I created this image just after September 11, 2001 and each year I post it in memory of everyone who lost their life in the attacks on the WTC towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, along with the rescuers that gave their lives as well.

Its hard to believe its been ten years. How far my life has evolved in that long, yet fast moving period of time — further, in fact, than I ever dreamed. Ten years ago, I was a month and a day out of my undergraduate studies, job hunting and taking classes I didn’t get to enjoy as electives due to the lack of elective hours in my bachelor’s degree. I spent the night before 9.11.01 in my World Religion class, where a classmate asked about jihad and our instructor, a pastor, encouraged discussion and helped us gain a bit of understanding as we hadn’t reached the Muslim portion of our textbook as of yet. Prior to that class, a Muslim coworker and I, after he saw me reading my textbook for that night’s class, discussed our religions, comparing and contrasting them without fear or worry.

What a difference that 24 hour period made in all of our lives.

That morning I woke up and went up to the local college, where I tutored at, met with one student, then drove across town to get gas before I went to class and then to my other job. While pumping gas, these two girls came out of the station laughing and one of them said, “yeah right, a plane flew into a building.” I went in to get a snack and a drink, and while checking out, the teary eyed clerk told me what she was seeing on the tv just around the corner from the register. I drove back to the college, stunned, flipping through stations to find out something, anything. My mom was a student at that time, so I went and waited outside her classroom door to tell her — her instructor went to his computer to try to find something out for us but couldn’t find anything more than I’d heard already. I decided to skip my class — knowing what was happening in my country right then was more important than learning about computer programming. I was about a mile from my house when (the radio station I was listening to was streaming ABC News) I heard a loud roar and Peter Jennings’ voice cracked as he said “The first tower has fallen.” I made it home to discover my dad sitting in front of the kitchen tv, tears streaming, as he watched it live. We sat together, him trying to tell me what had already happened, me trying to process it all. I called one of my coworkers at my other job at UT-Tyler to find out if we would be open; she said we would and asked me to bring a radio; although it was the university’s computer lab, no one could find a site with updated info. That radio I brought to work that afternoon had students, professors, and staff clustered around it until I left late that afternoon.

My Muslim coworker and several of my undergrad finance classmates were of Middle Eastern descent, some here as international students, others first or second generation Americans whose parents sought a better way of life and the American Dream. I watched in the following weeks and months as they were disrespected and ridiculed for actions they had no part in. Just because some fellow Saudis back in the Middle East and Southeast Asia happened to have an extreme view of Islam doesn’t mean they all did. And I mourned like every other person who — American or not — was impacted by those hijacked airplanes who forever changed our lives. I was already patriotic as the daughter of a war veteran; to this day, I cannot hear a patriotic song without tears flowing and thanking my lucky stars and the Lord above for living here, having my freedoms, and a military that protects them.

Ten years later, we may feel the impacts and changes created by the events of September 11, 2001 less than we did initially — unless one travels frequently — but I know I don’t take life for granted any longer. Our laws may make some feel stifled by the changes that were put into place to protect us, but I’d rather that than the alternative.

So, today, remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 — then hug your families or, if they’re not physically nearby, call them up and tell them how much you care and are grateful they’re in your lives.

… and … local or not, please go vote for my pet photography business, Sit.Stay.Snap. Pet Photography, to win the WFAA-list’s Best Pet Photography category … I’m competing against several other DFW area pet photographers and would love to win!

PS… you’ll need to confirm your email address (look for the email w/ the subject line: Welcome to the WFAA-list), its the first of the two links in that email!

Thanks in advance!

I created this image just after September 11, 2001 and each year I post it in memory of everyone who lost their life in the attacks on the WTC towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, along with the rescuers that gave their lives as well.

Its hard to believe its been nine years. How far my life has evolved in that long, yet fast moving period of time — further, in fact, than I ever dreamed. Nine years ago, I was a month and a day out of my undergraduate studies, job hunting and taking classes I didn’t get to enjoy as electives due to the lack of elective hours in my bachelor’s degree. I spent the night before 9.11.01 in my World Religion class, where a classmate asked about jihad and our instructor, a pastor, encouraged discussion and helped us gain a bit of understanding as we hadn’t reached the Muslim portion of our textbook as of yet. Prior to that class, a Muslim coworker and I, after he saw me reading my textbook for that night’s class, discussed our religions, comparing and contrasting them without fear or worry.

What a difference that 24 hour period made in all of our lives.

