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!

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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!!

 

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Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Check out this video I found on YouTube....

Emma's dad emailed her the link.
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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=

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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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