Good morning. It's 6:30am at the Haight's house, Dave is usually the only one awake until at least 7am on any given day.... but, here I am writing. There are two significant anniversaries on this day for us. Today Dave and I celebrate being married 13 years and we all recognize the loss and devastation of 9/11. Bittersweet.

I pray a lot more often now since my surgery. I used to be a "Sunday pray-er" with the occasional call to God when I was especially concerned about something. Of course, there were always the prayers before dinner and in the car on long vacation trips.... but that was about it. Now, today, I do not believe there is a greater need in our world than the need to pray. And to pray for peace. Someone once told me that it is ok to ask God for things. I don't mean like the teenager who says, "God, can you drop me down a cool red convertible from the skies?" or the woman who really wants that last piece of chocolate cake and asks, "God, please don't let anyone else want seconds....." I mean something real. I was afraid for a little while that may-be my time was done. I've written about that before. But someone reminded me that God wants to be asked, and that I should ask to stay here on earth with my family. And it's really ok to pray for important things. It is the way we open our lives and live more fully. Can you imagine the reaction if everyone in the world prayed for the same thing at the same moment? God would fall off his chair.

My heart does hurt today. Not because of my surgery, but because of our history. My sister Terese has a friend she graduated with, Kia. Kia was home (& pregnant with their first child) when her husband left for a business trip aboard one of those fatefully marked jets. I pray for her and her child. And I pray for peace.

When I awoke this morning I felt the urge to write. I'm sorry I didn't write an entry more upbeat for a Monday morning. But I have a feeling on this 5-year anniversary that no one will be terribly upbeat today.

However, I do wish you a beautiful week and I do wish you peace.

God bless, Michelle