Remembering 9/11 my American viewpoint

A normal September Tuesday morning. I'm getting ready to go off to teach a group of squirrelly fourth graders.  The radio is on in the background announcing that it's National 9-1-1 day. I think "What a great teachable moment."  As I'm making my 26 minute drive to work, I plan out my little discussion of the people that put their lives in harms way everyday to help our country. As we are getting into our discussion, one of my students says "I know why it's National 9-1-1 day…because something bad is going to happen."  "No," I assure them "nothing bad is going to happen."  No sooner do I get those words out of my mouth...knock, knock, knock. "Miss Swanson, may I speak with you a moment" says my coworker coolly. thinking we are about to discuss lunch plans, I step out side the room. " A plane has hit the World Trade Center building."  I think ok, a plane hit a building. She waits patiently for that to really sink in. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks…"there are people IN the building."  I lean against the wall and wonder aloud, "what do we do with this information?"  We are instructed to continue the rest of the day as if nothing has happened. This is a difficult task.  It's hard to teach when I'm wondering why on earth a plane would crash into a building.  Students begin trickling out as concerned parents, who just want to hug their babies, check their kids out of school. Radios and televisions are on in the office and through out the building during teacher planning periods. All teachers are eating lunch with their students to monitor conversations. All teachers are out at recess. The eerie calm of no planes in the air lingers in the air.  Everyone is told to go home once their duty was over.  That eerie calm follows me home as I lived minutes from DFW airport. My roommate is glued to her computer and My television is on in room where just that morning I left excited about National 9-1-1 day.  My memories do not compare to my fellow American who lost family members that day but they are memories that will stick with me forever. 

Remembering 9/11 

First grade funnies

Children are full of interesting stories and mine are no exception. We all say that we need to write these stories down and I am finally going to try. 

About a week into school Joshua had an upcoming fundraiser at to buy dinner at Raising Canes. He got a little confused as to when it was taking place. Wednesday he came home and announced "Mom, you don't need to make me lunch tomorrow (me:why?) Because we are going to Canes (Greg: just you or your class?) The WHLOE school…except for kindergarten. Poor Canes…800 elementary kids ascending on them at lunch. That would be a sight. 

Joshua has been blessed with fantastic teachers. This year is no exception. According to Joshua his teacher got Teacher of the WEEKEND. I did not correct him. She is however teacher of the year. I figure she can do whatever and I will just have to trust her. Who can argue with the teacher of the (weekend) year? 

Did you know that nurses and doctors have to go to school for 8 extra days?  I knew I should have gone into the medical profession. While I have the best doctors in the country, I think some need another 8 days of training. Miss Pelletier (Joshua's teacher) only had to go to school for 2 extra days. If I had gotten my teaching degree in two days I'm sure I would have been teacher of the weekend as well. 

That concludes part 1 of 1st grade funnies. Stay tuned for the preschool edition. I would write about the baby but he has to do something besides choking on French fries, goldfish and dry erase crayons!

Yearly blog

I admit it, I am terrible at blogging. I really do thinking of writing often but I always find a reason not to. I'm going to make no promise to do any better than I've done in the past. So much has happened in our family since the last blog. Since the last post (which was actually written in June) I discovered I was pregnant (while Greg was coming home from Big Stuf), we bought a bigger car (Jayla still wants the Escape back-she's the only one), I developed Gestational Diabetes(strict diet during our anniversary, Christmas, my birthday and Valentines day-I got to CELEBRATE Madi Gras). February 8, 2013, with very little effort, I gave birth to a very health Josiah Thomas weighing in at 6 lbs 10 ozs and 19 3/4 inches. He has fit into our family with ease. Joshua,timid at first, shows his love with the greatest gentleness and sweet little I love yous whispered in his ear. He is very helpful from the backseat and I wish I had a Joshua when he was a baby. I pray they will someday be close. Jayla is not quite as gentle needing some reminding of the fact that he is still a baby. She loves her little brother proudly and shows him off often. However, you must not get too close without mommy's approval. Jayla is Josiah's guardian and she takes it very seriously. She claims she saw his first smile. We don't tell her any different.

April 27 Greg conquered his first 1/2 marathon in the rain on the hills of Nashville,Tn. The kids and I were sad that we did not get to see him cross the finish line. The rain was relentless and the baby is too young to be that cold and wet. While we were there in Nashville we had a great time with friends and family. The Ellis family were wonderful hosts during the first half of the weekend. Hannah, Joshua, Jayla, and Benjamin had a blast playing together. The second half of the trip was spent with the Clydesdales where Jayla and Sierra became instant friends. They were two peas in a pod. We topped the whole trip off with 6 holes-in-one at Grand Ole Golf (3 by Joshua, 2 by Jayla and 1 for Greg).

I am so blessed to be the wife of a wonderful, Godly man and the mother of three beautiful children. I look forward to what God has for this next year.