Nine eleven
Hi Everyone,
All day the date has been with me as I am sure it has with all of you. I really can’t believe it has been 5 years since that horrible day. Rob and I were reminiscing about our experience and really can’t believe our lives are where we are today. Just one different decision and the outcome could be so different. On 9-11-01, Rob and I were on a United flight coming home from three weeks in England and Italy. We spent the night in the Heathrow airport and were ending an overnight flight to Chicago. We were diverted to Toronto and spent three surreal days in a hotel trying to get back into our country. The experience was one of stunned silence on the plane when the pilot announced all air traffic in the U.S. has been grounded, to chaos at the Toronto airport trying to get a hotel room, to Rob’s mom sobbing on our answering machine because she didn’t know what flight we were on, to being the first flight back into Chicago O’Hare when the planes were allowed to fly three days later and receiving a standing ovation from at least 200 United employees as we got off the plane. United put us up in a suite in Chicago and they paid for everything while we were in Toronto. I reflect how lucky we are. We definitely weren’t thinking about having kids and living in Sweden back then. But, what if were are on a different flight that day. I truly feel thankful to be here and I think of all of the victims that had a different fate that day.
On that note we have our final move to our new home this Saturday! We are excited to buy some things to make it feel homey for all of us, but especially Saniya. We are going to go to Ikea and buy some fun things for their room.
Rob goes to France for a few days at the end of the week. So, our last few days in the cozy cabin will be just the three of us. That’s ok though. I am really enjoying the solitude and simplicity. It reminds us so much of Alaska here. The natural environment is very similar.
So, take care and talk with you all soon,
Yasmiene
All day the date has been with me as I am sure it has with all of you. I really can’t believe it has been 5 years since that horrible day. Rob and I were reminiscing about our experience and really can’t believe our lives are where we are today. Just one different decision and the outcome could be so different. On 9-11-01, Rob and I were on a United flight coming home from three weeks in England and Italy. We spent the night in the Heathrow airport and were ending an overnight flight to Chicago. We were diverted to Toronto and spent three surreal days in a hotel trying to get back into our country. The experience was one of stunned silence on the plane when the pilot announced all air traffic in the U.S. has been grounded, to chaos at the Toronto airport trying to get a hotel room, to Rob’s mom sobbing on our answering machine because she didn’t know what flight we were on, to being the first flight back into Chicago O’Hare when the planes were allowed to fly three days later and receiving a standing ovation from at least 200 United employees as we got off the plane. United put us up in a suite in Chicago and they paid for everything while we were in Toronto. I reflect how lucky we are. We definitely weren’t thinking about having kids and living in Sweden back then. But, what if were are on a different flight that day. I truly feel thankful to be here and I think of all of the victims that had a different fate that day.
On that note we have our final move to our new home this Saturday! We are excited to buy some things to make it feel homey for all of us, but especially Saniya. We are going to go to Ikea and buy some fun things for their room.
Rob goes to France for a few days at the end of the week. So, our last few days in the cozy cabin will be just the three of us. That’s ok though. I am really enjoying the solitude and simplicity. It reminds us so much of Alaska here. The natural environment is very similar.
So, take care and talk with you all soon,
Yasmiene
posted by Yaz and Rob at 8:36 AM
3 Comments:
I sure miss you guys.
I think that you have told me this story (about your 9/11) experience a few times and I think that I always turned my ears off because everything to do with what happened 5 years ago is turned off in my head. I think that I am still there that morning watching it happen on TV while getting ready for work, and then what our country has chosen in the aftermath, I am still just numb. I am glad that you both made it back. I am so sad that this is what "we" have to show for all that grief.
Hi Guys,
I remember that you guys were trying to get places in the chaos around then. My 911 story is that I was in New York for the weekend before and guilt about work saw me fly back to Eugene on the 10th instead of the 11th. And a dislike for SFO (before it was redone) ensured I flew through seattle. Otherwise I might have been on UA93, one of the flights I was considering before booking. I called my Mum and dragged her sleepyhead out of bed at 4 am aussie time to tell her whatever she hears later in the day 'I am home safe in Eugene'. It's a terrible sad thing and I really can't deal with the media blitz on the anniversaries.
Take care guys and live life to the fullest otherwise the baddies all over the world win.
Wow, Sandra! I didn't know you went through that. And, I was pretty out of it, but weren't you at Eric's wedding? We went directly from PDX to Edgefield for their wedding. That was fun, but weird after going through all of the other stuff to get home.
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