Our 9/11

By Renee Colbert: On the morning of 9/11, we were sound asleep; we worked nights. Our phone rang. My husband's mother called. We usually didn't answer it, but this time we did. She told us a jet "crashed" in NYC.

We got up right away and turned on the TV, and I called my parents in Anamosa. My dad said they were watching and it wasn't a crash; it was a hijacked plane. Just as he told me that, the second plane hit. Dad was still on the other end, and I heard some swearing and gasped myself.

We were lucky; we had no relation there or anyone we knew, either.

We watched TV all day long. We heard there was going to be a candlelight vigil here in North Liberty. We chose to walk -- holding hands, thankful everyone we knew was safe and just needed the calming touch of another.

It wasn't until they started naming victims -- one was familiar to me. Craig Amundsen, killed at the Pentagon, was from Anamosa. I had met him a couple of times; his dad was a pharmacist in town.

When Facebook started, I was hooked and do pay attention to the ads. I saw one for bracelets, etc. like all the "cool" kids wore during Vietnam. I couldn't afford a bracelet, but got a dog tag with Craig's name on it. I keep it on my key ring.

The following year, my brother went to NYC for an award. Part of his city tour was ground zero. He said it was eerie, knowing so many lives ended there.