Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo 13. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo 13. Show all posts

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Now It's Time to Say Goodbye and Thank You

Goodbye NaBloPoMo 13, this year we didn't become friends instead we struggled and fought. Somedays you won and somedays I won. I think we're parting ways after today for awhile, I am sure that I will miss you and may even regret giving you up. Absence always makes the heart grow fonder.I miss my friends who've joined me in this adventure over the years, it just isn't the same without them.

For me, this blog is a labor of love and devotion. I love writing my history down, sharing stories, truth, struggles and truimphs. Why do I keep blogging? my faithful readers who encourage me and support me. Every tweet, comment, retweet, Facebook comment, email and kind word. It always shocks me when someone says to me and says, '' I love reading your blog!''

I am humbled by your support and forever grateful for your encouragement. The support I have recieved has ovewhelmed me. Going from a handful of faithful friends reading to over 10k people a month reading blows my mind. Every kind word encourages me to writer, be a better write and continue this journey. My gratitude,love and thanks can never be enough.

Next year, I will focus mainly on writing a book and the journey that will take me on. I will never stop blogging but I won't be blogging as much.  Still have a few more blogs in me this year and then my journey begins.

I will leave you with this follow up on the great Christmas tree debate:
Marty wrote this on FB today and I thought I would share. I wasn't kidding :

Ok, so as I'm sitting on the couch listening to Christmas music watching Julie decorate the tree, (Trust me it's best to stay out of her way) I notice a lot of "My" ornaments making it on the tree. Happy Day! Right?? All the sudden Julie reaches over me while hanging an ornament and says, "you see, I'm putting them where you can see them". Then I realize my ornaments are on the "Wall" side of the tree! 
P.S. I do have ONE ornament on the front of the tree. If you ZOOM in, it's on the lower left by the tree skirt. "


Friday, November 29, 2013

Christmas has Arrived

Marty and the kids picked  out the tree today, I came home from work and decorated it. Nobody wanted to help? I wonder why?

Great news, none of the ornaments broke in the move.

Bad news, I dropped about five of them on the floor when I was hanging them and Conner's moonface fell of the tree and shattered on the floor.

I love sitting and staring at the lights every evening and the house smells amazing!


Thursday, November 28, 2013

One Year Later: #365DaysofThanks

A year ago my Twitter pal and Bro Joel challenged his followers to a year of giving thanks everyday instead of one day a year. He asked me to join him and spread the word, I wrote this blog  and started on the journey of being thankful everyday instead of one month a year.

I'd like to ask for your help, I want 2 start a trend , thn 2day & every day the rest of the yr make an I'm thankful 4 tweet

Somedays were easier than others. What I enjoyed most about this challenge was that when I was having a really bad day it MADE me look for something good in the day. My personality is an emotions based personality that can get the better of me at times. A blessing and a curse, when I am happy, I am happy and when I am sad, I am really sad. So on the sad days, I would work on being thankful and it turned the day around in an instant.

This year I am doing the challenge again and pushing myself to have an attitude of gratitude everyday in the next #365days. Working hard not let the little things get me down. I cannot wait to see what the next year holds for our family.

Here is a look back at some of my #365daysofthanks and wonderful gifts of the past year:

For every tweep who tweets their workouts, rides and races. You inspire me to be a better me and be fit. Thank you.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Cooking with the Kids

Tonight the kids and I prepped Thanksgiving dinner. I've learned from many years of making a very large dinner that it is easier to make as much ahead as possible. After 13 years of making my own Thanksgiving dinner, I have finally stopped trying to make it all the same day. Now the kids are older and they enjoy helping out and helping prep the night before.

Tonight Conner was chopping vegetables, Elizabeth was mixing desserts and cranberry relish and I was mixing vegetable dishes. We were listening to the new One Direction album, I was dancing around the kitchen and we were just enjoying the moment.

It's nice to have their help and we all enjoy making the dinner together. Everyone has their favorite dish that we make and the menu is big for one meal. We have an eighteen pound turkey mainly so we can make sandwiches, soup and maybe taquitos out of it too!

Tomorrow we will get up early put the turkey in the oven and watch the Macy's day parade. Then eat a lovely family dinner and play games afterwards. Looking forward to being together as a family What are your favorite traditions and foods on Thanksgiving?

