Where Does the Time Go?

Joshua & Luke - two little guinea pigs in the
wheel at the Science Museum.

Dear Joshua and Luke,

It has been an exciting week!  We are really in the swing of school ~ preschool for Luke and first grade for Joshua!  I truly do not know how time can fly so fast, but somehow it does.  I want you both to know that I can say that I truly enjoy spending every minute with you that I have at home.  I certainly do not keep the neatest house, but I do know where everything is most of the time, and I can honestly say that I spend a lot of time playing and enjoying you both. 

Here are some highlights from the week:

Joshua - a big first grader -
 the first week of school.

Joshua began first grade on September 6 this year.  He has come home almost every day telling us that it was his best day ever.  That is music to my ears.  He really likes his teacher this year - Mrs. M.  It warms my heart to see how he lights up when he sees his kindergarten teacher - Mrs. H. from last year.  He loves her so much, and I know he misses being in her class.  But he loves first grade.  He takes his weekly spelling and reading test very seriously.  The words have been very simple for him, but he takes time to look them over each night.  He also reads his reading story every night, too.  Joshua has been staying quite involved with piano this year, too.  I think he has a lot of talent with piano and learning music. 

Luke is loving school with Mrs. V, too.  He comes home so happy to show his projects from class.  He is learning Spanish and a lot about fine arts.  The extra hour and a half that he is in class in the afternoon, he learns Spanish, and they do an author study, and various artistic techniques.  Luke had his first field trip to the apple orchard.  He was so proud of his big, red juicy apples when he got home.  Luke kindly shared his apples with this big brother.  He has been begging me to make applesauce with him, so I will probably do that soon, too.  Luke has started karate this last few weeks, too.  He feels so big when he dresses in the white uniform with the big white belt.  He is anxious to get his white belt. 

Luke's quote of the week:  "I am not tired.  I just need to lay down and close my eyes for a while!" 



Joshua & Daddy at the Body Worlds & the
Brain exhibit.

Last Sunday on a rainy day, we spent the day at the Science museum.   Luke and I had some special time watching the huge T-Rex and playing in the Discovery Room.  Joshua and Dad finally went to the Brain and Body exhibit.  Joshua has been wanting to go since his birthday, and we finally got around to taking him.  It was a super fun day that ended with dinner at Grammy and Papa's house.

I love you both to the moon and back and back again.

Love,
Mama



Luke at the orchards on his class field trip.  Note the red "cape"
on his back ~ He thought to bring that to polish the apple that
he ate in the orchard. Now that's thinking!




Remembering September 11, 2001



Soccer Star Luke

Dear Joshua &Luke,

It was ten years ago, September 11, 2001, when I was teaching in my first grade classroom.  It was a beautiful crisp, fall  morning.  A teacher and good friend, Donna D., (also currently known as Donna Lizard at my house) came to my classroom and went over to my computer and said to look at this.  She pulled up CNN or some news channel, and it showed a picture of the Twin Towers on fire.   She went over and did the same thing with my best friend and teaching partner, Susy.  I can remember, "Oh my gosh!" "What does this mean?"  There were so many thoughts swirling in my head.   

A few minutes later, a mother of one of my students showed up at my door, just to check on her son.  She spent the morning in my class.  She nervously stapled and folded papers for the class.  At lunch, I went to the film room (The only place there was a working TV.) and watched the news.  It was unbelievable.  It was difficult to take my eyes off the TV.  I could not believe what was happening in front of my eyes.  There were so many questions.  At my recess break, I went to watch a few more minutes TV so that I could begin to understand what was going on.  I just did not know or get it.

When I got home from school, I was already planning to go to a meeting at St. Mary's Church, so I went.  Instead of the regular meeting, Father Myler held a prayer service for the people that had died, were unaccounted for, hurt while rescuing others, etc.  After the meeting, I glued myself in front of the TV and watched and watched and watched.  I wanted to make some sense of this, but it continued to get more confusing.  Why would someone want to hurt us? What if they attacked again?  Closer to home?  I watched TV for weeks after searching for answers.  Daddy and I spent three weeks in Europe over that summer.  I knew there were numbers of people in Europe that did not like Americans and/or what our country stood for, as well as George Bush, but how could people hate Americans so much to intentionally kill women, men, small children, and babies?  How????

Daddy coaching the Golden Dragons during a game

I also thought a lot about our darling niece, Elsa, who was barely two years old.  What kind of world was this going to be for her?  Was her family OK?  Was she OK?  What about our nephew, Isaac, and their family?  Were they OK?  Would we all be OK? 







I did notice that for the days following September 11, 2001, people in the community seemed nicer to each other.  People seemed to be talking more, and there seemed to be people willing to help others everywhere.  Donations were made, people gave clothes, money, food...firefighters, nurses, EMT's, policemen went to New York City to help with the search and rescue efforts.

For many days after, Daddy and I really talked about wanting to adopt one of the children that were left without parents.  I even looked into joining the Air Force or reserves so that I could fight in the war.  I really wanted to do something to help.  It felt so bad to sit back and not do anything.  I found comfort in helping to collect donations, giving blood, and things I could do right here at home.  At that time, Daddy and I really wanted to have a family, and I knew that beginning a career in the Air Force would not work as well with those plans.  I wish I could have helped directly with the war on terrorism, but looking back I would not change a thing about our family.  Only three short years later, our family grew with the news of our first child!

Go Golden Dragons!  Notice Joshua, the assistant coach,
looking on while Daddy gives the before game pep talk!

As I look back now, my biggest fear was that people would forget about these lost lives.  I was afraid that people would forget what happened on this terrible day.  The last nine years, I have worked diligently at remembering September 11th and the bravery and courage of so many American heroes - our military, firefighters, EMT's, policemen, nurses, and ordinary Americans with extraordinary bravery and courage.  I have been honored to organize a small remembrance of those heroes on that day ~ ten years ago on September 11th.  Please do not forget this day in history.  Use it as a day to remember heroes, patriotism, and how proud you are to be Americans. Also, this date should remind you of your responsibility to educate yourself about our wonderful country, the United States of America - our economy, politics, history, and everything you possibly can.  Not to mention, educate yourself about other countries and their economy, politics, history, etc.  Going through school will teach you many things about all of this, but it is your responsibility as an adult to further your education and to keep current with what is happening in our country (foremost) as well as other countries.

I love you dearly.

Love,
Mama