Where were you?

   Today is a day in American history that we remember the events that happened on September 11, 2001. It's a day of tragedy and heroism that was felt across our country. Everyone who was alive at the time says...where were you on that day 15 years ago? Alan Jackson wrote a song that asks "Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day". 
  So where was I? I was at home snuggled in bed with my 18 month old and my 4 day old babies. My 7 year old was at school and my husband was at work. My sister in law called to tell me what was happening. I turned on the tv and sat and cried as I watched the events unfold on national television. At that moment I realized that I was scared for the safety of my children. The world that they would grow up in had just changed. This was the first strike on American soil since Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Life in the US would never be the same.
   I watched as the media announced that our president would be addressing the country soon, live from Barksdale Airforce Base in Bossier City, Louisiana. At that point I was terrified for everyone I loved because we didn't know if the terrorists were aiming for our president and they had just put a target on us in the Shreveport Bossier area. A friend checked my oldest out of school and brought her home to me. I just wanted to hold my babies close to me. To do everything I could to protect them.
   As they days went by, the story started to unfold. The heroes that took over a plane and chose to crash the plane and take their lives instead of allowing the terrorists to kill more people. The first responders that ran head first into buildings that were on fire and lost their lives trying to save others. Doing what they did every day. Children lost mothers and fathers. Mothers and fathers lost children. Our country and these families, most of all, suffered a terrible tragedy that day.
   That day became a day that would be taught in American History in high school forever. Most of the high school freshman this year are the first to be taught about this day but weren't alive for it. They didn't personally live through that day. I have a freshman this year and she was alive. She was 4 days old. She still had the new baby smell. I have so many thoughts about that. See she was due on September 29 but because of circumstances I was scheduled for induction 2 weeks early...on September 11, 2001. Yes, I was scheduled to give birth on the day that rocked America. Of course she had other plans and decided to come on her own almost 3 weeks early on September 7. My baby was here and the days after her birth were filled with  happiness that our little family was complete. But it soon turned to fear of what would happen to our country and how it would affect my children's lives.
   Because of that day 15 years ago, so much has changed. We no longer trust. We no longer welcome others into our country with open arms. We no longer believe whole heartedly that we are safe on American soil. While taking the lives of so many innocent people, they took away our comfort.  Since that time so many soldiers have lost their lives fighting to restore that sense of comfort. The time they spend away from their families, fighting for our freedom, is time they can never get back. Moments they will miss that can never happen again. So today, as you sit back and remember where you were and how you felt on that day 15 years ago, remember those who lost their lives that day and those who have lost their lives since then fighting for us. Pray for them and their families. And pray for those who continue to fight each day. As the words of our national anthem say "our flag was still there"  and it's still there today.