Today is September 11.

Yesterday my niece called me to help her on a school project. She needed to interview people who were alive during the September 11, 2001 attacks to glean their insights and stories. I was flabbergasted that an event that remains so vivid in my memories has become the topic for a school history project. How has so much time passed since that horrible day?

Like everybody else my age and older, I will never forget the events of September 11. That day shaped and transformed all of us. I remember feeling overwhelmed, frightened and vulnerable. As time passed and more information emerged, I remember feeling both patriotic and angry. I did my best to convey my experiences to my niece, but I am certain that I will never find the words to recreate such a pivotal event in my life. 

When Robby was born I struggled with how I was going to educate him about September 11 without causing undo fear and anxiety. After some thought, I decided it was best to focus on the humanity and the heroes that emerged during the tragedy. When he was a few months old, I strapped him to my chest and we baked cookies to deliver to our local fire department.

As Robby grew older, I began to reveal more about the significance of September 11. Timmy has joined our tradition, and now baking cookies for the firehouse is an annual event. Both boys know about the planes and the deaths. But they also know about the heroes and the helpers. More than feeling fear and anger, I hope that they will always demonstrate gratitude on this anniversary.

Robby is now 14 years old, and yesterday we baked our 15th batch of September 11 cookies. As he was mixing the dough, I again was struck by the passage of time. My goodness, where has the time gone?

Zooming

Another day and more rain. Ugh! I'm so tired of the dreary weather. The glimpses of sunshine over the weekend teased my senses, leaving me more frustrated as the skies have greyed over the past few days. Social distancing, which stinks under the best circumstances, has been made considerably more difficult when we haven't been able to play outside.

Timmy has spent his afternoons zooming around the house on his scooter and push bike. He zips around so quickly that I constantly find myself jumping to hug the wall to avoid a collision. Despite our warnings to slow down and to be careful, he is a little daredevil. So far he has avoided injury. We are knocking on wood that this trend continues because, as I tell him on a daily basis, this is a lousy time to end up in the emergency room.

I am feeling increasingly frustrated about the pandemic and those who are disregarding the precautions. Sometimes it feels like we are alone in our concerns. Every time I see my friends post photos of themselves out with large groups of friends with nobody wearing a mask I feel like screaming. There is little doubt about it, I need to reset my perspective if I'm going to maintain my sanity. 

I just wish I knew where to begin.

Virtual classes

 It didn't take long for the relaxation vibes of the long weekend to dissipate. Although there weren't any tears yesterday, the return to school was stressful for all of us. I feel like we are making progress towards establishing a comfortable schedule, but it is certainly slower than I would like. I really miss the normalcy of a predictable schedule.

Yesterday Timmy had his first virtual class. He was timid in front of the camera, a response I found surprising considering his outgoing personality. Hopefully he will warm-up to his teachers and his classmates as he becomes more comfortable with the platform.

Today Robby resumes his enrichment classes and he couldn't be more excited. I'm so glad that he will be reunited with his friends. Today's class is still virtual (his in-person instruction resumes on Friday). Even though he will be reunited virtually, I know that he will thoroughly enjoy every moment.

New Normal?

 Despite my abhorrence for all things Labor Day, we ended up having a pleasant weekend. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, allowing us to finally spend time outside. Scott and I tackled the yard work while the boys rode bikes, played through the yard and began to decorate for Halloween. After being holed up for the past two weeks because of rain, the sunshine felt liberating!

Today we are back to the school routine. Robby is thrilled that his enrichment classes begin this week. So far they are meeting in person (fewer than 10 people with masks and appropriate distancing) and, fingers crossed, they will continue with face-to-face sessions. He has missed his friends and I know that he is anxious to see everybody again. 

This pandemic has impacted so many aspects of our lives, but it has hit relationships the hardest. I am accustomed to conducting much of my life virtually, but there are elements of human interactions that just cannot be conveyed through a video call. Teen friendships rank high on this list. 

Please continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing and be smart about following all protocols. I feel like a new normal is within reach, but it will be pulled back if the Covid numbers spike again. I want my kids to be able to hang out with the friends, but I worry that it isn't going to happen this school year. Mask up, and be safe!