Oh, the Ideas...

I think to myself, about 5 times a day, "I should blog about that." Recent topics range from political to social to just plain silliness. Like ol' Kanye West's most recent antics - but then I think...why waste my time on that nonsense. He did not affect my day to day life before this incident. Why would I let him now?

And the health care reform...I can not for the life of me figure out why we would NOT want to reform our current system, fix the insurance issues that so many face and make it affordable to EVERYONE in our country. Watching those that marched in Washington against the reform makes me feel like they were marching against every sick person who has been denied insurance.

It makes me nauseous, really. And very very sad.

And then I see something like this:

And I drive home as fast as I can to sit on the back porch and let the water wash over me.

A month in the life...

It's been a whirlwind of a month. Lots to cover, but I'll try to make it quick.

Joel officiated a wedding for his friends, TK & Holly in College Station...

We went to visit Granny & Papa, Aunt Susan and Kevin in Houston...

We went on a cruise from Galveston to Mexico & back...

And we went to the Braun Brothers Reunion in Idaho...

Where we got to hang out with some of our favorite people...

...including Joel and Sam...

...and catch a glimpse of what rain looks like...

...and finding ourselves sitting in a pot of gold right here.

And so it goes in a month in the life of us!

6 Months to the day...

*I started this post earlier in the week...didn't even realize the "anniversary" was coming up. But six months ago yesterday, I was standing on the wing of an airplane in the Hudson River. They say "all in time." I guess "they" are right.

I can't tell you how many times I've told the story. People always say "I bet your sick of telling this story...but tell me the story." Truth is, I never minded at all - I think because I didn't think there was much of a story there. The event is such a blur, really. I felt worse for my friends and family at home who were watching it, not being able to really KNOW that I was okay. When I got home, after the exhaustion and recovering from a bad, bad cold I filed the whole experience away like I typically do. I put it in a case where I could look at it, but not really touch it or feel it - like it's very own shadowbox. I have a habit of doing that with things that I don't really know how to process. But recently, I have taken the shadow box down off the shelf, opened it up and starting sorting through the contents.

A month or so ago I was at the office, busy with whatever it is that keeps me busy there and I got a call from the NTSB on my cell phone. The girl that was sitting next to me for roughly 4 minutes of what was supposed to be our flight from NYC to Charlotte was looking for me. They asked my permission to give her my contact info. Of course I agreed. I had not talked to one single person from that flight - no crew, no passengers. NO one. I got an email from her about an hour later, asking if she could call me. I had no clue what she would want to talk about...but I told her "of course." We talked for an hour and a half.

She filled me in on all the passengers, all of their reunions, their stories...they had a Yahoo Group online where everyone virtually "gets together" pretty frequently. And then we talked about that day - how she got out of the plane, how I got out of the plane, where we both ended up, etc., etc...etc. And it felt GREAT. We laughed about the minutes before we hit the water, her asking me "Land or water? Land or water? LAND OR WATER?" We shared our stories about calling our husbands. We discussed how our families dealt/are dealing with it. I felt like I had known her forever.

Once I made contact with her and with the group online I learned that a book is being published. "Miracle on the Hudson" will be released in November of this year. The "group" has formed an LLC for such situations...and I joined. I did my interview with one of the writers two weeks ago. And again, told my version of what happened that day. Only - the extended version. Only - it was different. She was pressing me, digging a bit and I was forced to really get my hands messy in the whole experience.

What I learned was, I am REALLY okay with all of it. I mean it when I say that I feel humbled. I had to delve into all of "what have you changed about your life/do you think or feel or believe differently than you did before" questions. And even after reliving every detail, down to how I got out the door of the plane and who gave me socks at the ferry terminal - that is what I am. Humbled. (I'm glad - since it's tattooed on my body now.) Life really has gotten so much easier since I realized that I am not the supreme ruler of the universe. I do NOT have control of every situation. And consequently, the universe is not out to get me. That was not a bad thing that happened to me on January 15, 2009. It was a BEAUTIFUL gift of opportunity. I have learned to let go of a lot of worry and fret and anxiety about why things happen - or don't happen - the way they are supposed to. And I have realized they DO work out like they are supposed to, I just may not have planned them them that way.

