no words.

i was planning on blogging this morning about our epically wonderful trip to dc over the weekend.  but then life happened.

it's funny to me that the last time i posted on this blog was about the wolfpack - because today, as PI & i ran through back bay looking for my brother, i was thinking about the wolfpack the whole time.  mostly, about my brother.

my brother was at a bar at the finish line, and PI & i were planning to meet him after lunch.  we had just finished lunch when we heard what happened just a few blocks from us.  i immediately began calling my brother.  but since phone lines were jammed, nothing was getting through.  i told PI to get his shoes, because we were going to look for aj.

so we grabbed our keys and cell phones and ran out the door.  we ran up massachusetts avenue, against the waves of people pouring out of back bay.  some people were yelling, crying, holding on to one another.  some were laughing with their friends, seemingly unaffected.  some just walked silently out of the evacuated area. 

but i was in a panic.  my phone was vibrating in my pocket moment after moment, with warnings from my dad and step-mom [who works at the boston globe] that more explosive devices were found, to get out of back bay, starting group texts to get my brother to answer.  texts starting coming in from family and friends, asking if we were ok, to respond back as soon as we could.  but until i heard from my brother, i felt nothing else.  i posted a frantic message on facebook for my brother to find us since we couldn't use our phones.  and so on we walked, as ambulances raced past us, and police cars zoomed in either direction, lights flashing and sirens blaring.  sirens were blaring everywhere.

within half an hour or so, my phone rang and it was aj.  as soon as i answered we were disconnected - but minutes after a text came in from my dad that he had heard from aj, that he had been evacuated but was fine. 

we walked back to our apartment in a daze, gripping hands.  we went upstairs, grabbed a few essentials, and walked to my dad's loft in southie to be with family and get further away from back bay.  it was there we heard about the fire in the jfk library, and at the time people were saying they were related.  we sat around, hugging, watching the news, and having a few stiff drinks.

it was a scary day, and a tough reminder that everything can change in just one moment.  one moment PI & i are arguing about going out day drinking, the next minute we are searching for my brother after a bomb detonated a block away from where he was.  

boston is a reliant city, and people here are tough.  i'm seeing people pulling together by getting to hospitals to donate blood and offer their home up for stranded runners to stay.  but many of the people affected by this tragedy aren't from boston, and people come from all over the world to participate and watch the race.  my thoughts and prayers are with all of the wounded, physically and emotionally, and first responders and volunteers.

we are home safe now, though the sounds of sirens are still drifting into our open bedroom window.  it's terrifying to me that something like this can happen literally blocks from our house.

thank you so much to everyone who reached out to us today via social media or on the phone to make sure we are ok.  it means a lot to me.

til next time...
be safe and take care of one another.