Where were you on that September day?

Do you remember?

How can you forget.

10 years.

Like so many things, it seems like a lifetime ago and as if it were yesterday, all at the same time.

I did not nor do not personally know any of the victims, survivors, loved ones or heroes of that day but like many of you, I met with my own personal struggle on that day and the days, weeks and months to follow.

On September 11, 2001 I was scheduled to work a very early shift at the Disney Store in the Governor's Square Mall in Tallahasse, where we were living at the time.

I had to be there at 7am, if you know anything about Disney, you know they are all about the "SHOW" and processing shipment boxes while we were open was a big NO NO!

I always liked these shifts because we got to see all the new merchandise first.

I remember that morning, I felt particularly large... like many mornings during that time.

(This photo was taken a few weeks before Sept. 11)

Todd Jr on the inside!

I cannot believe I am posting this photo.

Anyway, all the boxes were unpacked, product was place and the store was cleaned.

As we were preparing for store opening, counting registers, etc., the phone began to ring.

It was Todd, he was telling me a plane had hit one of the twin towers in New York.

I remember not being able to wrap my brain around what he was saying.

With of course so little information at that early time, I left the conversation sure that it must have been a small plane, off its course, with an inexperienced or ill pilot.

I shared what I had been told with our store manger, Tanya, and to be honest we got back to work.

Soon, the phone began ringing again.

Of course, you know what they were telling us.

Tanya and I felt like we were in a bubble.

We finally remembered we had an emergency hurricane kit with a radio in it.

At this point, the "show" was certainly broken when we opened our doors as we were glued to the radio...

Soon, the mall was told to close and all personnel had to leave.

We were less than a mile away from the state Capitol and the Governor's residence.

Remember at that time our Governor was the President's brother.

And again, like most of you, I spent the rest of the day glued to the television, hoping that maybe if I changed the channel just one more time, the story might change.

It did not.

The helpless feeling was overwhelming and I imagined all those watching and waiting to hear from loved ones who may have been affected by what happened.

Feeling for those peope who had lost ones they loved and cared for so deeply.

It was something I could hardly imagine.. losing a parent, grandparent, sibling......  their child.

I was fearful for the life growing inside me.
What kind of world were we bringing this child into?
To be honest this is something I still struggle with.

However, each day I continue to be thankful for my family... and our freedom.