Sunday, December 31, 2006

Happy New Year!!


New Years Images @ Bopmyspace.com

Wishing each of you a New Year filled with love, laughter, and joy!

For other New Year's messages, the founder of Soldier's Angels has a message posted (along with a Great picture!:) 

 
and Willie in Europe has messages posted for the troops   
 
 
And from this Soldiers Angel, to all of our troops who are serving and their families
 
CommentYou.com is your one stop Myspace Comment Site
Get more at COMMENTYOU.com
 
 
God bless our troops!
 
 

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Charity Tag Meme (Now I got Tagged :)

So,after yesterday's post
 
I go by Cao's blog and discover that one of the people  'tagged' with this meme is...me!:)lol,should have seen that coming.  Click here: Cao’s Blog » » Kumbaya
 
To repeat the rules of the meme:
As a blogger, people may know you, but how good does anyone ever really know anyone? One way to get to know someone better is for them to talk about charities they support. What if bloggers were to go down a path of thinking about some of the people they only know of in the blogosphere and for a moment considered the human aspects of blogging and for a moment forgot about talking about business, technology or whatever their blog theme is. What if the game of Blog-Tag going around the blogosphere in which bloggers are sharing five things about themselves that relatively few people know, and then tagging five other bloggers to be "it" morphed into bloggers sharing the five charities they believe are most worthy of contribution?
(Link here )
 
The 5 Charities on My List are:
 
1. Soldiers Angels      
 
2. Anysoldier.com   
 
 (That I first became aware of from reading about Sgt. Eric Edmundsen )
 
 
 
 
And the folks I'm going to 'tag' with this meme are":
 
 
Lori  (I linked to her MySpace profile,can't seem to link directly to her blog)
 
THIN BLUE LINE  (on vacation till Jan.5)
 
Schlaggy  (also linked to her MySpace profile,you can click on her blog there :)
 
 
Well, Cao ,thank you for tagging me with this!!!
 
 
 
 
 

"Charity Tag Meme" (I got sidetracked:)

Another post under the category of "I started out in one place on the Internet, and ended up in another totally unexpected place....and how it happened",LOL.

So, I got home from work tonight and. as all Grandmothers with Geeky Tendancies are wont to do....started surfing Technorati . My Watchlist includes a search for blog posts with "Soldiers Angels" (go figure,huh? :) and I clicked on a link to this post 

 
which was talking about a Charity Tag Meme
 
Definition: In the world of blogs and bloggers, a meme is an idea, question, statement or project that is posted in one blog and answered to in many other blogs.(Got the definition here )
 
Cao's Blog post led me to the original blog that posted the meme 
 
and here is in part what was posted there: 
Charity Tag Meme
As a blogger, people may know you, but how good does anyone ever really know anyone? One way to get to know someone better is for them to talk about charities they support. What if bloggers were to go down a path of thinking about some of the people they only know of in the blogosphere and for a moment considered the human aspects of blogging and for a moment forgot about talking about business, technology or whatever their blog theme is. What if the game of Blog-Tag going around the blogosphere in which bloggers are sharing five things about themselves that relatively few people know, and then tagging five other bloggers to be "it" morphed into bloggers sharing the five charities they believe are most worthy of contribution?
 
The reason I was led to the Cao's blog post in response to this was that Cao listed Soldiers Angels as one of the five charities. (check out the whole list  , in particular Lizzie's Troop Batteries )
 
After reading James McGovern's original post about the Charity Tag Meme , I started looking through the other blogs besides Cao's blog that were linked to the post,to see what charities were on their lists. On one of those blogs,there was a comment asking who James McGovern was?......so,yes,Virginia, I Googled him,lol, after looking at his Blogger User Profile  and I found this on the IT Toolbox  Click here: jmcgovern    
 
I also found myself wondering "what the heck is 'enterprise architecture'? 
enterprise architecture



DEFINITION - An enterprise architecture (EA) is a conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization. The intent of an enterprise architecture is to determine how an organization can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives
(with more of the definition here :
 
and then between Googling James McGovern and enterprise architecture, I found myself reading quite a bit of stuff that made my head hurt......I don't know if it's because it's so late at night, or because my brain is shrinking as I grow older.....but once I started surfing briefly the other IT blogs that referenced Mr. McGovern,etc......I felt pretty much like a kindergardener who had suddenly been placed in a Phd program,rofl.
 
