Remember

Yesterday I wore red, white, and blue. I proudly pinned my flag pin on my collar.

I wore a flag shirt and changed my running route too. I wanted to run through the flag lined streets of Provo.

I also flew my flag yesterday. Okay, I fly it everyday, but yesterday, I flew it for a slightly different reason.

I hope for the same reason you all flew yours.

To remember.

To remember that awful day 8 years ago when I felt shocked, scared, helpless, and sad.

To remember the feeling I had of being a mother and watching my two year old Ashton, pointing at the TV after the 2nd plane hit and saying, "Moke, Mommy. Moke." and thinking what kind of world I had brought him into.

To remember all those innocent lives lost. I didn't know any of them personally, but they are still my brothers and sisters and I still mourn for them and their families.

To remember those who gave the ultimate gift and sacrificed their own lives for that of their friends.

And today, I chose to remember the good that awful day brought.

To remember the love felt for our fellow countrymen. And how we brought those we love a little closer and loved them a little longer.

To remember the giving of resources, time, money, and most of all, prayers.

To remember the unity. We were truly the UNITED States of America again.

To remember the surge of patriotism that filled the fibers of my being.

And our family chose to honor those who lost their lives that day by the hands of terrorists, by doing some of the things those terrorists hoped to make the American People too scared to do.

We gathered in with a large group of friends, neighbors, and classmates at the elementary for a Family Skate Night.

We enjoyed the beauty of our Provo trail by running together for our Annual Ward 5K and Kids Fun Run.

We watched Dallin play in a flag football game while the other kids enjoyed one our public parks.

We exercised our freedom of speech and gathered at the State Capital for a Freedom Rally.

And I hope we proved to the orchestrator's of those attacks that they didn't win that day. And that even 8 years later we still remember.

The American Spirit doesn't easily forget.