noah's turn

...for a first-day-of-school picture. He was so excited to finally be going to school. Just a quick wave good-bye to me and he was ready to go with his teachers at the school.

Now I just have to figure out how to pick them both up at 11:30. Today was a bit stressful for me. I don't like showing up late and in this situation, it is inevitable that I will be late for one. I picked Noah up first and hooked it over to Rhett's school, but I was the last car there. It was 11:35. It was fine, but I don't like it.

What did I do for the 2 hours I had to myself this morning? I went to SuperTarget, where else? I found some sheets for the boys' rooms and a blanket for Noah's room--all on sale. I love that place!

I also found out what I needed to do to get an Oklahoma title and registration for my car. It will be easy but I am a little sad. I have never had a license plate that hasn't said Texas on it. I know it is silly, and as much as I am enjoying living here, I miss Texas.

I was so heart-broken the other day because I was looking at The Oklahoman (the newspaper) and just happened to glance down at the left-hand corner of 15-A and there I saw that Nellie Connally had passed away. I was sad because, not only is she part of our nation's history, but there was only a tiny blurb about her in the Oklahoma paper. I hope that she was on the front page in Texas. She deserved at least that.

I have read her book From Love Field: Our Final Hours with John F Kennedy twice already. The book is based on her notes that she wrote a short time after it all happened. She was a woman who was deeply devoted to her husband, John Connally and the book is not only a factual account of what happened but a story of love, friendship, pride in Texas and heartbreak. She dedicated the book to her deceased husband with these words: Sunrises and sunsets have never been as beautiful as when I shared them with you. Sleep well, my darling.

Now, all the people that were in that car on that fateful day in November are gone. In Connally's book, she included two speeches that President Kennedy was supposed to make later that day on November 22, 1963. I have read the last paragraph on his speech, The Country is Moving...And It Must Not Stop, and I think it is still so fitting in today's world. Especially as we approach the five-year anniversary of 9/11. Here are his words:

So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our nation's future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our case--united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future--and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.

(text of speech President JFK was scheduled to deliver on the evening of 11-22-63).