Never Forget

Nine years ago today my son Evan turned four years old.
Bryant was scheduled to teach a class at the business college in the evening so we celebrated his birthday at breakfast. We had birthday muffins (instead of cupcakes) and there was a candle in his. We sang happy birthday and he blew (spit) out his candle. He opened his miniature "Toy Story" action figures (complete with Zurg, his favorite). Then we kissed dad goodbye for the day, sent Garrett off to school and went on with our morning routine.
That is as "normal" as the day would be. I turned on the televison to watch Good Morning America a little before 9am to find a LIVE report of a fire/explosion in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Diane Sawyer was reporting in the studio that the cause of the explosion was unconfirmed but there were witnesses that said a plane flew into the building.

The North Tower

I was curious and continued watching. At 9:03am I watched LIVE as a plane flew into the South Tower. I was shocked, confused, and sick. I immediately called Bryant who was working for a large defense contractor in the Washington DC area. He let me know that there wasn't much work being done in the office he was in as they were all watching the news via their computers but, he was safe. At 9:37am a plane flew into the Pentagon which was no more than 6 miles from my husband's office building and just over the 20 miles from our home. I was no longer a spectator, I was a victim. Of course I had been a victim all along but at hearing the news of the crash at the Pentagon my perspective changed. I knew this was no longer an accident, this was an attack. Bryant called on his way out of his office to let me know he was on his way home. He was one of the first to leave the area so he missed the traffic and he was home in record time. I remember my concern for my sister-in-law and my uncle who both worked in Manhattan. I remember the way I felt; violated, stunned, shocked at the chaos, unsure of the future, sad. The day is a blur except that I remember watching as the video of what I saw LIVE was replayed over and over and over again until I finally turned of the TV. Little good it did, I could still see it in my head. My sister-in-law had nightmares due to what she saw and heard. I still remember vividly the sick pit in my stomach and the vulnerability I felt that day.
I don't know where you were on September 11, 2001 but I know that I will NEVER FORGET.