It’s September 11th.  I wonder if there is anyone over the age of say 17 that doesn’t remember where they were 10 years ago. 

Roy was getting ready for work.  He was going in a little late that day, and he was rushing around trying to get ready.  I had already put the older boys on the bus.

“Roy, turn on the TV!” I yelled up the stairs.

“I’m coming down.  What’s up?”

“A plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers.  I wonder what’s going on?”

We still weren’t sure what was happening, when Roy left for work.  About 15 minutes later I called him on his cell.

“Another plane crashed into the other tower.” I was close to tears at this point, “The news is saying it’s a terrorist attack.”

“My god.”  Roy was silent.  I’m sure we talked for a few more minutes, and then we hung up.  When he got to work, he called me.

“I’m gonna put you on speaker. So we can all hear what’s going on.”  Roy and his co-workers crowded around the phone.  American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37am, and there was silence.  I don’t think any of us could believe what was happening.  I sat on the floor with Addi in my lap, as Roy, his co-workers, and I all listened intently to the newscasters, who were just as stunned as all of us.

Around 10am word got out that a plane crashed somewhere in PA.

“I wonder if that has anything to do with the other planes?” At this point, most of Roy’s co-workers had gone down the hall to watch on a larger TV, but Roy was still on the phone with me, “Maybe passengers were able to overtake the hijackers?”

Roy and I pondered this for a few minutes, and then I told him to go watch with his friends.  Addi was getting fussy, and I needed to get him something more to eat.  

As the morning wore on, it became clear that brave passengers were able to fight the terrorists, and the plane was intentionally crashed to prevent the passengers from completely taking back the plane.  

“I need diapers.” It was probably around lunchtime, and I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer.  I had two left.  I bundled Addi into my car and drove to the store.  

Aside from employees, I was the only person in Target.  As I was paying, the young man checking me out asked if I had any more news.  He had come into work after the second plane crashed and was not aware of the plane that hit the Pentagon, or the plane that crashed in PA.  As I told him, he shook his head and looked down, I could see the tears falling from his eyes.

“What is going on today?”  His voice shook.

“I don’t know, sweetie. I just don’t know.”  I rarely call people I don’t know terms of endearment like that, but something told me he needed that.  As he handed me my bag, I squeezed his hand, and he nodded at me.  I took my things and hurried out of the store. I wanted to be home.

The kids were released from school early, and I met the boys at the bus stop.

“Mommy!  What’s happening?”  Corey was scared, and he put his little arm around Joe on one side and held Addi’s hand on the other.

What did I say?  What do you tell a 7 year old?

“Some bad men crashed planes into buildings in New York City and Washington DC.”

“Where’s Daddy?!” They asked. Roy worked near DC then, but not IN DC.

“Daddy’s at work.  He is ok.”

As we were getting out of the car, Corey asked, “Why did the bad men do that?”

I smoothed his hair from his face, “I wish I knew, honey.”

The rest of the day was silent, except for the TV.  The boys played quietly, and I watched in horror as they showed the footage of the twin towers collapsing over and over.

I cried most of the day.  I think we all knew that this COULD happen, but no one wanted to believe that this WOULD happen.  There was a collective loss of innocence that day.

Over the next few weeks as they started to release the names and photos of those killed, the nation mourned for their families and friends.  We mourned for the victims.  We watched as the brave men and women from the NYPD and the Fire Department and other volunteers pulled people and bodies out of the rubble.

I was afraid to send my kids to school. I didn’t want Roy to go into work. But life had to move forward.  Slowly, we found our footing and started to put one foot in front of the other again - unsure and with a trepidation that wasn’t there before. But we took those first few steps.

And now ten years later, Joe is mowing the lawn, Corey is studying, and the little boys are watching Nickelodean.  Life has moved on, but we still remember.