Life is Good

Oh mama. Life is rough sometimes so thank goodness for your positive outlook and comments. What would I do without you? Since we're winning that PCH money shortly, lets start planning our trip to Hawaii to see Nana! Ryan wants to apply for a postition in Hilo. How about that? And there's a unit there too. I don't know if I could live without seeing the mountains and pine trees every once in a while though.

Life As An Army Mom

I was awakened this morning by the ringing of the phone. It was a Captain Metz from Fort Wainwright, Alaska where my son is based. At the moment my son, Phil, is deployed in Iraq where his duty station is Mozul. Captain Metz said he was calling to tell me that the Army was very sorry , he had bad news ... my son was hit by an IED while on a foot patrol in the city several hours earlier. He read me an official account of the event and it seemed like the longest conversation in my life. It didn't seem to me like he said if my son was dead or alive until the very end.

But, God Bless Phil.....he had called me first to tell me what had happened and that he was okay. He sustained a minor injury, is all, some shrapnel had hit his knee. Sometimes my son can be a duh-duh - forgetting birthdays, not telling me about things a mother wants to know or hear - but when it counts, I mean really counts, like today ... he comes through, that boy of mine. I was prepared for Captain Metz's call when it came because Phil gave me the heads up.

I have to say though, when I heard the words from the Captain it was shocking and quite unnerving. In that moment I pictured myself receiving that call without advance notice. I pictured the words of that call as if they could have been the worst possible news and I got a small glimpse of how devastating those calls must be to mothers all over the world in countless countries. We mothers have been sending our boys off to war since the beginning of time and we try to do so bravely, leaving them in the Lord's hands when really all we want is to wrap them in a blankie, hold them, feed them chicken soup and send them out to play. But our boys grow up and we do our best to let them. Today I got the best possible bad news the Army can give a mother. Today, and for many days to come, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives, daughters, and sons who didn't get such good news. God bless you and be with you. And ,God, please don't ever stop watching over our soldiers. Thanks, Lorie, just one little mommy in Idaho.

We have a new day! Let's celebrate! We our blessed to have great friends with a strong spiritual bond & family that love us. May love strengthen your days & fill your hearts with joy. God Speed friends

The view from Hawaii

This is the first blog I have ever attempted in my life. I probably would do it for no one else but dear Lorie.

Spring is almost here and the days are getting longer. Things are lookin' up!

Thought Of The Day

Hang in there! No matter what you are going through, no matter where you've been or wish you could be, it's worth it to hang in there. No one needs to tell ya that these are uncertain times for many people. Hard times come. It's just the nature of life on the planet. However I have found that it's our attitude and frame of mind that will make all the difference in the degree of suffering we experience.

I don't know about you but I absolutely do not like to be uncomfortable. I don't like being cold, or sweaty, or hungry, worried, fearful, achy, sick, or especially hurting in my heart or soul. I find the grieving process especially distasteful and it often just really makes me mad. I used to fight against anything uncomfortable and that fighting got me nowhere. It was only after many years of 'wallowing in the mire' so to speak that I learned the power of positive thinking.

We always have a choice in our challenges. We can choose to lift up our chins and move forward with hope and faith. Even when we don't feel any hope or faith we can still fake it. And, as a wise therapist once told me, it's the faking it that makes it become real. If you feel hopeless, distraught, or despairing make a choice to lift up your heart or chin or bellie button if you want and be positive. Remember, faking it is not only okay but is often the only way you can do it. I tell you it truly helps. Things will get better for you. There is honestly true power in doing this. It truly shortens and lightens the discomfort of 'earthlife'. And when you can...start counting and giving thanks for all the things in your life that are good and wonderful. God bless you and hang in there.

Joining the Blogging World

Well.....what now? So I have a blog......It's hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that anyone would want to read about me or my life. Well ok, other than my kids. So...I guess I should warn anyone who comes here what they are in for: Poor spelling, poor or nonexistent punctuation, possible use of the wrong word, and maybe a swear word or two. Hopefully you will also experience a good deal of humor (mostly from postings from my kids), an insight into who I am, and something good and positive to take away from your time here. I've always been a shy and private person...so why do the blog now you may ask? Well, I turned 50 in May, I'm almost single again, I'm taking the course of my life into my own hands and quite frankly I'm fed up with being timid. Besides, I've always been fiesty and frequently idiosyncratic and that part of me always wants to burst forth. So I'm branching out and trying to connect with people, old friends, future friends, and family.