8 years ago-How life changed

The first picture is Landry at little over 6 months old. Ignore the picture quality. No pictures of Landry at that age are on the computer. (A task I need to do!)

The second picture is Landry at 8 years,, 6 months, 8 years after the first.

Yesterday, 9/11/09 was 8 years since our lives changed forever. I'm not sure why it hit me so much yesterday. Maybe it was because I spend so much time in my car now listening to Fox news or maybe I am just far enough away now that I actually realize how much life has changed in those 8 years.

Like everyone I vividly remember the events of that day and exactly where I was. I was teaching 9th grade that year. I had been sent downtown to an inservice. We were sitting in a conference room and the leader of the workshop told us what she had heard. Of course at that moment it was the thought of how sad that a plane had flown into the WTC. Little did we know how that moment would change our lives forever. As details came in we realized this was not an accident. Ms. Parrish, the leader gave us a little bit of time to pray and make phone calls. It is very hard to explain why but I wanted to drive to Susan's house and get Landry. I suppose it was a mother;y instinct kicking in. After I talked myself down from that I called Susan and checked in. She had one child in college and was doing the same as I was, trying to check in on her. The next phone call I had to make was to my dad. I am not sure why but I needed to talk to him. It was not for the reason one might think. I did not need protection or was it because I was scared. My dad fought in Vietnam and is as patriotic as any one I know. I needed to talk to him to check on him. He sounded awful and was trying desperately to sound strong. I remember thinking how sad he sounded. I cried for him and all the others that have tasted the bitter taste of war. I think I remember him saying he felt nauseous.

The next picture had always gotten to me. I cannot, in my wildest imagination, imagine what it felt like to be told that America was under attack. The most amazing, yet criticized part of this picture is that President Bush did not react. Much like my dad tried hard to sound strong for me, President Bush looked strong for the children he was in front of. He did not just up and rush out of the room. He said he did not want to worry them. We've all been told devastating news before and had to keep a strong face for our kids, students, spouse, or whoever. That is not to say we did not lose our minds once we were in private.

I also remember watching the President speak that night and feeling a sense of peace as he spoke. I knew that he had been praying about what to say and that we were going to be alright. As Shane and I laid down that night I remember getting up to do something I never did and still don't do. I locked the door to the garage. I felt this overwhelming sensation to make sure we were safe. Weird....like terrorists were coming through my garage????

I also journaled for Landry. I wanted her to have memories of the world as I knew it. I felt so sad to know her world changed that day, a world she didn't even know yet. My kids have never known going to the airport and greeting people as they get off the plane. They have never sat with me at a gate as I waited for a plane. They have never known their country not at war. Landry has seen the devastation to a family as they learn their son was killed in action. There is so much about their world that is different from the world I grew up in. The saddest part is that their world is now my world. I cannot remember much about the world before 9/11 except that it was different.

I loved the patriotism that this country showed for the months following 9/11. I truly believe if we always had as much pride as we did in those months we'd be a better country. I have stood at Ground Zero. I felt a feeling that I have only felt in one other place, the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. In a city of millions, it was silent. I wish NYC could get their acts together and get a real memorial erected. That made me sad.

I hope this country can come together and continue to flourish. I worry sometimes though. So many politicians have become more set on their parties' agenda then they have on the agenda for America.

All this being said, America is still the greatest country in the world. God Bless America.