Remembering...


I, like many other Americans, remember that day.
That day that all of our lives changed.
That day that left us feeling vulnerable and fearful.
That day that left you asking, "why?"

That day, I was sleeping.
My phone rang at 8 something in the morning and it was Chris calling me to tell me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center tower.
We had a four year old and a six month old.
I was tired when he called. He was on a business trip and I hadn't gotten a full nights sleep...that six month old's fault.
I wasn't really paying much attention to what he was telling me.
I got off the phone.
A few minutes later, a friend called...told me the same thing.
I became a little more alert.
Then, Chris calls again...not only had a plane hit one tower, but another plane just hit the other tower!
It's looking like an attack on America.
I'm fully awake now...and along with millions of others, glued to my TV watching the footage of the second plane hitting that second tower.

Unbelievable, that's what it was.
How could something like this happen?
And the very scary part of all of it was my husband was in Chicago getting ready to head to the airport to fly home.
But then they grounded all of the flights.
And he had to drive all the way from Chicago.
Luckily he hadn't returned his rental car.

I remember being on the phone all day.
Talking to different people about the events.
All of us shocked and scared at what all of this meant.

I remember all of the crazy rumors.
And the truth.
Other attacks happened.
The Pentagon.
A plane that went down in a field in Pennsylvania.

For some reason it was rumored that gas prices were skyrocketing and that there was going to be a shortage.
I went to get gas in my car.
There were ridiculously long lines at the gas pumps.
My babies sat in the backseat strapped in their car seats.
Did they sense my worry?
Did they sense anything was wrong?

All day the images played over and over on the television.
Planes hitting buildings.
Buildings collapsing.
People afraid.

All day, I waited for Chris to get home.
Luckily he had a cell phone.
I got to talk with him throughout his travels home.

I felt thankful.
Thankful that all that I loved were safe.
But I also felt scared.
Scared of hate.

I praised God when Chris got home.
I questioned God on what had happened.

That day will always be with me.
I was changed that day.
My family was changed that day.
Our nation was changed that day.
I will always remember.