My coworker and several of my undergrad finance classmates were of Middle Eastern heritage, some here as international students, others first or second generation Americans whose parents sought a better way of life and the American Dream. I watched as they were disrespected and ridiculed for actions they had no part in. Just because some fellow Saudis back in the Middle East and Southeast Asia happened to have an extreme view of Islam doesn’t mean they all did. And I mourned like every other person who — American or not — was impacted by those hijacked airplanes who forever changed our lives. I was already patriotic as the daughter of a war veteran; now I cannot hear a patriotic song without tears flowing and thanking my lucky stars and the Lord above for living here, having my freedoms, and a military that protects them.

Nine years later, we may feel the impacts and changes created by the events of September 11, 2001 less than we did initially — unless one travels frequently — but I know I don’t take life for granted any longer. Our laws may make some feel stifled by the changes that were put into place to protect us, but I’d rather that than the alternative.

So, today, remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 — then hug your families or, if they’re not physically nearby, call them up and tell them how much you care and are grateful they’re in your lives.

From Christina & the Elves, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy 2010.

Images pictured above are from The Roadtrip 2009 — front: Mountain Lupine at Grand Teton National Park, the Red Buses at Glacier National Park, and The Prince of Wales Hotel at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. Back: Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

I created this image just after September 11, 2001 and each year I post it in memory of everyone who lost their life in the attacks on the WTC towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, along with the rescuers that gave their lives as well.

Its hard to believe its been eight years. How far my life has evolved in that long, yet fast moving period of time — further, in fact, than I ever dreamed. Eight years ago, I was a month and a day out of my undergraduate studies, job hunting and taking classes I didn’t get to enjoy as electives due to the lack of elective hours in my bachelor’s degree. I spent the night before 9.11.01 in my World Religion class, where a classmate asked about jihad and our instructor, a pastor, encouraged discussion and helped us gain a bit of understanding as we hadn’t reached the Muslim portion of our textbook as of yet. Prior to that class, a Muslim coworker and I, after he saw me reading my textbook for that night’s class, discussed our religions, comparing and contrasting them without fear or worry.

What a difference that 24 hour period made in all of our lives.

My coworker and several of my undergrad finance classmates were of Middle Eastern descent, some here as international students, others first or second generation Americans whose parents sought a better way of life and the American Dream. I watched as they were disrespected and ridiculed for actions they had no part in. Just because some fellow Saudis back in the Middle East and Southeast Asia happened to have an extreme view of Islam doesn’t mean they all did. And I mourned like every other person who — American or not — was impacted by those hijacked airplanes who forever changed our lives. I was already patriotic as the daughter of a war veteran; now I cannot hear a patriotic song without tears flowing and thanking my lucky stars and the Lord above for living here, having my freedoms, and a military that protects them.

Eight years later, we may feel the impacts and changes created by the events of September 11, 2001 less than we did initially — unless one travels frequently — but I know I don’t take life for granted any longer. Our laws may make some feel stifled by the changes that were put into place to protect us, but I’d rather that than the alternative.

So, tonight, remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 — then hug your families or, if they’re not physically nearby, call them up and tell them how much you care and are grateful they’re in your lives.

Arrived. Humbled. Inspired. Captured. Forever changed.

I’m in Fredericksburg this weekend sightseeing, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of Weihnachten (Christmas Festival) as well as the activities surrounding the Pearl Harbor Survivors’s Convention and Reunion which chose Fredericksburg for this year’s convention/reunion (its the hometown of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz). In addition to the five trucks and two cars that escorted this heroes along Main Street for the annual Christmas parade, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with several of them. I’ve wiped tears from my eyes several times in the past twenty-four hours as I’ve been humbled, awed, and inspired by these men who survived one of the worst days in our nation’s history and who’ve come together to make sure we never forget — not just the events of that historic day, but them as well. So to them, I gratefully thank them for their service, bravery, and for preserving the memory of their fellow soliders/airmen/sailors/Marines who lost their lives that day and every day after that until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945.

“Mr. Vice President [Henry A. Wallace], Mr. Speaker [Sam Rayburn], members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor [Hirohito] looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador [Kichisabur? Nomura] to the United States and his colleague [Sabur? Kurusu] delivered to our Secretary of State [Cordell Hull] a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”
–President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Personally, the charities I regularly support include …

The Humane Society of the United States

Paralyzed Veterans of American

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Adopt a Platoon — I know they’re in bad need of supporters right now, just received an email request from them over the weekend for supporters to send stockings and cards/candy canes!

