We had just moved to Pennsylvania from upstate New York and had been in our new house for a little over 6 months on 9/11/01. Ken was still working in Binghamton Monday - Fridays and came home to us for the weekends.
It was Matthew's first day of Pre-School, the day the moms tag along for the morning, too. I left Emily with my mom and Matthew and I headed to Goodwill Preschool.
We knew NOTHING when we were dismissed at 11:30.
I went to the grocery store before picking Emily up and wasn't surprised when my ATM card didn't work.
"Our bank is still in New York, this happens all the time."
"New York? Well, no wonder it's not working," the cashier said.
I smiled but thought, "How rude!" I assumed it was some grumpy stab at NY state.
"Our bank is still in New York, this happens all the time."
"New York? Well, no wonder it's not working," the cashier said.
I smiled but thought, "How rude!" I assumed it was some grumpy stab at NY state.
I will never forget the look on my mom's face when Matthew and I walked into the kitchen at her house.
"Ma, what's wrong?"
She took Matthew and Emily by the hands and headed for the living room.
"You stay here. Turn on this TV but keep the volume down. And call Ken to make sure Kristin is okay."
(Ken's sister worked on Wall Street and thankfully made it home unscathed)
She took Matthew and Emily by the hands and headed for the living room.
"You stay here. Turn on this TV but keep the volume down. And call Ken to make sure Kristin is okay."
(Ken's sister worked on Wall Street and thankfully made it home unscathed)
I did as she said just in time to see the fiery replay of what had played out while I was sitting in Elverson watching 3 year olds find all the items on Miss Linda's Scavenger Hunt List. So breath-takingly innocent.
That night I paced and cried. Two sleeping toddlers and a husband almost 4 hours away, I knew there would be no sleep for me...or only small moments of sleep...I was terrified as I worried what this meant for the future of my children. Would I see them grow up? Was this the beginning of the end?
But, thanks to the brave men and women in the armed services (one being Michael Bobulinski who calmed me down in the wee hours of the morning when he IMd me from work and I was NOT sleeping bc anxiety had gotten the best of me), our country remained safe and have been since that one horrific day.
It is on this day that I REMEMBER those who selflessly responded not knowing if it was the beginning of the end, either. And those who continue to fight for our freedom and our safety.
Thank you!
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