The Menu: Turkey, stuffing, carrots and rutabegas, pea salad, green bean casserole, green jello salad, cranberry relish, rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Time Machine Tuesday: Six years of the 26th

In some ways, this is my dilemma with giving up NaBloPoMo. I love going back and looking at where our family has come from and where we were in November's past. I am blogged out right now and wanting to take a break next year but then I look back and realize that I love reading my old blogs. 

Definitely taking a break next year, I will blog less frequently while focusing on writing my book. This will give me time to recharge.

How did I start NaBloPoMo? The same person that talked me into joining Twitter talked me into NaBloPoMo. Di Jasso, she is an influencer and ring leader. I am so excited for Di, she won a contest to go see the MLS cup in Kansas city. She is also in another contest to win a chance to present the MLS cup to the winning team. She would love your vote on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153524444960790&set=a.10153524443975790.1073741871.169890760789&type=1&theater

Now to look back at six years of NaBloPoMo:

11/26/13 I wrote this blog for my cousin Kyle on his birthday. Happy birthday Kyle! http://www.julesmpg.com/2012/11/happy-birthday-cousin-series-happy_26.html

11/26/11 


Every year, I save the Christmas cards from the year before. I put them in the decorations bin and look at them again the next year. I even have some that are 10 years old. The purpose usually is to see how much friends children have grown throughout the years.

This year, as we hauled out the holly a very unusual thing happened. It was like I was viewing those Christmas cards for the very first time. Last year, things weren't good in our home. Marty wasn't doing very well and his health was rapidly declining. We almost were beginning to wonder if he would make it to transplant without further complications.

We spent most of last December holed up in our house waiting for the call. Our friends were great and their words of encouragement were so nice. At that point, after so many years of hearing " next year will be your year." it was almost as if those words just went in one ear and out the other. December 20th last year, we  got the first call which turned out to be a false alarm.

This year, on the other side of transplant, I was truly able to enjoy the cards for the first time. I had so much fun texting friends yesterday telling them their wishes, prayers and hopes came true. So many had said 2011 would be our year and it truly has been!

My card hoarding paid off and I truly was blessed to read the good wishes again. This year, I can't wait to send our Christmas cards out and hope they will be a blessing to those who supported and prayed for us.


11/26/10  A few weeks ago, Marty the kids and I were sitting in the living room chatting. Marty loves to joke and tease constantly. One of his favorite things to joke about is cremation.....I know, a bit bizarre. His big thing is, when he dies he wants to be cremated and he wants me to have him put in a locket and to wear him. It is a funny joke that we go back and forth with.

We were joking and I was showing him lockets online. Conner pipes in and says, " Well you know, they only cremate your arms." We both jerked our heads and looked at him shocked, holding in the hysterics. "What do you mean they only cremate your arms? Where did you get that idea?", Marty said.

Conner," Well, you actually get to choose, if there's not enough room they might just do your nose or your head?" by this time we are laughing hysterically. " Again, where did you get this idea?", I said.

Conner says, " I was creative thinking!"

There ya have it, Conner was "creative thinking" about cremation. We are still laughing about it a month later.

There also is "productive thinking" which is what he told me one day  when I found him spacing out during school. Not to be confused with "creative thinking" apparently "productive thinking" is something entirely different!
-

11/26/09  Holidays never get easier, time and healing happen but the holidays are still hard. I have been hearing that from so many people today. Friends missing their daughter and sister, aching for her to be with them. Friends missing parents, wishing for more time. I truly think death is the hardest part of life and grief goes along with that. Most of this blog has been about grief and different stages of grieving.

Most of 2006, I spent writing about losing my my grandparents and the aftermath of their deaths. Then our finding out that Marty was sick and the grief that followed that. I started reading Di's blog during the loss of her father and the grief that followed.

My Grandparents all loved holidays and we had such great times together. Now I just try to carry on the traditions they set forth and remember them in them.

11/26/08-I got this from Di's blog and thought I would play along since it is twofer Tuesday.

1.What is your funniest childhood story? Read two blogs before this and the one after to find out.

2. What would your dream dress look like if you could design it? I always used to design the same dress over and over in my sketch book. It had a..........Oh what the heck, I always loved Princess Di's dress.