In all of the research online about the writers of this book I have found a lot of info and pictures of Flight 1549. And still, after all the processing, the one thing that makes me get weepy and sad...are pictures like this one. The plane in the water. I hate seeing her there, knowing she held up - and held us up - then had such a slow and cold and painful demise. Even as I type it I realize how weird it sounds...then again, I'm the same girl that hugs my shoes.

RIP, big ol' jet airliner. And thank you.

Tell 'Em That it's Human Nature...

With all the buzz about Michael Jackson going on, I'd like to share my thoughts. Agree or disagree - to each his own. But here, I get to speak my mind.

It's sad. Period. His life is sad, his death is sad. He never had a childhood of playing in parks or running through sprinklers or going to junior high dances or getting acne or trying out for the track team and making it or trying out for anything and NOT making it. He didn't learn how to build relationships or chose what he believed in or experience the difficult times that give us all character. Maybe I ignored all the hubbub when he was on trial, but where were all of these people then? Where was Brooke Shields standing up for his character then, where were his peeps? I'm not a huge fan of Al Sharpton, but the point he made to Michael's children was pretty poignant..."There was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with." Who else on this planet has been through as much fame, publicity, ridicule, prosecution? No one that I can think of in my lifetime...

WE did that to Michael Jackson. We watched the good and the bad, we talked about it in coffee shops, we either made or entertained jokes about his life...HIS life.

I don't know that much about him. I know I loved the Jackson 5 as a kid. I tried to memorize the dance from Thriller. I cleaned my parents house for my allowance to his music. I believe that he was a generous man. I believe he tried to do good...searching for something that was real to him - and that he tried to recreate the childhood that he missed out on. What is reality to us is NOT reality to our neighbor.

We are curious folk, us humans. RIP MJ.

The Summer of Learning

I took my second spanish lesson tonight. I hope I'm doing this right...seems like it's way too easy for learning a second language. I did have three years of spanish in high school (a long, long time ago) but I only seem to remember bolsa, pescado, escucheme, digame and Pepita (my Spanish class name - which I believe translates to "seed" - that our teach picked out for me). While the escucheme (listen to me) and digame (tell me) seem pretty usable now, bolsa (purse) remains burned in my memory only because my dear friend had her purse stolen in spanish class and kept screaming it to the teacher..."Mi Bolsa! Mi Bolsa!" And pescado...well, you see, "perch" was our little group's word for "chill," or "cool it." If someone was rambling on about something (say, someone who was screaming about her bolsa in spanish class) we would tell them to "perch" (as in a bird perched in a tree - there was a super sweet hand gesture that went along with it simulating a branch, or how one might hold a parakeet on their finger). But everything had to be in spanish for that hour. When we asked our teacher what the word for perch was, she assumed we were talking about the fish. So she told us pescado. It took us three years to figure out that we were telling each other to fish rather than to perch. Needless to say, what remains with me from those three years of spanish is rather limited. Hence...Rosetta Stone.

I also finally learned how to use picnik. My sisters in luv have been using it forever, hence their uber cool photos with fuzzy edges and rounded corners and vintage stirrings. My first project is what you see above...and I'm SOOOO PROUD! To think, I've been struggling through photoshop, etc for a while now - and BLAM. Picnik came along. I have visions of Christmas cards, invitations...PHUN with PHOTOS!

And finally on the learning front - I did NOT take the spinning class as promised, but I did wii Active last night for the first time - and I'm soooooore. Wrongfully sore. I thought I was in better shape than to let some electronic robotron thingymajig whoop up on me - but I was wrong. Biceps - sore. Quads - sore. Abs - sore. Like...I had gone to the gym. Only without the drive across town and on my own schedule. I'm not saying it's a replacement work out, but it will be my new "on call."

Well, the sun is down here so that means it's only about 98 outside - prime time for an evening stroll to get the mail. Sweet dreams, friends.

Hello. I'd Like to Introduce Myself...

Hi. You may not remember me. I've been AWOL for a while. My name is Robin Schoepf...and our life is good.

In a nutshell, here are some things you may or may not know.