At any rate, this Charity Tag Meme seemed like a very cool idea.  And I was also once again delightedly startled by where you can end up going on the Internet.....from searching for posts about Soldiers Angels to reading something posted by someone who has also written a book called  Enterprise Service Oriented Architectures: Concepts, Challenges, Recommendations  .....just really did NOT see THAT one coming,LOL.
 
And it will be interesting to see if this Charity Tag Meme takes off ? If it does, maybe it will help this guy out in his quest to Measure the Speed of a Meme 
 
(which I came across because I checked Technorati for the tag "charity meme" and saw this post  Click here: Enter the Jabberwock - Campfire of the Vanities .....do you see now how I can sometimes get totally lost when surfing the web,lol?)
 
Well, that's my post for today, and in case I don't make it back before then, I also want to wish everyone a
 
 

Friday, December 29, 2006

Please go here....and there

There are two links I wanted to pass on quickly.....sheesh, blogging and the holidays and working just don't really seem to mesh for me,LOL.....anyway,Maj.Ziegenfuss had a post up about visitng some soldiers on Ward 57 at Walter Reed that is a must-see  
 
and then this story about a newly injured milblogger is posted pretty much all over the blogosphere,so I'll send you to the link at Milblogging.com and he gave the hat tip to Blackfive     Milblogger J.R. Salzman injured in Iraq
 
I'll come back sometime this weekend with Happy New Year wishes

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

The After Christmas Review

OK,really lame play on the military phrase "After Action Review",but hey...if you were expecting Hemingway or something,you wouldn't be here,would you?

Hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a very nice one this year, particularly the Grandson,who will now need a room added to the house for all his gifts,LOL. (I got him what I call a 'chewable Bible"...one of those heavy board books, perfect for reading AND teething, and how often does that happen?)

The lighthouse picture with this post is in honor of the fact that it was a "lighthouse Christmas" for yours truly......I received everything from a Thomas Kinkaid lighthouse picture to.....lighthouse salt and pepper shakers!!

It was also a 'bookish' Christmas...I received two books I had REALLY wanted

Blood Brothers: Among the Soldiers of Ward 57 by Michael Weisskopf

and American Mourning by Catherine Moy and Melanie Morgan

I'll give y'all reviews after I read them (and yikes! I already needed to read a Dean Koontz and John Grisham that my uncle had lent me, so I definitely need to go stick my head in a book soon!!) Both those books were on my Amazon wishlist, which by the way has books about the war AND books about Great Lakes shipwrecks listed....what this says about me? I'm not really sure.

So, my thanks to Ben and Emma, and also my youngest sis and her husband , for getting me the books, and my thanks to my non-blogging sis, who gave me the Barnes and Noble gift certificate, so I can get even More books!!! and also thanks to Mom and Dad, who sent WAY too much stuff,as usual...(this is NOT a complaint,Mom,LOL) because included among the 'stuff' was.....FOOD!! another personal favorite of mine! the sausage and cheese gift box(said the much-larger- than- she -was- before -Christmas woman:) And thanks,too, to the greatest brother in the world( he knows why:)

We celebrated our Christmas on Christmas eve after the candlelight service at church,since I had to work 11 pm Christmas eve to 7 am Christmas morning (and the slackers that live here,LOL, didn't want to get up that early if they didn't have to,to open gifts:)

Then I went to work, and during some down-time while that traditional Christmas movie...'Groundhog Day' (???)...played on television, I worked on some cards to send out for the Living Legends team for Soldiers Angels

And that's pretty much my After Christmas Review....in the "Dorks R Us" category, I have No Christmas pics to post,LOL, as no one remembered to TAKE any pictures!! I Do have a new pic of me posted,which the Patriot Guard Riders Ride Captain took at the Wreaths Across America ceremony and passed on,Thanks! Dew!(this would be the pic of me holding the flag in the cemetary.)