3. What weird habit does your hubby have? He never  let's me get ice cream when we pass the ice cream section. We just pick it out and then he goes back to get it when we are done shopping.

4. How many cookbooks are in your kitchen?  About 30 on the top shelf of my cupboard.

5. Granny panties or Victoria Secret girl?  a bit of both

6. Favorite memory from 2008? I would say seeing Melissa and meeting up with Andrea and Di

7. I secretly...want to Live in England someday

8. I could really go for...some Chinese food.

9.We are going to have a big snow storm and you will find me..waiting by the window with snow gear on.

10. I knew he was the one...when we went on our first date.


11/26/07- I just got off the phone with the transplant coordinator at Stanford. Marty has been listed for transplant for kidney only at the moment. He needs to see the pancreatic transplant surgeon to determine if he is qualified for a pancreas transplant. We got a letter from our insurance denying that visit and they are trying to work with the insurance right now. Please pray that the insurance will approve the visit and that the surgeon will deem him a canidate for pancreas transplant. I am not worried because I know God is in control of this situation.

~I hate whiny children! Mine are whining about flu shots that I want to get them and they don't even know when they are getting them. Plus it is the first day back to school after several days off and they are being slow about doing their work.


~ Why am I always doing dishes? I think they are breeding in the sink.


~My email friends are wondering where I disappeared to and why I am not emailing. I had to explain the blog a day challenge to them and now they are reading all the blogs.



~We are going to the Candy cane lane parade tonight and I must find all the hats and gloves. Why are gloves always disappearing?


~ I burned my thumb making turkey taquitos on Saturday. It hurt like a *$@(@)_$@ but is feeling better today.


~ I am thinking about making turkey soup this afternoon.


I could go on and on but then I risk sounding whiny myself. I am going to make a post of pet peeves pretty soon!

Friday, November 22, 2013

I Really Don't Want to Blog Tonight or Be an Adult.........

Dragging along on my journey, the last year of NaBloPoMo for me. This month has been really tough to keep going and frankly, I am tired of blogging everyday and think everyone is tired of me blogging everyday. Challenging my brain is a good thing but add that to forty hours a week in a classroom training for my new job. My brain is fried.

I've been in training to be a customer service representative for a pharmacy benefit company. It is a complex job that has required a lot of training. I am loving it so far, no day is ever the same, great company with great benefits and lots of nice people working there. Customer service is important, which is right up my Disney training way. I am now in the phase where I go into my role full time next week under an assisted level. Bottom line, I really love the challenge and will learn a lot.

Went out to dinner with Marty and his new co-workers tonight. It was nice.

I wish that I could've gone home for my cousins shower this weekend. Really sad to be missing out on such a big event and especially for my dear Sarah, who has been there for my family. New job, no time to plan and life have prevented this.

Then I came home to read several sad bits of news about friends. I really hate to see friends hurting and struggling.  Seems like the older I get the more it happens, I didn't realize that until my friend Jessica brought that up to me tonight. She is so right. Getting older stinks, can we find a time machine to go back and be young and carefree again?

So prayers for all of my friends hurting, sad and down tonight. So grateful to have the privilege of bearing others burdens and walking alongside them during tough times.



My friend Anita said this reminded her of me. She is so right, my heart has been so heavy this year for friends struggling

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Wisdom Wednesday

Be Kind

Love others more than you love yourself

Bring joy to someone everyday

Smile,its easy to do and you will often get one in return.

Listen more than you do talk 

Being encouraging is so much easier than being discouraging and feels better.

Be happy its contagious

Being honest is easier than lying

Above all be true to yourself and be the kind of friend you would like in return. It doesn't always come back to you but when it does, it feels amazing.

I love others, sometimes far more than I love myself. It is hard for me when others don't love me in return. I just think everyone should get along with everyone else. Unfortunately the world doesn't work that way. This year, I've learned you cannot control others reactions and you cannot make somebody like you even if you're nice to them. Some people just don't like nice.

Now I have learned nice has a limit. Sadly, I learned this lesson from my own siblings, I was nice until it was a detriment to my own sanity. Though nice, soft and fairly easy going, I have a limits and boundaries. No longer am I the doormat that I once was and definitely will not be pushed around. 

I've lived a hard enough life to be tough as nails under my soft demeanor. I was also raised to love myself, respect myself and take care of myself. As much as I love people, I am suprisingly self sufficient and independent.

