I can remember hearing my parents talk about Kennedy getting shot.  They knew where they were and all of the things that were happening around them.  It is etched in their minds forever.  9-11 is forever etched in our minds as well.

I remember getting a phone call and turning the TV on and watching that second plane hit and watching the building go,  and then watching the second building go, in total disbelief.  I remember thinking ‘my boys will never know the America I knew–before terrorism hit America’.  They were only 3 and 4 years old. (my 2 little ones are now 3 and 5)

I remember, after the second plane hit, I ran to call my husband’s company. They were all in there big weekly meeting,  I knew there was a chance some of the sales reps might have been planning on going into government buildings and they were closing all government buildings, because it was now CLEAR that this was NOT an accident.

The receptionist ran in to let them know, they stopped their meeting and they all watched in disbelief.

Then came the next hit and then the plane that went down in PA.

My little boys would pray day after day for the people in those buildings. I loved hearing their sweet little prayers but I hated that their little minds were filled with something so tragic. It was everywhere.

Do you remember when everyone was proudly hanging a flag. We were, for a short time, a UNITED NATION. A praying nation.

I can not believe that it has been 9 years. I often wonder what ever happened to “that family” that was in a magazine? I remember one story: a couple of ladies were sitting on their porch in New York, watching the smoke, off in the distance.  A man was, in a hurry, walking by, with his 2 little girls. The ladies asked if he was OK and he replied “My wife works in those buildings. I went and got my girls out of school and I am trying to get to my wife so I can have my family together”. I wonder if she made it out and they were ever re-united. In his panic, he may not even remember that he had that conversation or he may not have seen that story to say “that was me”.

Do you remember ALL OF THOSE MISSING PERSON SIGNS–Everywhere?

The mommies who were preganant and the children who would never meet their Dads. Those little babies are 8 and some 9, now.  I remember a story of one woman who went into labor that night and gave birth to twins. I wonder how her heart handled the mix of so many emotions–sadness that her husband wasn’t there for the birth of their new little bundles of joy, worry, fear,  hope, despair, excitement, joy, HOW can this BE?, What now?, the feeling of needing to go search but you have 2 little babies that NEED you NOW.

I remember watching the TV, hoping, praying, believing people would come out. I remember the hospital personnel waiting, ready for the injured to come rolling in, but they never came.

I remember the stories of people carrying people down flights of stairs just in time, before the buildings collapsed.  I can only image the heroic stories that took place in those buildings,  and we will never hear those stories.

The rescue dogs that would not stop, even though the pads of their feet were burned from the burning steel.

My heart breaks for those people that jumped to their deaths and hopefully their families never recognized them.

Many Heroes, many Moms and Dads who were heroes to their children and wives, lost their lives that day all because of a deep seeded hate.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

UNITED WE STAND.

MSNBC has several stories today and that is where I pulled photos from.  Check out these stories:

9 years later, Where are they now

Grace and Unity