September 11, 2001

A friend posted on Facebook where she was when she heard about the Twin Towers. I can vividly remember where I was and what I was doing. I had dropped Caleb off at daycare and had just gotten to work when the first one happened. I walked in the door and it was on the Walmart televisions when you first come in the door.

I watched, frozen. It was like slow-motion of people walking in around me and stopping in their tracks when they saw the screen.

That day, my husband was supposed to be on an airplane for work, headed home from Detroit. I knew his final destination was not New York, but I never knew where layovers would take him. At that point I could not reach him and thought he was on the plane.

When the second plane hit, I left work. I went and picked up Caleb, listening to the radio the whole time, and we sat in front of the tv all day. I was 6 1/2 months pregnant with Isaac and had an almost three year old. I remember praying over and over not to let it be his plane, knowing it HAD to be SOMEONE's plane.

I have never been so scared in my life. I did not know how many planes were going to crash. Paul had only been traveling frequently for a few months at this point and I was still not used to him being on planes so often.

Obviously, we were one of the lucky ones that day. He did not get to come home that day, but he eventually made it home on a chartered plane, He got back to us.

Out of all the trips to this day that my husband has made, this was, by far, the hardest on me. It took me a long time to not fear him getting on an airplane after that.

I will never forget that day or where I was or what I was feeling. I am so blessed that my husband WASN'T on THAT plane. My heart still goes out to everyone who lost a loved one on that day. And to all of those who have lost a loved one to the war that came out of this. My prayers go out to those that are still fighting and their families. I was scared that day, for my husband, but the family members of those that are fighting have that fear EVERY. DAY! I cannot imagine.

To me, the families of those fighting are as much a hero as those that are actually there. GOD BLESS THEM ALL!