Basically, you don't have to like my happy go lucky Pollyanna ways, I won't be happy that you don't like me but in the end, its your loss not mine.

One of my personal goals is to work on not caring what others think about me by the time I am forty. Working on it everyday and making slow but sure progress. I care about others and when someone doesn't care back, it hurts me. I love having a heart that is soft and cares for others but it can be a thorn in the flesh as well. Definitely my achilles heal at times.

Today was a long busy day at work and home. This is just what came out of my jumbled thoughts tonight.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Time Machine Tuesday: Things about Me

From 11/16/09 from the posthttp://www.julesmpg.com/2009/11/some-things-about-me-di-did-this-and-i.html

I don't eat baked fruit pies. How un-American is that. ( I really don't eat baked fruit at all. I don't like it)

I don't drink milk.

I have only ever had three jobs.

I was voted "Most likely to cry at the movies" my senior year in high school.

I once rode on the Goodyear blimp.

My parents divorced when I was 13

I have small feet used to wear a five. Since I've had kids now its six and a half.

I am pigeon toed. My mom and sister are also.

I once got blood in my eye and mouth while labor coaching.

When I meet people, the first thing I notice is teeth.

I love old movies

From 11/27/07 ( please note, this was a very dark time in my life and I was super grumpy. I am usually not that ranty but I do believe these things) from the posthttp://www.julesmpg.com/2007/11/i-can-pretend-i-dont-have-work-to-do.html

Things that bug me:

When people treat other people poorly. When someone thinks more highly of themselves than others. Whatever happened to living by the Golden Rule? I always want to Do Unto Others and it is hard when people are mean,ugly, rude, disingenuous, and down right hurtful. It's hard to always be kind, to put others ahead of yourself. Nobody is perfect and we cannot think we are either.

Being late, you want to see me twitch? Make me late and I will shutdown and start twitching.

Lying. The truth may hurt but lies hurt more and do more damage than good.

Spammers, they make my life difficult most days and I wonder why they all come from Russia?

( I really am a people person.....really people I am.)

When I ruin perfectly good new clothes doing housework or cooking. I am so messy and never can keep stain free even if my life depended on it. My childhood nickname was Messy Moose for crying out loud.

Parents who let their children behave badly and feed into it. Do you really thinking giving in will help in the long run? I understand kids being kids and behaving badly. Just allowing it is another thing.

People who take credit for things others have done.

My biggest pet peeve is : People who judge books by their cover. I do not care who you are, what you have done, how much money you have, I only care if you are a good person. I also never judge somebody with someone's else's opinion of them because I want to take the time to see who you are.

My likes:

My faith is my number one important thing to me. MPG stands for Mom Pursuing God.

My husband who still makes me weak in knees after 13 yrs. and is such a strong person. I have learned so much about myself through him and he is really a person I look up to.( now 17 years, through the valley and back and I still feel the same)

My kids who make me laugh everyday and encourage me to be a better person.

Family means a lot to me even if I do not see them everyday.

Women who encourage other women in life. I am so thankful for the many wonderful women I am surrounded by in life and online. They encourage me to be a better person, mother, wife, friend and family member. They teach me things, share their struggles, pain, and joy. This started with my grandmother's and has trickled down to the many wonderful people I call my friend.

Being true to myself and not trying to fit in any mold laid before me. I do not want to live someone else's life I want to live my own life with my own path.

I think that sums things up and I feel better having said it. I just have been holding a lot in lately trying to be strong and I am sure some of this is stress induced. I feel a lot of peace but I am human, and stress gets to all of us at one time or another. I think that about eats up my venting quota for the next month or so.

P.S. I just spoke with the financial coordinator at Stanford and she said the insurance is trying to completely re-direct us somewhere else grrrrr! They are working with the insurance to resolve the problem and they are hopeful for resolution.

As I grow weary from doing NaBloPoMo, these old posts remind me of where I have come from and remind me of why I do this. Remembering while moving forward is my favorite part in life.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Simply Oscar

Since I've written about Max, it is only fair I tell you about Oscar. We adopted Oscar for the kids in 2006, since Max wanted nothing to do with them. They called us from the ASPCA in our town, we had asked to be notified when a Dauchsund came available. He was barking in the kennel at us, following us back and forth. We took him into a side room, he was wagging his tail and being very energetic.

