History in the Making

I have a surreal story to share...or perhaps you have already seen it on CNN or my name on the Internet!

Brian's sister Shannon is visiting this week and the only tourist attraction she wanted to see was the National Holocaust Museum. This is NOT a place for children, so I arranged a sitter for Caden (thanks Brandee) and Shannon and I headed up there this morning, June 10.

We had been at the museum a couple hours and I had already made 1 trip out to the car to re-supply the meter. Security at this museum is tight...a guard opens the door for you and about 4 or 5 more greet you inside as your possessions are scanned and you pass through a metal detector. On my way back in from the 2nd trip, they randomly selected me for a special search to make sure my purse didn't contain explosives. I caught myself thinking, I wonder if this security guy has ever found anything?! I almost asked, just for friendly conversational purposes, but for whatever reason, refrained. I took my purse and walked about 20-30 feet toward the main portion of the museum.

Then I heard a thunderous bang. I am not sure how to describe it, other than that it sounded sort of like someone had dropped a concrete block from the 4th floor. The sound came from behind me, and I turned around out of curiosity. Then immediately 2 more loud bangs echoed and complete chaos and panic ensued.

GUN SHOTS.

My first instinct was to get out of that huge open area so I looked for the closest door. I scrambled to get inside an exhibit called "Daniel's Story," which is completely enclosed. People were screaming and shoving (I was one of the shovers...don't mess with a pregnant lady!) until we got as far back into the exhibit as we could.

Now what? I called Brian, and hearing his voice invoked tears. I also realized maybe that hiding spot wasn't ideal, as it was one winding hallway with only two doorways. Being separated from Shannon made it even worse. She didn't have her cell phone and I had no way to make contact with her.

So I talked to Brian and waited. He helped calm me like no one else could. He evenly and methodically asked questions and assured me things would be okay. Thank God for my Marine and his incredible sanity in high-stress situations. After about 5 minutes, a security personnel entered and ushered us toward the back exit. I caught myself hesitant to cross the main entry again...I looked around warily and hurried across. It was eerily empty except for the stream of people exiting Daniels' exhibit.

Once outside, I was a one-track mind to get to the car. This was my only way to reconnect with Shannon. So here's me, 7 months pregnant, pretty much sprinting and weaving through the streets of DC! Traffic was already bogged up and cops were EVERYWHERE. Sirens were nonstop. 14th street was already completely blocked off. I had to walk all the way around the Department of Agriculture (which takes up an entire LONG city block) but finally I made it to the car. No Shannon.

So I waited. And watched. I walked to the corner of 14th and C Street and could see the front of the museum from that corner. I saw one stretcher with a man loaded into an ambulance and they rushed away. More cops, fire trucks, news vans, and helicopters continued to show up. Meanwhile, Shannon kept her wits about her and borrowed someone's phone, calling her sister first to get my number (and only revealing to Heather that it was a "security" issue) and then getting a hold of me.

The police blocked off streets and made it difficult to navigate, but after an hour apart, Shannon and I found each other. It was literally a running/hugging reunion. I'm sure it looked corny, but we didn't care! After a quick interview with some random reporter, we hopped in the car and got out of there as quickly as we could.

Looking back, it still doesn't seem real. We watched the news when we got home and learned that the gunman was an 88-year-old white supremacist. He shot the nice, tall security guard that had opened the door for me moments before. The other guards returned fire. Sadly, the security guard did not survive. The gunman remains in custody in serious condition.

I'm honestly relieved I didn't actually see anything. I was just far enough around the corner that I could not see the entrance from my vantage point. That would have been an image etched in my memory forever that I'm glad to do without.

Shannon actually saw the gunman for a few seconds. She heard the noise from the 2nd floor and went over to the window to see what happened. She doesn't recall hearing the other shots but saw a man come into view, pointing and then waving around a gun with a long silver shaft. She immediately backed off the window. She was essentially quarantined on the 2nd floor for 10 minutes until they were ushered out.

Part of me wonders how things could have been different. What if I had struck up that conversation with the security guard and stood there for a few more seconds? But I guess we could wonder things like that all day, huh. It just wasn't my time, nor Shannon's, thank God.

