My 9/11 Story

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(and yes, I am aware of how cheesy this is..humor me anyway)

I am always interested to hear people's 9/11 stories.

I guess it's kind of the "where were you when Kennedy was assassinated?" of our generation.

I don't know if I've ever told anyone except my family my 9/11 story, so here it goes...

I was 21 years old.

I was serving a mission in Chicago, Illinois. As a sister missionary that meant that I was; of course, out in the suburbs.

The suburbs of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, to be exact. Our area was called "Addison" and I ended up spending most of my mission there.

I was companions with Sister Shannon Tyler.

We were about to leave our apartment for the day when one of our members;Julio Ceasar, called us and told us that something really bad was happening, and that it looked like a disaster movie, but it was really happening and it was on the news.

We had no tv or radio, so we went to our car and turned on the radio, but still we weren't getting much info. So we set off for one of our new members home. (Los Nunez)

We had to stop for gas on the way there and I remember standing there and spinning in a slow circle, seeing a Burger King (which had already lowered its flag to half mast) and very little traffic.

I remember feeling; in that moment, the same as I had the day I left home after high school.

Like the safe world I had always known was gone.

We got to the Nunez's and spent the next hour watching the Spanish news. Which was horrific as I don't believe they check their facts and they were reporting possible terrorists attacks all over the country.

Finally, they asked if we wanted to watch the news in English, which was an offer we gratefully accepted.

I think it was Peter Jennings and I felt immeasurably comforted to see him.

Maybe it was because my Dad has always loved the news and seeing a news anchor helped me to feel calm, as if I were hearing my Dad through him.

We wandered around the rest of the day. Sister Tyler wanted to go tracting, but I couldn't do it. I remember falling asleep for a few hours. It was not a productive day and I'm sure Sister Tyler was frustrated with me. (I was NUTS on the mission. All my comps deserve a medal, I swear)

I can't remember if it was that day or not, but our mission president let us listen to the news on the radio for a few weeks, to keep on top of things.

A few days later, on the news, that song, "Angels Among Us" came on, but it was a remix, and it had people talking about losing their loved ones and one guy yelling "honk if you're proud to be a New Yorker" and the sound of thousands of cars honking.

I can't listen to that song without crying.

What I took from 9/11 was a greater love for my country.

I am so proud and lucky to be an American. Being American has meant more to me in the last 10 years than it did in the 21 years I lived before 9/11.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “

President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Lori Ann

16th generation American

And some things which should not have been forgotten..

 Tonight was another crazy game night with Jack and Danielle. Jack kept saying "That's not good gamesmanship" and Danielle kept trying to convince me to vote for Ron Paul. So yeah, it was kind of a wild night. We're lucky the cops weren't called or anything:)

This isn't the best picture (of course, I was driving at the time. That's when I take the majority of my pictures)...anyway, it's the river and it is raised all the way up to the tree branches!

This picture doesn't do my commute justice. I drive through some of the most beautiful country you will ever see. Its all these winding roads where the trees meet over the top. I can't describe it, but being in Pennsylvania is so beautiful and fills me with such a sense of peace. 

Also people, guess what? I got transferred at work to outpatient therapy! Estoy bien emocionada! And I am kinda hoping to move into my own place this week sometime. Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann

p.s.- This blog will resume being interesting soon, I promise!! (or "start being interesting" might be a better choice of words!)

La lluvia

I spent most of the day yesterday feeling like I was back on the mission.

I was running through the rain with my new work partner, Graziella (who looks A LOT like my mission trainer) and providing therapy to our Spanish speaking clients.

Spanish.

My one super power.

People will always ask "How did you do it?? I've been trying for so long".

I always tell them "just practice".

I guess I should say "Convert to the LDS church, wait a year, put in mission papers, hope you get called Spanish speaking, spend 9 weeks in intensive language training, followed by 1 year of people saying "What? What did she say? She doesn't speak Spanish does she?" while you cry and have semi mental breakdowns followed by about 3 to 4 months of feeling mildly proficient."

Odio mi companera. Quiero estar con Henry; el hombre de mis suenos, hablando ingles y viviendo la vida facil:)

Lori Ann

The old man is snoring

It's going to rain all week. I love/hate the rain. I have the same relationship with rain as I do with snow. LOVE it if I have no where to go and I can stay inside and watch it out the window. HATE it if I have to step one foot out the door. I DESPISE IT WITH THE HEAT OF A THOUSAND BURNING SUNS if I have to drive in it.

This is what it looked like as I drove home last night. Buckets of rain, foggy, trucks passing me and dousing my car with water. I was literally clutching the wheel just following the taillights in front of me. It took me 2 1/2 hours to get home.

I just added this picture because I thought it was cool. It wasn't there the day before so this spider built it overnight. That's industrious!

So yeah, that's the update on my life. Spider webs and monsoon season in Pennsylvania.

Oh yeah...and I've been sneaking the cats extra tuna.

Cause I'm bad ass like that.

Lori Ann

Coach, baby!

Let's be honest.

I know there are a lot of you that envy me.

Whether its my 5 figure salary, my strange new haircut, or the fact that I'm staying at my parents after having moved away from North Carolina.

Right now you are more than likely crying tears of rage and frustration because you are not me.

Well prepare to cry a little bit longer because I just got a Coach bag for work!

Oh snap.

Lori Ann

Strange but not a stranger

Oh my gosh.

If you ever want to have a crazy day, look no further than my sister Danielle's house.

Here is what went down today at Casa de Monroe!

1. We modgepodged for the first time in history. And yes, it was EPIC.

2. Yes, I did get into a number of verbal altercations with a 3 year old. She always walks away the winner in every fight though. Dang her shrill scream and toddler attention span..

3. We stayed up late eating shrimp and ice cream, watching the newest BBC Sense and Sensibility. And discussing how completely NOT hot was Willoughby.

4. We reviewed our plans to create "reality romances". Enough of this millionaire, damsel in distress, tormented handsome hero crap. Our romances are going to be about twice divorced chain smoking women in their late forties, getting together with unemployed, balding men a few years younger and a few inches shorter than them. And also, we can't always gurantee a happy ending. Maybe they get together, maybe not. Maybe they just live in sin a few months and decide that it's not going to work. You never know with our all new fabulous "reality romances". (check your local bookstores soon!)

5. I told Danielle that my ideal husband would be like Edward Farris, only gay. She asked me how that was going to work and I told her I wasn't looking for a father for my children, just someone to watch reruns of "bath crashers" with :)

Thanks for letting me hang out, Monrobies!! Perhaps we can get together next month for Oktoberfest, and celebrate your proud German ancestory! (Nana Terry is not on that invite list, of course)

Lori Ann

It's like rain on your wedding day

Yesterday, karma (or maybe it was fate? or irony?) smacked me in the face.

Henry, my now former work partner (I'm still crying about him leaving), got into a car accident.

I felt so bad for him but somehow at some point got around to joking about it.

Which is when karma/fate/irony stepped in.

On the way home I got in a car accident.

I curse you karma/fate/irony! It was one thing to take away Henry, but now my trunk lid and rear bumper?

That's crossing a line:)

Lori Ann