Sept. 11 is different here

It is true. September 11 is a very different day here than back in the Mid-west. Here are a few things I experienced that week.


Last Sunday we visited a church where there were two flower arrangements up front. They were to honor two women in the congregation who lost their sons in the attacks Sept. 11.


The 3 elementary schools that Maddie, Hannah, and Isaiah attend (yes-all four in four different schools...) held Freedom Walks during the day. Parents were welcome to come and walk with their kids.

Here is Hannah and two of her friends Shayna and Toneen.
Hannah with her teacher Mrs. Phillips.

Isaiah and his teacher, Miss Durr. (We first thought that he had a male teacher and the school secretary forgot his last name...)

Isaiah and his buddy Hayden who is in his class and lives right across the street!

After I walked with Hannah and Isaiah (their schools did the Freedom Walk together) I went off to Maddie's school. I waited outside with the few other mom's for the kids to come out so we could walk with them. (One important note to know is that Maddie had asked me to come.) When her class came out I fell in step and began walking with her. She looked at me with horror and said, "You are going to walk with me?" To which I pleasantly responded, "Yes, Maddie, that's what you do on this Freedom Walk." Maddie's response, "Well, you can go now." I guess she thought I would walk in the back of the parade and pretend not to know her.

I managed one pained shot of Maddie and her friends Alexxuus and Chris before I left. Chris and his family live in our neighborhood.

That night there was an open house at Isaiah's school for the parents. Our evening began with everyone in the gym and the principal started the meeting by having everyone say the Pledge of Allegiance (how refreshing), then we all sang The Star Spangled Banner acapella followed by a moment of silence. Sure keeps everything in perspective. Never experienced anything like that in the Mid-west schools on September 11.

I heard an interview with Rudy Giuliani. I can't quote him word for word but what he said has stuck with me. He said something to the effect that too many Americans have forgotten September 11. We can't only mark the day in remembrance of the past like the attack at Pearl Harbor. Those countries are no longer our enemies. The events of September 11 are not in the past but still in our present. Terrorists continue to be our enemy.

I am so proud to be an American!