On August 21, 2017, the moon’s shadow raced across our country in what some consider to be one of the most awe-inspiring spectacles in nature – a total solar eclipse.

Ethan was able to get a few pair of ISO goggles from school and I picked him and Max up early that day so we could view the eclipse as a family.

Even the big kids got to geek out over the solar eclipse!

Ethan was so excited, but Max played the cautious observer and had no interest in witnessing the event. I actually had to beg him to come outside to experience totality and even then, he kept his eyes down, afraid to look up.

This was the first total solar eclipse to touch the United State since 1991 when one occurred in Hawaii, and the first coast-to-coast across the since 1918. The last time a total solar eclipse occurred in the greater St. Louis area was 1442!! St. Louisans can expect the next one a half century from now…in 2505.

How totality awesome that we moved back to St. Louis in time to take part in this wondrous astrological event! (See what I did there? I know. I’m so funny. I’ll be here all week…)

The path of totality begins crossing through St. Louis…

The bliss of seeing the solar corona was not lost on us, but I’m a little bummed Max was a bit young to appreciate it. That said, I’m so glad Ethan was able to witness this awesome spectacle in his lifetime and perhaps feel a little more connected to the cosmos.