Army Mom

Things to send

2011-09-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Even though I have not heard from my son I continue to send him letters and include with the note the Sunday comics and if I can find it any uplifting news story. Last week I sent him an article about a fawn that had wandered into the small town emergency room. I think receiving a newspaper clippings from home that have something interesting or uplifting perhaps gives them just a moment to think about something else besides being shot at and being far away from home. We continue to pray at church for him and his troops and he is on the prayer chain supported by the prayer warriors. If there any other ideas readers have about what to send if you could share them that would be most helpful.

Afghanistan

2011-08-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Learned there were 2 soldiers killed and 2 wounded in a unit over in Afghanistan. It is extremely difficult to be patient to learn if it is your loved one. When my son was injured in Iraq I did not learn about it until months later when he was home on leave and he told me. I never was notified by the military. I pray for all the families with loved ones stationed in war zones.

New Deployment

2011-07-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers my son is once again back in a war zone. Only this time he also has a wife that will worry about him. I can not imagine what it is like for the two of them to be married only 3 weeks and he is shipped out for a year. I am sure there are other service men and women who have experienced the same trials. They are both included in my prayers.

2011-07-20T20:10:00.001-07:00

Well my son is now married and beginning a new life. I hope all his wishes come to pass. He and his lovely wife were married in Germany. I was able to fly over to attend the ceremony. He will be deployed soon to a war zone and will be gone a year. Learning how to be supportive to my daughter-in-law while he is gone will be helpful in dealing with worry and being able to share the experience will be helpful in getting through the stressful time.

2011-05-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

My son is once again back in Germany. He has spent the past year state side in grad school. He and sweetheart will be getting married July 2, 2011. I am very happy for him. Every mother wants her children to be settled and find happiness. This was a wonderful mother's day.

Returning, Reconnecting and relationships

2010-05-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Now that my son is in the United States. Seems it is more important that ever to establish routine contact and strengthen the relationship. Moving anywhere new has its pitfalls and new adventures. Especially important to let him know that his family is here to give support.

Military son back in the U.S.

2010-05-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I blogged. My son is back in the United States and attending school. It is comforting to know he is on the same continent as his family. We get to visit by skype now which is fabulous.

Science education

2010-02-08T18:08:00.001-08:00

I was thinking about how much I love science and anything that has to do with science. My fifth grade teacher probably thought she was doing something special, however, that is not what it felt like at the time. I always thought she didn't care for any of the children who lived in the orphanage and I was the only one from the orphanage in her class that year. I remember being lined up with the rest of my fifth grade class in front of the chalk board in the order of how we scored on our academic tests. I was the last one called up for history, math, English, geography and reading in other words, the student with the lowest scores. However, imagine my teacher's surprise when she had to call my name first, for the highest score in the subject of science. This experience taught me, if you don't give up, everyone has at least one thing at which they can excel. The secret is to keep trying until you find that one thing.

Wondering what happened to others

2010-01-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

The orphanage was quite large and there seemed to be a lot of children there. I often wonder what happened to them. When my dad remarried he took my brother and I from the orphanage and we returned to Casper. I had received one letter from one of the sisters, however my new stepmother became angry and insisted I read the letter to her. She ripped the letter from my hands and tore it up. If I received any additional letters from people from the orphanage I don't know. She was very controlling. The sisters at the orphanage were so influential in my formative years I would have liked to remain in contact.

A new year 2010

2010-01-13T19:01:00.000-08:00

The holidays were wonderful. My son bought a ticket for me to fly to Germany to visit. He and his girlfriend made me feel welcome and went above and beyond to see that I had a splendid time. I never dreamed I would get to go to Germany. What a beautiful country and the people were very gracious. David and Anke took me to see the Cathedrals which were breathtaking and awesome. I met some of David's friends and co-workers. While I was there we attended a medieval dinner that was quite entertaining. The host spoke only in German so one of the guests would translate for those in the party who were not fluent in German. The food was good and the entertainment was hardy. At night there were stands set up that sold gluvine, a warmed wine that was delicious. There was lots of snow and the atmosphere was very festive. The German cuisine is extraordinary and I was particularly impressed with the salads. Each restaurant had there own signature salad dressing that was made fresh daily. I sampled a few of the beers at the different pubs. I could definitely become enamored with beer if I lived in Germany. Wonderful memories.

Most recent news

2009-07-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Received notice last week that my son has been deployed back to Germany. What a wonderful news with which to celebrate the 4Th of July. I remember years past and different activities we enjoyed to celebrate the 4th. This year my husband and I traveled to Winthrop WA. What breathtaking scenery. We were there for two days and spent the time visiting the unique shops and tasting the wonderful food.

Social Graces

2009-06-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

One of the experiences of growing up in a home with two parents is learning from parents how to interact socially. I believe the social patterns are learned by watching and interacting with parents. This learning occurs from birth through young adulthood. When a situation arises a child will observe a parent's response and often ask WHY or wait to see what happens. Through observation of behavior patterns humans learn normal acceptable phrases, responses and parameters of socially acceptable behavior. Children learn how to make friends, negotiate, trust, risk taking and self confidence. Being a child of an alcoholic mother and living in the orphanage I spent a lot of years being self conscious, made odd comments and generally lacked the ability to interact with a group of peers. When I found myself in a group of people I often felt awkward, invisible and would try to melt into my surroundings. Being recognized as a child that lived at the children's home automatically made me feel like others viewed me as someone who did not have a home with parents that loved and cared about me and therefore was pitied. I remember my fourth grade teacher and her husband coming to the orphanage one evening to pick me up so that I could participate in a square dance recital and then later took me out for ice cream. I remember it being a very enjoyable evening however, I remember defensively saying to her "You do not have to do this for me!" She smiled and looked at me and said "I know we don't, we want to". I don't remember what my response was, however I hope I told her thank you. I know I gave her fits my whole fourth grade year. She never made me feel like I was bad when I failed to do homework. I can remember one day she asked for all the students homework and I told her I had forgot it at the orphanage. She said go home and get it. I remember walking back to the orphanage and getting the homework. She instilled in me the sense of responsibility for myself and that lame excuses will not go very far. I will always remember her kindness.

Importance of believing

2009-06-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

Attending mass everyday was excellent training and gave me a sense of peace. I loved listening to the mass in Latin and enjoyed even more singing the Latin hymns. I believe learning prayers were elemental in developing coping mechanisms and hope that tomorrow would be better. I can remember sitting in church with everyone being quiet and having a sense that God was listening to this 8 year old's troubled heart and that he would answer my prayers.

I remember especially the times my mother would visit. Although I was glad to see her I knew she would be drinking and the smell of alcohol on her breath caused me a great deal of anxiety. I did not realize that the visit was also difficult for her. Many times she said she never wanted us to be in the orphanage. I can only remember two visits during the five years my brother and I were there. The first year at Christmas when we were in the Christmas pageant in which the children in the orphanage participated and then again when I was in the 5th grade.

During the time my brother and I were in the orphanage our dad would take us to Denver to spend a couple of weeks in the summer with our grandparents (Mom's dad and stepmother). Mother would come out to their place a couple of times to see us. She was a waitress and didn't drive. Getting off work was not always easy for her. She did not believe in attending or belonging to a church. So we didn't have many conversations about God. Dad on the other hand attended mass every week and had a rosary he carried with him.

