more is said than done.
Lou Holtz

Isn't that generally the case? Lou Holtz had lots of good quotes here are some of my favorites...

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."

"I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions."

"It is a fine thing to have ability, but the ability to discover ability in others is the true test."

"Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it."

I like these because they all deal with everyday life. In case you may have missed it, I am in a job I absolutely abhor 99% of the time. Yesterday however was one of those days where I actually enjoyed myself. I got to open so I had to be at work at 6 am... and pretty much had everything to myself for the first hour before the store opened. I had great opening cashiers and plenty of them since I had trainees in addition to my regular staff so we got a LOT done. We were slow enough that we were actually able to really spend some time with our members and help them get just what they needed. I got to see my regular business folks that I have been missing since I became a COS and no longer get to work the business hours. I also got to leave at 1 PM so I still had a good amount of the day left too. It is a day like that which allows you to get through the next one.

The other night I got to watch a part of the American Film Institutes' 100 Greatest Movies. I was surprised at how many I have seen but also how many I have not. I went and printed off the list AFI and I want to see how many of them I can find to watch. There are a lot I haven't seen since I was a kid (like the Alfred Hitchcock stuff) and some I saw but either don't remember or maybe didn't see all of. It will be an interesting adventure for sure since I just love movies.

On Monday I got to go see my niece Liz. She and her BF Kevin are traveling to Pa from Montana. If you will go back in my blogs a couple of years you will see that she is the niece that was in foster care. Well she turned 18 in April and graduated in May so she is now officially on her own. I am so very proud of here. She is a wonderful, determined young woman. She is going to attend Kutztown State this fall and received TONS of scholarship money through her hard work. I cannot wait to see what she becomes.

I guess that's it for now. I have to go sew patches on my son's Civil Air Patrol BDU's as he is leaving for CAP encampment in the morning. If I am lucky I can get in some of my own sewing too before I have to go to work. It looks like we are going to get some rain today which is good news because we are so far into this drought!

Oh! The picture I am posting is of a quilt my mother made for my brother and his wife. It took 9 months and has more than 200 hours of hand quilting in it. The picture does not do the colors justice at all! It really just glows.

The following is a blog post by a Chaplin who is serving in Iraq.

"I recently attended a showing of "Superman 3" here at LSA Anaconda.

We have a large auditorium we use for movies as well as memorial services and other large gatherings.

As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through the National Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States?

I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.

Here, the 1,000 soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped [mid-anthem].

What would you expect to happen?

Even here I would imagine laughter as everyone sat down and expected the movie to start.

Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers:

'And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?'

It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq.

I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here."

It has always disturbed me that so many people are disrespectful during the playing of our national anthem. I was at a PTA conference where people didn't even rise for the color guard. I just loved this story and I know my son knew better before he ever enlisted. I wish everyone would raise thier children with this kind of respect. These are our future leaders...

Remember Me

This is a great video I ran across. I hope you enjoy it. It really sums up my feelings. It was made by at 15 year old girl! Nicely done Lizzie!!

I had thought I could just embed the video but I can't seem to make it work!

I got an unexpected email from a friend that her brother in law's son (the BIL was the first person I knew in this family) was KIA in Iraq on June 1. Bruce was just about my age and a career soldier. This poor family has had it's share of heart ache since another son died almost exactly a year ago. My heart just aches for them.

I went to work just after that and not 2 hours later, got a phone call from one of our cashiers who had just gone home at 3 PM that her husband had a heart attack right after she got home and died. It was a day for heavy hearts.

Today I am off and am planning on doing a bunch of little things around here. I already made a big pitcher of brewed ice tea and a bowl of pasta salad and finished up a load of laundry. Now I have a phone line to trouble shoot and a dog to wash among other things. at some point, I suppose I should pay some bills. Thank goodness it is a pay week.

Honor the Fallen God Bless our troops.

Denny and Melissa's wedding on Friday was beautiful. We all had a great time. Denny and Mel have been together for 11 years and have 2 kids so this was just a formality in some respects but they are glad they have finally made it official!

Tommy is having a bit of trouble adjusting to home life with no structure. We are working on that one! Last night after work Jake brought Tommy and Mark up to Florence and we were all supposed to go to the Italian Festival in Newport but I talked with a friend at work who said it was terribly overpriced and the food was lousy so plan B was to go to the movies which didn't work since we couldn't agree on a movie or a time and ended up with Plan C which was miniature golf, Chipotle and Brewster's ice cream. Then Tommy and Jake went to look for the girl Jake is crazy about but she won't give him the time of day and Mark and I came home.