1.) Joel and I celebrated our two year anniversary on May 5. He, like the sweetheart that he is, looked up the traditional anniversary gift for numero dos and bought me three cotton blouses. He knows me so well. I'm breaking them out on the cruise!

2.) We are going on a cruise in a couple of weeks. Not a true blue vacation cruise - he has to work. But it's a week away from this insane heat and 7 days with him rather than without.

3.) We moved! There is no more life for us on common street...now it's oak forest. New blog title suggestions welcome.

4.) Joel is gone for 6 weeks (approximately). Don't panic...I get to see him on the cruise and I'm meeting them in Idaho (see Idaho) but this house is going to miss him. (I mean...this household).

5.) Speaking of "numero dos" (ahem...refer to numbero uno) I am doing the Rosetta Stone Spanish Lessons. Well...I've done one (uno). Yesterday (ayer). I learned "manzana," "bebe," "come" and "boligrafo." I have yet to try and use apple, drink, eat and pen in one sentence. I think I would scare some fluent spanish speakers into "duerme" (or would that be duermen??). Needless to say, I have a ways to go.

6.) My sis-in-luv has inspired me to get back to the gym and try a spinning class...um, tomorrow. ;-)

7.) We are officially Godparents. Brayden Weiland DeBruin was born last Monday. He looks just like his Daddy, Bert...only without all the ink. (Yet.) Mom Angela and big sis Taylor are all doing great and we are so honored. Maybe instead of studying spanish, we should be looking up how to be hip and cool Godparents. Cuz we all know he'll be a hip and cool kid!

And quite possibly, the item that may (or may not) have had the greatest influence on our lives since the last blog...

8.) BLUEBELL ICE CREAM HAS A NEW FLAVOR!!! BLACKBERRY COBBLER!!! IT'S DELICIOUS!!! PLEASE TAKE THE CAPS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS SERIOUSLY...IT'S THAT GOOD!!!

That should get us all caught up. I still like long walks on the beach, the smell of fresh cut grass and going barefoot when possible...

...and Bluebell's Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream.

I think I'll go get some. You should too.

Barefooted.

Buddies

Hi. My name is Sam Hunt. 

I love white cheddar puffs. 

But I also love my new buddy, Dude. 

So what's so wrong with sharing? 

I've heard that it was the right thing to do for all of my life.

I try to do what I'm told. So I'm sharing with my my buddy, Dude. 

Plus...I just think it's funny. 

Sweet Tea Sweet Pea

My name is Amelia Hunt and I like Sweet Tea. 

I like to sit in my chair, rockin' in the breeze...with my sweet tea. 

I like to listen to stories of my friends and family while I'm sittin' in my chair, 

rockin' in the breeze...with my sweet tea. 

Sometimes...I tell a story or two while sittin' in my chair, 

rockin' in the breeeze...with my sweet tea. 

Sometimes we like to hypothesize about things...

like "what if there were no sweet tea?"

But there is...and that's all that matters. 

I'm Amelia Hunt. And I like Sweet Tea. 

Morning light...

Ahhh...Saturday

I'm not sure what has come over me, but I've been waking up super early on Saturday mornings lately. I try to take advantage of the early start by getting chores done so there's time for more leisurely activities (like getting back to Photoshop). 

Last week I got up at 7 on Saturday and tried to go to the gym only to find they don't open until 9. So I came home, cleaned the house and ran all my errands. It really was a great Saturday. Shannon and Kim and I went to Yoga in the afternoon to celebrate our girls' Valentines Day. Little did we know, it was Partner Yoga in honor of Valentine's Day. There were 6 or 7 couples...and the three of us. There were a couple of "partner poses" that were a little difficult to maneuver with the three of us but we had a great time, learned a lot and it felt GREAT! So we celebrated with a Whatacheeseburger Junior on our way to get pedicures! 

This particular Saturday, I knew would be just as peaceful. Just a baby shower gift and a birthday present for grandma to pick up as the cleaning and grocery store were tended to yesterday. So when I woke up this morning at 7:30, I checked the weather and decided to go for a walk. Dude an I have a pretty normal routine on our walks. When he goes with me we follow the same path for the most part. This morning started no different. There weren't many folks out when we started, with the exception of one guy loading his 4-wheeler in the back of his truck and a woman walking house to house to put flyers on doors. 