Believing in something greater than myself, learning to pray and sustaining a hope for tomorrow helped me through some pretty troubled times.

Orderliness

2009-06-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

The routine of life in the orphanage was orderly and predictable. We we were up at 5:30 am, attended mass, proceeded to the dining room for breakfast, completed the morning chores then boarded the bus for school. When school let out for lunch we boarded the bus again and returned to the orphanage for the noon meal. Remembering back I am amazed at how organized everything was; that a hundred children could be transported back to the orphanage, gather up dishes of food from the serving pass through counter and deliver the food to the appropriate dining room, eat, wash the dishes reset the tables for the next meal, return containers back to the pass through area, board the bus again and return to school within the allotted time. After school we returned to the orphanage on the bus, changed from our school clothes into clothes for which we could complete our after school chores. Supper was served around 5 pm, after the meal was completed we washed the dishes, reset the tables, swept the floor and returned the serving dishes to the kitchen. After supper, time was spent doing homework, reading, or playing games. Television was only watched on specific days or on special occasions. We were not allowed to watch TV everyday, we were expected to find other activities to entertain ourselves. Reading to this day is one of my favorite pastimes.

Kitchen Duty

2009-05-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

Back to the story of life in the orphanage. When one was assigned to the kitchen that person was to be there after school during the week and in the kitchen on the weekends. I can remember buttering a huge electric roaster (that probably held a good sized turkey) and then cracking eggs forever to make scrambled eggs for breakfast. We had the best food in the country. Sister D, hands down, was the best cook I've ever seen. It also helped that we raised our own chickens that provided eggs, pigs for pork and bacon, cows for milk and grew most of all the vegetables we ate. There was always plenty of food to eat. Sister D made almost all of the bread and baked all desserts and there was quite a variety. We were fed extremely well. I can remember getting a 10 gallon can of milk out of the walk-in refrigerator that had 2 inches of cream on the top (that was after the milk had been pasteurized and separated). Sister D would sometimes make pies and when she did she always made the left over pie dough into cinnamon cookies for me.

We didn't work all the time, there was time for fun activities too. There was a huge playground between the main building and the barns that had swings, slides, sandbox and more than enough room to play softball without hitting any windows or obstacles. There also was a full sized in ground swimming pool that everyone could swim in. I can remember the first summer there when I broke my nose. I was in the swimming pool in the shallow section that had a slide. I had just gone down the slide but did not get out of the way fast enough when a second kid came down the slide feet first and his big old feet connected with my nose. Man, did that hurt I can remember seeing stars. To this day I have a crooked nose. I liked this time the best; my brother could swim in the little kids pool that was right next to the big pool and I could go over and play with him for as long as I wanted. I can remember my dad coming to visit and he would sit in the shade with the sisters and visit and watch my brother and I play.

I think there was the right amount of work along with time for play. We learned the work had to be done before we could go off to play.

Back to Iraq

2009-05-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

My son e-mailed me saying he was ok after the horrible shooting in Baghdad. My heart and prayers go out to the families of the soldiers that were killed. This is a very sad time.

Along awaited visit

2009-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

My son was home last week for a visit. He also brought his girlfriend, which we were very happy to meet. I don't know how he found such a delightful young lady. We all had a great time visiting, playing games, eating and sightseeing in Seattle. The time went by in the blink of an eye and then the two of them were back on the road headed back to Wyoming. I hope it will be a memorable trip for my son and his girlfriend. I am hoping to get pictures printed of all of us. I am not very good with a camera so we will see how I did. David has several months left on his tour in Iraq.

introduction to chores

2009-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

The orphanage was a huge building and housed several children from infants to high school seniors. The children were divided up according to age and gender. The smallest children too young to attend school lived on the first floor. The second floor housed the girls from kindergarten to high school. The two dormitories separated by the sister's sleeping quarters were where the younger girls were assigned to sleep. The oldest girls were allowed to sleep in a room that was on the second floor that was just a little ways down the hall from the main quarters and was located next to the girls' stairwell. Continuing down the second floor corridor on the left was the elevator and across from the elevator was the library for the girls. This room also had a small TV, piano and furniture. I remember the the west side of the room having windows the length of the room wonderful sunlight and lots of shelves filled with books. The room was the size of a large classroom. Continuing to the end of the long corridor was the living quarters for the younger boys and next to that section was another staircase, the boys' stairwell.

We were allowed to watch The Ed Sullivan show and Bonanza once a week after dinner. I can remember once when Elvis Presley was scheduled to appear on the Ed Sullivan show. We were all excited and hurried through supper, quickly washed the dishes, reset the tables and swept the floor all in record time to get back to the second floor library to crowd around the TV to watch.

Every child was assigned chores. I remember starting out being assigned to sweep and polish the floors in the girls' sleeping quarters every week. There was a big commercial floor polisher we were taught how to use. From there I graduated to cleaning the latrine. After those tasks were learned and executed to sister's satisfaction I was moved to sweeping and dusting the stairs on the stairwell. There were six flights of stairs that extended from the third floor to the basement. I can remember eventually being assigned to clean the chapel (which was a full size church). Sister Je was in charge of the chapel, the choir, the infirmary, and probably a whole host of things I didn't know about. I loved sister Je. She was nonjudgmental, soft spoken, kind and all the children loved her. Anyway when assigned to chapel duty, one had to wear a scarf and if a girl had pants on they had to put on a skirt. The pews had to be dusted, the kneelers wiped down, the space under the pews swept, the window ledges dusted and assist with arranging the flowers for the alter. On Saturdays everyone would take turns in the large commercial laundry that was in the basement. The laundry had a large mangle press, two large garment presses, two ironing boards and I think in the connecting room a couple of large commercial front loaders and couple of commercial dryers. We were not allowed to run the washers or dryers however got lots of time on the mangle, steam presses and ironing boards. Eventually I was assigned kitchen duty. I think this was my favorite. Although it was hard work in the kitchen Sister D was wonderful to work under.

I learned alot of skills while living at the orphanage and in later years was able to put myself through college cleaning houses for people.

A Different View

2009-03-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have had people ask me aren't you mad at being placed in the children's home? This question puzzled me. I have always believed my dad loved my brother and I with all his heart and he did not make the decision easily. He went to a number of people he thought might be able to help and in the end decided this was the best option. There were things about the children's home that could have been better, however, there were a number of positive experiences that I treasure.

Often times one does not control a situation, however, one always has the choice of how they will remember the experience and take away from it something positive. Life is good.

From Regina Brett "It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else".

First hair cut

2009-03-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Moving to the Children's home was actually a great improvement over our previous living situation. We now were in a dependable environment, had a clean bed to sleep in, clean cloths, three well prepared meals a day and a routine to our daily activities. The children's home was pretty much self sustaining. There was an on site dairy where the older boys milked the cows at 4am and again at 4pm. The milk was brought to the kitchen to be separated and pasteurized. We had fresh whole milk and cream with homemade butter. The orphanage also had pens with pigs so we had fresh bacon, ham, sausage and lard. There was a chicken coup with lots of chickens that provided fresh farm eggs. Sister D who ran the kitchen made homemade bread every other day. I have never tasted bread that could begin to compare with what Sister D made. The experience at the children's home taught me many life lessons.

