9/11

On September 11, 2001 I was in Kuwait, and had been there for about a month. I ended up coming home on time--we all thought for sure that we were going to be extended, but it didn't end up happening. I keep most e-mail, except stuff that is definitely junk, but one of the ones that I've kept--and kept track of is the following, it's actually one of the oldest I still have. The first e-mail address I ever had was back in 1995 at least, but it wasn't until about 2001 that I signed up for a yahoo! account. Things to notice: the date and time--almost exactly five minutes before the first plane hit. Stefanie told me later that she hit send and then looked up at the television where she happened to have CNN on. I've edited the original text of the e-mail quite significantly, but what I've edited out is to this day none of your business. :) What I still find interesting is the routineness--the relaxed, "yeah, this is what is going on, even though you are so far away" -ness about it. Needless to say, other e-mails I got later in the week were a bit more frantic. Oh, and the subject line was a conversation we were having about future enlistment options--this was number who-knows-many in the series of the conversation that had long since turned from the original subject.

From:	xxx@aol.com
Date:	Tue, 11 Sep 2001 08:41:26 EDT
Subject:	Re: 98GAD airborne
To:	xxx@yahoo.com

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well it sounds like you are having a better time now. i am glad. Your emails sound mre upbeat than before. i just want you to be happy and have a good time while you are there. like i said before - it isn't often that an american boy from ct goes to kuwait. it is what you make of it. have fun but be good and be careful :) things here in texas are just the same old crap. nothing new and exciting.

karen got a job at jesters. it is that killeen style hooters. kind of cheesy but i bet the tips are good. it is going to be hard now to not have 24 hour a day help. it has been so great though the amount she has helped me. i am very lucky. so i talked to my mom the day before yesterday. she is not coming down here until the end of october. so she will be here for sofia's birthday. she is driving too.

do you get cbs over there? on satellite? this week on oprah it is a week long series with dr phil. he is doing some kind of seminar. it is pretty good so far.

let's see what else can i tell you - yesterday sofia was walking around the house with my ernie slippers yelling "elbo shoes" she calls all muppets elbo. but she does say oynie/but (ernie/bert). she is too cute.

well dylan is up now and i am typing one handed so it is no longer fun :) i have to get sofia ready for school anyway.

i miss you and love you and can't wait to hear from you.

love always,

Stefanie