God Bless America

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America, land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains To the prairies,

To the ocean white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home.

*****************************************

Today, like every September 11th since 2001, is a somber day. I tried to watch on TV, as the names of the victims were being read, but Curly kept whining at me to put on her show, and anyway, I was afraid I'd have to explain the tears that I could not hold back, and I don't know how to do that, so I shut the TV off altogether. First Son's school is marking the day today, by making patriotic pinwheels and planting them around the school. Theirs is the first class in the school who were not even born when the tragedy occurred (although several of them I am sure were conceived in the days and weeks following). I wonder what FS will have to say about it when he comes home, I wonder how I will respond. These are the days when I know that it is easier to be the parent of a baby, than it is of a child who walks, talks and thinks. Once they start to think, they can be afraid and confused. As a parent it is my job to ease their fears, to help them work through their confusion. I don't know how to do that today, I am sometimes still afraid and I am confused. What I do know, is that I live in the greatest country in the world, regardless of any mistakes our nation may or may not make. What I know is that I , and my husband were both blessed to have parents who were brave enough, and strong enough to leave their homes to come to this country so that we, and our children could fully enjoy all of our freedoms. What I also know is that those Freedoms do not come for free.
I will teach my children to love, and respect and bring honor to their country. I will teach them that they must fight for and protect their freedoms. And I will teach them that no matter what, they are American, something of which they are to be fiercely proud, just as my father taught me to be. God Bless America.