One experience was the incident with the hair. I had long, stringy, straight blond hair. I barely would take the time to run a comb through the tangled locks much less fix it. Besides I had no idea how to fix it, I was only eight. My mother sometimes would comb and put my hair in metal curlers. Anyway, Sister JL one day told me to curl my hair. Not accustom to following directions or trying to figure out what was meant, decided I had other things to do. I found a curler and wound the ends of my hair around the one curler. Later that afternoon I took the curler out and sort of combed my hair. I soon learned that was not what was expected. Sister JL enlisted the assistance of two other girls, sat me on a stool and proceeded to cut my hair. I can remember crying "Don't cut my hair. (hiccup) My mom won't know me". All the while big alligator tears rolling down my cheeks. The next weekend when dad visited he asked who cut my hair I meekly said Sister JL. I didn't want him to be disappointed that I had not done what Sister JL had instructed me to do. I think he told me my hair looked cute. After that I was more than happy with the hair cut, lot less fuss.

Self reliance was expected, either figure out what the expectation was or there were swift consequences.

Lesson of Consequences

2009-03-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

Describing the building, on the first floor when looking down the corridor to the north there were two sitting parlors one on each side of the hall. They were decorated with beautiful couches, chairs and tables. This is where relatives and visitors would come and wait for who ever had been summoned. At the end of the hall was a door. Behind that door was the nursery. Children that were not old enough to attend kindergarten lived in that wing. My Brother who was only 4 was settled in with that group. The nursery had a dormitory where the children slept, a lavatory with toilets and sinks and then a large room where there were toys for the children and activities. I would go every day to see my brother until he was old enough to be moved to the boys' living quarters.

There was a staircase just off the door to the nursery that lead to the second floor. Looking down the opposite end of the hall from the nursery door past the entrance, Father M's office was on one side, the elevator was across from his office, there was a stairwell next to the elevator, continuing down the corridor there was a sunlit connecting hallway that lead to the dining rooms. Across from this turn in the hallway was the living quarters for Father M.

I was moved to the second floor girls living quarters, that was right above the nursery. Those accommodations included two dormitories that held ten to twelve single beds each, with the separate sleeping room for the sister in between the dorms. There was a small window that connected the dorms to the sister's sleeping quarters, so the girls could be checked on during the night. There was a large lavatory that had a row of sinks five on each side with a row of toilets that had curtains to provide privacy. I remember two deep claw footed bathtubs that were used on Saturdays for girls to bathe. The lavatory had lockers and each girl was assigned a locker in which to store her toiletries. There was a narrow room in which everyone's clothing was stored on shelves labeled with the person's name. The clothing room was kept locked and each night we would be given an outfit to hang in the locker to wear the next day.

When dad had left to go back to Casper, I was given a tour of the second floor girls quarters. The place was huge. I was assigned a bed and a locker.

One of the first nights there I was having a tough time getting settled down after being directed to go to bed. I got up to go to the bathroom, I got caught by Sister JL and she told me to go back to bed. I couldn't sleep so I got up to get a drink of water. I was caught again and this time she was going to escort me back to bed. Well, when she went to grab me, I stepped out of reach. I ran into the lavatory and circled the row of sinks. I was small, pretty quick and she was not able to catch me. I was thinking this was pretty funny and started laughing. We must have ran around the sinks two or three times, all the while I'm laughing thinking this is pretty funny, she can't catch me. Big mistake. Sister JL enlisted the help of two of the older bigger girls, they cornered and caught me. I had my first taste of consequences. I learned that a hand broom could be used for more than sweeping up dirt.

I was lonely, separated from my brother, didn't know anyone, was unaccustomed to having a schedule, unaccustomed to being disciplined and pretty sad. I cried myself to sleep that night but was determined Sister JL wasn't going to get the best of me. That was one of many lessons I was to learn.

New Place to lay my head

2009-02-27T19:37:00.000-08:00

Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

I remember dad driving onto the Children's home property. It was a bright sunny day. There was beautiful manicured green grass at least 5 acres, sidewalks, trees, a large parking lot and this huge huge brick building. I thought this surely must be a castle. I counted four levels of windows, probably four floors and at least a city block long looking at the front of the building. Where we came from a block usually had eight to ten houses with yards down each side of the street. I remember the three of us walking into this sunlit atrium that was the entrance and walking up two flights of stairs. It seemed the floor and stairs were made from marble they were so shiny and I could make my heels click as we walked across the entrance. Everything looked so pretty. We met with Father M. I immediately liked him, he reminded me of my grandfather and had the kindest eyes I had ever seen besides my dad's. Thinking back, although my brother and I were anxious, it must have been extremely hard on dad to leave us there. He promised he would return in two weeks to visit us. Dad came every two weeks for five years and brought two large grocery boxes one for each of us, that contained apples & oranges, candies, cookies and candy bars, every time he came. Didn't matter what the weather was or road conditions our dad was at that children's home every two weeks. He came on Saturday morning and would leave Sunday afternoon.

Happy Birthday Son

2009-02-18T18:07:00.001-08:00

Today is my son's 28th birthday. My son, daughter and granddaughter are at the top on my list of best things ever. Actually I've alot of wonderful things happen in my life. Today I want to wish him Happy Birthday and wish he were here to celebrate it. February is a wonderful month; my granddaughter was born 2/14/06, my son 2/18 and my birthday is 2/20.

Hither and yon

2009-02-17T19:34:00.000-08:00

No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

I think sometime before I was in first grade I remember my dad and mother having a horrendous fight. My dad was a very quiet, gentle man. This one time however my dad was beyond mad. I don't remember what had happened and perhaps I never really did know. Dad came home and was very very angry, yelled and actually hit my mother. I can remember screaming NO! Daddy, NO! They were both on the floor yelling and hitting each other. After that dad, left, and mother went to work as a waitress. I can remember being shuffled off to a different friend's house about every week. It was so common I stopped asking where we were going. My brother and I just accepted going to a different house every night as the normal course of events. I don't remember seeing much of my mother during the time she had us. At some point my mother realized she could not take care of us, work and drink too, so she gave full custody of my brother and me to our dad. He didn't know what to do with two little kids, an eight year old and 4 year old. He asked around and there were friends that wanted to adopt us, dad wasn't interested in that and I was glad. Our aunt and uncle said they would take me, but could not take my brother (they already had six children). Dad didn't want to split my brother and I up. So he found St.Joseph's Orphanage.

Hide the bottle

2009-02-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

How ever good or bad a situation is, it will change.

One of the few memories I have as a toddler was the time I hid my mother's whiskey bottle from her. I remember I did not like when my mother drank and I watched where she stored her bottle. It was way up high above the kitchen sink. One afternoon she was not watching me, I don't know where she was at the time. I decided if I hid the bottle then she wouldn't drink. I was too short to reach the kitchen counter so I pulled one of the kitchen chairs over to the counter, crawled up onto the chair and then managed to pull myself up onto the counter top. From there I opened the kitchen cabinet doors and scaled the shelves. When I got up as high as I could go I reached over and opened the cabinet above the kitchen sink. As I hung onto the cabinet door with one hand I reached over with the other hand and grasped the whiskey bottle. I then closed the cabinet and some how managed to climb down the kitchen shelves, close those doors, drop to the counter top without dropping the bottle. From there I got down onto the kitchen chair and climbed down to the floor and pushed the kitchen chair back where it belonged. I then took the bottle outside and buried it deep in my sand box. I felt such a sense of accomplishment, however short lived. Wasn't too long before my mother went to get her bottle and soon figured out who the culprit was. She asked me where the bottle was and made me go and get it.