Even though I never would have considered bringing Caden to a place like that, I still felt such relief that he was safe in Quantico. Brian called me repeatedly, especially after he saw the news, and I think he was taken aback by just how close I was to the crime scene. Poor Shannon...this isn't what she had in mind when she asked to visit the Holocaust Museum. Me neither. She did joke about how efficient the city was in handling it. There were even caterers on the sidewalks handing out food and drinks within 20 minutes of the shooting. As she put it, "they've done this before." Sad.

News travels fast and I've already received a ton of phone calls. My Uncle Jim heard about it and put the Omaha World Herald in touch with me. I spent a lot of time on the phone with them and cannot believe the huge article they printed. I'm sort of embarassed: http://omaha.com/article/20090611/NEWS01/306119952. I went to Google and typed in "Holocaust Shooting and Geraghty" and my name came up a bunch. Shannon's does too. I even found myself in a video fleeing the scene: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/061009_raw_video_visitors_run_from_museum. (It's about 30 seconds in...I'm in a black shirt and green gauchos.) Probably the most unusual is my friends Emily and Paul Blake live in the UK, and they discovered my quote in the Metro, the most widely circulated paper in the country.

Crazy story, huh. That's the kind of thing you see on the news and empathize with, but it certainly takes on a whole new spin when you are actually there. I'm still replaying it in my mind.

***

It's been a while since I've updated the blog so I'll fill you in. I promise the remainder of the blog will be more positive! The trip to Iowa in May was a good experience overall, despite some stressful times with Caden here and there. We spent the first half with my family on the west side of Iowa and then visited Cedar Rapids for 5 days to see the Geraghty's. Caden's new cousin Marcus is a doll. I think he knows that he's the 5th Hasley child because he is such an easygoing, happy baby. Heather has had an excruciating recovery from the C-section but is finally feeling better.

Marcus at 17 days


Caden and his cousins played well together now that they're older. Caden followed Lawson around like a puppy. Him and Isabella seem to have a cute love/hate relationship.

The cousins


Kicking contest


Maybe Cade IS ready for a baby brother/sister?!


We spent one day at Shannon and Dane's house. Shannon graciously allowed Caden to play with her kittens, or perhaps torture would be a better word? He couldn't get enough of the fuzzy toys. Grandma Pam took joy in sharing her horse Shadow with him as well. He had absolutely no fear and hopped up on her no problem. He helped groom her and fed her carrots and apples by hand. I love my farm boy.

Note the orientation of the cat


He still talks about Shadow


Grandpa's buddy


With all these happy moments came some tough ones as well. Caden didn't sleep well the majority of the trip and still hesitated to get out of the car. At times he was virtually inconsolable and a bit crazy. I don't know why, other than that he was overwhelmed by all the new places and faces. Thank goodness he's back to normal here in Quantico.

Brian kept plenty busy working, training, and camping while we were gone and left on a trip to California the day before we returned. He competed in the All Armed Forces Triathlon on June 30th. He finished 12th overall and 3rd out of the Marines. Five of the guys that beat him are professional triathletes so he was up against stiff competition. He achieved a PR at 1 hour, 58 minutes. He improved 4 minutes over last year and 17 places. He said the weather was good, his swim was vastly improved, and his bike was his fastest ever. He cramped up on the run but finished strong. Overall, he was comfortably pleased with his individual performance. For anyone that knows Brian, that in itself is an accomplishment. I just wish I had been there. I haven't seen him race yet this year and am looking forward to joining him in Philadelphia next weekend.

Brian with his tri team boys


Caden about jumped out of his skin when Brian returned home that Sunday. We were at the park behind our house swinging, and as soon as he saw him, he started kicking his legs, grinning, and laughing. He clung to Brian the remainder of the night and refused to let me join in "their" play at the park. I didn't mind. I love seeing the connection between my two boys. And 3 1/2 weeks apart is a long time.



Caden truly loves being back in his normal environment. He begs for his pacifier more again though, so I think that needs to go soon. He sleeps through the night and has been eating like a horse lately. When we were in Iowa, he spontaneously starting hugging and telling me loved me. I absolutely melt.

