Lesson 662: The World Stopped Turning

Today, I thought about a distant past, that felt like yesterday.

Nineteen years ago.

It felt strange not to be in school with the students today.

They were home online learning and the teachers were left to remember in empty classrooms

but full computer screens and inboxes.

Yes, the world has changed.

I cried a few tears today at my socially distanced desk.

Son Sam, a 13 year old, eighth grader,

must have talked about it yesterday when he was in school.

He was giving me his theory of the intended target of Flight 93.

I told him the story of Todd Beamer and how he and other 

passengers stormed the cockpit and his famous last words,

"Let's Roll.!"

Sam listened so intently,

and was silent a minute.

Then he said,

Mom, I SO would have done that!

I cried some more.

When coronavirus forced us into the first shut downs in March,

daughter Ellen Louise asked 

Is this what the country was like during 9-11?

Hubby and I answered with a resounding NO!

Coronavirus was a slow seep of poison

that weaved its way into the fractures of this nation

and has further divided us as a people.

The 9-11 shock of the sucker punch left us paralyzed for days,

and when we slowly stood and took steps forward,

we did so together.  

 

Do you remember President George W. Bush's bullhorn speech?

CLICK HERE TO REMEMBER WHAT UNITED LOOKS LIKE

Here is a beautiful piece from Alan Jackson himself

that has been played a whole lot today:

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

CLICK HERE for Alan Jackson's song and narration

Yes, students.

The world did stop turning for a moment.

What you're experiencing now is more like wrinkle in time.

Life goes on.

We grow and multiply.

We all still look up at the same beautiful moon.

Challenges come.  We adapt. 

We keep moving forward.

 Take time to stop and smell the daisies.  Even the wild purple ones. 

 

 Spend time in the great outdoors.

 And try not to get lost.

Raise happy children.

 

Teach them to observe the wonders of nature.

Find your happy. 

Share it with friends.

 And most importantly, find the funny and share it,

because most of the time,

life is just too darn serious!

 Two pieces that I found very interesting to watch today were the following,

if you are so inclined to watch them:

NBC's Harry Smith did a beautiful reflection on the Today Show this morning,

CLICK HERE for Harry Smith's segment

This was probably the most interesting to watch--

the Today Show broadcast as the events were occurring in New York City:

A chilling reminder CLICK HERE

Eloise

Lesson 661: Where Why Turns to Wow

Welcome to the Lamp Post, September!

We are glad to see you roll in.

Eloise is feeling quite satisfied tonight after a successful second week of school.

My teacher friends and I are saying a collective Wow!

as we collapse onto our couches today after school.

I'm borrowing tonight's blog title from the Clark School sign.

Perfect message for the passersby.

As a community for learners we have a lot to be proud of.

The skies in September are worth the Wows.

The gray based, puff clouds are my favorite.

Even the moon had us in awe this week.

Summer turns to fall as the bright yellow dandelion moves to seed.

Find your Wow in the last few weeks of meteorologist's summer.

A teacher's summer always ends on the first day of school.

We don't have too many more mows for Sam to practice his new skill.

Mr. Eloise did not have the patience to teach Ellen to drive,

but he does well coaching them on the tractor.

Wow in the tasting world--

the grapes have turned purple and in about a week,

my town will have its famous smell.

Natalie is celebrating the return of her favorite drink--

pumpkin spice anything.

If we do get to a Halloween party this year,

I'm dressing her up as the Starbucks mermaid.

Starbucks is her favorite!

We celebrated back to school with some special lunch box cookies

from Frank's Farm Market.

I think I'm most proud of how teachers are coming together

to support one another.  
Speaking for most of us,

this is the hardest we've worked,

the most we've learned,

the hardest we've planned,

and the most nervous we've been since student teaching!

Who thought there would be so many of these?

At the same time we are celebrating our successes,

we worry about our local college.

Art is on the chopping block.
Ellen's art therapy class was a wonderful addition to her fall schedule.

She has learned so much already

and plans to use art therapy in her speech therapy as 

Speech Pathologist one day.

Ellen posted this mandala to share with her class

and someone asked her if they could use her design for their tattoo.

Flattering, for sure,

but all I could think of was

that's a lot of needle pokes.

Sam's football team has moved to full pads for practice

in their cautious and slow start to the season.

Mother Eloise isn't sure what kind of photos I'll get this season,

if any at all.

That's why I'm scouting out practice 

so I have some photos for the 2020 scrapbook.

Hazel is plumb tuckered out for chasing my most elusive feral cat,

Sneaky Pete.

I'm working on another children's book since The Key

was such a pandemic hit with my students.

They've been asking for another book

and I sure have plenty of content ideas.

The wow I'm reading now is this page turner.

Eloise and Grandma highly recommend!

My young adult current read is this one--

it reads like a John Green novel--

very well written but sort of sad.

I've been wowing myself with my online shopping skills.
Thank you for your purchase

is becoming quite a familiar phrase.

And after spending nearly two weeks toeing the line,

the rebel in me couldn't stand it any more.

Sorry high school admin.

At the end of the day today I couldn't resist--

I walked the wrong way down the one way hallway.

It was a rush.

Have a great weekend.

Eloise