Sad time

2009-01-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

This is a sad time for my family. My older brother passed away this morning. He was 66 years old and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. He will be greatly missed by his wife, daughter, sister, brother and several cousins. He served 20 years in the Navy on submarines, was a devoted husband and father. He was preceded in death by his mother, father and a brother. He had a strong sense of family and was a kind man. He seldom complained about anything and even if things were not going well he would always say "can't complain". He will be greatly missed.

Hot Spoon

2009-01-25T19:10:00.001-08:00

"Be kinder than you need to be because everyone everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle."

As an adult and new mother I was puzzled that my mother would call me long distance (she lived in another state) and tell me that my baby was malnourished and that I needed to get her to the doctor. My baby was in the 90th percentile for height, weight and motor skills. I took her to every well baby appointment and she was a good eater.

When I related this puzzling conversation to my aunt ( on my dad's side) she paused as if she wanted to tell me something. Finally she told me of the time my mother had severely burnt my mouth with a hot spoon to the point she could not get me to eat. The pediatrician had told my mother I was malnourished and she needed to get some food in me. My aunt went on to say that my mother brought me to her and my older cousins would hold me down so that my aunt could force food into my mouth and make me eat. I do not know how many times this occurred before I started to eat again.

My father and mother both told me how as a toddler I would sit on a friend's lap (dad's army buddy) and eat raw onions with tears running down my cheeks. What a strange thing to feed a baby.

A Cry Silenced

2009-01-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

A pessimist would say their glass is half empty, an optimist would say their glass is half full.
I say, my glass is half full, there is room for more, whatcha wait'n for, filler 'er up please. :)

My dad was a soft spoken, kind hearted, gentle man. He was the biggest influence in my life. On occasion when I would do stupid kid stuff, my dad would say to me "you must have been dropped on your head as baby". I always thought this kind of odd but didn't ask what he meant. I lost my dad in 1984, I think of him everyday and miss him.

My mom and dad were married sometime before I was born. One might say I was an unexpected event. My mother was 31 and my dad was 37. We lived in a two room apartment, one was the kitchen and the other larger room served as the bedroom and living room. It was attached to other apartments to form a square. I remember there was a community outhouse in the center of the square of apartments and across the street were buildings referred to as 'cribs', where winos and prostitutes hung out. Down the street at the end of the the apartments was a liquor store and attached to that was a neighborhood grocery.
Later on as an adult a close family friend told me a story about how my mother, when she could not get me to quit crying would throw me against the wall. I was lucky, I didn't suffer any broken bones or brain damage. I asked my older brother about these incidents as there is quite a bit that I don't remember and he said he remembers discussions about my being thrown against the wall.

autobiography request

2009-01-15T06:44:00.000-08:00

I have had a request from a reader to write my experience growing up in a orphanage. Since both my father and mother are deceased perhaps this is the time to examine those experiences that have been pushed aside in order to get on with my life. I will need to start at the beginning as this explains the situation of how my younger brother and I were put in the orphanage. Hopefully this adventure will not be boring for the readers as I am not an experienced writer. The posts will be done weekly and will be short. Names of individuals will be changed to protect their identity in the writing.

I believe that yesterday is not something to dwell upon, it is spent, can not be redone, can not be relived and tomorrow isn't here yet and we don't know what it will bring, so no sense in worrying over it; ah, but today, each and everyone of us has within us the ability to choose what kind of day we will have.

I was born on February 20, 1953 to a 31 year old alcoholic mother, the middle child of three children. I had an older brother that was 10, when I was born. I feel extremely fortunate to be alive because between my brother's birth and my birth my mother had another pregnancy in which she decided to have an abortion. This was related to my by my grandfather's second wife, who is the only grandmother I ever knew. So there were three children my older brother, myself and my younger brother who was born in 1956.

Back from vacation

2009-01-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

January is almost half over. I have returned from a two week vacation in Georgia with my daughter, son-in-law and 2 year old granddaughter. She is such a delight. Except for all the passes being closed when I arrived back in Seattle and driving the long way home via Portland traveling wasn't too bad. Getting back into the swing of things after being gone for two weeks is always a challenge. Anyway wanted to let everyone know that Phil's Grill is sponsoring a give away for a cool game 'Grilln'opoly' details can be obtained at http://www.grillingspecialties.blogspot.com. Hope everyone had a fun New Year's.
Army Mom

Thursday Thirteen #16

2008-12-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

Thirteen positive thoughts or actions
1. A new year is around the corner.
2. The after Christmas sales are almost here.
3. Call a friend who lifts your spirit
4. Make a list of 100 things that make you happy
5. Investigate What being good to yourself means
6. Watch a movie that makes you feel good or makes you laugh out loud
7. Be grateful for what you do have
8. Buy something for yourself and do not allow yourself to feel guilty
9. Read a book you found totally absorbing
10. Tell your spouse or significant other you love them
11. Smile and say hello to ten people
12. Send a friendship card to someone special
13. Make a meal that you totally enjoy.

To read more Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen #14

2008-12-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

Thirteen Ways to survive the Holidays
1. When I'm feeling financial strain- I have a cup of tea and be thankful that I have a job and know that the bills will eventually get paid. Others don't have jobs, some don't have homes.
2. When feeling lonely because David won't be home for Christmas I try to do something in honor of his service in the military and know he is doing what he can to make someone else's holiday a little better. This year I will read a poem at our office Christmas party about the night before Christmas when Santa visits a lonely soldier's quarters.
3. When feeling sad that David will be in a foreign land serving his country I sent him two boxes of homemade goodies.
4. When feeling nostalgic I wear a holiday pin that David gave me when he was about three years old. It was a plastic Merry Christmas pin with a nurse on it. He only had $1.00 to spend; he went to the clerk and whispered "I want to get my mom a present". She took him over to the case with different pieces of jewelry and holiday pins. When he spotted the nurse pin he told her "I would like that pin, please". I think the pin was a little more than a dollar but the clerk sold it to him for the dollar he had. Back in those days Kay's Family clothing was the small town clothing, sewing supply and country store. Today that store is no longer there but I have fond memories of shopping in Kay's Family Clothing.
5. When thinking of friends and family that I haven't seen for a long time; Phil and I write a Christmas letter with the year's news in hopes we might hear back from them and hope they are doing well.
6. When I stress that I haven't bought everything that I think my loved ones want; I have to remember that Christmas isn't about getting everything on the wish list, but humbly remembering all the wonderful blessings, the simple joys of everyday living and all the good things the past year has bestowed, being ever hopeful for the coming year to be nearly as blessed.
7. Do something fun. Like wear the jingle bell earrings that drive Phil crazy and buy myself fruitcake even though I am the only one who will eat any of it.
8. Try to be sensitive to others that may not be as fortunate as I have been this past year. There is a mother in our office with an inoperable brain tumor that now has ruptured discs in her back facing surgery and i've heard of many workers have been let go due to budget deficits. It is important to try to lift spirits and share the burdens of others even when all we can do is listen.
9. Sending out Christmas cards always seems like one more thing to get done, however I so enjoy getting cards that I find the time to send out cards, that hopefully will lift a friends' spirits.
10. I remember past Christmas' when my dad was alive. He was so generous. If someone asked him for five dollars he would open his wallet; give them ten and never expect to be paid back. I always miss him especially at Christmas even though he has been gone 24 years.
11. I try to watch a children's Christmas program or Christmas carolers. I find them uplifting.
12. I try to stay connected to family and make phone calls to let them know someone is thinking about them.
13. I usually have one glass of eggnog in honor of my grandfather. He celebrated Christmas with what he called a 'white Christmas' eggnog with a shot of bourbon.

