It was just like any other morning staying home mothering my one year old.

My mom called first to tell me the towers had fallen. When I turned on the news, the feed I was watching was not live and had not yet shown the collapse. I saw the towers were burning, but they were still standing. I thought she was being dramatic. Seconds later I watched them fall. A minute after that Alan called to check on me. I was sitting on our bed with one year old Rian. There was a mixtures of panic and not knowing what to do. Or feel. But I was sitting there with this happy kid still in her PJs in my lap.

Mom called back later to tell me to go to the bank and take out as much cash as I could. (She worked at a bank and they were concerned about all sorts of things). That was $300. I kept that emergency stash for years. I filled up the car with gas as well. It was so eery going out and pulling the money out. Getting gas. Some people looked like they were carrying on about their day. Others looked dazed. It all felt surreal. I then sat on my bed or the couch with Rian the rest of the day glued to the news. I kept looking at her, so full of innocence and happiness. I could not imagine the world she was going to grow up in. This morning she headed off to school nearly an hour after Jack and I left and hopped a bus on her own. Still surreal.