As I sit here this morning, it is still pitch black outside and my children are sleeping soundly in their beds.  I can’t help but think that there is a mother in Newtown, CT sitting as well mourning the loss of her own child.

Ever since I heard the news of the school shooting on Friday, I have been unable to think of anything else.  I have obsessively read any update I could get my hands on about this tragedy.  The pain that I feel for those families is almost unbearable, although I cannot fathom the pain that they feel.  Perhaps it is because both of my daughters are in elementary school or even that my youngest is a 6 year old 1st grader, but I am not ready to move past this unthinkable act and talk about my frivolous design projects or worry as I have in the past about how I’m not posting as much as I should…

Of course, I had something different I had planned to share with you today, but it will have to wait for another day.  Today is about remembering those sweet children who had their whole lives ahead of them and their amazing teachers who gave their lives trying to save them.

It is also, however, about finding a way to protect our children.  As I listened to President Obama speak last night at the memorial service in Newtown, he said our first priority is caring for our children.  And then he asked a simple question, “Are we doing enough?”.  The simple answer, no, we are not.  I realize that there are people who will say that there was nothing we could do to prevent this from happening and that sometimes bad things happen.  I cannot accept this.  My only job on this planet is to care for my children.  To guide them, to protect them and to help them as they grow.

I do not have all the answers, but I know that this must end.  We must join together and find a way to protect our children.  If we don’t do this, we will be nothing.  As the most powerful nation in the world, I know that this is possible.

Yesterday, I read a blog post that touched me deeply.  I hope you’ll read it to.  The Anarchist Soccer Mom:  Thinking the Unthinkable  This woman could be any of us sitting at our computers on any given day.  Think of your day to day struggles and then try to fathom hers.  We must help her child.  We must help all the children.  It is our responsibility as human beings.

As a nation, we are broken.  We must start from this day to repair ourselves and worry about what is important.  These children who were lost were my children.  They were your children.  It must be our mission in this life to protect them all.