An Only Child?

While I was holding the Caboose, Big Boy #1 came over and started cuddling up to me.

"No! MY Mommy!"

Um, hate to break it to your Caboose, but you've got no monopoly on that one.

9/11

Tonight on MSNBC they have been replaying the original news footage from 9/11. It's almost painful to hear Katie Couric say things like "We've got an update from our correspondent in Washington D.C." or "There are unconfirmed reports of a plane crashing in Pennsylvania." And when a camera zoomed in on a whole group of fire fighters walking toward the Trade Towers, a little cry escaped from my chest.

Hearing it all unfold again brings back so much of that old pain. However, it also calls other emotions to the front. Gratitude being top on the list.

I certainly don't say it (or even think it) enough. But, thank you to all of the fire fighters who run into the burning buildings to get other people out.

Thank you to the military who take themselves away from their families and put themselves into harms way so that I can be safely home my family.

And thank you, to those past and present, who have created a legacy of freedom and opportunity which I proudly share with my family.

Left to Tell is a powerful book about the Rwandan genocide of 1994. As a former Geography teacher, who taught a unit on modern day genocides, I found the book fascinating. While the book does not spare the reader from the horror of what happen that fateful summer, it maintains a message of hope. Similar to The Hiding Place, Left to Tell relates the deeply spiritual journey of one of its victims. Left to Tell relays both the best and the worst of human nature. I'm equally mystified by the viciousness of the killers as the peace and love Immacule was able to find.

I also just finished I Need Chocolate with that Diagnsis written by my friend Sara Johnson. The title alone makes me love her! This book tells of Sara's journey of faith and hope as she fought her infertility. I have to admit that I felt a tad guilty as I read this book. It was like I was reading her diary! When I have read memoirs in the past, I didn't know the person, and there was a measure of distance in that. In this book, I was finding out ALL about my friend. If I ever get around to writing a book about my life, I'm not so sure I want anyone to read it. Hmm, well, maybe I'll just skip writing that book altogether.

Next? Maybe These Is My Words??? Has anyone read that?

S is for School

After two and a half months of summer break, the boys are BACK IN SCHOOL!

I did my best to begin summer with some structure and a positive attitude. We had daily chores and daily activities. However, it seemed that the positive attitude began to wane about the same time that our schedule fell apart. The Olympics did us in, and the last two weeks have felt really, um, long.

But as of today they are back into a routine. And tonight, for the first time in months, the boys were sound asleep by 8:30.

Who ever said that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year?