The Wednesday Hero post is below, and I hope everyone has a good week!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

WEDNESDAY HERO

Every once and awhile I'll do a Wednesday Hero that doesn't profile a single soldier.  Sometimes it's been two or three from the same unit, sometimes it's been an entire group of soldiers like the Navajo Code Talkers.  I even did an organization once, Operation Iraqi Children 

This weeks Wednesday Hero is one of those sometimes.  This weeks Wednesday Heroes are the parents of soldiers. 

These people sacrifice just as much, if not more, than the soldiers themselves.  They, in many cases, are having their babies leave home for the first time in their lives.  While most parents only have to adjust to them moving a few miles away or going off to college, these Blue Star Parents have to watch their children go off to a very dangerous situation and can only hope and pray that everything will turn out okay.  I don't have children of my own, so I can't even imagine what that is like.  We have a few Blue Star Parents in the blogroll, so to them, and every parent of a Hero, I tell you we all stand with and support you and your family

There's a site that everyone should check out if they haven't already. 

Blue Star Mothers Of America

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

From our house to yours....

Blogging will be light to non-existent the next few days, busy,busy,busy as we finish up getting ready for Christmas!

So I wanted to wish a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! to all my readers. And thank you for stopping by here:)

 

 

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

WEDNESDAY HERO

Sgt. Roy A. Wood
47 years old from Alva, Florida
ODA 2092, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
January 26, 2005

 

Sgt. Roy A. Wood, a Special Forces medical sergeant, was fatally injured when the vehicle he was riding in was involved in a traffic accident near Kabul, Afghanistan, during a return convoy from Qalat to Bagram Air Base.

His 24-year military career with the Army Reserve and Army National Guard was distinguished and unique. After receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in 1979, he was first assigned to the Army Reserve’s 421st Quartermaster Company (Light Airdrop Supply). While assigned to the 421st, he received training as a quartermaster officer, a parachute rigger, and participated in both basic airborne and jumpmaster courses.

In January 1982, he left the 421st to begin an association with U.S. Army Special Forces that would last until, and beyond, his death.

His first SF assignment was to the Army Reserve's 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Meade, Md., where he served in the 3rd Battalion’s Company A as the detachment executive officer for Operational Detachment-A 1175. In May 1983, he became Detachment Commander for ODA 1175 after returning from the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course.

In October 1984, he left ODA 1175 to become the Company Logistics Officer. He served in a variety of positions at the 11th SFG over the next 11 years, including operations officer and support company commander.

After four years at USSOCOM, he served a year with the Army Reserve’s 73rd Field Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., before switching from the Reserve to the Army National Guard and renewing his association with Special Forces. He was assigned to 3rd Bn., 20th SFG in December 2001, where he served for a year as the Battalion Surgeon, supervising medical coverage of three Special Forces companies and one support company.

 In December 2002, he resigned his commission to become a Special Forces medical sergeant on Operational Detachment-A 2092, Co. C, 3rd Bn., 20th SFG. He, with ODA 2092, was mobilized in July 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

At the time of his death, he was pending appointment as a Special Forces warrant officer, a position in which he would have served his team as an assistant detachment commander.

During his service, he received the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Achievement Medal with Silver Hourglass device, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Basic Parachutist badge, the Parachute Rigger badge, the Ranger tab and the Special Forces tab.

 Sgt. Roy Wood leaves behind a wife and two children.

These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

 We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Partcipating In Wednesday Hero

Monday, December 18, 2006

Honoring the Fallen, and the Families of the Fallen

The Online Chaplain had a recent post in which he said in part..."A lot is said about the character of the american soldier by the media.  But, not so much is mentioned about the character of the families of american soldiers.  Perhaps, here is where the credit lies...." and you can read the rest of that post here   Click here: The Online Chaplain: Soldier Families

and then I came across a post on Some Soldiers Mom, where she writes about the mother of a fallen hero,which continues along the same theme  Click here: Some Soldier's Mom: Where Do We Find Such Women?

