11 Years Ago Today...

11 years ago today I was in 8th grade. 
After 1st period, everyone was talking about some planes crashing but no one knew what was going on. In 2nd period, our teacher went out in the hall to talk to another teacher and came back in the room with a shocked expression on her face. By 3rd period, we all knew something was going on. Some teachers were letting students watch it on tv, others weren't. In 3rd period, which just happened to be American History, our teacher wouldn't let us watch it. But in 4th period, all we did was watch the coverage on tv of the planes going into the Twin Towers. I can still vividly picture that in my mind. The rest of the school day is pretty much a blur until Mom came and picked me up from school. I was asking her all sorts of questions and was understandably very terrified. 

Something else happened at school that day. My class was given information about the annual 8th grade Washington D.C. trip for that spring. Needless to say, I took it home and it was set aside for a long time. I really wanted to go, but was also pretty afraid. The company in charge of the trip sent a letter to all the parents letting them know that it was perfectly safe for us. Some parents didn't let their kids go, but the majority of us went. I'm so glad I was able to go and have that experience. Mom told me before we went that if President Bush didn't think it was safe for us to go, he wouldn't let us. That's all I needed to know. 

I am so very proud to be a citizen of this country and I'm glad I was able to experience that trip. One image from that trip that will always be with me:
As we arrived in D.C. (by bus), we went on an overpass that went right by the Pentagon. We just happened to be going by the side that was hit by one of the planes, so we saw the American flag draped over the side. 
May we never forget the lives that were lost and sacrificed on that day. You will live in our memories forever. 

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