Currently browsing: thanks

Memorial Day

I hadn’t intended to post today, but there was too much great content in my feeds this morning to ignore. As I do every other morning, I started first with the cartoons. I have always loved Chris Muir’s Day by Day strip. Today’s was both sweet (if you’ve been following the storyline) and appropriate:

Next, a short ‘n sweet message from my favorite outspoken goth. Cookie’s place had a nice shot and a short background blurb about watchfires and introduced us to a hero that everyone needs to know about.

Rachel Lucas introduced us to her grandfather, a WWII hero. 7.62mm Justice has a great post detailing several heroes and has some great stories to share. BlackFive’s post today is short ‘n sweet, but suggests something I’ve been encouraging others to do: If you see someone in uniform, or know they serve, thank them. If you see someone you know has served, thank them.

The Soldiers’ Angels blogs had several very excellent pieces today, but I wanted to highlight a couple of them: “Are we worthy of these warriors?” by Vickie Mauldin, Grand Forks Herald and “10 Things to Remember about Memorial Day” by David Holzel. They also shared some news about an upcoming event partnering with Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Move America Forward, Gathering of Eagles, and many others as well as a request to give some support to soldiers who are patients in Germany.

Last but certainly not least, Merri Musings reminds us of a great quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower: “History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.”

I’m sure there’s tons more out there, but these are the ones that I thought needed some exposure (link love!). Feel free to add your own via the comments form below!

Busy weekend and belated ‘thanks’

I swear, I think our weekends are getting to be busier than our weekdays! ;P Friday was pretty hectic, and add the bad weather on top of that, it made for an interesting start to the weekend. Jessie’s karate test was Saturday — she’s now moved up from orange belt to a purple belt! Jim and I took pictures and filmed, so hopefully those will be up soon. We had a chance to talk to Jessie’s senseis for a bit, and both had nothing but good things to say about our little ray of sunshine. I noted that ever since beginning taking karate, she’s shown so much improvement … both in the dojo and outside of it!

Jessie left after the test with her mother. Jim and I went over to see my folks and saw my brother Jeremy and his wife Christy. They had Ryland with them, so I got to spend a little time with my favorite niece.

Isn’t she precious?

Stupidity knows no bounds

Today Jim and Jessie took me to brunch for Mother’s Day. I got a little aggravated earlier because I specifically told her mother that I was picking her up early and that we were going out to eat. Originally it was supposed to be breakfast … I pick Jessie up and find out that her mother had her EAT BREAKFAST right before I was to pick her up!

*beats head into wall repeatedly*

I swear, one of these days I’m bound to say something to this woman that I know I will regret, but that she also fully DESERVES.

So we waited a bit and went for ‘brunch’ … Jessie was hungry enough and Jim and I were starving! There was a slight ‘incident’ with a group that cut in line infront of us and another family. When I said something to one of the party members, she muttered something about us being ‘racists’ — the party members were black. :roll:

They moved on before I could say anything else, but I was fully ready to retort with, “It has nothing to do with race. The color of one’s skin does NOT exempt one from using common courtesy and manners!”

So I fumed a bit, but got over it. We were at Ryan’s and the food and service were great, which fully made up for the inconvenience before being seated. In their defense, it WAS packed, which made it a bit hard for the staff at the front to keep track of who should be where. However, that being said, I find it hard NOT to notice the general lack of manners by people I run across in public nowadays.

To most of these people, I am dying to say, “I *KNOW* your mother taught you better!”

A heart-felt and belated “Thanks!”

If all goes well, it looks like I’ll win this round in the Lunarpages’ WordPress theme design contest. I am completely overwhelmed by the response and surge in votes from family, friends, and extended community. I emailed a few close to me, and just about every one of them emailed their friends and family, and so on and so forth; and I posted on here and you each voted and responded in kind. (thank you!!) My Cotillion sisters rose to the occasion offering support and votes (thank you, girls! I love y’all!). Jim reached out to his guild and the guys have been very supportive with votes and feedback. (thank you!!) And last but certainly not least, the gargantuan legion of members over at the Soldiers’ Angels forums were a tremendous help in attaining and keeping the lead. (thank you very very much, Angels!!!)

Our troops need us!

