. Have toes been stepped on? Of course they have. Ha! Have I had moments of insanity? Of course! But God's grace has been abounding! We all still like each other.

Nothing too crazy with our immediate family though there are a few things of note.

Tessa no longer lives with us. She's all married now as of December 11, 2010, with her own little surprise baby on the way. (YAY!)

Jacob now works for a new employer as of May 2010. He's even been to Dublin, Ireland for two months and back. (Thank goodness they didn't end up sending him to Cairo, Egypt!) He got a promotion out of the deal which was much appreciated. Ten dollars an hour for a family of five was a leeeetle on the tight side. He is now a team manager which makes a bit more. I am so proud of him!

Jared has lost a few teeth. The third was lost last week. He is so cute! He's lost the two front bottom ones and his first top tooth in front. (The one on the left if you're looking at him.) There are a few more wiggly ones right behind them too. Won't be long!

Kristopher lost a tooth as well, though not from natural causes. Just from brother causes. Last summer he was being pulled around by Jared in the little wagon and guess they were going to fast and he flew out of the wagon and went face first into the pavement. That was our first emergency visit to the dentist. He was alright when all was said and done, just missing a tooth and chipping some more of what was already a chipped tooth.

Kolbein has all his teeth so far. lol ....for now.

Jared played T-ball last year on the Rockies team for Clackamas Little League. He loved it so much that we went ahead and signed both Kristopher and him up this year. That part alone is worthy of a whole separate blog posting. So, we'll save it for later. We had a game today and I'm a little pooped as it is. I will mention that they only have a week left for this season. Most of their games have been rained out, but still worth the ride. I'll have to post a picture or two of them in their little team uniforms. VERY ADORABLE! I can say that still so I will. :D

Today was our first warm day of the year. You know, the kind where you're hunting for the sprinkler or looking for a little pool for them to play with, and in our case applying a lot of sunscreen too. After checking our Oregon weather report, I decided against setting up the bigger pool although I was asked a million times if they could have the bigger one. It's almost time, but not quite yet.

It was pretty windy out today, and the little pool was gross after sitting in the shed for a year. So we dug around in the garage for a sprinkler head for the hose (the kind that you hold while watering your plants). I found a few good rags and told the boys to go clean the pool. They cleaned it, as I knew they would, for a couple of hours! I had so much fun listening to them giggle and squeal as they got each other wet. I paused from my chores a couple of times to go "help" them.

Eventually, it was time to bring them in for a fast bath for tomorrow. I laughed so hard at Kolbein though when he threw a fit 'cause he had to take a bath. He had just played in the COLD water for almost three hours, but didn't want to get into the warm bath!?! Too funny.

Well, I am trying to really enjoy these days here at my parents' home. As difficult as it is sometimes, and as much as I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY (you get the idea) ready to have my own home again (sometimes it's all I can think about for the day), I don't want to forget to pause and absorb these water splashing moments.

Life has taken on such a fast pace for us. May be because it's not just managing our schedule, but dealing with the schedules of everyone else in the house and then some. I find myself longing for my nice quiet apartment in the shop up in Idaho at Patrick and Kayla's on more the one occasion. (Even with all the aforementioned carpenter ants, which weren't so bad as long as you stayed on top of the insecticide.) I miss them greatly! Kayla was my bud. In fact, over half our stuff is still up there in a storage unit. lol! I forget what kind of dishes I even have anymore.

I am happy for the most part. I think Jacob is more than ready to have his own place too, but we are grateful and thankful that we have such wonderful family that was so willing (both in Oregon and in Idaho) to give selflessly to us. We can never repay them all, but hopefully will get at least a turn or two to show them such kindness in return. We are truly blessed!!

How long will we be here at my parents' beautiful home? I don't know. Will we stay in Oregon, or will we move back to North Idaho? That's the million dollar question that rocks our mind. We have some ideas up our sleeve, but are just keeping them in prayer for now. We are making progress financially, but still have just a few more things to go so we have to stay put for a little longer at least. Spring 2012 may be? I'll keep you posted... I hope. lol

Merry Christmas!!

Whew! I have officially finished all of the Christmas shopping. Yes, I braved the stores on the weekend before Christmas. Am I crazy? Well, I would have been had I went to the Town Center, but I chickened out and settled for good ol' Bi-Mart and the Dollar Tree here in Damascus. They were busy enough, but most of the fellow procrastinators were in a fairly good mood so it was kind of fun.

I finished wrapping the presents in less than two hours and managed to keep the boys from peeking, though I enjoyed quite a bit of giggling and whispering on the other side of the door. They then helped me put candy canes on all the presents and transported them to the wood stove, where all the presents are being displayed. Of course I let them have a candy cane for all their help. I didn't realize how much sugar went into those innocent looking, cheery little hooks of hyperness, but let me tell you... there's a lot. Just a little fyi.

I find that I am actually enjoying this year's Christmas quite a lot. A good part of that is because the boys are older and are really starting to grasp what the holiday is all about. It's fun to relate the story on a child's level and try to be as creative as possible when discussing it with them. When going through the story of Jesus' birth, they learned about him having to sleep out in a barn where the cows eat. Kristopher was a little concerned that He would be eaten by mistake.

A lot of us just don't have oodles of money lying around to spend on everyone this year, so there's kind of a laid back feeling. More of a focus on family and the simple things. We've been having fun celebrating and decorating in honor of Christ's upcoming birthday in a variety of ways I have to say. For example, decoratively themed table cloths are thrown over the extra boxes that we haven't found room for yet from our moving in with Dad and Mom. Also, we took all the lights we could find and decorated the maple tree and the tulip tree (which I climbed late at night to do so...but Jacob caught me and made me come down). They look sooooo pretty and cheerful. We've dug out other decor from years past including a wreath which served to hang the ornaments upon. There just isn't room for a Christmas tree haha... By the way, Dad wants to get one now. So, Monday we're going hunting for one.

Also, since this is the first Christmas we've spent with my family in a number of years, there's an extra excitement. I can tell the boys feel it too. They are loving being with family. They have a confidence and security about them that Jacob and I find priceless. They feel right at home here at Dad and Mom's and feel it is their home too. Even Kolbein. He's always toddling (or should I say running with gusto?) around helping himself to this or that. "This" or "that" include anything from the pans in the cupboard, opening his brothers' dressers, to of course, his favorite, the bathroom toilet.

So, until the next post, Merry, merry Christmas and a bright, fresh Happy New Year!!

Great Grandpa's 80th with all the great grandkids

Kolbein's First Birthday

This was the morning of July 29th before we headed back to Idaho.

Out of order, but he was cautious at first about the piece of cake. It was a leftover piece of Great Grandpa's cake. Due to everything going on, there was no time to bake him one of his own.

Of course, I don't think he minded one bit! He loved it!

Ok, this one should have came first. He was eyeing the candle pretty good.

Great Grandpa's 80th back in July

Kris got stung by a bee that day. "Right on my freckle!"

Kolbein loves Great Grandma!

They boys love hanging out together. They couldn't wait for the cake.

Well, we TRIED to get all the great grandchildren in there. I think just Kristopher and Kolbein were missing, and of course the three "Howell girls" Katie, Reagan and Georgie who were in Texas of course. :)

Kolbein has officially got Mom wrapped around his little finger.