Masks

Students in our district are required to wear masks when social distancing is not possible, and most of the students, when given the option, leave their masks on most of the time. When they’re sitting at their desks in the nearly-empty classrooms, they can take their masks off (teachers are forbidden to do so), but that usually doesn’t happen until 10-15 minutes into the class (in my experience). As a result, I form an impression of what kids look like solely from their eyes, forehead, hair, and ears (if visible). When the masks come down for a few moment, it’s often like I’m suddenly looking at another person. My mind has tried to fill in the blanks, adding a nose and a mouth, but a given student’s nose and/or mouth are often not what I’m expecting.

“Wow,” I think, “his nose is a lot more Roman than I was expecting.”

“My, she has a really small mouth! I didn’t expect that!”

So for a few moments, their physical appearance is like their personality: I see just a bit of it and am left imaging the rest. When that other bit comes out, I’m sometimes surprised.

A Scooter

The Boy spent some of his first communion loot on a long-longed-for scooter.

And while the camera is out, why not try making some faces?