Remember

I am having a good day if I can blog once, so it is very unusual to blog twice in one day. It just doesn't seem right to ignore today, September 11.

They said it would be one of the events that we would ask "What were you doing that day?" Well, I remember that day well, as I am sure you all do. It was early morning here in Hawaii. Lee was out in the field for training as he used to do way too often when he was infantry. I had just started teaching Sunshine Generation (a children's performing group) the Tuesday before and was planning my class. I was asleep, of course.

The phone was ringing and I didn't have one next to my bed because I always forget to hang up cordless phones. You're always worried when you get calls in the night or early hours. They can't be good. or in Hawaii they are sometimes Mainland telemarketers.

I didn't catch it in time and could hear my father in-law's voice on my machine. What was he talking about? Planes flying into buildings? It made no sense. I hate to admit it but I thought he might be drunk or at least just cracking up.

I decided to turn on the TV just to see. Oh my gosh. Even though I have seen that footage too many times to count, it still makes me cringe when I remember the first time seeing the 2nd plane go into the tower. I had that TV all on day. My sister called and we talked about it. I remember the terrifed feeling when we heard that more planes were involved and that jets had been ordered to maybe shoot one down. It was insane. Nothing made sense like it was this terrible nightmare.

I called friends and friends called me. We live on a military base so this affected EVERYONE. They said don't leave post, it was taking hours to get on and off because they were inspecting every vehicle. They put up barricades and barbed wire near many of the buildings and more guards. A friend's daughter ran out of gas waiting to be let on post because she let her car idle for so long.

Lee was able to come back from the field late that night or early next morning. I called all my families who I had spoken to about Sunshine to tell them it was cancelled. I still remember one mother saying "So? Why are you cancelling?" "Uh, because people attacked our country. I think this is best." Like she couldn't understand. I didn't even know until later that they were telling us all to stay home anyway.

On Thursday we finally left post and it was like we were in a strange new world. Lee was off work during the day but was gearing for a 12 hour shift on the gates. His company was in charge of all gate guard on 3 installations for about 2 weeks. It was insane. We drove down to Pearl City to go to Paul Armbruster's jewelry shop to have prongs fixed on my wedding ring. Everyone was talking about the attacks. When the owner learned that we were a military family, he refused to charge us for services. I started to cry and thanked him and said "I have had such a hard week." And he said, "I know. We all have."

So 7 years have gone by and it is not always in my mind. It changed everyone's lives. So many deaths, so much destruction and it threw us into war that we are still sinking in after all this time. When Lee went to Afghanistan I felt pride because I believe we should be there because that is where the people responsible for this whole mess could be found. Now he is in Iraq and all these years later and my brain is a big mess of anger, sadness and confusion. I don't want to get into my strong political feelings and I will ask if you read this and want to comment on something like going to Iraq has stuff to do with 9/11 because we want to stop terrorists and blah,blah, please comment somewhere else.

But if you want to comment on your memories and your feelings of our country and the innocent U.S. civilians and brave military members who have died and sacrificed, please do.

My heart is full when I think of all who lost their lives that day and I still have anger that horrible, evil people could attack and kill so violently and cowardly. It sickens me.

I put a picture of my USA onesie on here as a little reminder of our troops. No matter what my or anyone else's beliefs on the war, there is no disputing that these men and women are heroes. They all sign up under their own free will and are willing to go where ever and whenever it is asked of them. I am so proud that my husband enlisted and serves in the military. I am proud of my father and father in-law who both chose to join the military before they were drafted. My father in-law served bravely in Vietnam. My father never went to war, but served honorably for 22 years and retired from the military. Lee's and my grandfathers on each side all served in the military and were overseas in WWII. And my older brother served in the military, as well, and was part of some of the first US troops in Bosnia.

Maybe I am getting off of 9/11 and should have wrote this for Memorial Day or saved it for Veteran's Day. But we should remember that when tragedy strikes and duty calls, they are always there, in spite of the terrible sacrifice and danger. I am grateful for all the military friends we have who face these same challenges all the time, as well. I just pray that they will all be blessed and safe and can all come home to their families soon. And I pray that we will always remember and not take for granted our blessings in life, especially that we are able to be part of this fantastic country. With all its beauty and all its flaws, I love America, my home.