) ( ( ) Good Morning Family! ( \ .-.,--^--. ( Come on in. . . \* ) \\|`----'| - The coffee pot's on. . . .=|=. \| |// ...and we even have decaf, |~'~| | |/ tea, and hot chocolate! | | \ / _|___|_ ------ (_______) Today's topics include: 1. Welcome to new cousins 2. The day the world cried 3. Notes * CHAT: forum closed today; return to regular list format * Record the tragedy TO OUR NEWEST COUSINS ~~ On behalf of the entire family, I'd like to extend a most hearty welcome to those cousins who came into the family fold this past week. We are very glad to have you with us and hope you'll stay and remain a part of our online family. As soon as you're comfortable with us and the list, please send in your Bower[s]/Bauer or Baur lines so we can all see how we're related to you. We do not have a fancy format for sending in records or queries to the list. Post as many as you wish! If the data has anything to do with Bower[s]/Bauer or Baur ancestors or any of the 81+ variant spellings we research that might help someone, please feel free to post it. Every scrap of information is appreciated. If you haven't visited the homesite of this list yet, you are encouraged to do so. Our home is Bower Community, located at <http://bowercommunity.com>. There, we currently have two sites: The Bower Family Homestead [a.k.a., the Homestead] is our primary homesite and the gathering place for much of our information. It waits to join us all in welcoming you into the family at <http://bowercommunity.com/homestead>. Smaller is our sister site, the Bower Cottage, which houses most of our projects including an online GEDCOM fed by quite a few cousins from our research groups. Find the Cottage is at <http://bowercommunity.com/cottage>. THE DAY THE WORLD CRIED September 11, 2001 ... the day the world cried and forever, changed. There is small chance that anyone alive, except those very young children, will ever forget what happened that day. Though the attack occurred on U.S. soil, it wasn't just the U.S. who suffers. Citizens from 62 nations were also killed that day; our global family is filled with heartache. I have spent the better part of this past week trying to write something especially meaningful for you and me, but nothing comes to mind. The acts of 19 men impacted horrifically on the minds of the world and though they may have thought they were dying for a supreme cause, brought nothing more than shame on themselves and turned the global community against them. As down as I have been these past two weeks, I _REFUSE_ to allow them to destroy me! Though I still have a bandaid on my soul, I am beginning to try and find anything good that came out of all this. And, believe it or not, there HAS been good. My list is short right now, but when I read it, I feel somewhat strengthened; and so, I'd like to share this list with (especially) those of you who are still in the depths of depression: * Thousands of people, more than were killed, actually survived those awful attacks! * The completion of the terrorists entire plan was foiled in Pennsylvania and when the FAA ordered all the airborne flights to land immediately at the nearest airport. * The planes weren't full. * Thanks be to our Creator that the terrorists didn't use nuclear or biological weapons. The results would have been much more cataclysmic. * I'm alive to feel all this pain and I know it won't last forever. * The firefighters continue to work around the clock ~ they're not giving up. * The world has come together as one voice ~ regardless of nationality, race or religion. * The United States has rallied under its symbols ~ her flag and eagle. The terrorists may have hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but they definitely missed the soul of America. * The U.S. flag STILL proudly waves! They made us cry, but they only made our spirit stronger. And now, the eagle has bared her claws and sharpened her beak! * The world is coming together to stand shoulder to shoulder in brotherhood with a common goal. * I can still look out my window and see the sky, trees, grass and flowers. * We still have our online family and each other. During one of my 'down' times my best friend, Brenda Moore, reminded me that to stop doing genealogy would be to give in to the terrorists by letting them run my life. She's right, you know. Thanks, Bren. NOTES * With the wise reminder from Brenda, I now close down the CHAT: forum and ask that we all return to the topic of the day ... genealogy. * We as family historians have witnessed, to date, the greatest event of our lives and saw history in the making. It's important that we get it recorded for our descendants 3-4 generations from now. And now, I leave you with this gentle reminder... Family ... it's truly what we're all about. I wish you a week filled with health, productivity, fun, and above all, filled with love and peace. ) ( ) _.-~~-. (@\'--'/. Colleen ('``.__.'`) `..____.' P.S. I'd like to share a site with you that I received this morning. <http://www.debsfunpages.com/wtc7.htm>