Along those same lines "Where do we find such people?" and "the character of the families of American soldiers"....I am sure most of you have probably seen a posting somewhere about US Army PFC Ross McGinnis? (which I first came across on Blackfive ) Click here: BLACKFIVE: "Blue Spader" Down - Godspeed Ross McGinnis

(Please go read the post before reading my entry further,if you have not already seen this)

----------------------------------------------------

My heart is wrenched by the loss of every soldier,but having two sons who are 20 and 22, and another young man very close to our family who is leaving in Jan. to join the Army at the age of 19........my heart always particularly grieves for those families who lose a soldier who is so very young.....so close in age to those I love who are so dear to me.

And I am awed  that his family chose to respond to their grievous loss by asking all those who wished to express their condolences,to please do this........

His family has suggested for anybody who wishes to make a memorial donation to send something to a service member overseas, a veteran or local service member and present it as a gift from PFC Ross McGinnis.

Could I do the same in their shoes? I don't know (and hope I may never have to find out.) But it seems to me that here is a clear example of why PFC McGinnis was who he was, and why he would act so selflessly to save those around him.....a family that would respond to their loss in this manner.

If you wish to honor his parents request, the address is on  Blackfive's post , but I will also repost it here.

Gifts to his unit may be sent to:

SFC Cedric Thomas
1st Platoon, C/1-26 IN
Task Force Blue Spader
APO AE 09390-1537

 

God rest the soul of PFC McGinnis, and we are keeping the family of this soldier,and all those who are fallen, in our prayers. May they be surrounded with grace and peace and strength in the days ahead,and may we always remember and honor their loved ones.

I know our remembrance will not in any way atone of their loss,but please may it bring some small bit of comfort to them, to know that others grieve for them.

 

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Friday, December 15, 2006

Wreaths Across America yesterday,and More Web Surfing

The ceremony at our little area cemetary yesterday was very moving. The link to the local newspaper article about it is here  
 
It was an honor and a privilege to be able to participate in this.
 
And I discovered last night when I got home that someone had linked to one of my posts about  Wreaths Across America, it's a great read,go check it out here 
 
and obviously the Journals Editor agrees with me that she has a great blog,LOL (nice of him to do that:)....her blog is the Featured Journaler Feed on the AOL Journals Main Page today....congrats! to her :)
 
I'm going to have to fly to get ready and leave for work shortly...but there are several great blog posts I've come across that I've wanted to pass on. Before I do, I wanted to pass on this information from Kat at Yikes! 
 
Walter Reed is no longer accepting "any soldier" donations,please go read the scoop on Kat's blog.
 
I love surfing Technorati...I came across this fantastic post that I think says it all for anyone who is a troop supporter   Click here: blog.myspace.com/msmofoesqyr
 
and I came across this post that moved me to tears 
 
And, for yet another way to send Christmas messages to the troops? Soldiers Angels Lori has a post where you can add your messages. (if you are on MySpace) 
 
Wishing everyone a good weekend, and God bless our troops!!
 
 
 

Thursday, December 14, 2006

My Soldiers Angels LWT Leader-A Quiet Inspiration

A few weeks ago, I received the usual email from my Soldiers Angels Letter Writing Team Leader, with the name of a soldier to write to for that week.And while I was reading the end of the email, where she always includes a short personal note saying something positive or encouraging,it occurred to me that she had been sending me these emails for over a year now.

While the Internet does make it possible for someone to perhaps present only the 'best' side of themselves in a short interaction?  When you spend over a year emailing back and forth with someone, you get a sense of who they are.

Because I wanted to share with all of you what I have sensed from my Team Leader? I sent her an email, asking her if she would let me feature a little bit on here about who she is, and what she does as a Team Leader for the Soldiers Angels Letter Writing Team.

She graciously agreed, so,without further editorial comment...I'd like to introduce you to Rhonda, from Chambersburg,PA.

