This day in history ...

My heart continues to go out to all the heroes on earth and heaven who were involved in the 9/11 attacks. This day in 2001 will never be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it live on TV or in person. It was a very powerful day in our land.

This day too brings up another memory in my heart. This one brings joy. It was 10 years ago today, that I was over-due pregnant with my first child. We had received the news from my doctor earlier in the week to schedule an inducement for the 12th, so that we could get things started if nothing happened prior. While I was excited for an official end date, I was disappointed that my first child was going to be delivered on an exact date, versus the surprise happening.

See, I was the girl who dreamed of waking up in the middle of the night by the phone call of my sister-in-laws to announce they were in labor, throwing on my sweats, and rushing over. While I got those surprise phone calls, they were mid-day and although equally exciting, there is something about the middle of the night call (crazy, right?). When it was my turn, I envisioned calling every body on my way to the hospital at 2am. But my dreams were slowly fading away as the 12th came closer and no baby had arrived.

I remember walking around Home Depot with my husband on Friday, Sept 11, 1998, thinking, "We really ought to be on a very cool date! We are having a baby this weekend!" But I was exhausted and emotional, and I really didn't care that we were shopping for landscaping sprinkler systems on our last day of being child-less.

I zonked on the couch all afternoon, out for the count, I was so pregnant, so tired, so ready for this babe! My husband was outside installing his new sprinkler system, enjoying the sunny, hot weather, and his last day of non-parental responsibilities. I woke late to find a yummy pancake dinner that I had requested earlier in the day. The years have faded the exact details, but I do remember sitting at the table with my husband, music playing in the background, and we were just staring. Tired and in disbelief of our soon adventure.

Then the emotions waved over me as I tucked into bed. I just could not believe my luck! No exciting phone call to dial. Nothing. The overly planned, organized person that I was, wanted that unplanned-spur-of-the-moment happening ... and nothing was happening except the hormonal tears. My husband said our prayers out loud that night, his hand on my belly, asking for peace and the perfect plan for our baby's delivery.

Now, you will think I am making the rest up for blog-storytelling, but this really happened next. A pop ... and then you guessed it ... my water broke. It was unbelievable!! Talk about the laughter and happy screams that followed!

So, in the end, we got to call our family at 11:00pm to share the news that we were driving to the city to deliver this baby. Little did I know that my first child would be born 20 HOURS LATER via c-section! There really was no rush for any one to jump into their sweats and get to the maternity ward by midnight ... still a little sorry about that. Oops.

But to me, September 11th will always be remembered with joy for this memory, and the memory and honor to those fallen on this day in 2001.