Friday, September 12, 2008

Just Another Day

Thunder cracked and banged its way into my slumber yesterday morning, signaling the tone of the day. It would be a dreary, wet and dark day.

In 2001, our weather here in the Midwest mimicked the East Coast weather: the mostly cloudless brilliance of a sunny early fall day. What clouds there were floated amiably through the sky, Polyfil cumulus puffs staggered against the azure.

And every year since, we've had weather like that. Weather that seemed too cheerful for such an anniversary.

So it was that I was oddly happy about the thunder and the greyness of the day.

In 2001, I was in the midst of hoping and planning for a baby that hadn't been conceived yet. This time that year I began to question whether it was wise to continue to try. The country was in mourning and uncertain if we were to endure more attacks.

Yesterday, the thunder rolled through in the early morning hours. My husband offered the warm spot in our bed that his body had left to my oldest daughter, who has always been anxious of thunderstorms. I lay in our bed, with my infant daughter curled at my breast, watching the flashes of lightening and the nervous twitches that crossed my oldest child's face in anticipation of the ruckus that would surely follow. I wondered about my middle child, my son, and how he could possibly sleep through even the loudest of storms.

As the storm passed we gave in to slumber, we three girls in the big bed, my son continuing in the next room. Too soon the alarm signaled it was time to rouse the troops for another day.

My oldest daughter noted the rain and the overcast skies. Looks like we'll have storms today, she sighed, resigning herself to a day filled with nervous jumps.

We arrived at her school a bit early as we tend to do. I backed the car into a space that faced the school and we four sat companionably to wait for the line of kids to be let into the school.

Look, the flag isn't all the way at the top of the pole today, I noted aloud.

Why mama?

Well, that's what we do to show respect for people who have died.

Oh. Who died mama?

A whole bunch of people in New York City and Washington D.C. and in Pennsylvania.

Oh.

A few moments pass as we chew on this news. New to her.

Mama? I'm sad all those people died.

Me too sweetie. Me too.

8 people like me!:

Mayberry said...

We had almost the same conversation prompted by the half-staff flag at school. Honestly, I'm glad my daughter didn't ask many questions.

Anonymous said...

what a special moment to share with your family.

Christie O. said...

what an absolutely beautiful post. thank you for posting this and for remembering. i thought a bit about how and when i'll explain it to my children and i was sad that i would even have to one day. but that was a beautiful moment shared. thank you.

Kate said...

My son knows that the US was pretty much in turmoil when he was born, as his baby book states since there was a line in there about how you were supposed to write about what was going on in the world at the time of his birth. He was born 10/4/01, just a few weeks after.

peppylady (Dora) said...

Hi...I'm also doing Baby Tea Leaves "Hot for the holidays" it sure sound like you have a wonderful family and it also sound like your busy.

Hope you find the time to stop on in for some coffee.

Kirsetin Morello said...

It was gray and rainy here, too, and seemed appropriate. My boys also asked about the flag, but my oldest is old enough to remember. We were scheduled to fly out to San Francisco that morning and decided to stay put (later they closed the airports, anyway, of course) and to keep our little guy home from school. Just thinking about it brings back so many images and feelings. I'm very thankful that we are all here to remember and discuss it together.

Beck said...

I was heavily pregnant on September 11th, 2001, and I just felt so very, very sorry.

Damselfly said...

This is one of the best posts I've read about Sept. 11.

 
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