{remembering 9/11}

This is one of my favorite pictures of Dylan & I.  Twins with the Twin Towers.  My uncle took this photo of us in 1994 {or 1995} & I will forever cherish it.

Like many people, September 11, 2001 is a day I'll never forget.

I was in fifth grade & I remember being in math class. I remember someone knocking on our door & asking for the teacher to come outside.

I remember hearing the words plane & crash & New York & Los Angeles.

I remember thinking: my dad's on that flight. He lived in Los Angeles at the time, & I knew he was flying somewhere that day. Thankfully, it wasn't his flight.

I remember all of the parents coming to pick up my classmates.

I remember not understanding what was going on.

I remember my friend Megan. Dylan, Megan, & I ventured off down the halls of the empty school. All of the teachers were asked to leave the televisions off, because they didn't want to worry us, but we found a vacant classroom with the news on.  The images of the burning buildings just heightened my confusion. A teacher quickly saw us & turned it off.

I remember Megan coming home with us early that day, because her mother was the head of middle school, & had to deal with some things at the school.

I remember my mom briefly explaining what was going on, but telling us not to be scared.

I remember playing outside with water balloons. Water balloons. It was a beautiful day & we were kids.  & we had no reason to be scared.

But we did. & it wasn't until the days following that Tuesday did the whole catastrophe really sink in.

.
.

I have some connections to the World Trade Center.

My dad worked in one of the Towers for some time, & when I had just learned to walk, my family attended the Christmas party there. I tripped, hit my forehead, & had to be rushed to St. Vincent's hospital for stitches--one of the hospitals most victims were taken to.  It's odd to think I was hurt in the World Trade Center, nine years before that fateful day. & it's scary to think...what if my dad had still worked there?

On September 10, 2001, my stepdad & I went to a boating show on the Hudson River. We were across from the Towers the entire day--the day before the planes hit.  From where we were, I don't think we would have been killed, but we would have been in the center of the chaos. We would have watched the entire thing happen.

Dylan & I would often visit NYC growing up, & we would also pass it on the way to Conneticut {our step-sibs grew up there.} We had a game that we played where we'd spot "Mickey & Minnie."  Mickey was the tower with no antenna, & Minnie was the tower with the antenna. {The antenna was her "bow"}.

Even to this day, I still catch myself looking for Mickey & Minnie.

I'll forever remember that scary day. I'll forever pray for the families of the victims & the families of the heroes who served that day. & I'll forever be grateful to live in a country that picked itself up in a time where it seemed impossible.