Autumn in all its glory!

The end of the summer is a bittersweet moment for me as a teacher.  I dread the idea of waking up before the sun has come up, and the endless stacks of papers that will inevitably get backlogged and need to be graded... and yet I love the newness of the school year, a clean slate to try new things and meet new students.  This year especially brings new opportunities and experiences, as I am teaching some new classes, taking on the responsibility of department chair, and as a school we are undergoing a process of accreditation that I've been talking about a lot lately. 
But beyond the 'back to school' stuff of autumn, there are many other things I love about this time of year.  Today is the first NFL Sunday football day, and I look forward to the coming weeks of crockpot chili, apple cider and pumpkin pasta.  Ryan is getting ready to brew pumpkin beer for the first time in a couple of weeks, and I can't wait to taste it!  I just found a pumpkin cookie recipe that might require a ride to the store right now to get some pumpkin....  And I can't wait to make butternut squash and ginger soup!  Okay, so obviously the majority of things I love about this time of year involve food and beer... but that's no big surprise, really!
This time of year has taken on a special meaning for our country in the last ten years as we remember and commemorate all that 'September eleventh' means for us.  The media has covered a variety of stories over the last few weeks, articles about the children of those who died, recalling stories of where people were when they heard, and the touching memorials and concerts on television.  It is something all Americans share in common.  Yesterday we went to the local blues festival with our friends Liz and Chris.  In the middle of the concert, they paused for a minute of silence... at school on Friday we paused throughout the day for silence when the first plane, the second plane, the third plane, the fourth plane hit...  These moments, memories, and shared sorrow will always be a part of 9/11.  And yet, it is also a powerful, tangible way for us to be united, to share in common the pain and sorrow.  Sitting in the middle of a park with hundreds of people I've never met, knowing we all were sharing this moment together, sent chills up my spine.  It's not the ideal way to build community and unity, and yet it is so powerful nonetheless.  And I have to say, it is in those moments, when I am most proud to be an American.