We got to almost our half way point and found an open gate to some river-front property that is for sale. I've always wondered what it looked like down by the water so we followed the "road" down to the river. It was like a whole different world. Across the river were homes I didn't know existed in New Braunfels - beautiful two and three story homes with decks and balconies and green lawns and trees and rope swings and staircases winding down to the river. Dude got to swim a bit and we got back to the walk. 

When I turned around in the cul de sac, I noticed the woman distributing flyers - about a mile from where I saw her first. I didn't really pay much attention to that at all...until... 

As we made our way back up the street, I caught site of a little girl, probably 3 or 4, leaving the front stoop of a house and "jogging" up the street in front of me. She was still in pajamas and barefooted-so I just assumed she was playing since it was such a beautiful morning. Until we got to the end of the street and she was still jogging...across the street, around the corner and up the next street. About half way up the block, she started to slow down and look around at all of the different houses. Then she stopped. And turned in circles...searching for something. I crossed the street to ask her if she was looking for someone...she said her mom. I asked when and where she saw her last - she said she was passing out flyers and she wanted to go with her. So I asked her if she knew where her house was and if there was anyone else there. She said yes, and turned to start running again...back from where she just came from. I panicked. I'm not sure why, but I can't imagine being the parent at the house looking for your daughter that has vanished at 7:30 in the morning - or the parent that is out walking, oblivious to your daughter running the streets looking for you. So I turned around and followed her again. I worried that I would scare her by chasing after her, but I was getting scared for her AND her parents. As I rounded the corner I could hear her mother - calling her name, and watched as the little girl ran full speed into her mother's arms. Whew...

So Dude and I turned around and headed back in the direction of our house. We passed a gentleman on a golfcart - who had driven by 4 or 5 times during our walk. Turns out, he had lost his dog and was on the hunt for it. I told him I'd keep eyes open and got his address in case I found her. As we turned towards the river, there were was a fire truck and two sheriffs  parked at the end of the block. They had been called to a grass fire that was non-existent down by the river. I let Dude swim again, and as we made the final approach to Mooncrest, the man on the golfcart drove by with his dog on his lap, a big grin on his face and gave me a thumbs up. 

So all is right in the world again...All of that before 9 a.m. I might have to take a nap today. 

With love...

The best gift we can give each other is pure, honest love. 

Given to me for my birthday last year by my family-in-love...with love.

Amethyst, gifted to me by my sweet sister, Tara after I got home from NYC for peace and positive energy. Turtles were direct from my bro-in-luv's travels to lands far away...all with love. 

The lyrics painted on the side are those of "Blackbird," the first song I learned to play on the guitar. A present from my sweet mother who taught me to love the Beatles...with love. 

The lyrics of a Drive By Truckers song that I love. It's called "Outfit." Hand painted by a friend of ours, and given to me from Joel...with love. 

A hand carved sea turtle, picked up on a trip to Massachusetts by my Jo just because it reminded her of me...with love. 

I cherish all of these things, not because they are things, but because they are reminders of the people who love me...and who I love.  

I hope you give a little bit of you and your love today...

With love...rds

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GRANNY & JOEL (HUNT)!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GRANNY & JOEEEELLLLLLIIIIIEEEEEEE...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

We love you so much! Hope your days are beautiful!

Robin & Joel

Back to Norm...

Things are getting back to normal around here. I'm sitting in the recliner, listening to Joel practice his guitar. We cooked dinner, watched some tv on the couch and surfed the net. I'm sleeping like a baby (I never understood that phrase. Don't babies wake up every couple of hours to eat and such?) Anyway - I'm sleeping very well. It feels great. More than ever I'm enjoying everything about our days. I'm getting back into the gym routine, work and even trying to get home a little early when Joel's home. Little things aren't bothering me so much these days. It's amazing how simple life is when you eliminate all the needless worry. I am so thankful for all that makes up our lives together. I finally caught up on Tara and Jenny's blogs tonight and I can't WAIT TO SEE THOSE BABIES AGAIN! I also can't wait to see THEM again!