Happy Holidays everyone!
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Thursday Thirteen #13

2008-12-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

Thirteen preparations for the holidays.

1. Buy a turkey, hopefully one that is on sale.

2. Buy all the ingredients for all the side dishes

3. Bought a new Christmas tree, one that already has lights and decorations. Costco had some real pretty ones that were not too expensive. What a time saver!

4. Clean the house and put up decorations.

5. Buy the Christmas presents.

6. Wrap the Christmas presents.

7. Mail packages to out of town relatives.

8. Complete Christmas baking, cookies, fudge, popcorn balls.

9. Dig out the Christmas music. We have enough CDs with variety that we do not tire of the Christmas music.

10. Write Christmas cards. I enjoy getting the Christmas cards especially the ones with a Christmas letter.

11. Remember to be thankful for all past Christmas holidays that make up wonderful memories.

12. Prepare for the office Christmas party with a white elephant gift and a gift for the gift exchange.

13. Make the traditional oyster stew for Christmas Eve dinner and leftsa for Christmas day dinner.

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Thursday Thirteen

2008-11-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

13 things I will miss this thanksgiving because my son is in Iraq
1. I'll miss making him eggo waffles with butter and syrup in every square.
2. I'll miss reading "Cup of Christmas Tea" with Dave.
3. I'll miss the big bag of laundry to wash before he leaves again.
4. I'll miss him asking for leftsa.
5. I'll miss his teasing and mischief smile.
6. Ill miss him laying stretched out on the floor in front of the TV.
7. I'll miss him at the diner table telling me he is stuffed after I've asked him for the 5th time what else he wants to eat.
8. I'll miss the stories he shares about his skiing and rock climbing.
9. I'll miss reminiscing about what he was like as a little boy.
10. I'll miss his rare surprise kisses on the cheek.
11. I'll miss the sound of his footsteps on the stairs.
12. I'll miss going to a holiday movie with him.
13. I miss my son.

I am grateful for the time I have had with him and that he is healthy in mind and body to pursue what he enjoys in life.
Please visit more Thursday Thirteen!

Customer Service

2008-11-18T17:22:00.001-08:00

This is my favorite time of year. Even though I feel stressed about how I can afford to pay for Christmas I still enjoy this time of year. I was in a Hunting Goods store this last week and required some assistance from the sales staff to purchase a gift for my husband. The sales person was absolutely phenomenal. I felt like I was his only customer (although there were several waiting at the counter) and that he would have taken the entire day to help me with my purchase if needed. All three staff that I spoke to were delightful, helpful and stated if there was any problem with my purchase or we need assistance to come back and they would be more than happy to help. It has been a long time since I have experienced that level of customer service. You can bet I will be returning to Hammer's for future purchases.

Veterans Day

2008-11-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day brought back memories of people I loved that chose to devote a part or all of their careers to the military. My older brother Mike spent 20 years in the Navy. I called him on Veterans Day to let him know I was thinking of him and to say thank you for choosing to serve. My father (who past away in 1984) spent 6 years in the navy and would have stayed longer however he had severe motion sickness that prevented him from serving on a ship. My grandfather (who also past away in 1984) served in the army in WWI. My son started his military career at West Point in 2001 and is currently serving in Iraq as a Captain. I have several cousins that served in the military. So to all Veterans and current Military thank you for what you have done and what you are now doing. Being an American is an honor and a privilege; because of you we have the freedoms we treasure. Thank you all.

halloween trick or treaters

2008-11-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

We had a delightful time watching the little ones come up to the door to trick or treat. We had our usual large number. Our street is a popular route for the children. This is the first year in about three that I actually was able to be at home and pass out candy. The most darling costume was a six year old girl dressed as a bride, whose mother (or someone) had made her a wedding dress. The material looked like it had one been someone's wedding dress and her trick or treat bag was a white matching purse accompanied by a beautiful lace head dress. The most creative costume was a young boy maybe 9 or 10 that carried a cardboard sign that read "Candy needed, anything will do, God Bless thank you. Our city has seen several street corner loiterers with signs over the months that would read "Hungary, will work for food, God bless thank you". All in all it was a delightful evening topped off with a CSI.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #11

2008-09-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

13 things to do after work when out of town
1. Go window shopping
2. Go to Costco
3. Have a picnic in a scenic spot
4. Go to a movie
5. Join happy hour in the lounge at the hotel you are staying.
6. Play bingo, go to a comedy club
7. Take a tour of the area
8. Go to the library
9. Read a book
10. Check out if there is a church function for the denomination you belong to.
11. Get on the computer at the hotel.
12. Write letters.
13. Soak in a hot tub to your hearts content.

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Troubling news

2008-09-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I heard on the news of a black hawk helicopter going down in Iraq and soldiers died. After watching the news, for 48 hours I was anxious. I know my son is doing what he was trained to do and he is exceptional in his skill and abilities, however as a mother I will be relieved when he is deployed out of Iraq (which isn't scheduled any time soon). My heart and prayers go out to those parents and family members who lost soldiers in that crash.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #10

2008-09-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

One of my son's favorite snacks "Double Fudge Nut Cake"
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Ingredients:
2 cups sugar sift sugar & flour into a bowl, set aside
2 cups flour

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) put these three ingredients in a pan.
4 TBLS cocoa add water and bring to a boil
1 cup water While still hot pour over sugar/flour, stir well.

1/2 cup buttermilk add the last four ingredients.
2 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla Mix well

2. Pour into buttered 11X16 pan (1/2 sheet cake pan).
3. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees (no longer)
4. While cake is baking mix up the frosting.
5. Frosting:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup) put first three ingredients in a pan and heat
6 TBLS milk (regular milk or buttermilk can be used)
4 TBLS cocoa When mixed well pour over:

6. 3&3/4 cups of powdered sugar, mix very well then add
7. 1 teaspoon vanilla

8. As soon as cake is removed from the oven take a knife around the edges.
9. Pour frosting over hot cake and spread with a knife.
10. Sprinkle with nuts.
11. Let cake cool.
12. When cool cut into pieces.
13. Serve to your family.

