Dear Martin, Barbara, Andreas and Marcus

I hope and pray all is well with your family. We are all safe. We are
all shaken, scared and very sorry for the innocent victims of the
terrible events of 11 Sept.  We have watched TV, read newspapers and
watched the internet to learn what has happened. We have gone to church
on Tuesday evening and Friday noon to pray for the families, our leaders
and the world.

The people of the United States have been brought very close together by
this terrible event. There are US flags everywhere, in front of most
houses, waiving from many cars and trucks on the roads. Just last week
our politicians were discussing different issues (mostly dealing with
the economy) with many different opinions.  That is all different now.
Our leaders and all of the people have rallied together. Some say this
is similar to what happened after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in
1941. Everybody rallied together, as Americans.

When Mark's mother died, I learned how hard it is to loose a person that
I deeply loved. My heart is broken for all the people in New York and
elsewhere who lost friends and family. I am afraid what the future will
bring. America will not stand by - something will happen. I am afraid.

Our family is safe. Mark is in his last year of high school. He will
probably go to University of Colorado in Boulder next year. He is
working at Mervyn's. This is a clothing department store in the shopping
mall in Fort Collins. Jon returned from Germany in September last year.
He went to Colorado State University in Fort Collins in the spring.
Last June he moved to San Diego, California. He is going to college in
California now.  Eric was married last March. Mark helped with the
wedding. Eric's wife, Amanda, graduated from University of Colorado in
August. She is now going nurse school to become a nurse. Allison is
going to University of Colorado. She is in her 3rd year to become an
architect. Mark's oldest brother Matt moved back from Texas to live with
us last summer. He works in the Organic Chemistry department at Colorado
State University. We are all safe.

Phil Smith
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von der Familie von dem Amitypie der bei uns hier gewohnt hatte während ich in den Staaten war