7 years ago today....

Seems every time Sept. 11th rolls around again, we all stop to think of where we were in 2001! I can not believe it's been 7 years! So much has changed since then. I mean who would have thought we would be walking through airports without shoes? However, now these things seem almost "normal" to us.
7 years ago I was living at "Club Newport" in Long Beach with Natalie and Jennifer. It was the summer after we all graduated from CSULB. Natalie was always the early riser and already at work. Natalie and I both worked at American Capital back then. I believe Jennifer was a student teacher. But I do know that Jennifer and I were fast asleep when everything went down. The house phone rang (pre to everyone and their mom having a cell phone's) once at about 7am. Of course I didn't get it and neither did Jenn..but when it rang immediately after that Jenn and I jumped up. That was our signal that you needed to pick up the phone!!! It was Natalie, telling us to turn on the news! When we saw the tower on fire in NY I don't think I totally grasped the concept of what was happening. My first thought was not a terriorist attack though. As we watched, the 2nd plane hit LIVE on TV. THAT is when I knew something serious was happenning. Gives me chills still today! Knowing my sister, best friend and I had just left NY that July, brought it close to home. My best friends parent lived there and I was really worried about them (they were ok-although her mom and dad were separate for days). Not sure why, but I went to work anyways. The freeways were SO empty. People let you go first and no one tried to cut you off or ride your bumper. It was like the world had manners again..for awhile anyways! Of course no one was working when I got to my office! Everyone had on the radio or TV. The next report was that the planes were coming to LAX. Since my building was right next door to LAX the president of our company thought it would be best if we all went home. I remember driving down the fwy back to LB and watching them close each exit right as I passed it. Tony B and I were the only ones who didn't work that day. We just sat and watched TV all day. It was also the first date of David and Jennifer! Now they have been married for 5 years and have little Madalyn! I guess one good thing came out of Sept 11th, 2001!