Friday, September 11, 2009

8 Years Ago

Eight years ago today, we were living in Evanston, Wyoming. I was pregnant with Tanner. We didn't have cable or satellite at the time, or even an antenna. Lexie was 4 years old. I had sent the 4 older children to school when I got a phone call from Wynn. He told me to turn on the radio and proceeded to tell me why. At 8:46 Eastern Time, the Twin Towers in New York City had been hit by hijacked by terrorists jets, one jet each. A hijacked jet had also hit the Pentagon. Yet another jet had been hijacked, but the passengers overtook the hijackers and it went down in a field in Pennsylvania. It was presumed that it was suppose to hit the White House. I could only listen, having no way to watch. Wynn's boss, as well as many bosses across the country, sent them home early, since no one could focus long enough to work. The country was in a state of mourning. We went down town to a furniture store so we could watch what was going on. I couldn't believe what I saw. Total devastation. The country rallied together. We were again the 'United States of America'.

Today they are revealing the memorial that has taken years to build. Many people that lived through the tragedy, many of them lost family in the attack, are going to be there for the reveal. The victims are being honored. Many people that are attending were just children at the time. They will be remembering the parents, friends & family members that were lost.

Maybe with the memorial being revealed it will help us remember what this country is supposed to be about? Maybe we can remember that we are supposed to be 'UNITED'. Maybe we can remember that our presence in Iraq (thank you Donovan and Trevor) and Afghanistan is necessary or the war would be on our soil.We need to remember those who lost their lives that day. Today should be a day of rememberance of so many things.

1 comment:

Sandra said...

I remember eating toaster pastries and an orange for breakfast when I heard about the first plane on the radio. I went in my room and turned on the t.v. I remember doing Brandi's hair as I watched the towers come down. And later eating at Olive Garden for lunch, still not knowing exactly what was going on and how it would affect my family.

Today, I no longer watch the news because when they say "Marines killed in Iraq" I stop breathing until they give the city or the unit. And I thank my boys for being willing to die for me.

And thank those families that lost loved ones that day, that they went on living their lives and trying to make our lives better as they try to make sense of stupid, senseless death.