It was a year of firsts. It was the first year of the new millennium. We have a president, who at the end of 2000 had won the election by a mere pittance in the polls. (Whatever people may think happened down in FL, I am thankful that he is in the one in office.)

It was the first time we were able to ride our horses, after raising them for 2 and a half years. It was a very cool experience.

We had attended various seminars and met new people. Our UBB had been open for a year. Though not as busy as some (we take the weekends off ), it is generally speaking a, a good one.

Everything had been going relatively well through the Spring and into the summer. Then like the seasons, as Fall put the first colored splashes on the leaves, our world was turned upside down.

It was the first time we can really say that we truly lost our naivete; that the unthinkable could happen on our soil. It was unthinkable that anyone could have such a contempt for life or a way of life that they would be willing to murder thousands of people.

I think that the result of the incident did not reap the harvest that the sower intended; international unity, a devestated people who rallied in the face of diversity instead of being cowed, giving us 'allies' where we did not expect to find them and despite our wish for instant justice, we gave a measured response.

It was the first time since the Wright brothers, that the skies above the US were devoid of aircraft; silence. No lines of white drawn in the crystal blue skies. It was both eerie and beautiful, as if the world were collectively holding its breath to see what would happen.

It is the first time in years that my entire family was home to celebrate the holidays and I was thankful I was able to hug them and prayed for those who now only had memories of their loved ones.

A toast:

To absent friends and those that are still with us. To our friends around the world who offered their words of kindness and shared sorrow and offered a nation a shoulder when we needed it most.