Shannon's visit this past week was awesome, and yesterday's drama made it, um, memorable. She's such an easy guest and she even cleans the house and does our laundry. I want to keep her. We went to the pool, shopped, ate yummy meals (she's taking 4 recipes home), and watched movies. Caden let her read him a story the last night, a special privilege.

The boys made us a cardboard fire


Looks safe huh


I'm now at 32 weeks and that Aug 2 due date is drawing near. The neighbor girls recently threw me and Junior G a baby shower at a local Mexican restaurant. Our waiter was a little off the wall and we were probably incredibly loud and scared off all the other patrons. It was a blast. A BIG thanks to Brandee and Angel for hosting and also to all my Quantico girls...your friendship and generosity is treasured. I mean, not all friends would make special M&Ms that say "Baby Button"!!!

I'm pretty pumped about this gift...let's just hope this baby actually likes the swing!

Thanks for the baby's new crib mattress, Grandma...


...but the box is the most fun.


Junior G is growing (A LOT) and moving (A LOT). I finally bought my prego bathing suit and feel pretty hot! (NOT.) My glucose test results showed that I am anemic, so that explains why I am tired, winded, and easily bruised. I'm on supplemental iron now and perhaps that will help.

The zigzags must be helping to distort my size...trust me...I'm bigger

Caden's first trip to the pool for the year, and he's smiling


That's plenty to throw at you for now. God bless the security guard that died, and his family. For me, it was a close call, but sometimes those wake-up calls are not all bad. It keeps your priorities aligned. I don't have much to say about the gunman, except that he's proof that the hatred we viewed in the halls of the museum is unfortunately still alive today. We can all make a difference by recognizing these problems and displaying a complete intolerance for racism, hatred, and violence.

Here are some more fun photos. Enjoy!

Hanging with cousins Andy and Jordy at the American History Museum last week

Helping Grandma with chores

Caden occasionally beats up on Collin, but he's forgiving and continues to hang with him...you're a peach, Collin

Supper with cousin MaKenna, and they played soooo well together

Great Grandma Klindt does some serious rough housing with Cade, Brian style

Happy birthday Grandma Pam!

Helping Grandpa Pat plant the garden

Fighting fires at the Omaha Children's Museum

Planting soybeans with Papa, probably his favorite activity of the whole trip


#27, Caden's calf (the one he saw born)


Hagen and Caden get their cake on


Caden and cousin Cody were thick as thieves


Meeting Lesley Carlin for the first time...she likes us! And doesn't a boy AND a girl look pretty in my arms? Girl girl girl...

Vacation in Iowa

Brian returned from his trips to Hawaii and Florida tan and relaxed. Hmmm...where's my vacation?! Yes, he's typically the worldly traveler while Caden and I wait back home, but we've swapped roles for the month. We arrived in Iowa last Thursday and left a sad Brian behind. More time apart...but we should have the remainder of the summer together after this trip. He's got a lot on his plate this month anyway with catching up on work, fixing his bike, and training for the All Armed Forces Race on May 30th.

For good reason, I get a tad anxious for travel days. Flying solo across the country with a toddler can be a 3-ring circus. He's a good traveler, but there's still tedious planning and a constant need for entertainment. Also, after losing our luggage for a week at Christmas, I was prepared for Armageddon.

To my relief, everything went smoothly. Caden normally won't sleep with other people around but he zonked out for an hour and a half on the plane. I was bewildered and practically held my breath for fear I'd wake him. Post-nap, we scarfed down gooey Midwest Airlines chocolate chip cookies and watched the movie Bolt on my work laptop. He wore his seat belt almost the entire flight without objection. The nonstop turbulence was annoying but I'll take that over an antsy toddler. The only downer was I somehow managed to leave his pack of DVDs in the terminal. DUMB. But that wasn't the end of the world. I mean, they brought us our luggage...that in itself was a miracle.

Is this my kid...sleeping on the plane?!


We had a hectic, but nice, Mother's Day weekend. Jen flew in the same day so my Mom was thrilled to have all her kids present for the holiday. We joined G&G Klindt up at Cuppy's Grove for church followed with a BBQ at her house, and then steaks that night with G&G Goettsch. Brian had some beautiful flowers sent to the house, Jen gave me a card, and Mom spoiled us with ridiculously good food.

