Where were you...

I get pretty emotional about certain things...patriotism is one of them.  I remember going to the gas station to await the special edition newspapers when the Twin Towers were hit.  I remember waiting for hours, the television in the gas station (behind the counter) turned around so all of the patrons could watch the footage in absolute horror.

And while I was watching the reports and recollections and as I was reading the articles, I was struck by just how much technology has changed since then.  I know, it's a weird thing to get stuck on when there are much bigger things to remember.  I read Ari Fleischer's tweets of what he was doing on 9/11/01, and how things are so much different now, and I hadn't even thought about how iPhone hadn't even been invented yet.

Whoa. 

It doesn't matter if it's the anniversary of 9/11 or another random day in the year...but the brave men, women and children who lost their lives that day pop into my head all the time, and I have to swallow hard past the large lump that forms in my throat.  When I re-read the stories of loved ones lost in the towers or the Pentagon or that random field in Pennsylvania, tears fill my eyes.  Even now, as I mull over what I want to express, I find it hard...and we all know that coming up with words is NEVER an issue for me.

There were 10 pregnant women who died that day, and 10+ babies who never got to experience life in the real world.  I never realized there were that many...and that made me so sad.  10 men didn't just lose their wives/significant others that day.  They lost their unborn children, as well.  It's a pretty sobering thought.  Even though my knuckleheads drive me crazy sometimes, I couldn't imagine never having the opportunity to meet them here on this Earth.

So, we spent our Thursday loving each other a little more and spending a little more time together and while that may not seem like a whole lot, it was something. We talked about what today commemorates.  We talked about the heroes and pride and patriotism.  When the boys left for school, I watched the moments of silence and prayed for the families of those who lost their loved ones.  And then I realized that it's been 13 years.  Some of these children never knew their fathers, never got to feel what it was like to get a hug or give a high-five...and that made me want to vomit.

I hate there are people who lost their lives thanks to some cowardly terrorists.  My Facebook post says pretty much all I need to say:

"We will never forget. Cowards took countless lives that day, and changed not only the American people, but the scope of our entire country. Families were ripped apart as people lost their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, children, aunts, uncles, cousins in the Twin Towers and the resulting aftermath. People watched in shock, outrage, and fear as our worst nightmare unfolded right before our very eyes. Families shared last phone calls with their loved ones before they crashed into the Pentagon. And a group of true American heroes on a plane in Pennsylvania figured out what was going on and made the conscious, collective decision to not go down without a fight. They struggled and they fought against the evil on board their flight, and they succeeded in thwarting the terrorists' plans. Two years ago, I stood at a wall filled with names of heroes, erected in the exact place where the plane made impact in that Pennsylvania field and began to slide. As I stared at the names on that wall, tears streaming down my face, I felt nothing but immense pride and gratitude for these true American heroes. They knew they were going to die that day, and yet, they chose to die fighting for our country...average American people. They didn't sign up for this, nor did their families, but they are heroic and brave and always deserving of our recognition. To all of those who lost someone they love on that fateful day, 13 years ago, we salute you. We will never forget, and their memories will always live on. God Bless the United States of America."

Aubs