I remember

Nine years ago, I woke up with my oldest daughter who was 16 months old at the time. I don't remember now what may have been planned for the day. My neighbor, a friend of mine, called. She had been watching the Today Show and told me that I needed to turn on the tv. The first plane had just crashed into the Twin Towers.

I turned on the tv, wondering what could have gone wrong that a plane could run into a building like that. How does an accident like that happen? My friend and I continued to talk on the phone as coverage went on live, when we saw the 2nd plane crash into the other tower. Seeing that plane crash into the tower, it was easy to figure out that this was no accident. Who would do such a thing and why? And then the report came in that the Pentagon had also been hit. Flights were being grounded.

Coverage returned to rescue attempts at the towers. The sight I would see next will forever be engraved in my memory. It was a sight I would never had expected. The first tower collapsed. The second tower was shortly behind. New York was in chaos. Despair was seen on everyone's faces. My heart ached for all the families who lost loved ones.

And then came the report of the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. The plane, as we would find out later, whose brave passengers would not allow another plane to crash into another building.

It all seemed so unreal. I stayed in front of the tv all day, trying to find out more information, hoping to find answers to my many questions and all the while feeling guilty that my 16 month old was near by. Would she pick up on any of the horrible things that were going on? I certainly hoped that she could remain in her innocent world, playing as usual.

I remember feeling so relieved for the families whose loved ones for whatever reason were late to the Twin Towers that day and escaped the disaster and for those few who were rescued, even from a stairwell, which unbelievably kept them safe as the towers collapsed all around them.

I am so thankful for those who have served and those who still serve our country, continuing to fight for our freedom and safety.