4 Generations

Swing me, Gramma!


Hanging with the big boys


A flower bed, literally (and GG Klindt didn't even mind)


Caden didn't seem to have gotten the memo that it was Mother's Day though. He was periodically cranky throughout the day and screamed as I tried to take him into church. Turns out, he was running a fever and had caught a bug. After a couple sleepless nights, he's back to his normal, happy-go-lucky self, aside from the fact he's scared to get in the car or leave his car seat. Apparently, he's overwhelmed and the car seat is his safe-zone. He begs for me to re-buckle his seat belt and wants us to go without him. Poor Caden...we're always shaking up his world.

At least he's sleeping beautifully. My Mom created a John Deere bedroom just for him. She also digs out new "old" toys for him every day. He likes to explore the farm and would sit on my brother's tractor all day if we'd let him. My Aunt Marj brought over Dylan's old motorized ride-on motorcycle and that has been a hit as well.

He's understanding more about farm life. He already did a little planting with my Dad and I'm sure there will be more. Every tractor he sees, he thinks Papa is inside. He keeps asking about the combine so he has his seasons swapped. Planting, Cade...harvest is later! Mom and Dad are shocked at how much he talks, most of which they can understand. He learned "windmill" on the way to Atlantic last night.



A ride on the 720 with Uncle Jeff


Ruining Grandma's walls


Chasing rabbits on Grandma Goettsch's golf cart

Yesterday, Caden witnessed something special for the first time. Dad needed to check the cows and I jumped at the chance to go with. We had been cooped up inside due to rain, and I was ready to get out. Caden disagreed, but I'm glad we went anyway. As soon as we arrived, his tears subsided and he wanted out of the truck to see the cows and run after the kitties.

And then, WE WATCHED DAD PULL A CALF!!! She was a big one and the cow was too exhausted to do much. They're both fine and Caden got a taste of REAL farm life. He didn't understand that he should probably be quiet though...he just kept jabbering away about Papa, fences, cows, and kitties. I haven't seen a calf being born in probably 15 years. It was pretty cool, and also a reminder of the labor I will endure in 2 months. Alarming. At least my baby won't be 50+ pounds and sporting hooves.

We plan to spend Memorial Day weekend in Cedar Rapids with the Geraghty's. Marcus Andrew Hasley joined the family on May 7th! He weighed in at 7 lb 6 oz and is doing awesome. Our nieces Gabrielle and Allie argue over who gets to hold him and are still in awe that he's really "there's." Heather is healing as well as can be expected following a C-section. She pushes herself too much, but luckily our saintly Aunt Diana is spending the week to help and will FORCE her to rest.

Caden's 5th cousin, Marcus Andrew Hasley


Regarding Junior G, all is well! I have to go to appointments more frequently now, which I JUST LOVE (not). This kid appears to be doing a triathlon 24-7 and is still sitting low. Now that I'm getting bigger, my back is killing me. I had back pain with Caden so this is no surprise. Brian and I are still tossing around ideas for names but nothing even remotely nailed down. Maybe we'll just let Caden name the baby. (And in that case, it would probably be "tiny oranges," "combine," or "froggy.")

Me & cousin Angie...we feel huge.

Grandma Klindt has another round of chemo this week. She feels great but tires easily. As you can see, her appearance doesn't show any indication that she has cancer. I stayed with her and Grandpa during one of her treatments yesterday. She has a comfy recliner to sit in and the hospital looks new. We're trying to fatten her up and I coerced her into a peanut butter cup on the ride home! They will re-evaluate her in 6 weeks, after she has 2 more rounds of treatments. They upped the chemo this week because she is taking it so well. Please keep praying, and also for the many people out there that have been diagnosed with cancer. Seems like it's popping up frequently with family and friends.

Keeping Busy

Brian is back on the road again so we are in activity mode. I try to plan something every day to keep our minds off our missing counterpart.

Unfortunately, it doesn't necessarily work. Lately, Caden sleeps restlessly, wakes up with bad dreams, and is up for the day before 7. Yikes! Then when Brian returns, he sleeps like a rock. I hope it's just a phase or deployments will truly be miserable. I typically don't sleep well when Brian is gone either, so we'll just be sleep-deprived together.