That dog bamboozled us!

He is really happy, energetic on the other hand?? Not so much. He got his family and that was enough to make him decide that life is best done laying down on a pillow. My couch pillows to be exact.....

I tried to hide the couch pillows from him, I kept coming home to them scrunched down from him laying on top of them and by on top, I mean this


Or this


He loves Elizabeth or ''his little girl'' as we call her. He will let her do ANYTHING she wants to him and he just lays there. 



He is just a lover, happy as a clam and dumb as a box of rocks. E likes to tell the story about how she caught him staring at the wall once. He sat there staring and then slowly licked the wall. That's Oscar.

We often say that he and Max are Pinky and the Brain.

Oscar is rarely badly behaved, if ever. He helped Marty greatly through his illness, he would go lay by Marty when he was really sick.



He is just pure joy, one of the best dogs we've ever owned. Even has fans around the world including my friend Fanette in France!

He's a special dog, truly brings us joy every single day and makes up for the madness that is Max. Poor Oscar, he isnt immune from Max. The worst thing is Max will often mark Oscar out in the yard, like he owns him or something. 

Oscar often forgets his name or who we are....yes, randomly some days, he will start barking at as when we come into a room, like we are strangers! Every five minutes is a new day to Oscar.

He loves to go for a ride! You can even just put him in the car and not drive, he thinks he has gone on a ride

He is just special, to really see that you just have to meet him. Everyone who meets him, loves him.










Friday, November 15, 2013

Sometimes Good Days, Start Out Rough......

The day actually started on a high note, we got good news first thing that our health insurance debacle of the summer was finally straightened out. Marty and I were rejoicing until I got ticked off at him. Yep, I am normal, I do get ticked at him from time to time. I am just a big believer in building up your spouse and never sharing when they tick you off with others. Anyways, it was just a miscommunication and misunderstanding of something I wanted done. No biggie.

Then it all went downhill, like the song ''Manic Monday'' except it was Friday. I left my wallet in the wrong car, I never leave it in the car period but did last night after my grocery run. Then I realized, my car was on empty and needed gas but I had no card or cash. I hadn't packed a lunch and was by now running behind.

Sad to say, I kind of barked at Conner, he had offered to get my wallet out of the other car but said it wasn't in there. He said I brought it in the night before. Alas, he was wrong and it really was in the other car with Marty at work.

I jumped in my car, started down the gravel drive only to realize, I left my glasses in the house. Car in reverse, flipped a U-turn and back to the house. Procurred glasses and headed on my way.............until I realized that I left my entry badge for work in the house. Flipped another U-turn and back to the house this time I grabbed an apple in a hurry.

 By this time, I was in full blown tears. I hurried my way to work in a state after calling Marty very upset.

No lunch, no cash, no water....it was going to be a long day.

As I sat in class, I heard my name called out. Here came the security guard from the front with my wallet, water and mints ( and cash added to my wallet so I could eat). Marty had come to the rescue, I heard a lot of ''awwws'' from the ladies around the room. I am so blessed to have a good husband.

We were working on test claims for drugs in class today. It reminded me of the time not too long ago when Marty took most of the drugs we were working on. Reminds me, we are so blessed and our life is amazingly good right now! Reminded me, just a few short years ago, we were in darkness with little hope.

Lunch time came, I went to get gas in my car and get some lunch. Originally I was going to go to the grocery store which I get a deal on gas at but it was past my lunch destination. So I started to pull into somewhere closer, hesitated but had a gut feeling to just stop there.

I decided to just use the cash to pay and headed in the store. I was waiting in line when I heard a young girl crying, she was at the atm in the store, baby carrier in hand. She had her phone up to hear year and was yelling into the receiver, apparently her ex didn't put the child support in and she had no money. She said she was taking the baby to the doctor and ran out of gas ( I couldn't help but over hear her conversation) and ''how could the dad not care about his baby?''

