Nine Years Later

Early this morning, I wanted to write about the anniversary of Sept. 11. I did not want to take away from how life-changing on so many levels that day was by giving free exposure to certain events that were suppose to happen that have been in the news lately so I decided I would do two things in this post: first, acknowledge the victims and the heroes of that day and second, since this is my blog, tell how it changed my life.

To the families of the victims of 9/11, I have come to realize something. Not only did you lose loved ones that day, but you yourselves were victims. Your lives were changed, loved ones died heroically just going to work in an office or for an airline, going on a trip, diverting a plane into a field so there were less victims than originally planned or putting on a police, rescue or fire fighter uniform that day. I know this day is painful for you and I extend to you my deepest sympathy even today.

Because of that, other lives were changed. Children and adults suffered from nightmares, teenagers were sent to war on the front lines and even more heroes were lost and wounded in combat defending our country.

My family did not lose a loved one that day but our country was attacked and we will forever hold this day in our hearts just as we do Pearl Harbor, Vietnam, Korea and those from history books and generations past.

My son went to war. I remember telling him that morning nine years ago that I did not want him to go to basic, which was already scheduled for three weeks from then, and he told me it was more important than ever that he go because America was his country. He now has a brain injury and PTSD because he never faltered when ordered to go.

In the last nine years, my children have grown up like so many in our country, the siblings of a war hero (they are ALL heroes to me). We have struggled like so many with a depressed economy, fears and anger, a new battle at home with the VA system and I have been dealing with Empty Nest Syndrome.

In the past nine years, I have gone from a single parent to a grandmother of a beautiful young boy who is the spitting image of that same combat veteran son, given the name his father had decided on for his future child when he was barely a teenager.

I have a son dealing with a brain injury from war, a younger son going to a well known Texas college and a beautiful Force of Nature daughter starting a nursing school dream.

This morning, at 9:29, I received a text while on break with several co-workers.

Will you marry me?

It was from my husband, another big change in my life. No longer a single parent, I am now the luckiest woman in the world when it comes to love. My friends tell me they see how he looks at me, my children know he is the real deal and my mother completely approves. And he still proposes even though we are married.

There are a lot of things about the past nine years that I wish I could change. The attack on our country. The heroes lost. Loved ones gone for friends, family and strangers everywhere whether they are gone because of 9-11 or something completely different. My son's battle scars, both physical and mental. Some of my decisions as a parent.

As I showed my co-workers the text and wrote back Yes, I knew there was one thing I would not change and that was Albert and our love.