Hi Kathi,

I joined SA in Jan 2005.  As a single person with no immediate family or friends in the service, I was looking for a way to help.  I actually stumbled across the Soldier's Angels website and joined that day.  I joined the letter writing team approx. 2 weeks later.  At the time, my friend was battling cancer and we had many trips to Pittsburgh to the hospitals and doctors, so I'd take all my writing stuff with me and while she slept, I'd write.  I started with one name per day, but quickly added names until I was receiving 37 names per week.  (I figured one for each year of my age was good! lol)  At first, responses were slow, but soon, I was corresponding with, either via email or snail mail, approx 80-100 soldiers.  (this was in addition to my adoptees) 
 
My friend's condition was so up and down, so I took a break and backed down to 2 names per day for a bit, and then took a short break for a week.  (I just felt that as much as I wanted to support the troops, I needed to support my friend as well)  I was able to do both this way!  In May, I was beginning to be overwhelmed, and I didn't want to stop the letter writing, so I checked into becoming a Team Leader.  I felt that way, I would still be helping to support and help others support, but wouldn't feel so guilty if I got behind on my names. 
 
I became a team leader in May 2005.  I love it.  I've "met" some really great people.  (I think my team is TOPS!!)  My team isn't one of the biggest ones, (as far as I know), but we send out a lot of letters.  We have a lot of devoted and caring people.  As a letter writing team leader, one has to keep in mind that it's a 365 day per year job.  For each person on my team, I have to send the requested number of names to them each day.  Right now, that averages out to approx. 20-25 emails per day.  We are required to keep a spreadsheet of names and addresses of our team members as well as how many names they wish to receive and on which days.  This is updated throughout the month as people need/ want breaks, take vacations, or just change the days they want names and how many names they wish to receive.  We are also required to keep a spreadsheet for every day throughout the year that lists every name we send out.  Of course, when the number of names is changed or days are changed, that requires and update and change to both of the spreadsheets.  At the end of each month, we are required to send a copy of our sheets to the Letter Writing Team managers, and we have to report the number of writers we have on our team and how many letters our team sent out for the month. 
 
I do not get to write nearly as many letters as I used to, but I do write letters when I can.  I actually have the "luxery" of alot of spare time with my part time job, so I have started writing more regularly again. 
 
During the time I've been a team leader, I've taken time off a total of 3 different times.  The first time was when my friend passed away.  I was devastated, and I just couldn't bring myself to carry on with any "regular" lifetime things for a bit of time.  I took a week off.  When I picked up to start sending names again, I was again devastated because I found out that my team hadn't been taken care of.  I was under the impression that names would be sent out as per usual, but upon my return, I found out that that hadn't happened.  So, like a mama who protects her young, I do anything and everything I can not to throw my team to the wolves again.  Until just this past year, I've sent names when I'm sick, when I've been off work, or when I've gone away for mini vacations or even "big" vacations!!  The time I took of this past Sept was the first in over a year that I let the team in the hands of someone else.    When I took off in November,I just sent all the names out ahead of time for the time I'd be off.
 
Our team consists of 52 active members as of today.  It varies anywhere from 50 to 65.  I send out approx 250 names per week. 
 
I can't tell you how excited I get for people who hear back from a soldier.  We do this without expecting anything back, but we all secretly hope that just maybe, we'll get a letter!  (I know we do! lol)  It's just the biggest warm fuzzy feeling when I get a letter, and I'm equally as excited for "my" writers.  So, I can only just imagine how our troops must feel when they get our letters!!  I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest sometimes!  lol
 
Each day or evening, I spend about an hour or a little more to get the names out to everyone.  I like to have them to everyone early in the morning.  I've gotten a little lax the few weeks I've been back from vacation and somedays haven't gotten them out til almost 9 am.  (that's something I need to get back in check)  I like them to be out by 7 at the very latest.
 