We all have so much around us to be thankful for...rather than wishing for what we don't have or for different outcomes, I have resolved to be appreciative of what we are already blessed with.

In other news...

Joel is doing great. He has started taking guitar lessons. A good friend of ours here in town is teaching him and it seems like he LOVES it. I've kept him busy with honey do's the past few weeks (nothing new). February is a pretty easy month for them - out for three or four days a week, home the others. It's been really nice having him home so much. Ragweed is going back in the studio in March out in California so he'll be out there for the first week. Then we GET TO SEE THE HUNTS!! They are coming the third week of March so they will get to be here for Joel's birthday. YAAAAYYYYY!!

I think I'm caught up for now. Normal feels pretty good, but it sure sounds boring in blogworld.

Peace to you all!
rds

"The Big Incident" FAQ's

I know, i need to put it on paper. All of it. But I'm still wrapping my mind around it. In the meantime, here are some FAQ's and my most succinct answers...until the full story.

1. What were you thinking while all of it was going on?
Well, honestly, I fell asleep at the gate and didn't wake up until the "explosion." I heard the noise and asked the girl next to me "what was that?" She had been asleep too. The cabin filled with the smell of fuel and electrical fire, we banked hard left and THAT's when I got scared. We were descending rather than ascending and THAT's when I knew we were in trouble. The pilot came on the intercom and said "BRACE FOR IMPACT." I thought "I'm not ready!" (meaning, I'm not ready to brace for impact, I don't know how to brace for impact, WHAT DOES BRACE FOR IMPACT IMPLY???) And as I looked at the other passengers putting their heads between their knees and hands on the backs of their heads, I did the same thing. I thought - no way this is happening, I'M NOT READY!!! When we hit, I assumed we would be under water and I immediately wondered if my cell phone would work. I thought about calling Joel. I thought about how to kick out the window of a plane while it was under water - and before I could sit up I heard the guys behind me (the exit row) yelling "GO! GO! GO!" So I went.

2. Was it mass chaos getting off the plane?
Yes and no. I was in the row directly in front of the exit (9F was my seat). There was a guy there helping everyone from the exit row forward get out. I had my purse in my hand and was standing in my seat because there was so much stuff on the floor. He hollered at me to "come on" and i started over the back of the seat. He told me to grab my seat cushion, so I dropped my purse and grabbed the floatation device (they really do work, by the way). He hurriedly ushered me out the door where I stood on the wing, helping others out the door. Our side (the right side) was pretty orderly. Men insisted on women and children being loaded into the raft first. We had a family on our side, too, with a 3 yr old daughter and a 9 month old son. EVERYONE pulled together to make sure the kids were safe.

3. Did you get wet?
Yes. Everyone got wet. Although when I first got on the wing it was like standing in a shallow puddle, by the time I landed in the raft, I was up to mid calf. There was a lot of fuel in the water - I can't imagine what the people who jumped in the river directly from the plane went through. I watched the father of the two kids jump in to get to the ferry faster, and he was immediately paralyzed by the cold.

4. Were you on the NY side or the Jersey side?
Jersey. And they were phenomenal. I don't care what anyone says about Yankees - they were nothing but kind and generous. By the time the first boats pulled in, they had delivered boxes and boxes of the ferry workers uniforms (sweaters, dickies pants, long sleeved shirts, beanies) to us and were wrapping us with blankets, towels and even their own clothes to get us warm. The ferry terminal became a triage center - they served us coffee, hot chocolate, cookies, and even sent someone out to buy socks for all of us. I can't put into words what respect I have for the NY Waterway staff and the Port Authority Police. There was absolutely no hesitation at all on their part. They didn't wait for someone to tell them to help - they helped. I wish I could paint the emotions I have that go with the images of those ferry boats coming full speed at us while we were standing on the wing.

That's all I can think of for now...I'm sitting at home with my hubby, with a pot roast in the crock pot, planning to spend the evening curled up on the couch with him. I have a phone now, and (obviously) a computer. There is still a lot up in the air - and the emotions come and go in waves - but bottom line is, I'm home and safe and I recognize the magnitude of how I've been blessed.

I love you all! Have a wonderful evening. Cherish your family!

rds