what were you doing?

I had another post planned for today, but this morning when I woke up with my precious daughter in my arms and we came downstairs and turned on the TV, I decided I wanted to write about today... ten years ago today.  Someday my children will read this, and I want them to know what their mommy and daddy were doing on this day that they will only read about in their history books. 

We lived it.

I will never forget where I was on September 11, 2001.  It was my second year of teaching, and I was in my classroom with my students that morning, doing our normal daily routines.  Craig was also at his school teaching.  A fellow teacher next door to me came into my classroom that morning and told me that an airplance had hit the World Trade Center.  At that time, we didn't know if it was an accident, or what was going on.  Little did we know, three more planes would crash that day, which turned out to be a horrific terrorist attack on our country.

We immediately took the kids out for recess so the teachers could take turns watching the TV which we set up in the library.  I'll never forget sitting there, watching those planes crash and the towers collapsing into a cloud of dust.  I called Craig at his school and we talked about it.  I called my mom, who was also at her school.  We were all in disbelief.  My dad was still alive on that day, and I can remember all of us being so devastated.

Many parents came to pick their children up from school early.  I remember when it was my turn to take over recess duty for a while, looking up at the sky and how quiet it seemed.  No planes were flying.  It was so still.  Almost eerie.  It was like this for days afterwards, as all the airports shut down. 

As I sit here and watch the people announcing names of the loved ones lost on this day, I just can't help but remember as the tears are running down my face.  A little boy reads the name of his father and says he never met him because he was in his mom's belly.  He said  "I love you for loving the idea of having me.  You gave me the gift of life and I wish you could be here to enjoy it with me."  I also watched a girl read her father's name, who died on her 10th birthday that day.  They are dedicating the beautiful new memorial in New York City where the towers once stood.

I am watching all of this holding my sweet Kerigan in my arms.  I look at her and can't even imagine what it must have been like for those families who lost loved ones.  For the mothers who were pregnant and lost their husbands, who never got to meet their children.  I just can't imagine.  I definitely have different feelings about it this year, than I did back then.  Craig and I had been together for not quite a year at the time.  We were very much in love and knew we were going to get married and hopefully have children someday.  I'll never forget crawling into bed with him the night of September 11, 2001.  We just hugged and talked for what seemed like hours.  Our lives have changed so much in those ten years.  We now have created our special little family that we love so much.  A lot has happened in those ten years.  And yet still, we will never forget.  And we treasure each other even more after remembering such a tradgedy.  We are so thankful for our families, and that we are all together.

Our country came together that day.  Everyone hung American flags everywhere.  It was so amazing to see.  Everywhere you went you would see flags hanging... in people's windows, in restaurants, even stickers on people's cars.  There was such a sense of unity.  As devastating of a day it was, it also made you proud to be an American.

My sweet Andrew and Kerigan, someday you will learn about this tradgedy our country endured.  I pray that you will always feel blessed to be part of this great nation, and that you will always show respect for the lives that were lost by growing up to be good citizens and good people.  Daddy and I are doing our best to rasie you to always be kind to others, and show them that you care.  You are both our miracles because you didn't come easy to us.  We wanted you both so badly, and we are forever grateful that you have blessed our lives beyond measure.

Ten years ago, this was the life we dreamed about.  You have made our dreams come true. 

Our lives have been richly blessed in the last ten years.  And we will always look back and remember...