Enjoy!
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Thursday Thirteen Edition #9

2008-09-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

13 things to be safe when traveling
1. Make sure your cell phone is charged
2. Have in the car the car charger for your cell phone
3. Get directions online if you have not been there before
4. Have fluid levels checked in your vehicle before leaving town
5. Have a full tank of gas before getting on the highway
6. Take the confirmation number of your hotel reservations
7. Be sure someone knows when to expect a 'check in call' from you when you arrive at your destination.
7. Before getting out of the vehicle whether at a gas station or the hotel look around and see who is near you, if you are feeling uncomfortable there is a reason why. Pay attention to your instincts.
8. When checking in be careful to not allow strangers to see your room number at the hotel
9. When you arrive in the hotel room; check to see where the nearest exit is located or the nearest exit stairwell is located.
10. If you get pulled over only roll down your window far enough to hear what the officer is requesting and keep the doors locked.
11. When alone do not stop to help strangers, if you feel they need assistance call on the cell phone to the highway patrol with the stranded motorist's location.
12. Should someone approach you when you are coming out of a store or hotel asking for help, tell them you will be willing to go back into the store to get them help and then prompltly do so; do not let them detain you.
13. When heading back home call someone to let them know your expected time of arrival to your destination.
Having travel thousands of miles for work, often times by myself, I am amazed at chances I see women taking when traveling. To be safe a strong sense of caution is your best defense.
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Thursday Thirteen Edition #8

2008-09-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

Mick's Jerky Brine used for wild game jerky
1. 1 gallon water
2. 2/3 cup salt
3. 1/3 cup vinegar
4. 1 1/2 cup pepper
5. 1/4 tablespoon onion powder
6. 3 shakes of Tabasco
7. 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire's sauce
8. 1/4 tablespoon sage
9. 1 1/2 tablespoon A-1 sauce
10. touch of chili powder
11. soak the strips of meat in the brine for 9 hours in the refrigerator
12. remove from the brine
13. lay on smoking racks and put in smoker for 8 hours.

My son loves almost every flavor of jerky made.
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Added note: The last post now includes the link to the new website I mentioned.
Defendersown

New website to visit

2008-09-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe we are into September. Time for hunting season and preparing for fall. We loaded 2 tons of pellets into our garage, purchased a new cover for our old camper (the wind demolished the cover we had) and looked at the catalogs with all the new Halloween items. Speaking of things that are new, I was notified of a new website Defendersown . It is a website for military personnel and family members. Take a moment and check the site out.
Please visit again on Thursday Thirteen where I will share a recipe for making jerky, one of my son's favorite snacks.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #7

2008-08-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Thirteen thoughts for the week
1. Never pass up an opportunity to be quiet.
2. Quickest way to gain control of a meeting is not to talk louder but to be silent.
3. Be like a postage stamp-stick to one thing till you get there.
4. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
5. Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice.
6. I don't know the secret to success but the key to failure is to try to please everyone.
7. If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.
8. The best bridge between hope and despair is often a good night's sleep.
9. Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings.
10. If one looks there is always someone who is in worse shape than oneself.
11. Contentment is not getting what we want but being satisfied with what we have.
12. It isn't hard to make a mountain out of a mole hill, just add a little dirt.
13. Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

Congratulations to my nephew Jerry & Kandy on the birth of their beautiful baby girl today!

To read more Thursday Thirteen

Back to school

2008-08-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

When both of my children were school age they both looked forward to the starting of school. They were excited about new clothes, new backpacks and seeing their school mates. The first day was always fun. When they would come home all excited and would tell me about their new teachers, their classmates and whether they thought they would like the classes they were taking. The first week they required lots of encouragement to devote time to doing the homework that was assigned. One of the things that helped I was back in college working on my bachelor's degree so all of us would sit down together and do homework.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #6

2008-08-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

13 things I mailed to my son when he is overseas.
1. Goldfish crackers (his favorite)
2. Beef Jerky
3. Playing cards
4. sudoku game
5. Climbing magazines
6. pictures
7. brownies
8. movies
9. books
10. Fire ball jaw breakers
11. Lemon Head jaw breakers
12. taffy
13. Top Ramen noodles
These were not mailed all at one time. I mailed a package a week during his first tour in Iraq. Post office staff and I were on first name basis.

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Thursday Thirteen Edition #5

2008-08-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

Thirteen favorite movies
1. The day after Tomorrow
2. Top Gun
3. Hunt for Red October
4. Good Will Hunting
5. All the Harry Potters
6. Chronicles of Narnia - Price Capsian
7. Quigley Down Under
8. Second Hand Lions
9. Finding Forrester
10. As Good as It Gets
11. Scent of a Woman
12 Open Range
13. Don Juan DeMarco

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Happy Birthday

2008-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today is my younger brother's birthday. So I made him a triple chocolate fantasy cake and we are barbecuing steaks on the barbie tonight accompanied with hot fresh rolls, baked potatoes and salad. I am so glad we are together to celebrate his birthday. My brother and I spent 5 years in St.Joseph's Children's home in Torrington Wyoming growing up, so I feel especially close to him. He is a terrific brother and friend.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #4

2008-08-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Thirteen ways I like to spend quiet time

1. Soaking in a herbal bath
2. Taking a nap
3. Reading a book
4. Walking/swimming/trimming my roses
5. Daydreaming "If I could meet anyone in the world who would it be?" and "What would I tell or ask them?"
6. Looking through photo albums, especially of my children
7. Looking through my stamp collection
8. Praying
9. Writing down my goals for the next six months
10. Getting a massage
11. Planning something special for a holiday
12. If I didn't have to have money to pay bills and could choose to do anything I wanted, what would it be?
13. Crochet

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Promotion news

2008-08-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have good news, my son David, has been promoted to Captain. I am at a loss, can some one help me? Is there something special you give someone who has been promoted? Look forward to your replies.

Thursday Thirteen Edition #3

2008-07-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thirteen things I loved about my children as they were growing up
1. Childhood innocence
2. Energy levels
3. Their new perspective looking at things
4. Their laughter
5. Uninhibited Hugs
6. Phone calls
7. When they say "I love you"
8. Sharing information about something new they learned
9. Their excitement
10. When they remember my birthday
11. Gifts they gave me that were handmade.
12. Accepting me even when I made mistakes
13. When they share something with me that is important to them.

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Thursday Thirteen

alarm clock

2008-07-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

I was thinking back as to what I tried to do to teach my son and daughter responsible behavior. I remember when they started the 7th grade they thought they were old enough to stay up later, don't all kids think they have to go to bed too early! So I decided that wasn't a battle I had energy for, so I bought alarm clocks. I told them yes I believed they could make a responsible choices so they could decide what time they should go to bed and here is an alarm clock. You will be responsible for setting it and getting up when it goes off. If you over sleep and are late for school I will not write a note for you to be excused. This a new responsibility; remember the later you go to bed the harder it will be for you to get up. They struggled a few times before they made the connection. After awhile they were managing their time a little wiser. It was a win win situation, I didn't have to struggle to get them to go to bed or get up and they knew they had choices.

Thirteen Thursday #2 Imparting lessons

2008-07-23T23:42:00.000-07:00

13 ideas I tried to share with my children when they were growing up
1. Pick your friends wisely, for you are known by the company you keep.
2. Sometimes friends will disappoint you, try to remember they are not perfect and neither are you.
3. Honesty is the best policy.
4. Own up to your mistakes. Don't make them twice.
5. Don't start a fight however if the fight comes to you don't be afraid to finish it.
6. Stand up for those who can not stand up for themselves.
7. Bad language should be reserved for the garage and if must be spoken do it in the garage!
8. Give the other individual the benefit of the doubt, someday you will need someone to give you the benefit of the doubt.
9. Think before you speak. Hurtful words are like a mirror that has been broken the cracks can not be repaired and once spoken the hurtful words can not be taken back.
10. When you speak ill of someone else, that reflects more on you than on the individual you speak of, with time others will form their own opinion of the person as well as an opinion of you and what you said.
11. Don't believe everything you hear and read.
12. Don't tell everything you know. A pint of example is worth a barrel full of advice.
13. It's the little things in life that determine the big things.