 She was in anguish, it reminded me, I am blessed and even though I had a rough morning it could be worse. I took the cash out of my wallet, walked up to her and put it in her hand. She stopped crying and looked at me, ''Thank you, this is so embarrassing.'' and starts speaking into the receiver, '' a random stanger had to come up and give me cash. Even they care more than you.'' I just looked at her and told her, ''It's okay, we've all been there''

( I could tell she was sincere, being from Calfornia, I have seen every trick and am excellent at reading people. She really was anguished and really upset)

It was that Ah- ha moment, the one that hits you like a ton of bricks. If I had my wallet that morning, I would have gotten gas on the way to work. I wouldn't have needed to stop at that gas station and been there right at the time the girl needed. We even went to lunch early today, it was one of those goosebump and chill giving moments. Things happen for a reason and that was my reason.

Smile on my face, I returned to work ready to face the day with an attitude adjustment. Life is good, sometimes I fail at not sweating the small stuff. I work on it constantly and lately have been not doing so well at that. Working on returning to not worry about the little things in life, re-training my mind afer a rough few months.

Life is good. Be happy and pay it forward. It is cheap, easy and fun!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

That Anne Girl

Today my post comes from a prompt from The Daily Post , a site set up by Blogher for those participating in NaBloPoMo. This is my first time ever using one of their prompts, this year I am struggling for filler post ideas and seeking originality. Any input and constructive criticism welcome.

Today's prompt:
Tell us about a favorite character from film, theater, or literature, with whom you’d like to have a heart-to-heart. What would you talk about?

There is a girl and her name is Anne,I fell in love with her when I was twelve years old and she's owned a piece of my heart ever since.


anne of green gables photo: Anne of Green Gables Anneavitar.jpg

Her red hair, fiery temper, and indomitable spirit have inspired girls for for generations. Her fierce love for her bosom friend Diana Barry has made girls want to have their own bosom friend just like Diana. Anne's way of finding ''kindred spirits'' in life has always made me look for my own kindred spirits.


anne of green gables photo:  AOGGblog48.jpg

Her love of fancy dresses with puffed sleeves always made me want my own dress with puffy sleeves
Am I ashamed to say I threw a fit for this dress? I love my puffed sleeves
Of course her love of books and poetry have helped many girls love books, poems and flair for the dramatic side of life. Who didn't want to give a reading at White Sands like Anne did?

Then there is her relationship with Gilbert Blythe. Truthfully, I always felt so sorey ( mispelling on purpose) for poor Gil and his unrequited love of Anne. My favorite parts of the books and movies are the parts with Anne and Gil together. A love for the ages like Darcy and Elizabeth and many other characters before them.


Who didn't want a house with green shutters on the windows? I always wanted to live on Prince Edward Island and in Green Gables. Anne helped create a love of all things nature and nicknaming things!



For me the best of all are the words written by L.M Montgomery in the books. I love quoting the character of Anne, I identify so much with her thoughts and ideas. I memorized the books and often have an Anne quote at the ready.Here are a few of my favorites:

"Tomorrow is a new day, fresh with no mistakes in it''

“It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy

 things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” 

“There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes

think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just 

the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, 

but then it wouldn't be half so interesting.” 


Really I could just quote all of the books to you. Instead,I share one or two a week on Twitter and Facebook.

I would love to sit down to tea in Marilla's dining room with Anne. I would drink Raspberry Cordial, not eat the pudding and ask her a million questions. I wouldn't really have to ask her much, I would listen to her prattle on and share. We all know her so well because she tells us about herself throughout the books.

She made me learn that you can overcome, you can succeed, girls are just as smart as boys, don't compromise yourself for anyone, love deeply, make friends, just be yourself and don't care about who is watching. 

Oh yeah and dresses with puffed sleeves rock!


If you have NEVER read the Anne of Green Gables books, then shame on you. The good news is that you can read them for free now days, so here is a link to get you started. You will not be sorey




Monday, November 11, 2013

Honoring our Veterans: Give Back This Veterans Day

I love my country and I am proud to be an American.  Patriotic songs make me cry especially The Army song, every time it plays there are tears that flow freely. There is a reason that I am a patriot, my Grandpa Benjamin ‘’Brownie’’ Brown served his country in World War II.  For me, I have always been taught to honor our soldiers who serve for our freedom.  For my long time readers, you will know that I often honor my cousin who died serving our country. But what about the men and women who quietly come home from war and suffer silently the after effects of war? Or those who give their all and are permanently injured for life. This Veterans day, I challenge you to show your support for the veterans who need our support more than ever.