My latest and greatest activity was the March for Babies 5K walk last weekend. We walked for all babies of course, but in special recognition of Brandee and her daughter Sarah.

Take careful note of Angel's t-shirt

The event resembled a race, but without the jitters and long lines at the Port-A-Potties. I could get used to that...especially the part where you aren't drained at the end. However, I will sadly admit that I was tired by the end of the walk. A trip to Dunkin Donuts afterwards restored my energy. Thanks for a great day, Angel and Brandee. It was truly an honor. AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for your fantastic support. The three of us combined had about $1300 in donations.

Speaking of babies, our baby is growing. I'm at 26 weeks and am feeling huge (see above photo). I am beginning to realize we're having another kid soon and I might want to start preparing. So I tackled the new furniture refinishing project, a tall dresser for Caden. Same deal as last time; I sand and Brian stains. I will expect him to have it completed by our return from Iowa at the end of May...okay, Brian?!

Rain has been abundant, so spring is alive in Virginia and I suddenly don't mind living here again. In between storms, we enjoyed several play dates outside this past week. I'm acquiring a farmer's tan. (Great...that will make me look even BETTER in my maternity swimsuit. It's official...I'm wearing a parka to the pool.) He loves mud puddles. He races through them and watches the water splash as he goes. Then he pulls the wagon through and watches the tires. This is extremely reflective of Uncle Jeff behavior.

Always running


Tour de Caden


He decided to just sit in it


Ahhh Mom, my eyes!


He's such an outdoorsy kid that I waited for nice weather to take his 2-year photos outside. My friend Nicole Benitez has a business called Perfectly Posh Photography and was thrilled when I asked her to shoot Caden. We took him Lunga Park and just basically let him play and run around. I cannot believe some of the neat moments she caught. You can check out more of her work at her sites:

http://www.perfectlyposhphotography.blogspot.com/ and http://www.perfectlyposhphotography.com/.

She might be the most patient photographer I've ever met and although she claims she doesn't like getting dirty, she is certainly willing to make that sacrafice if it means a good shot. I love them all and I think I'll be purchasing A LOT of photos. It's nice to know that photo shoots don't have to be stressful...thanks Nicole! Here's a few of the shots.













When we're inside, lately he's drawn to the "TB" and specifically requests Curious George. I try to limit it since there's better things to do, not to mention he zones me out just like his Dad (BIG PET PEEVE). Landen gave Caden his old kitchen so that's been the recent highlight. For whatever reason, he took our can of coins and filled every nook and cranny with money yesterday, which was a pain to clean up!

Curious George


He recently started offering his own prayers at bedtime. He prays mostly for the baby, his friends, and grandparents...but also his toys, trucks, frog, and pacifier. Tonite, he wanted to pray for "tiny oranges." (He loves mandarin oranges, and I figured "tiny" would be easier to say, so that's what we call them. SO cute.) Anyway, I told him I'm not sure we should be praying for tiny oranges...but it's hard to discourage him when he's just starting to get it. So I guess we'll add tiny oranges to the list.

Did he just eat a tiny orange?!


While we're discussing oranges, any time I mention Jeff's girlfriend Tina, he pipes up, tiny oranges! So I hope we kick that before our trip to Iowa in 2 weeks. Otherwise Tina will be puzzled as to why she's being referred to as tropical fruit.

Speaking of tropical, Brian was in Hawaii last week and Florida this week. He relished in being on his old stomping grounds in Hawaii and brought back a Hawaiian shirt for Caden and chocolates for me. He was not thrilled with his race performance, and that's an understatement. Placing 7th out of 350 is awesome in my book, but he was focused on his terrible swim and bike times. It was just a practice race anyway.

Today, he competed in the St. Anthony's Triathlon, a HUGE event that attracts thousands of triathletes, including pros from the US and abroad. Almost the entire Marine Corps Tri Team flew in and competed. The swim was cancelled due to rough waters, so they were disappointed. Brian placed 22nd in the elite amateur category. He never fails to amaze me. He finished first on the team and felt good about his performance, which was a refreshing (and somewhat rare) positive response.

