I Remember

where I was on this day 10 years ago....

It was the first semester of my freshmen year at Lipscomb University.  I came back from the shower flipped on the T.V. and started drying my hair. As I was drying my hair I saw the news reports of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Since my hair dryer was blaring I couldn't hear what was being said and was utterly confused...surely that didn't really happen.  I turned off the hairdryer and was stunned by what I heard....

How did this happen?? Was it an accident?? What was going on?? It felt like I was frozen in time as I watched live as the second plane hit. It was clear from that point on that this was no accident.  We were amidst a planned attack on our country.

I remember calling my mom, but honestly don't remember what we talked about or even if I got through to her.  I went to the student center to be surrounded by friends as we continued to watch the t.v. for any bit of information that was given.  I really don't remember any words that were said to me or by me that day, but so many pictures are burned into my memory forever.

I remember hearing of the other hijacked planes.  The attack on the pentagon.  The plane that crashed in a field 20 minutes (flight time) from Washington D.C.  I remember later learning that that crash was the result of a brave revolt by the passengers who were determined to not let the hijackers attack another building. I remember wondering how many planes were hijacked...and even my heart stopping for a moment when a plane went overhead.  And later, the eery feeling when it was announced that not one single  single plane was flying in U.S. airspace.

I remember watching as the south tower collapsed to the ground and then as the north tower did the same.

I remember the somber feeling that I should never feel safe again and at 18 years old knowing that this moment in time would change things forever.

Today I remember not only where I was, but all of those who lost their lives or a loved one, all of those who risked their lives to save others, all of those fighting for and leading our country then and now.

Countdown: Seven Weeeeeks!!

Seven weeeeeeeeeks!!

Until we leave on this:

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Arrive here:

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Stay at this Guest House:

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And finally meet this little guy:

Our flights and accommodations are officially booked. Actually...they have been booked since like THE day I found out our court date.  I was too excited to wait one single second!! We are leaving on October 29th (because I was DETERMINED to leave this country in October!) and I just can't wait!!  

The only problem is that I don't like flying!! At. All. I may be the only grown up out there who is afriad of planes, but it just DOES NOT make sense for something that big to fly in the sky for so long.  It just doesn't. Everyone tells me to take something to knock me out, but I'm kind of nervous since I already tend to do crazy things in my sleep! I just have visions of me doing ridiculousness in front of a plane full of people and maybe getting thrown off the plane somewhere between here and Ethiopia!!  I am just praying for God to take this fear from me, because that's the only way I'll make it!

Once I am sedated calm and settled and we fly across the ocean we will arrive in Addis Ababa on October 30th and we are staying here.  Super excited about where we are staying because I have heard so many wonderful things about the guest house and it's staff AND there will be other awesome families from our agency there at the same time!

And most exciting of all...at some point on the 30th we should be meeting our sweet little boy!!! I have no grand illusions of him running into my arms and loving me immediately.  More than likely he will wonder who the heck this white lady is and not like me too much for a while.  He has already had so many transitions in his short life and in the coming weeks he will have to endure so many more.  I wish there were ways around it, but I just pray he feels our love and security.

So...the countdown. IS. ON.

SEVEN WEEKS!!