                                                                                                                      
Growing up, we often heard ‘’don’t throw rocks’’ over and over. Why? My grandfather lost his eyesight in one eye in the war. Two soldiers were fighting and throwing rocks at each other on base and one hit my grandpa in the eye causing him to lose his eyesight. He was sent to England from his post in France and discharged.  He was proud to be a heavy artillery driver and a very proud veteran. He loved his country and made sure his family did too.  In the end of his life, we talked one day about his service and the service of my other grandfather whom I never knew.  He never talked about his time in the war; he did talk about being at the Battle of the Bulge in mention only. As he aged, he suffered severe glaucoma and blindness that was debilitating in the end. He fell often and was housebound for years because he couldn’t drive any longer due to his sight.
My Grandpa Brown in Europe WWII


He was also able to share about my other Grandpa Bud Davis service as well. He was a cook in the US Army during WWII.

 Then there are my uncle Cal and cousin John, two Vietnam vets who came home from war and weren't treated with honor or respect for many years. They both suffer severe effects of their time in Vietnam, men who were treated with disrespect and shunned instead of being honored for their service until recent years.  Nobody understood that war scarred these men and women returning from war.

Uncle Cal September 1965, Vietnam


My Great Uncle Bob Stevens, US Army




 My cousin Robert also served his country. Though he didn't go to Vietnam, his time in the service eventually caused him great distress that led to him ending his life. One of my favorite happy people, imagine having Larry the Cable Guy has your cousin. That was Bubba, his death was so painful to me, I still have yet to publicly acknowledge it until today.


 Proud to come from a family full of service members, one from almost every branch of the military Army, Navy, and Marines.  Marty’s grandpa W.L. Timms was a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army and his uncle Sheridan was in the Navy.

 Then recently, the returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.  Men and women who have gone to fight for the past 10 years and many have returned home forever changed with invisible wounds.
TBI  or Traumatic Brain Injury has been deemed ‘’the signature wound’’ of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. PTSD affects nearly 20% of the soldiers returning home from the war in the Middle East.  This summer, I read two books about soldiers and the war in Iraq. 

 One of them, ‘’Until Tuesday’’ was extremely moving, a soldier Luis returning broken and hurting after suffering a TBI in Iraq nearly lost his life at home until he was saved by a service dog Tuesday.  It was recommended to me by a soldier friend of mine. I went to bed crying every night after reading it, my eyes were opened to the soldiers who are suffering right here in our country.

As I moved to Tennessee, a friend of mine deployed to the Middle East, An unlikely friendship between a cold, calculating combat vet and a wholesome, Pollyanna, wife and mother that would open my eyes to the reality of war in a new way.  I committed to praying for my friend as they served out a deployment and encouraging this friend every day. It was the least I could do for someone serving for our country.

Then just about two weeks after I finished ‘’Until Tuesday’’ this past August, my friend suffered a severe TBI and was rushed back to the states. It was devastating to talk to someone one day and then twelve days later not be able to understand a word they are saying to you.  I cannot describe the sadness and horror at the reality of war that ensued. Thankful my friend is alive, sad to see a life changed forever and to see someone I care about struggling greatly.  All I can say, is it was great to have Marty and another dear friend to hang on to because it was completely devastating. I cried nearly every day for a month while praying for my friend to be healed.  A life completely changed by dedication and service to our country, a heavy price has been paid.

So this Veterans day, I thought that I would do something for my friend, my cousins John and Robert, my Uncle Cal and in memory of my grandfathers. I am challenging my readers and friends to please consider donating to  The Wounded Warrior project today. Instead of mouthing our thanks, let’s show our thanks monetarily and send them help that is much needed.  It really hit home for me the reality of the suffering, it may not be real to many of you but to many others it is.

Thank you to all the men and women who have served our country faithfully.Especially those veterans I know and love.  I am proud to support our veterans and service members and hope you will too. The best way we can love our country is to love the men and women who serve for our freedom. Whether you agree politically or not.



Dedicated to my nerd friend, heal fast my friend, I believe in you, I am proud and honored to be your friend.  I pray for your healing every day and hope someday you will be able to be well enough to talk again. Thank you for serving our country. I will make you proud by loving our country and honoring those who have served that includes you.