Foley, AL. —Ten years ago today I was watching television about 8:40 a.m. as so many Americans were. I was flipping channels and landed on what looked like a movie.

It grabbed my attention and so I put the remote aside. A few seconds later, I watched as a plane crashed into a building next to one that was already on fire. It was completely surreal and took several minutes to really

grasp what was probably taking place.

As the live footage continued, I could not take my eyes off the screen, questions began to swirl in my mind, I began to scroll through any friends that may live in New York, if any friends or family were scheduled to fly that day, where my parents were in their revival meetings.

I sat in disbelief as so many of us did that day! Reality slowly began to set in. I was watching terror unfold on a day that was supposed to be a GREAT day in our lives.

Not only, was it my 36th Birthday, but also, I was in the hospital, in labor, awaiting the arrival of our fourth child! Bobby had not yet arrived, as he was busy making sure Micah and Meagan were at school on time and Morgan taken to a friend’s home.

I remember calling him to see where he was in the process only to have him walk through the door just a few minutes later. By this time, more reports were coming in on the news.

Nurses and assistants began to frequent the room to discuss what was taking place, if the hospital would be placed in lock down even though we were in a small town in Georgia.

Just about that time, I received a phone call from a friend that Micah's school had been placed in lock down simply because no one knew what to expect. I began to see panic in the eyes of the nurses and others.

Speculations were being made about gas prices, the economy, how far spread the attacks would be. We were, along with everyone else in America, in uncharted territory.

I am sure that many conversations across our country had similar tones. This went on for quite a while. In the midst of such a horrific day and obvious panic in many hearts in and near our hospital room as we continued to watch the attacks, suddenly a calm came over me.

I can't really explain the feeling properly. All I can verbalize, which may sound like a cliché, an overwhelming peace washed over me in the middle of "the storm.”

It was at this time I realized that while I was watching devastation and ultimately the death of thousands televised right before my eyes, my purpose that day was to bring a new life into the world. I remember feeling guilty when I turned the TV off as though we were supposed to "stay" with these people who were going through these attacks.

I remember nurses walking into our room asking why we were not watching the coverage. I remember looking at Bobby and saying we have to focus on having this baby. I continued in labor throughout the day, unaware of the rest of the coverage of 9/11, not that we didn't care about what was happening, but because we had to care for the new life that would be born that infamous day.

Macauley Scott McNair was born on a day that will never be forgotten in

history. A day that has caused his birthday to be celebrated as an overwhelming blessing in the midst of a very dark day.

Almost a year later, Bobby and I took our children to NYC and visited Ground Zero. We stood in utter amazement at the size of the sight and the amount of devastation that had occurred. We had prayer as a family for those who had lost loved ones on that fateful day.

We spoke with and thanked some military officers who were standing guard. It was emotional and overwhelming. We have talked about the events of 9/11/2001 every year with Macauley. I don't honestly think that he could recall a time when he didn't know about what happened on the day he was born.

I guess I just felt he needed to know. Over the years, he has asked questions and made comments regarding the events of his birthday. Many times he has asked why I thought he was born on such a sad day.

This year as we were nearing our birthday's and the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Macauley said to me, "I really do think there is a reason I was born on 9/11, I am not sure what it is yet, but I think I am supposed to do something special."

Ten years ago today our country experienced one of the worst national tragedies in its history. Many families were devastated with the news of lost loved ones. On that same day, the miracle of life took place in the little town of Rome, Ga., and the McNair family was finally complete.

I cannot begin to understand why the same day that many mothers lost a child, I was blessed to have my fourth. Nor why some mothers cried themselves to sleep that night or cried through a sleepless night, yet I was awakened during the night to hold and feed a newborn.

Nor why this morning, I had the privilege of walking into a room and wishing Macauley Happy Birthday while another mom grieved the loss of her daughter, Christy, who was also born on 9/11, but never lived to see her tenth birthday today because she went with a neighbor to hear Congresswoman Giffords speak in January of this year and was shot.

What I do know is that having a child on 9/11 is a constant reminder that life from God is precious, that when days are filled with frustration or the mundane, I can always find something to be thankful for, that having such a birthday will cause us to NEVER FORGET those who gave their lives that day to rescue others, or those who protect us still, so that my youngest, Macauley, will have the freedom and privilege to grow up and pursue that "something special" he was created for!