I adore all the people on my team.  For the most part, the team's been with me since I started as a team leader, so, they've grown with me.  I try to do whatever I can for them and I like to do what I can.  (that's my nature...do for others)  That's truly what makes me happy.  I do what I can to acommodate special requests, answer questions, and just help anyway I can.  I have some writers who prefer to write to Marines only, and some that prefer to write to the females, and some who only want a name every other week.  Just last week, I came home late Saturday night, after getting off work, and opened my email to see an SOS.  A writer had just emailed me, (approx 11:30 pm) and requested 50 additional names in addition to her usual one.  She needed the names by noon on Sunday.  lol  I just never know what I may get sometimes!  I enjoy hearing about the people and families of my writers.  ( I feel like they are all my big extended family)  I've gone through surgeries, illnesses, ups and downs, with quite a few.  I'm just glad to be there.
 
I do also work on the 2nd adoptions team which assigns angels to soldiers, and I am on the Wounded Letter Writing Team.
 
Thanks and take care,
Rhonda
___________________________________________________
 
I think the above email says it all, as to why I respect, admire, and treasure my Soldiers Angels Letter Writing Team leader......A Quiet Inspiration.
 
Thank you, Soldiers Angels , for making it possible for me to meet someone like this.....and thank you, Rhonda , for all that you do !!It's an honor and a privilege to know someone like you.
 
 
Tag

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Wednesday Hero

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood
26 years old from Surrency, Georgia
Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force 
July 21, 2005

Elmer "Mo" Youngblood wasn't sure why his sailor son wanted to leave relatively safe duty aboard a ship to be a combat medic in Iraq.

"For some reason or another, he wanted to be a corpsman," Youngblood said of his son, Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Levy Youngblood.

He was a medic with a Marine unit in the Iraqi town of Hit when he was hit by an IED.

"I was tickled to death with him being in the Navy," Elmer Youngblood, a former Navy man, said from his home in Surrency, in southeast Georgia. "I wasn’t too happy when he basically volunteered to go over there, but it was his choice."

Travis Youngblood grew up mostly in Virginia. He attended Appling County High School after his father moved there in the 1990s. Surrency is listed as his hometown on his Navy enlistment papers and he and his father enjoyed fishing and hunting together there.

His wife, Laura, also served in the Navy. She left the service and lives in Long Beach, N.Y.

The couple has a four-year-old, now five, son, Hunter Youngblood, and Laura Youngblood was pregnant with the couple's second child at the time of his death.

 

 

These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

 We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Partcipating In Wednesday Hero

 

    Tags            

Monday, December 11, 2006

Grandad, A Christmas Hippo :) and Web Surfing Again

I'm starting off with a picture of my grandfather from WW II because I received the things the gentleman who had served with him told me he would send to me ,on Saturday. He sent a picture (not this one) of my Grandad ON THE SHIP ! and I must admit I got teary-eyed at seeing a picture of my Grandad that no one in our family had ever seen before.

My oldest son was mesmerized by the history of the ship,and those who served on it,and it was a heartwarming feeling for me, to watch this young man who had never met my Grandad delve into this bit of family history that we had never had before and to be so interested in it.

I also got teary eyed when reading it myself, when I learned that those who attended the reunion of the USS Pamanset crew in 2002 had held a memorial service on the USS Alabama and read the names of all the shipmates who were lost in the war and who have passed away since then.Just seeing Grandad's name on the list, and knowing that there were others besides my family who were honoring and remembering him at a service we never even knew about, gave me a very special feeling.

On Sunday I took the picture and history to my uncle's house, and seeing his face when he saw the picture of his Dad? I don't think words can begin to express how grateful we are to his former shipmate who contacted me, and passed all this on to us.

Moving on, ....my family also hates me,LOL for introducing them to the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song (because it just seems to get stuck in your head, and even when one of my children groans and says "Not that song!!"...a little while later, they'll realize they are humming or singing it,LOL, and then you'll hear an "Ahhhh! I can't get the song out of my head!!") So...in the "Life is too Funny" category...what did my grandson get at the Christmas party he went to this past weekend?

You guessed it!! A HIPPOPOTAMUS!!!