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Salvation Army Kettle Drives

I find it easier to support a handful of charities that fit with my passions rather than just responding to every donation request I receive (which is at least three times as many as I have listed here). I love animals, so HSUS is an automatic given. As the daughter of a Vietnam/Army Veteran, I believe its my duty to give back soldiers and veterans — not just with financial donations, but also care packages around the holidays and periodically throughout the year to show my appreciation and gratitude for their service and sacrifice. And I can’t make it through a single St. Jude’s telethon without bawling my eyes out at the adorable children — having had a cancer scare as a child (as well as my bro), I can’t begin to imagine what its like to be in their shoes. And Komen — knowing as many breast cancer survivors as I do, its the least I can do. One of these days I’m gonna be in good enough shape to do a 5k or the Three Day Walk.

I also am keeping an eye out for a AML (acute myeloid leukemia) foundation to contribute to. I lost my grandmother five years ago this Christmas Eve and would like to honor her memory as well.

So — in case some of those charities aren’t in line with what your passion is, here’s a few more resources with charity information … all came from the most recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens …

Charity.com

Charity Navigator

Doing Good Together

Volunteer Match

Additionally, ABC World News Tonight has a segment called Spirit of America — tonight’s was about the generous hearts of the members of a small church in an East Texas community (so small its not even on the state map!) — read here about how they opened their hearts and homes to 72 abused children!

PS … don’t forget to sign up for the Third Monday Giveaway!

No — this isn’t the 100th entry, hit that awhile back …

It occurred to me early this morning when I was writing the date down on a folder at work that, had my grandfather still been living, he would be 100 years old today.

So — in lieu of this week’s Mid Week Loves, here’s a sampling of history (one of my loves) on this date (found at on-this-day.com) …

On October 8th …

1871 – The Great Fire of Chicago broke out destroying about 17,450 buildings. About 250 people were killed and 90,000 were left homeless.

1871 – Peshtigo, WI, was destroyed by a forest fire. Over 1,100 people were killed by the fire that eventually burned across 6 counties.

1895 – The Berliner Gramophone Company was founded in Philadelphia, PA.

1904 – “Little Johnny Jones” opened in Hartford, CT.

1915 – During World War I, the Battle of Loos concluded.

1918 – U.S. Corporal Alvin C. York almost single-handedly killed 25 German soldiers and captured 132 in the Argonne Forest in France. York had originally tried to avoid being drafted as a conscientious objector. After this event his was promoted to sergeant and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

1919 – The first transcontinental air race in the U.S. began.

1934 – Bruno Hauptmann was indicted for the murder of the infant son of Charles A. Lindbergh.

1935 – “The O’Neills” debuted on CBS radio.

1938 – The cover of “The Saturday Evening Post” portrayed Norman Rockwell.

1944 – “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” debuted on CBS radio.

1945 – U.S. President Truman announced that only Britain and Canada would be given the secret to the atomic bomb.

1950 – U.N. forces crossed into North Korea from South Korea.

1952 – “The Complete Book of Etiquette” was published for the first time.

1956 – Donald James Larsen (New York Yankees) pitched the first perfect game in the history of the World Series.

1957 – Jack Soble, a confessed Soviet spy, was sentenced to seven years in prison for espionage.

1957 – The Brooklyn Baseball Club announced that it had accepted a deal to move the Dodgers to Los Angeles.

1957 – Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the song “Great Balls Of Fire.”

1966 – The U.S. Government declares that LSD is dangerous and an illegal substance.

1970 – Soviet author Alexander Solzhenitsyn won the Nobel Prize for literature.

1971 – “Imagine” was recorded by John Lennon.

1979 – “Sugar Babies” opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway.

1981 – U.S. President Reagan greeted former Presidents Carter, Ford and Nixon to the White House. The group was preparing to leave for Egypt to attend the funeral of Anwar Sadat.

1982 – In Poland, all labor organizations, including Solidarity, were banned.

1991 – A slave burial site was found by construction workers in lower Manhattan. The “Negro Burial Ground” had been closed in 1790. Over a dozen skeletons were found.

1993 – The U.S. government issued a report absolving the FBI of any wrongdoing in its final assault in Waco, TX, on the Branch Davidian compound. The fire that ended the siege killed as many as 85 people.

1996 – Pope John Paul II underwent a successful operation to remove his inflamed appendix.

1998 – Taliban forces attacked Iranian border posts. Iran said that three border posts were destroyed before the Taliban forces were forced to retreat. The Taliban of Afghanistan denied the event occurred.

1998 – Canada and Netherlands were voted into the U.N. Security Council.

1998 – The 100th episode of “Friends” aired on NBC.

