10 Years

I have been sitting in front of this computer on and off for a week and a half now. This is the first time I have even attempted to write this blog. Nothing about September 11th is easy, and writing about it is just an emotional ride.

10 years ago today I was in a car on my way home from a vocational school, when the driver received a life changing phone call. "A plane just crashed into one of the towers!", that is what I was told. I was confused by exactly what that meant, or even what "the tower" was. Within a few minutes I was home and rushed to the television. The second plane had just hit, and I needed to sit down. I was young, a Junior in high school,  but this was something that hit me hard. If you have read any of my previous blogs you will quickly learn that I am a patriotic person, and have been since far before becoming an Army wife.

I was so sad sitting there watching the smoke, watching the fire, and then watching as people were jumping from the buildings. Then I was angry. Who would do something like this, who was heartless enough to take the lives of so many others. It seemed as though the day would never end. Reports of the towers falling, the Pentagon had been hit, and then Flight 93 crashing near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. What was next that day. What was next for the United States for the years to come?

As I went into my regular school it was a very somber feeling. Everyone was quiet, confused I guess. The principal was not allowing us to watch it on the televisions (although some teachers did). At the end of the school day the Lee Greenwood song, 'Proud to be an American' rang out through the school speakers. Little did I know at that point in my life, how much this day would effect the rest of my life, and my fellow Americans.

It is surprisingly hard to get an exact count of the lives lost that day, all say close to 3,000, but differ from number to number. Either way, even if it was just one life lost, it was one life too many.

One thing that I can say my children will know from that day, is the way that the United States came together in the weeks to follow. Flags flew, signs were posted, ribbons were tied on trees. It was as if we all had a connection to the ones lost that day.

I am not going to get into a huge political tirade on here, because we know that emotions run high when it comes to that topic. What I will say is that I do not like war, I do not like seeing soldiers, and civilians at that, losing their lives in such horrific ways. With that said, I 100% stand behind this war. We are the United States, we are strong, and I believe with all my heart that we needed to fight back. Unfortunalty I do not feel as though any of this will ever end, terrorism wise at least. But I am proud to say that I am an American, that my husband is fighting for this war, and that thousands of troops have given their lives for the thousands that lost their lives on the day that changed the future of this country. God Bless America, and those fighting for our freedom.