the 9/11 post.

the bell had just rang for first period to start.
we sat in the band room talking to ourselves when my teacher came running out of his office to turn the tv on to a news station.

we stared at two large buildings with smoke billowing out of it.

my teacher went running back into his office to pick the phone back up. there was a giant window so we could see the expressions on his face as he listened closely to who ever was on the other line. his face showed terror and horror mixed with some disbelief.

a room full of 7th graders fell silent.

none of us had any idea what was going on.

the rest of the day is a blur. i remember being called into the gym with all the other students in the school and slowly watching half the gym empty.
being only miles from Patrick Air Force Base, kids with military parents were being called up front to be taken home.

i remember coming home to my mom and older sister crying in the living room. through her tears she was trying to explain to my little sister and i what was going on. i remember watching the images of the buildings falling over and over again. i remember seeing the images of people running for their lives. i remember thinking that it looked like snow with all the dust.

that night, with millions of other americans, we sat as a family and watched our president in our time of need. we watched him tell us that he was, like us, grieving for this horrific terrorist attack. we watched him tell us that we needed to rely on god in this time of need. we watched as he promised to bring justice to america.

the days that followed brought out what i wish we did every day.

people flew their flags high. people wore 'God Bless the USA' tshirts. people didn't care what party you belonged to...we were all just americans.

and here we are 10 years later.

this morning as i watched those scenes over again on the tv, i couldn't help but cry. i watched as the planes just sank into the buildings. i watched as humans flew from the sky to their death. i watched yet again people running for their lives. and i wondered...how am i going to tell my children about this?

how can i explain to them what a terrorist is?

at some point in my life i'll have to find that answer. but for now...i'm just thanking god for being an american.

it's hard to believe that ten long years have gone by. it's hard to believe that we finally caught the man who was solely responsible for all the madness.
i'm so beyond thankful for the courageous men and women in uniform.
some of you reading this might not agree with the war right now...but i do. i agree with people risking their lives for my safety. i agree that we needed to enter into this war to find the people who did this to us. because what if we hadn't? yes, i do think love and peace go a long way...but at some point you have to ask the question of what if we didn't. where would we be today?

{i'm old school}

the light will always triumph over the dark. and although that was one of the darkest days in our nations history, Gods light will shine through, each day stronger than it did the day before.

today i'm remembering all those people who died that day. the employees, the fire fighters, the police men, the brave ones. and today i'm remembering all the fallen soldiers who were fighting for me. thank you, you have no idea what you mean to us.

cause i'm proud to be an America,

where at least i know i'm free.

and i wont forget the men who died who gave their life for me.

ps. i'll be back soon with a post on life.