Yesterday was another crazy busy day at good old Sam's club so by 9:30 I was out. I switched hours with someone today so I am working in the liquor room tonight rather than on the floor tomorrow night. Good trade for me since then I am not on my feet all night and since tomorrow is TKD, the guys can just have the car and come home rather than waiting for me until 9:30 AND I get the house to myself for a while!!

OK, I am heading back out to watch my hummingbird feeder. I put one on the corner of the patio and I am having a ball watching the little buggers! They aren't afraid of me at all!

Woo Hoo! I was at work Tuesday night (and not enjoying it at all) line rushing like crazy because we were so short handed and packed when I looked up and here is my son! His unit had been fast tracked and he got to come home almost 3 weeks early!! I had no idea he was coming and was totally floored! He looked so handsome in his Class A's. Needless to say I could not wait to get out of work that night!

Unfortunately, since I didn't know he was coming, I didn't have the kitchen stocked and didn't have any time off planned so I am doing the "mom" fretting about things I can't change! ROF. Oh well, he is old enough to go buy food if he is hungry and I only work 3 hours today since we have Denny and Mel's wedding tonight and I am off tomorrow and Monday so I guess we will have catching up time at some point!

He's HOME!! *big grin*

daughter, g-granddaughter, niece, cousin, sister and mother of the United States military. My family and ancestors have served this country in military engagements since King Phillip's War in the late 1600's. I am a daughter of the American Revolution (more than once), Daughter of the Union Veterans (3X over) and a dyed in the wool, red blooded American from the day of my birth. I bring this up because last night I had a member make a comment about the T-shirt I wore to work last night.

When I was in Ft. Jackson, SC for my son's graduation from boot camp, there was a display in the PX of red shirts. There was a message there that they were asking all Americans who supported our troops to wear red on Fridays. It is believed that this group of people is a minority...wearing red is a way of showing your support. I purchased a red T there that has a picture of the flag on it and says "Real Americans Support Our Troops". This is what I was wearing last night, along with my "Army Mom" pin that is always on my work vest and the 2 dog tag "Shields of Strength" that I wear for my son and his friend.

Well I was standing at one of the registers helping one of my cashiers with an issue when I heard someone say "only an idiot would wear a shirt like that in public". I looked up to see who/what the person was talking about and realized it was me. I said "excuse me?" and she proceeded to give me a lecture on America's foreign policy, our "terroristic" troops (yes, she did have the brass to actually say that) and that I should be ashamed of supporting such an endeavor. There were at the time lines of people waiting to check out listening to all this. I was absolutely FLOORED and utterly speechless...(I know no one is going to believe that). My cashier bless his heart said to the woman "Is that your son with you?" She had a young boy maybe 12-13 with her and she said it was. He said "Well this woman that you just berated has a 2 sons who are active military, who joined voluntarily in a time of national engagement. They are serving our country so someday with God's grace, your son will not have to." By this time I am in tears and struggling to maintain my composure. People started to clap. I put my hand on the cashiers back and thanked him and turned to walk away. Then I heard people starting to make comments to the woman and I turned around and asked them not to do that because she is entitled to her opinion just as I am entitled to not agree with it. Then I walked away. I was at our podium still trying to pull myself together as people who had witnessed this started walking out thanking me for my sacrifice and telling my to thank my sons' for theirs. Needless to say, I had to leave the floor for a few minutes. :-)

This morning I am still trying to make sense of that woman and I have come to the conclusion that there is no way to make sense of her or her reaction to my shirt. I am NOT going to stop wearing my patriotic clothing or jewelery. If someone doesn't like it, I am sorry but...well tough. The verses that are on my shields are
Joshua 1:9
I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go.

and my favorite, Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

I bought these for my soldiers but I can now see that they apply to their families as well. We are the pillars in a society that is fed by the media, where the good that is being done is not shown and our military and our President are portrayed as liars and opportunistic terrorists. My opinions of our President and our national position on this war are irrelevant. It really does not matter. What does matter is that everyday our sons and daughters, husbands, wives, sisters, and brothers are standing together to support and defend our rights to whatever opinions we want to hold. So you are damn right, I support our troops. I will do so every day that I draw breath and I just pray that the woman starts to think about who gives her the right to open her mouth and spout whatever she feels like. It is the blood of soldiers from families just like my own. God Bless them.

For more about:
Red Shirt Fridays
Military Moms
A Million Thanks
Proud Army Moms...Military moms rocked the cradle, now we rock the world.