As I am sitting here trying to figure out how to make myself a button for my blog; I realized the date and decided to head on over here to post about the tragedy that is 10 years ago now. Can't say 'happy anniversary'; it is not a happy occasion. With that, I would like to send out my best to all the victims during that awful day.
My question to all of you, my readers, is where were YOU when this went down?
I'll tell you my story.
Ten years ago, the kids were 5 and 2. Wow. They were happily playing in the living room where we kept our TV at the time. I was happily cooking dinner. I have racked my brain trying to remember what I was cooking but can't. I do know that it was Indian food. I made it every day for seven years and that is how I mastered it. Now I don't, but that is another story....
I was cooking when Amal came and handed me the phone. I washed my hands and it was my friend Karen; a fellow American married to an Omani as well. Her voice was distraught. She asked me, "What are you doing Alia?" I said, "cooking, why?" and she said, "turn off what you are doing in the kitchen and send the kids away and turn on CNN (another detail I can't remember but I'm pretty sure it was CNN)." I asked her, "Karrrrreeeennnnn, what happened?", she said "somebody flew a plane into the twin towers in NY city, call me later." Click.
So, I turned off the stove and made sure everything was safe in the kitchen, dried my hands and ran into the living room. I politely and calmly but dramatically told Amal to take Ali and go upstairs and put a video in the TV in her room and watch something and NOT to come downstairs until I called her. No hem-hawing; no protesting; she was such a good little girl and Ali also listened to her. She looked at me from around the corner of the doorway as she was leaving the room and read my face. She asked me if everything was ok. I told her no but that I would explain it all as soon as I understood it myself. She made sure that my family (she heard 'the US, the US' and deduced something happened in the US) was all ok.
I couldn't really say because my Mom, my sweet Mom was traveling to NY or through it THAT day. My BIL was supposed to have been traveling too but I think he did not in the end; but I did not know that at that time.
I turned on CNN and wow, the chaos was incredible. I immediately cued up the different news stations to watch what they all had to say. Then, I called my husband. He had not heard about it yet and was the first one in his office. I asked him to please come home. He was home within minutes.
We sat on the couch together, he holding me, and watched. I remember distinctly saying, "Please God, DON'T let it be a MUSLIM" that did this and sure enough, we all know the story now.
After a few hours; my husband went back to work and I called the kids down after ordering pizza and we ate and I talked to them both. Amal has always been very astute and I am sure part of it is because she is the eldest; but she is a special person; very mature for her age at every age, masha'allah. Ali was in Ali-land. Happy little 2 year old boy. He sensed I was sad and gave me a big hug and kiss and as far as he was concerned; whatever was ailing me was fixed! Typical little man! Amal kept pressing me and asking questions. Needless to say, both babies slept with us that night. Amal was by my side as I was frantic on the phone trying to find my Mom and BIL. The lines were busy as you can imagine.
The following week, I hand quilted a huge portion of a quilt that I had made in Saudi Arabia for my daughter; which she now doesn't even like the colors in it; but never fear, the kid WILL use it! All this while watching the news for any updates.
So, I remember and question: What was the whole point again?
I would love to hear your story of where you were when this happened 10 years ago!
Now, off to finish my breakfast and get in the shower and get to Sandra's house for Hardanger. Oh, lordy lordy, I am so late!
Thanks for stopping by...