Some of the 2009 Marine triathletes


Now he's bumming for the week with his pal Ethan Copping until Ethan's graduation commissioning ceremony on Saturday. He deployed with Brian in 2003 and asked Brian to be his first salute as Naval officer. Brian will still have to do some work while he's there, but I know Brian...he'll get bored. He doesn't like being too busy, nor does he like too much down-time. Luckily, Ethan has planned some long bike rides and movie outings, so I'm sure they'll have a good time.

Have a GREAT week!!!

Happy Easter!

Brian was gone most of this past week but returned in time to celebrate Easter with us. We went to 8:30 mass this morning and joined some neighbors for a fancy meal afterwards. I made 3 desserts (the Goettsch's will be glad to hear that Gobble Gobble was a hit). We spent the remainder of the day outside, watching the kids hunt eggs and playing some competitive games of bags.

Mad dash for eggs, and Caden jumped the gun

Who thought it was a good idea to hide Cade's big egg in the mud? Thanks Brian.


This was Caden's first Easter coloring and hunting eggs. We colored the eggs in the kitchen and he only gave us a heart attack a couple times. He had an incessant need to recklessly plop the eggs in the cups and then swap them in and out. Messy. But fun.

I want that one. No that one. And that one. That one?


He got a kick out of finding eggs too, but mostly only because of the candy. He's an M&M fanatic and he asks for them frequently. The Easter Bunny brought him a Nascar M&M semi truck. We let him take it to church this morning, which was good and bad. Good because he was well occupied...bad because he screamed "no" if we tried to move it. An elderly lady across the aisle kept giving me the eye. He's 2...give us a break! He looked handsome in his new Easter attire (which acquired a grass stain immediately following mass). The Easter Bunny brought Brian a hat. Apparently the Easter Bunny forgot my gift.

Nice hat, Kenny Chesney.

Leave no soldiers behind


Yet another truck for the collection


Looking sharp (and anxious to eat more M&Ms)

New purpose for the nasty Easter grass


I filled in as a confirmation sponsor at Easter Vigil...congrats Killian!


In other random news, my first ever yard sale had mixed results. We held it at my friend Angie's house. The wind blew our stuff all over the yard and we lacked signs for a while (don't ask). But I did sell some stuff and plan to try again. I seriously thrive off selling things we don't want...it's an addiction. Money for crap? That's my kind of gig.

At the end of March, the Simms from Denver went on a family vacation in DC and Caden and I joined them for touring the American History Museum. I wish they lived closer...Lauren would be a perfect babysitter for Caden. Seeing the Star Spangled Banner was inspirational...and Caden loved looking at all the trains and vehicles.



Brian's race season kicks off next weekend with the Lanikai Triathlon in Hawaii and then the St. Anthony's Triathlon in Florida. I'm just wondering why the heck I'm stuck in Virginia while he's "vacationing" on sunny beaches? While he's gone, Caden and I will do the March for Babies. I haven't been very active since I got pregnant so I hope I can survive 5 miles.

Regarding the pregnancy, I recently traded my headaches for a nasty cold. Eh. People predict that we're having a girl, but I'm on the fence. When I tell Caden that the baby is kicking, he tries to kick the baby back. This baby is sentenced to a rough and tough big bro. Yesterday, Brian was on the phone and out of nowhere, Caden ran from the other room and pounced on him, asking to wrestle. Brian was so proud...his toddler is now a full-blown boy.

And on that note, he sleeps like a champ in his big boy room. No fear, and he actually requests for us to leave. After his story before we even do prayers, he practically pushes us out of the bed, waving and saying "see ya, bye bye." The first night it happened, Brian looked like someone had taken his puppy.

Cade in his QUEEN size bed, covered with trucks


Monkey in a window


Getting his dance on at the library (blue shirt)

Future journalist (that's a Chicago Manual of Style)

Serious sweet tooth


Grandma Klindt has started chemo and will go every other week. After her first round, she was fatigued but not nauseous and her white blood cell counts were stable. Much of the family joined them for Easter and there's nothing they love more than having family around. My Grandma and Grandpa Goettsch are back from Texas again for the summer, so I'm excited to see everyone when we return next month.

Once again, we hope you had a very blessed and happy Easter.