As far as web surfing goes, I have several things saved that I have been meaning to pass on...so now, it seems, would be the time to do that

First off, this is a hilarious read on the definition of blog, by a soldier currently serving with the 1016th in Iraq  http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/1016th.php?id=1507

Speaking of blogs makes me think of Milblogging.com  (geez,I have cheesy segues:) and so I wanted to say that Doc in the Box was the most recently featured Milblogging.com Member   Go,Sean!

and I had wanted to pass on a recent post by Sean  http://docinthebox.blogspot.com/2006/12/doc-and-group-of-marines-sneak-out-to.html

which the MSM also actually featured, and the video link is here

For tidbits from other milbloggers, Murph at Three Hour Tour only wants 15,000 hits ! (But whenever I try to post a link to his blog? the link always goes wacky and says "not found" or whatever...arghhh! Just go by Milblogging.com http://milblogging.com/index.php

and type in Three Hour Tour under Search Database and see if you can find him that way....and if you've been THAT dedicated, BLESS YOU!!:)

 

and Sack at Half A World Away has Movie Reviews  Click here: Half a World Away: Movie Review: Some Good Ones and One of the Worst Movies, Ever

I'll end this post with a beautiful Christmas Card from Wait-Not Yet

and wish all of you a Good Week! God bless our Troops!

Tags    

Thursday, December 7, 2006

What are You Doing on Dec.14th ?

I first mentioned Wreaths Across America back  here

But I wanted to mention them again, because now it looks like I'll be participating in the wreath laying that will be held on Dec. 14 at an area National Cemetary  ,( as my First mission with the Patriot Guard Riders  :)

And yesterday on the web I noticed that some folks seem to think the wreath laying is only taking place at Arlington...so I wanted to direct people once again to

Wreaths Across America

If you scroll down that page, it lists the "Wreaths Across America Site Blog"...(I can't seem to specifically hyperlink it, sorry,' half-a-geek') and the blog lists BY STATE, the cemetaries across the country where wreath laying ceremonies are going to occur. So if you are interested in attending a ceremony, please go check and see where it's happening next Thursday in your state.

And, today being Dec.7th? I wanted to post this picture I took when we visited the Memorial in 2003. Please remember our veterans in your prayers today.

I spoke yesterday with the gentleman who had served with my grandfather in WW II .How awesome is that? that because of the Internet, I actually got to speak with someone who had been in the Navy with my Grandad??!!

He is going to be sending me several things, including a copy of a picture he has. I shared the news with my mother and uncles, who are all extremely excited (as am I ! :) I am extremely grateful, to the man's son for contacting me after he saw my post, and to the veteran himself, who was a delightful man to talk to! Thank you, sir!!

I had more I could share, but I must run to get ready for work!! Y'all know that I will be posting again,LOL.

And God bless our troops!!

 

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

WEDNESDAY HERO

SFC. Paul Ray Smith 33 years old from Tampa, Florida Bravo Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division April 4, 2003  

 

  When you think of the word Hero, SFC. Paul Smith is the person you think about.

   On April 4, 2003, Smith was setting up a temporary enemy prisoner of war holding area during the seizure of Saddam International Airport when his unit came under attack.

Smith kept his soldiers focused during the fight while engaging the Iraqi force of around 100 men with his M16, a hand grenade and an AT4 anti-armor weapon.   Smith tossed a grenade over a wall then he climbed atop the armored vehicle.

Disregarding personal danger, he sprayed the attacking troops with .50-caliber machine gun fire. According to the Army, he told a soldier who accompanied him to "feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet." He fired more than 300 rounds at the enemy before being mortally wounded himself.  

 For his action on that day, SFC. Smith was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor by President Bush,

 becoming only the 3,459 serviceman to be awarded the honor since the Civil War.

His "conspicuous gallantry, above and beyond the call of duty," according to his citation, protected the soldiers in his platoon as well as other troops at an aid station nearby.  