This morning I was reading the latest entries in the Troops Support LinkedIn group, and a post by Gail grabbed me:

On Sunday I flew from Houston to Seattle and when checking in at the airport I noticed a group of soldiers getting ready to depart as well. As always, I went up to them, introduced myself and thanked them for their service and bravery. While visiting with them, I inquired where they were headed and most replied they were on their way to Iraq. I wished them God speed and to stay safe and that we would be praying for their safety. During our discussion, many of them told me how disappointed they were that more Americans didn’t support them and what they are doing. I replied that I believe the ‘silent majority’ does support and believe in what they are doing. They said they sure wished that more people showed it.

I am making a PLEA to everyone who reads this message to please talk to everyone you know to get involved with organizations like Operation Home Front and many other wonderful organizations like that to constantly show their support and appreciation. I am also asking all of you to write letters to the editors of your newspapers asking ALL Americans to get involved in showing their love and support for these brave troops who put their lives on the line to keep us free.

PLEASE, PLEASE don’t just read this message and hope someone else steps up to the plate. If enough of us get to the media, it may finally begin to have some results.

Thanks,
Gail

There you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. I think many people don’t realize how much our brave men and women need our support and love. They need to SEE us actively supporting them and proving that we do INDEED care! I see it too often, soldiers begging to be written, desperately wanting some form of contact from “back home” — a letter, a postcard, anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to let them know that we have NOT forgotten about them!

I am begging you … please consider joining an organization to show our troops that we love and support them. Soldiers’ Angels is the organization for whom I volunteer my efforts and spare time, they do a tremendous amount of good work. As mentioned in Gail’s post, so does Operation Home Front. There are so many people trying doing so much good, and let’s face it, they can ALL use some help!

Here are a list that I keep on the Bama Angels site for those looking for other organizations to help:

• Adopt-a-Chaplain
• America Supports You
• Any Soldier
• Blankets of Hope
• Books for Soldiers
• Cell Phones for Soldiers
• Fallen Patriot Fund
• Guardian Angels for Soldiers’ Pet
• Homes for Our Troops
• Iraqi Muscle
• Marine Executive Association
• Military Working Dog Adoptions
• Move America Forward
• Operation AC
• Operation Hero Miles
• Operation Home Front
• Operation Outreach
• Operation Purple
• Operation Top Knot
• Operation Uplink
• Operation: Birthday Cake
• Patriot Guard Riders
• Pinups for Vets
• Recruit Veterans
• SemperComm
• Soldiers’ Angels Veterans Support Team
• SOS: KIDS / Wings Of Hope
• The Home Front Cares
• Valour-IT
• Veteran’s Airlift Command
• Vets for Freedom
• Wandering Vets
• Wounded Warrior Project

Please PLEASE consider joining one of these organizations and doing your part to give our troops the support they so desperately need! There is so much that we can do … consider writing to your local papers, call or email the larger (tv/cable) media companies.

It’s time to show them what REAL SUPPORT is!!

We need more of these

(cross-posted to The Cotillion)

I was perusing The Birmingham News blog entries and ran across this one, featuring a local Marine vet who’s making a stand in honor of those who have served and sacrificed for our freedom.

Michael Rudulph, a three-tour Marine veteran, has taken a stand — vigilantly guarding the Eternal Flame of Freedom monument, a tribute to all war veterans, located in Linn Park here in Birmingham. The flame has been out for many years, and no one knows for certain how long or why. Sitting beside the monument with his own make-shift torch, a fire extinguisher, and some coffee, he has vowed not to leave his post except only to attend his classes at UAB and to sleep.

My hat’s off to you, Mr. Rudulph! It does my heart good to see our own local heroes stepping up and setting a good example for the rest of us. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I for one am tired of hearing about spoiled rotten starlets and pop stars hopping in and out of drug rehabilitation clinics. Give me more stories like Rudulph’s. Stop rewarding bad behavior with press and start rewarding those who are actually trying to make a difference in this world — even if it’s only starting with one monument in a small park in the South.

To Michael, thank you for your service and for raising awareness. To The Birmingham News, we need more of these!

Theme designs

I really hadn’t had a chance to sit down long enough to really think about this until now. Obviously I didn’t win the Lunarpages contest this weekend, but it’s no biggie. Sure, I’m disappointed — but I still have plenty of time to enter another design. In fact I am working on two more now. I most likely won’t be entering any until after the new year though … we have so much going on right now, with the holidays and several birthdays, and other stuff going on.

I want to thank you all for voting for me and spreading the word. I’m touched that so many people reached out on my behalf with social networking, email and text messaging, even their own blogs. You guys don’t know how much that meant to me and I appreciate it very much.

Like I said before, I love ‘people of the net.’ Y’all are cool. :cool:

« Previous Page