2001 – Tom Ridge, former Governor of Pennsylvania, was sworn in as director of the new U.S. department of Homeland Security.

2001 – Rush Limbaugh announced to his listeners that he was totally deaf in his left ear and had only partial hearing in his right ear. The condition had happened in a three month period.

2001 – Two Russian cosmonauts made the first spacewalk to be conducted outside of the international space station without a shuttle present.

2001 – U.S. President George W. Bush announced that the United States had launched an attack against Taliban forces and military targets in Afghanistan.

2002 – A federal judge approved U.S. President George W. Bush’s request to reopen West Coast ports, to end a caustic 10-day labor lockout. The lockout was costing the U.S. economy an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion a day.

2003 – China announced that it would have a human crew orbit the Earth briefly on October 15.

2003 – Vietnam and the United States reached a tentative agreement that would allow the first commercial flights between the two countries since the end of the Vietnam War.

2003 – It was announced that Vivendi Universal and General Electric Co. had reached an agreement to merge. The name for the combined company was NBC Universal.

2003 – Siegfried Fischbacher and his manager announced that the “Siegfried and Roy” show at the Mirage was canceled permanently. It was also said that if Roy Horn survived, after a tiger attack on October 3, the duo would continue to work together.

2004 – The first-ever direct presidential elections were held in Afghanistan.

2004 – At Alderson Federal Prison Camp, WV, Martha Stewart began her five-month prison sentence. The sentence was imposed for Stewart lying about a stock sale.

The regular Mid Week Loves will be back next week …

I created this image just after September 11, 2001 and each year I post it in memory of everyone who lost their life in the attacks on the WTC towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, along with the rescuers that gave their lives as well.

Six years ago in June, I lost my beloved Wilbur…

While it hurt deeply to lose my canine companion of twelve years, my brother’s ‘twin’ because they were the exact same age, I could accept his death as a part of growing old, body failing the mind and spirit that were still young at heart. It didn’t make the pain any less, but I could accept losing my best friend and the one male I knew would always be loyal to me, even though he was adopted for my little brother. He was a wonderful judge of character, knew what guys I didn’t dare need to leave home with, and was there to lick the tears off my face and lean against me when I needed it.

This weekend, his feline best friend and porch buddy on rainy days, Sweet Pea, aka Sweets, the Sweetness, my lil Rockstar, Sweet Treats, the Dutchess, was attacked by two neighborhood dog hoodlums out looking for trouble on Saturday night. Despite my two dogs trying their best to break out of their pens to save her and my father rescuing her, driving me and her to the vet, and my mother staying with her all day today, even performing CPR on her twice so I could make it home after work to tell her goodbye, she joined him late this evening during the hurdle semis (I only note this because I was telling her about the Swedish runner taking a tumble when she took her last breaths). And, like the last time when I discovered my beloved Wilbur gone, when I walked out to take her to where my dad was digging her burial place by her best canine friend’s, I cried, my throat burned, and as he covered her up, I sobbed. I sobbed as tried to forget the pain with the heat of a hot bubble bath to no avail.

Many will read this and say, “She’s just a cat.” No, she wasn’t. I rescued her when she was a kitten, abandoned on a hot asphalt with a skinned up head twelve years ago this summer. I watched her as she made her bed a flower pot. I took care of her during kidney problems. I hurt and prayed as I watched her suffer the effects of a poisonous mushroom seven years ago and I cheered her on as she fought back to survive, despite temporary blindness, deafness, and the start of organ failure. I watched her battle tapeworms a couple years ago. All the meanwhile, my rough tough walking tomboy of a girl feline won over my dog loving heart. While my other cat (rescued a year earlier) may be the ‘prettier’ one, the princess, Sweets was my lil feline dutchess. When she followed me to the car in the mornings, my days were good. When she greeted me with a meow and a headrub when I got home, any bad day was erased. And her kisses cheered me up as much as Wilbur’s did. And she knew how to give love (I taught her the sign in ASL, any time she was in the window, she’d give me love when she saw me coming). She still had several lives and several years in her. And they were robbed from her by two dogs an owner that does not bother to control and tame them. She’s not the first victim in the area from what we’ve discovered. And I’m afraid she won’t be the last until dog karma kicks in for those two.

Rest in Peace Sweets. I’m so sorry you had to suffer so much during your last two days on earth. You fought so hard–and I’ll miss you so much. Give the Wilburnator one of your headrubs for me when you see him…

Wilbur (1988 – 2002) & Sweets (1996 – 2008)