Where were you?

I haven't yet had a chance to watch the news, our tv has been playing Lilo and Stitch all morning long, but I'm sure today is going to be devoted to remembering the anniversary of 9/11. It is one of those days that everyone will remember and think about where they were and what they were doing ten years ago. Just like our grandparents could tell us what they were doing when they heard about Pearl Harbor, we will always remember what we were doing when the towers were first struck.

Lance and I had just come back from our honeymoon. We were initially set to fly back home on the 11th, but had decided to change our plans and come back on the 10th instead. I don't recall exactly why we changed our plans, but I sure am glad that we did. We were living in Minneapolis at the time, just outside of downtown in the Uptown neighborhood. Lance was up early, watching the news in the living room letting me sleep in. I remember him coming back to the bedroom and telling me I needed to get up and watch the news with him; something bad was happening and I needed to see it for myself. I remember sitting on the couch with him, both of us in complete silence listening to the newscasters recount what had just happened, not really able to take it all in.

The first plane had hit and was sticking out of the tower…I remember thinking, how on earth could that have happened? How will they get that down from there? It didn't even occur to me that this could have been a terrorist attack, I just never thought in those terms before. Then as we were sitting next to each, letting the tragedy sink in, we watched as the second plane came out of nowhere and hit the other tower. It was at that moment that it really hit home to me, this was an attack. This was an attack on our country. What does it all mean? Will planes be hitting in every city? Are we safe? What else will happen?

I am so glad that we were safe in our own home able to watch the news with one another. We could have been in the airport trying to get back home or worse yet, on a plane flying home. I remember not leaving the couch until maybe 5:00 that night, we were unable to pull ourselves away from the tv. There was just so much tragedy to take in, I didn't even know what to think. It was all just too much.

Even now, ten years later, it is still too much to think about. I know as soon as I turn on a 9/11 memorial, I will instantly start to cry as if it were happening all over again. In fact, I can't even get through this post without crying…it is just still so tragic and so unbelievably sad. Today is going to be one of those days that Lance and the girls get extra hugs and kisses because I am just so lucky to have them