Summer Fun

2008-07-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday evening and I'm trying to catch up the laundry getting ready for next week. We spent Saturday at Silverwood Theme park. Had a great time swimming and riding roller coasters. When Kim and David were kids I would try to take them to WaterWorld in Denver Colorado for a weekend swim. One year we were able to make it to DisneyWorld and enjoy the water park there. What fond memories.

Thirteen Thursday

2008-07-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

Thirteen fond memories
1. Holding my daughter Kim and son David, for the first time.
2. Introducing David to his big sister Kim.
3. Introducing Kim and David to their Great Grandpa Rush.
4. David scaling the side of the crib, flipping himself over the rail and crawling out to the living room without making a sound and looking so pleased with himself.
5. Kim holding her little baby brother.
6. David eating lasagna the first time at his aunt Gail's.
7. David and Kim at Disney World.
8. Watching Kim and David graduate from Highschool.
9. Being a part of Kim and Eric's wedding.
10. Going with David to West Point for the first time.
11. Attending and being a part of Kim's graduation from her nursing program.
12. Attending David's graduation from West Point.
13. Attending my granddaughter Tolina's birth.

Please visit other 13 Thursday posts.

Family History

2008-07-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

I was counting up the number of family members that I know of that have served or are serving in the armed forces. I started with my son, my grandpa, my father, my brother, two cousins, one uncle, two nephews and a niece, two brother-in-laws, tw0 father-in-laws and I am sure there are several more that I do not know about. I have several cousins that I have lost track of through the years and many relatives that I just learned about because my cousin was doing a family tree search. Sometimes family history can be so intriguing.

Debt we owe

2008-07-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

We watched a program on the television about fireworks and science behind the display effects. Made me wonder what the troops are doing when deployed overseas and especially in a war zone. I'm sure they would much rather be home with family to celebrate the fourth. We have so much for which to be thankful and owe so much to the men and women who are are overseas protecting our interests and fighting for those who can not fight themselves.

Fourth of July

2008-07-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

My family and I wanted to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July. Have fun and be safe.

Army Mom

Cherries Cherries Cherries.......

2008-06-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

The really good cherries have arrived! We have Johnson's orchards here and they produce the best fruit anywhere. Couple of weeks ago I purchased cherries from a store and the cherries were from California. The cherries tasted as if they had been frozen, lacked flavor and the texture was grainy. Next year I think I need to put in a garden. We paid $3.00 for one yellow bell pepper at this same store. I have to accept the fact the raising of prices has no end in site and with the tomato scare the only safe tomato is one grown in our own backyard.

E-mails bring sunshine

2008-06-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail from my son this morning along with a picture. What a day brightener! I was reviewing blogs this morning and came across one with several pictures of soldiers in Iraq going about their daily responsibilities. Seeing some normal activities that soldiers are involved in, helps with keeping my imagination in check. The pictures were very good and submitted by several different individuals.

The News will make you cry

2008-06-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

This evening was overshadowed by the news. After listening to part of the news talking about the stock market dropping, gas prices escalating and the soldiers in the national guard losing their homes, I happened to be downstairs and heard on the television about 3 marines killed today in Iraq. I just wanted to cry. My son is in the army not the marines, however I can't imagine the anguish of the families of those men. I pray for strength for the loved ones left behind.

Honey Do

2008-06-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

I can not imagine being without my husband. He is the sunshine in my life.However, if 'trying to remember how lucky I am', isn't working for me, then I get out the "Honey do list". Somehow all of a sudden there is a project that took on a whole new importance and voila! I am left in peace and quiet.Hope you find your peace and quiet.

An answer to Road Rage

2008-06-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

I the way home tonight from work I had to chuckle. When I was younger I used to get annoyed at people who honk at other people; these days when someone honks at me I smile and wave. Some knuckle head was traveling way too fast for a residential area with children where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour. I was turning onto the street and he came barreling up behind me in his pickup truck (I drive a Durango). I stopped for the stop sign and then proceed to turn right, I wasn't moving fast enough for the knucklehead so he honks at me. I smile and wave as if he were my best friend. He of course looked extremely annoyed. I just smiled.

Pictures

2008-06-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

I'm putting together a new collage of pictures of my son. I had one made in 2001 and had given that to his dad this June when he got remarried as a wedding gift. I had duplicate pictures made before I mailed the art work to him. This collage is a little bigger and about twice as heavy. My son had shared in one of his phone calls he had lost all of his pictures from his computer. So I'm trying to make a collage of the pictures he has sent. Hopefully he will send me some more pictures soon.

Pj's and Popcorn

2008-06-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

After thinking about the weekend I decided that I can live without having my purse searched in order to go to a movie. So perhaps if enough of their patrons decide to boycott maybe they will get the idea that another plan should be instituted. I don't mind watching Movies at home. There are of course some distinct advantages, like wearing pajamas, pausing the movie if a bathroom break is needed, and putting on as much butter on the popcorn as one wants.

Purse no longer personal!

2008-06-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening my husband and I went to the movie theater to see a movie. We bought tickets and proceeded into the theater. At the position where they tear the tickets the young girl tells me she needs to look into my purse. I smile and say no. (there is nothing in my purse) She is taken aback by this and again says I need you to open your purse and look inside, again I smile and say no. An older girl was there with her and she began telling us that they needed to look inside my purse before they could let us in. I smiled and said no. (I came to the theater to watch a movie not be searched and I had a headache so of course cooperation was out of the question.) At this point my husband asks to see the manager. The manager comes over and trying to sound authoritative tells us he needs to look inside my purse to search for weapons, guns, knives, video equipment and drugs. Here we are two middle aged grandparents and they want to search my purse. I again smile and say no. At which point my husband requests we be refunded our money and we leave. I felt bad for the young lady taking the tickets, she should not be put in that position. If she found a gun, knife, video equipment or drugs what was she suppose to do? If they feel that type of clientele is coming to the movie theater the management needs to have the police there or trained security personnel. Its bad enough to have to be subjected to a search at the airports. (I have flown quite a bit since 9/11 and appreciate the airline attempting to keep us safe). I refuse to be searched in a movie theater in my home town that we have frequented over the past ten years at least twice a month. I wonder what David would have said if he had been with us.

Summer Fun

2008-06-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

I feel as if we are in warp speed time zone. Here is it June 19th the year is almost half over. I can remember as a kid waiting anxiously for school to be out, to have the summer to sleep in, play and get into mischief. David graduated in 2005 three years ago from West Point. Seems just like yesterday. He has been in Iraq almost one month of a 15 month deployment. David is pretty versatile and adapts well to all environments. He has a way of making the most of a situation especially when there is no choice in the matter. Hope he is able to find some time to relax. I can not imagine what it is like to be in a war zone.

