Harrison's dad was at work and I was on the way to visit the site of our first Oconee County residence on the morning of Sept.11, 2001. Nestled in the woods behind Friendship Presbyterian Church, the farm style home was a utopia to me. I remember looking in the rear view mirror to gaze at 2-year-old Harrison while we made our way down our long gravel drive when the phone rang...

Richard was calling to tell me that one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City had been attacked and he and his co-workers were watching the news unfold. I turned on the radio and made my way to park next to the REALTOR in my driveway and handed a stuffed animal to Harrison. It is hard to believe that ten years have passed since that frightful day.

The months that followed that tragic day in our history were a blur of national frenzy and a strong sense of togetherness. Neighbors helped one another and all across the country, genteelness reigned. Media coverage was thick and constant even as the seasons changed and time moved on. Our daughter Hayden was born in August of 2002. (I remember the nurses told me that she came during one of the largest birth waves on record due to "people reaching out to one another in hope" from 9/11.)

Over the years, the kids have seen documentaries about the attacks on America. Their questions have ranged from "Why Mommy?" to "Are we safe now?" to "What happened to all those people?"  Because September 11th happened when we, as Americans, never thought it could...I have no good answers.