I was having a cup of coffee, with my husband Tom, in our living room and watching the television, when breaking news came on. Katie Couric and Matt Lauer were telling us over and over when the first plane hit tower 1. We immediately called our sons, Justin and Tyler and my older sister Carole and told her to put the TV on. We cried out loud as we saw the unthinkable happen before our eyes. Tom and I were crying at this point and I kept saying oh my God, oh my God. I just couldn't believe my eyes were really seeing this and then the second tower was hit, shivers ran through my body!

Now the Pentagon was hit and my husband was really worried about our country! We called his Mom and Dad and anyone else we could think of that we needed to connect with.

We were glued to the TV and had to hear who had done this despicable act to our country!

I had never heard of Shanksville, PA but it would be etched in my brain after 9 11.  Oh how brave those people like Todd Beamer and others were. I tried to visualize just what the passengers on board would have been doing right up till storming the cabin to take out the enemy. Oh how I had hoped they would be triumphant! Only in a dream did we win and save the people.

We could not function that entire day. We both agreed to get in the car and go to NY to see and touch and smell and be with those who had fallen. We cried and prayed and cried and prayed as we walked every where we could to see what had been done to our city.

There was a memorial on every fence and building, a flower, a shoe, a flag, a picture among many and lists of people unaccounted for. We stood in a long line with so many others waiting to pay homage and say prayers for those who were taken on 9 11. We made sure we stopped by the firehouse and thanked them for their courage and love for mankind.

The roads were wide open with gaping holes and you could see the massive amount of cables and pipes and the guts of the city laying open like a fresh wound.

Every business was closed and the ash was still clinging to the glass.

We also took a trip to the Pentagon and saw first hand the soldiers with guns in the parking area. We stood on the grassy area that looked right at the wall that was hit. Again I couldn't believe my eyes, I said another prayer for the people and families involved and asked God to keep them safe and out of pain.

We were stopped a couple of times in other areas we had walked into by armed officers who were redirecting people out of these areas. It was an unbelievable unsafe feeling.

I love NY and Washington DC and I love my country and my family. I am blessed to be an American. May God stay close to the survivors and the victims and give them strength and hope and peace.