E-mail on Father's Day

2008-06-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

David's dad did receive an e-mail from him on Father's Day. I am so fortunate that David's dad is such a terrific person. He forwarded David's e-mail to me. As parents we have both tried very hard to provide an environment in which both our children knew they were loved and that whatever one parent said the other parent backed them up. So although I continue to worry, for the moment I know David is alright.

2008-06-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

Like many military traditions, the salute carries a rich history. Though nobody can pinpoint the precise origins of the hand salute it's a convention that extends across cultures, armies and centuries. In military life a salute is common courtesy, the acknowledgment of a superior, a simple expression of attention paid and respect given. At it's heart a salute is one of the hallmarks of the warrior spirit. I'm often sadden by the lack of example of fathers' to teach their sons the occasions for which a salute is appropriate, such as when standing at attention with their hand over their heart for the national anthem, the american flag and a funeral procession of a fallen soldier. When fathers fail to show respect for their country, the flag and national anthem, regardless if it is at a rodeo, baseball game or parade, they are setting an example to their sons that is disheartening. Men if you don't have the iron to teach your sons to stand for something you set them up to fall for anything. On a similar note talking about common courtesy, I wish that restaurants would post a sign at entrances that tells all patrons that it is customary to remove your hats when eating at the table and to not do so is an egregious social error and makes them look like clods. Perhaps that is too much to wish for in this day and age this is just one more example of fathers' not setting examples for their children. In another age, any male would have been mortified if someone had to remind them that a gentleman takes his hat off indoors. I know I've been hard on the dads; however, moms are just as much at fault for not expecting civilized behavior out of our sons. We take the time to teach our daughters to be modest; why don't we take the time to teach our sons to be courteous?

Happy Fathers Day!

2008-06-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day to celebrate Father's Day. I think back to my own father, who was the most soft spoken, gentle person I ever knew. I do not remember my father ever raising his voice to either my brother or myself. And he never spanked us. He raised us by example, he went to church every weekend. If someone came to him needing money without a second thought reached for his wallet and gave what he had. He was as nonjudgemental as a person could be. The most he ever made was $5.00 an hour and that was after working for the standard oil company 20 years. He saved diligently and loved his children and grandchildren to a fault. He would be pleased that I wrote today's blog entry in honor of him. I'm sure he is in heaven smiling down on us. I hope as I raised my children that I was able to impart some of those values that my father taught me. He served four years in the navy. I know he is proud of David serving in the army in Iraq.

Mail

2008-06-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail this week from the individual responsible for getting information to families of those serving in the 54th EN BN. The e-mail gave the address to which packages could be mailed. Although it was not a message from David it was information. So this next week I will try to get a package sent to my son. I have sent three letters to him thus far so am hopeful I will hear from him this weekend. At least with it being father's day, Sunday, chances are good he will call his dad.

2008-06-13T02:22:00.000-07:00

What can one say that could possibly comfort a grieving family over the loss of a child? My thoughts and prayers are with the parents of the boy scouts that lost their lives in the tornado and all the families experiencing tremendous losses due to the flooding in the Midwest. May family and friends provide comfort to you all, at this difficult time.

Eat a banana and look 20 year younger!

2008-06-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Today is overcast and gloomy. Makes me wonder what the temperature is in Iraq. On days like today I find myself getting down. I read somewhere that if one takes measures to avoid getting too tired, too hungry or too lonely mentally and emotionally a person is able to have some control over how they feel. I have found this to be true. I have also found if I am involved in reading a book that provides a diversion for my thoughts helpful. Right now I'm reading a book titled Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System. The book says if one does not get the required amount of potassium daily you acquire an old age look. This is premature aging due to potassium deficiency.
So I'll eat a banana and tomorrow I'll look better.

Anticipation

2008-06-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday evenings we are winding down from the weekend. The first time David was in Iraq he was so good to call every weekend to let us know he was alright. We didn't hear from him this weekend although he did e-mail last week saying he was in the middle east. He has always said no news is good news. Sometimes I will receive an e-mail from him at work so maybe Monday there will be word from him.

2008-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

This picture is of Dave form his first deployment in Iraq; his is currently on his second.

2008-05-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it would be just so nice to pick up the phone and call my son. Since that is not possible I try to think what I would say to him if I could talk to him. This exercise helps me in formulating my next letter to him. I don't know if he has even received any of the letters I have sent to him. Hopefully this weekend I will hear from him. Some day if he gets married and has children he will learn what it means to wait for a phone call, letter or visit. I'm happy he is able to do the work he loves and that he is healthy. I continue to pray for his safety and the safety of his men and wisdom for our leaders.

Encouraging to others

2008-05-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today I was going through some older pictures of David and remembering how he developed skill as a leader. He was in Speech, cross country track, and enjoyed school. He was a team player and encouraged team mates to do their best. He was the one who encouraged the competitor who came in last. He would find something that was a demonstrated strength for that individual and assist them in developing that part of their performance. He didn't compete with others as much as he choose to try and improve his personal best.

Sunday Funnies

2008-05-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

It is with so much pride as parents we witness our children growing and developing into the men and women we believed they could become. When that time arrives, It is accompanied with a sense of loss, the loss of knowing we no longer have the ability to protect or help them to manage the tough bumps in the road. As a parent of adult children, I have had to learn to be patient and quietly wait until the invitation is extended to share my thoughts. (I don't always succeed, but I try) When my son was deployed to Iraq, trying to communicate over the telephone was difficult at best, due to time constraints and often poor connections. The conversations are short and mostly only have time to say I love you and try to be safe. One strategy I've found helpful is to avoid watching the news on the television, write to David every week and include items in my letters that are upbeat and positive, such as the Sunday funnies.

GI Joe

2008-04-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

From the time my son was able to choose his own clothes until high school the only pants I could get him to wear were the camouflage pants. We had the winter camouflage, green camouflage, dessert camouflage, any other style of pants were just not acceptable. As he grew we spent more and more time in the army surplus stores buying his required attire. Of course we had to have the complete set of GI Joes. His great aunt Ruth said he had the most shooting sounds of any little boy she ever saw. He would spend hours playing GI Joe. Remembering what he enjoyed as a child helps me remember he is doing what he loves.

2008-04-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

David Loves to ski and be out doors, I think that is why he liked being stationed in Germany so much!

Nothing beats Mom's Cooking

2008-04-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Well the banana didn't work. I don't look any younger however I don't look any older either. I wonder what my son and his men had for supper tonight, if they had the ready to eat military meals or if they were able to eat in the base mess hall. My brother-in-law who was in the air-force sent us some ready to eat meals in brown heavy vinyl packages. I haven't been brave enough to try any of them to see what they would be like. He said they actually are not too bad and resemble the dehydrated meals that can be purchased in the backpacking supply retailers. Next time I talk to David I will have to ask him what he thinks of the ready to eat meals.

Introduction

2008-04-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

I am the proud mother of a daughter and son. My children have been the best experiences of my life. Raising children is a combination of self growth, humility, elation, hope, worry, patience, learning, failure, happiness, pride, disappointment, and an appreciation of life. I know I didn’t do everything perfect, made many mistakes along the way, however I did some of the important things right. The most difficult was letting go and allowing my children to make their own choices. Trying to support them in those decisions even though I knew the road would take them far away was the most challenging. I did not realize just what that meant until my son made the decision to attend West Point Military Academy and now is stationed in Iraq.