The third anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the United States... I'm avoiding TV today, because I don't think I can handle it, emotionally. Being pregnant makes me unable to handle a lot of things.

A thread on the NFP board has people recounting "where I was when..." I certainly will never forget. I had stopped at Mark's workplace on my way to work to get a morning Pepsi. I was filling my cup when Mark walked up and told me that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. My first thought was, "So?" It just didn't register. I put the lid on my pop and walked with him to the counter to pay.

Then we both glanced over at the TV in the snack area, and just then, a second plane had hit the WTC. We both sat up and paid attention, then.

I sat down in a booth with Mark and we watched the news coverage, and were watching when the towers fell, when the plane hit the Pentagon, when another plane was reported missing, when that plane crashed... it was horrible, and numbing, and terrifying. I never made it to work that day. Dozens of people were standing around watching the TV with us. I'm so glad I was sitting next to Mark as it all happened.

That day changed the world for me. I didn't feel safe for a looooooooong time afterward, and in many ways, still don't. I'm terrified of flying. I'm scared of being in major cities now. I'm more patriotic.

My kids are still pretty much oblivious to what happened. They were and are so young. They just knew Mommy was crying a lot, and Daddy was upset. They don't really remember. Thank God.

The night of Sept. 11, 2001, I had to attend a sorority meeting. That was the night we did the "candle ceremony" to announce my pregnancy with Elizabeth. It seemed so strange to be celebrating a pregnancy in the middle of all the tragedy.

I remember that weekend after Sept. 11, too; Mark and I had to leave our children and give an Engaged Encounter weekend. We did NOT want to go, and we did NOT want to leave our children. But duty called, and we went. Ironically, we have been called to do an EE next weekend. And once again, we are expecting a baby. Life does move on.