Saturday, September 10, 2011

10 Years Ago...


It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years.  I'll never forget where I was and what I did all day that day.
I was 21, and in college.  It was a Tuesday morning, so I had my my Foundations of Education class that morning.  I was walking home from class when one of my roommates, Melissa, pulled up and picked me up.  She told me what was happening.  The planes had crashed into the World Trade Center buildings (they hadn't collapsed yet).  We went home and I spent much of the day sitting at my desk trying to do homework, but I had the radio on and was listening to the news.  It was suggested that everyone go to the gas station and fill up their cars.  Melissa and I got in her car, sat in a long line of cars and filled her car with gas.  Then we went back home, got my car, and did the same thing (we also went to the store and picked up a TV, since we hadn't gotten one for our house yet).  By the time we got home and got the TV set up, I think it was late afternoon, early evening-ish.  We turned the TV on, and finally saw the devastation.  I think this is when it fully hit me what was going on.

A little while after 9/11, my mom found a place where you could order bracelets that had the name of a firefighter who lost his/her life during the events of that day.  My bracelet was for a man named George C. Cain, who was a FDNY Firefighter with Ladder 7.  I was curious about the man whose name I wore on my wrist, so I got online and searched his name and learned a little bit about him.  He was 35 years old, loved his niece and nephews, and loved skiing.  He was just getting ready to end his shift with Ladder 7 when the alarms went off.  He was inside one of the buildings when it collapsed.  His body was not recovered until a few months later.
In my searching, I found his mother, who I wrote to.  She sent me a letter back and included George's prayer card, which I still have and look at often.


I wore my bracelet 24/7 for about 5 years.  I finally took it off because after many, many times of it getting caught on things and being pulled open (it's a cuff style bracelet), I was afraid it was getting weak and would break.  I've kept the bracelet, though, and have decided to put it back on for this 10th anniversary.

Ten years later, I think about the events of 9/11 often, and I never forget Firefighter George C. Cain, and the sacrifice he made to try to save others.  He was a true hero (as were all the men and women who lost their lives on that day).

I went to New York for the first time near the 6 month mark after 9/11.  I stood in the line to walk through ground zero.  I knew the devastation was huge, but seeing it in person, helped me see just how massive it really was.  They were shining the 2 beams of light during that 6 month mark, and we went up to the top of the Empire State Building to see the lights.  Seeing it all in person was such a profound experience after having watched it all on that little 13 inch TV back home.

This year, I will be thinking about that dark day and praying for the almost 3000 lives lost and those who risked their lives to save others.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - a day late because I kinda fell asleep waiting for the pictures to load. ☺

Today, for your viewing pleasure, the reason I've been absent from blogging lately:

My new classroom when I first walked into the room (full of "stuff", some of which is older than me!):
Standing in the doorway to my room, I was literally met
with a wall of "stuff".

Don't be fooled by that big empty space there in the middle
of the floor!  I forgot to take pictures before we had
already moved 4 tables out of that space.



Piled on the counters...stuff...

Art cabinet, stuffed with...stuff...


Construction paper...shoved all over...

An empty space! Except for the piles on top...

More stuff...piled to the ceiling...

Cabinet filled with stuff...

More stuff...

Long unit of shelves...stuffed with boxes of...stuff...


And now, the room after much (much, much, much) purging of "stuff" and organizing of what's left:
The new view from the doorway!

Again standing in the doorway.



Calendar/Circle area.


Organization!


Purged and reorganized art cabinet.


But I ask...How much paint (↓↑) does one classroom need? 
I threw out half of the paint that was in the cabinet, and I
still have 2 whole shelves full of paint!






These books are now covered by a curtain to deter little
ones from pulling out every single book. ☺





View of the room from my desk!
A big thanks goes out to my mom, who spent 4 looooong days in this room with me! ♥ you Mom!!


Monday, August 22, 2011

And the winner is...



My mom and I have drawn the winner and...drum roll please...she is Kathy from Just Stuff From A Boomer!
Congratulations and if you email my mom your address (asimplehappylife@gmail.com), we will get your Frankenmuth goodies out to you pronto.  Thank you everyone who entered.  You never know, we may just do this again sometime.  After all, it would be a grand excuse to go to Frankenmuth again!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Giveaway Reminder!

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow is the last day to enter to win some Frankenmuth, Michigan goodies!

You can view my original post here.

Don't forget the rules!

1.  Be or become a public follower of my blog AND,
2.  Be or become a public follower of my mom's blog AND
3.  Comment either on my original giveaway post or my mom's giveaway post.  You do not have to comment on both posts, just one or the other.


Friday, August 19, 2011

Giveaway Time!

This here's my first giveaway, but it's not just an ordinary giveaway!  It's a double-blog giveaway!  Yep, that's right, my mom and I are co-hosting this giveaway!

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I took a little trip to Frankenmuth to celebrate my new job (You can read about our trip on my mom's blog.  I have plans for my own post about our trip, but just haven't had a chance to work on it yet).  While we were there, we decided to do this cute little giveaway.

Here's what you'll get:
Gifts from Frankenmuth!
The ornament that Bronner's gave us (beautiful blue with sparkly snowflakes),
a Michigan bookmark,
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (made at the Bavarian Inn),
and some Michigan Wild Cherry Tea.

Rules:
1.  Be or become a public follower of my blog AND,
2.  Be or become a public follower of my mom's blog AND
3.  Comment either on this post or my mom's giveaway post.  You do not have to comment on both posts, just one or the other.

That's it!  Easy as pie!  

You have until 6:00 PM EST on Monday, August 22 to enter.  We will put all the names in a hat and draw the lucky winner Monday night.

Good luck!!


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

I've been cat sitting my brother and his girlfriend's cats.
This is their new kitten, Ethel (Their other cat is my Lucy.  She loved
my brother so much, she moved with him when he bought his
house.  There really was no other choice
when it came to picking out this kitty's name. ☺)


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Just had to put a school picture up, because I GOT A JOB!
Yep, I'm still pretty excited about finally having my own classroom
again! ☺