nmah299.xml

nmah299.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I woke up as usual on that morning to wake my girls up for school. This particular Tuesday morning they had a 2 hour late start because of a teachers meeting. I turned the TV on to watch CNN which is what I usually do if I have a few minutes in the morning. I saw the first building already hit, thought it was a accident. Called my girls, 9 and 11 in to watch. Then they along with myself witnessed the second building get hit. Glued to the TV all morning, we watched with fear. Phone ringing, emails going out and coming in. My youngest crying in fear. My oldest watching with curiosity. My youngest did not want to go to school. We took both to school, knowing life had to go on. Feeling maybe a little safer than most living in Iowa.

My youngest couldn't sleep for months without fear of death, the devil, evil. She is still filled with fear about things she never worried about before. I feel her life was changed in a way I am not sure it affected many 9 year olds, miles away with no family being involved.

I feel like I have never felt before that the end of the world is going to come due to human hatred! I am sad that my children are living in a world like this. As a child I felt so secure. I fear my children don't feel that way.

The way the world responded to the innocent lives lost. The way we united against the evil of the world!

We immediatley flew our flag for about 8 months. As a family we put it up. It was our childrens idea. I feel emotional when I hear patriotic songs.