These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

 

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Participating in WEDNESDAY HERO

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Link to the MSNBC interview with Soldiers Angels founder

Hurray! for Laurie at Soldiers Angels New York

Don't know how long this link will work? But she sent me this link to the interview with Patti Patton-Bader, the founder of Soldiers Angels , on  MSNBC .

http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=86e25a0e-0e34-47dc-88cb-8cc4f941fcff&p=&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12579116/&fg=

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Founder of Soldiers Angels will be on MSNBC on MONDAY

Calling all military & troop supporters. Spread the word! Patti Patton-Bader, founder of Soldiers' Angels, will be on MSNBC with Allison Stewart on Monday, December 4 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 Central, 1:00 Mountain, 12:00 Pacific). If viewership goes up, they may have her on again which means more exposure for Soldiers' Angels and more help for our troops. Please help spread the word!

H/T to Soldiers Angels New York )

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Saturday, December 2, 2006

A Potpourri Post

(the picture is my oldest son playing Santa at his job a few years ago)

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days, life just gets busy sometimes I went from working 11 pm to 7 am shift last week, to working 3 pm to 11 pm shift this week, and my body still seems somewhat confused,lol, as to 'what day is this? am I asleep or awake?"

Our plans for today are to finish shopping for that one last soldier package I need to mail off (ahem...or should I say 'Marine package' "Oorah!"  Somehow, Emma and I ended up sending 3 Marines packages this year, last year it was the Army "Hooah!" )  

  Please, no 'hate mail' from any Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard personnel,lol,we love all of you,too, and I wish I could send a package to Everyone!...our 'coadopted' serviceman from Soldiers Angels ended up being a Marine,and then  Emma adopted another Marine when she heard back from her, after sending a card to her for the Soldiers Angels Cards Plus Team 

And then, the name I requested from Operation Holiday Cheer ALSO turned out to be a Marine....what can I say, I guess it's just meant to be a Marine Christmas this year

I know,I am waiting till the last minute if I am mailing the last package Monday !

 
Speaking of Holiday Mailings? I don't know if you have seen Kat's wonderful news? 
 
The power of the Internet, and of giving,caring people working together!!
 
Sadly, Kat also had some other news posted at Yikes! that I wanted to pass on 
 
and there is another family I would ask you to remember in your prayers, the family of Spc. Jessiah Jameson 
 
(although it is all over MySpace and on various message boards that Spc. Jameson's body has been found, the above was the only news information I could find regarding that thus far.)
 
Thank you all, for all the prayers you send up daily for our troops, and in particular for these families!
 
The other various things I wanted to write about are, as I said in the title, kind of a 'potpourri' of subjects. I wanted to say a big 'Welcome"! (belatedly)to a new "Angel"
and  it is from her blog here  Christmas Song Lyrics  that I first heard of the Christmas song  "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"  (NOT a Christmas song I was familiar with before ) I went searching for it, and found a link here  http://www.minibite.com/christmas/hippo.htm  to be able to hear the song.(and now I can't get the song out of my head,LOL.)
 
Doc in the Box had a post about a website poking fun at the Navy and I thought the page was funny also, so thought I'd share his post pointing the way to it :)
 
Laurie at Soldiers Angels New York says the War Tapes is available 
 
and in 'yet another reason I think the Internet rocks" :) from a post I did about my Grandad's Navy service awhile back 
I have actually heard from someone whose father served on the ship also, and am going to be trying to get in contact with him. Even if he didn't serve with my Grandad, it will just be fascinating, I think, to learn more about the ship, and what those serving on it did during those years!!
 
In other exciting (to me,LOL) news....I have received my first two Christmas cards of the year....my first one was from a fellow member of  Soldiers Angels ,ThankYou!! and the second one from a soldier in Iraq!!
 
Well, that is my very disjointed round-up of various goings-on, songs stuck in my head,LOL, and 'why you haven't seen a post from me since the Wednesday Hero post'.(and by the way, if you check out the sidebar, that Blogroll is growing by leaps and bounds....it warms my heart, to think that so many folks want to remember and honor our heroes, and also for me be a small part of such a thing:)
 
Hope everyone has a good weekend, we are off to shop! and God bless our Troops!
 
(P.S. Holy cow, I forgot to post THE most exciting news in our household.....my daughter got a part as an orphan in the upcoming production of Oliver! at her high school....WAY TO GO,APRIL!!!!  Love from Mom :)
 
 
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