Remembering 9-11

Today I am remembering, as we all are, the horrific events of September 11, 2001. We will never be able to forget that day...ever. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones that day and I hope they have found some peace. I am also thinking of all the rest of us....wasn't that the day we lost our innocence? It's been difficult ever since that day to really "let loose, laugh, enjoy and feel like you are really living." There is always a tinge of sadness hanging over us.

While we should always remember and will, I know, I'm thinking we desperately need some happiness and good cheer to share amongst ourselves. A great big country-enveloping hug would do wonders. So...you out there...I am sending you that hug in honor of those who left us that day....a HUGE hug!!!

As a part of that hug...I'd like to share something good that came from that day long ago. I made a friend. My quilt guild had classes at Ferndale the previous couple of days and that bright, beautiful morning, we were all packing cars in order to return home. Our teacher was Nancy Eha of Minnesota and I was to take her to the airport to fly home. While trudging out to the car with all our stuff, we passed the tv in the lobby and that's how we found out what had happened. There were many of us there and not only were we shocked at what we were seeing, but it grew by the minute, leaving us wondering what in the world was going on and what to do. We were in shock!

There was no way to get Nancy on a plane to go home. What to do? So, we went to my friend Sharon's home to try and think. In the end, we decided to DRIVE Nancy home to Minneapolis. Now, that was kind of a ridiculous idea since the news people were telling us that there were no flights, no gas, no buses, no rental cars, no way. But, quilters are a very imaginative breed, so we knew we would just take it step by step and get there. Nancy called her husband and we took off the next morning to drive from Little Rock towards Minnesota, thinking we would meet up with her husband somewhere along the way. And, we did. It turned out he drove all night and actually met us in Fayetteville, Arkansas, about 3 1/2 hours from LR. (That's probably the first time I was thankful for cell phones!) The look on their faces when we met up....pure happiness, as I am sure they had feared being apart a lot longer. It was a great reunion...one we all remember to this day. (When I called my husband and said...."I'm not coming home we are driving to Minnesota to take Nancy home," you can imagine what he thought...but having given up on me making sense, and knowing I don't like to drive anywhere, but had friends along, he said "Be careful!")

On the way back home, we (Brenda, Kelley and I) decided that we would start a group to remember 9-11, Nancy, and our experiences. We had the first meeting at my house in October. We still meet today and you know about us if you've read this blog before. The group is a blessing and Nancy - she's an honorary member.

Nancy and I keep in touch....and without either of us knowing in advance...we both wound up with pieces of our work in the book "1000 Artist Trading Cards", published by Quarry Books. When we found out....we decided to make each other a card to trade. And, so we did.

Nancy made an unbelievable card for me with a beautiful dragonfly glass button in the middle....surrounded by her wonderful beading. She is a beading expert, with several books in print...and a great beading teacher, too. You may see more of her work at www.beadcreative.com. Also, inside the 1000 ATC book, on page 199, you will see another of her ATC cards, shown here. It has flowers and more dragonflies....beautiful work!!! I am so grateful to have a "piece of her heart" here with me.

I made Nancy an ATC card......it's shown here....a big basket of silk ribbon roses. Well, how big can it be - ATC cards are only 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"....the same size as a playing card!!! Anyway, what you are seeing here is a picture of a picture of her card, so I apologize if it's not a very clear photo and of course, it doesn't really show the edge, which I had to trim off to fit into the photo pocket of my notebook! It has a picot beaded edge. Like the one on my card in the book, which is on page 151. The card I made there is a miniature landscape.

When Nancy agreed to travel to Arkansas to teach, how were any of us to know what would happen to change our lives forever? Who would have known the whole world, as we knew it, would change? Who would have known that she and I would be tied together not only by friendship, but in a publication? Who would have known that a group would form here which would help us all cope and become our monthly "therapy" session? Who would know what the next years would bring both here at home and "out there" over the rest of the planet. Yet, here we are. Now it is our duty to stay close...to hug each other tight and hang in there. This is what makes our country great...we stick together when the going gets tough...we are survivors! And, along with that, we have obligations to each other.....for instance...if we care - we should all VOTE! After all we've been through and all we've lost....the right to vote is so precious. Male, female, young, old, urban, rural, we SHOULD have the largest turnout EVER in our history....if you do your part! I'm voting, as I always do....it's my duty and yours. VOTE! It's a giant hug for our country!!!

Yes, 9-11 and the following days were terrible. We remember and we will never forget. We will also never forget the people we held close on those days and still do. Nancy......let's always keep these memories and our friendship alive....in memory of innocence and of friends now gone! You all stay safe out there and go hug someone!!! Pat