10 years later.....

September 11, 2001
Just like the rest of the country, I can't believe it's been 10 years since the day we were attacked.  I was a sophomore in high school.  I was sitting in the front row, third seat from the left in Driver's Ed.  It was second period.  We flipped on the TV after the science teacher came running down the hall shouting to turn on the news.  We watched it live, as the second plane hit.  I was 15 years old, so naive, so innocent, so clueless.  The entire class's immediate reaction was "well, how are they going to get the planes out?"  It seems silly now.  None of us even knew what the World Trade Center even was, and here it was, in front of our eyes, changing history forever.

I've always been patriotic.  My dad was retired Army, my grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge in WWII.  It's in my blood. But this changed my outlook on this country.

The strength of this country as a whole and individual communities will always be remembered in my heart.

Has it really been 10 years.....

I think of all the things that have happened in 10 years:
- I learned to drive
- I went to Prom
- I graduated High School
- I started college
- I bought my 1st car
- I had my heart broken....a few times
- I joined Zeta Tau Alpha
- I met my best friends
- I found the love of my life, my husband.
- I graduated college
- I moved to Kansas City
- I started my 1st "real" job!
- I got married
- I bought a house with my husband
- We adopted a dog
- I've created a life for myself

Sitting in that classroom, 10 years ago, this day was WAY too far in the future.  But I've never forgotten.

There are many heroes in this world because of that day.  There are those who immediately responded: Fire Fighters, Police, and others at the scene.  There are those who gave blood, donated money and time, those who drove across the country to lend a helping hand in any way they could. There are heroes who signed up to serve their country in the military knowing they would be sent to dangerous places to fight with the risk of never coming home.  There are those who return after volunteering to serve deployment after deployment.  There are those who give the ultimate sacrifice. Heroes from that day are all around us.

I think about 9/11 often.  It's the little things that bring it to my mind.  My husband.  The woman in uniform at the supermarket. Hearing a stranger thank someone for serving this country.  Flags flying out side the neighbor's house.  Going to work.  Donating blood.

9/11 is all around us.


Tomorrow I'll be spending the day with my husband.  Thinking of those who lost loved ones and praying for those in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tomorrow will also be the day I convince my Husband to go with me to Lowe's and purchase our 1st United States Flag and hang it outside....but he doesn't know that yet.