Sept. 11th

I was going about my morning, making muffins, getting Madeline ready for preschool, etc. when I glanced at the calendar and saw today's date. It's hard to believe that it has been seven years since that fateful Sept. 11th, when we were attacked by terrorists and our world changed forever.

So much has happened in those seven years...I was working at United Way in Des Moines at the time. I was meeting with a translator to translate a brochure I wrote into Sudanese (there is actually a large population of Sudanese in Des Moines we were trying to reach) when we heard the news. The man was so distraught he left the building in tears. I watched on the TV in our lobby later as the towers fell. Like most of you, it was hard to wrap my head around what was happening. It was so surreal.

In the last seven years I became a truck driver and lived in a truck, moved back to my hometown, became a homeowner and a mother of 2.5 kids. A lot has changed in my family and I can't help think of all the lives lost that day, and all the changes those families have endured.

When we were truck drivers we had the opportunity to travel to the 48 continuous states. I have seen most of this beautiful country, and it is indeed amazing. I felt such a sense of patriotism that continues with me today. We are so fortunate to live in America!

I know people have different views on the Iraq war, and different philosophies on what our country has done right and wrong. Lately there has been a lot of mudslinging in the Presidential election, as is usually the case. But through it all we should never lose sight of what it means to be an American, and the sacrifice our military has made to protect our freedoms.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones in the attack, and the many military men and women who are still protecting us.

God Bless America!