So, enough with enough.  There is an election going on here and sides must choose sides.  Hmmmmmmmmm.   Does anyone have a doubt about whom I am NOT voting for? 

 

Good.

 

Enough said. 

 

God Bless,

 

A Mom in America

 There are few people I will break my silence on this site for.  Mac will always be one of them.  He is not in a good place right now.  If you come here, please visit him there at  http://macdara.wordpress.com/  I know where he is.  Done that.  Been there.  Got the tee shirt.  It isn't fun.

 

Prayers can only help.

 

God Bless!

 

A Mom in America

Enjoy the 4th guys.  Give us a call if you get the chance.

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

 

 

 

     Okay, I have to write this one.  Before I say anything else, I have one thing to say.  Mr. TALEbaba, BITE ME!  I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN!  I VOTE HERE!  I, along with my entire family, have fought very hard to maintain that right.  If you don't like it, tough.  Go find someone else to mess with.  This is MY site and if you don't like what I am saying, go someplace else because you will NEVER have the right to say anything else on this site for as long as I run it.  I, AM A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES and as such have the right to FREE SPEECH.  YOU are a guest on this site and as such, DO NOT .  If you like what I say, great.  If not, go find someplace else to go spread your garbage because I have sacrificed too much to waste time with you.   (Notice that "you" is lower cased and itallicized in non-bold letters there because it with the intended meaning of dimunition, which means that, yeah, I meant to say this.)

 

     That being said, I have something else to say on this day.  My entire family has given a whole lot of our life together in this war.  After living the past six years, I can honestly say that NONE of us will ever be the same.  The thing is, we have given of ourselves and everything we hold most dear because we believed in this country and ALL that it once stood for.  Yesterday, I saw what we stood for stand, in silence and dignigty, for us and I cannot tell you how grateful we are for that!  There was a Gatherine of Eagles in Washington D.C. yesterday to protect, not only the Vietnam War Memorial but all of the other memorials there as well.  Because of our current circumstances, we are command central for the kids right now, we could not be there.  Others stood for us and I, along with my entire family will always be grateful that you did.  Those memorials are the blood that has kept this country, and our family, free.  They aren't just something nice to have in Washington, they represent everything we stand for and the history of who we are.  There are no words that will ever be able to express how proud I am of what the Gathering of Eagles did yesterday and I will forever be grateful that there is no pink paint on those monuments that I hold so dear.

 

     Thank you all so much for all that you did!  I know how cold it was here and I'm sure the conditions were not pleasant there.  The thing is, you stood for us, AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE!  I thank all of you for that! 

 

     I also have a question.  I know it's not a Harley, but does the HHR count for a vehicle in the Patiot Riders?  It's a Chevy.  It runs good and it has a "Marine Mom" license plate on the front and a two star flag in the back.  Gosh, I might even let the Vet drive if you say it does.

Feel free to email me at mominamerica2@hotmail.com to let me know because I LOVE ( Notice the bold, itallicized and underlined there to denote that I really do mean with feeling what I am saying!) what you guys do! 

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

    

     Time to break the silence, it would seem.  I received a letter, well two actually, from the Ryans yesterday.  I don't know how many of you out there remember them, but Sgt. Eddie Ryan and his family live not too far from here.  I, like many in this area, have been following his progress and recovery from extensive head wounds he received in Iraq.  The interesting thing about the letters is that, while one is written by Angie, Eddie's mother, the other was written by Eddie, using his left hand as it is still difficult for him to use his right.  Knowing my own left-handed penmanship, I'd say that he's doing very well!   Sgt. Ryan sends his thanks for all of the kindness and support.  He wanted us to know how much he appreciates all of the cards and prayers he receives and to let us know that our "support and encouragement helps to motivate" him!  The only thing I will add, and that for clarification as it is on Angie's letter, is that there will be an HBO special about Eddie that will air on July 4th and to please visit Eddie's website at www.helpeddieryan.com .

 

     God bless you Sgt. Ryan, and your family!

 

     Semper Fi!

 

     As to my own family, I suppose an update is in order.  As you all know, we were expecting a grand-child when last I wrote.  My grand- daughter arrived before Christmas at 25 weeks gestational age.  A normal pregnancy runs roughly 40.  She weighed 1lb 5 oz at birth and at present is, I believe, just under 5 lbs.  She is still in the hospital and , while I have not seen her in person yet, from the pictures I have seen, she is beautiful.  The fact that she has survived, I can only attribute to divine intervention and the blessing of excellent medical care!  While there are some problems there,  she really is a miracle baby and any prayers you can send for her would be greatly appreciated!

 

     The father of my grand-child is my oldest son.  He contracted a type of pneumonia shortly after arriving in Iraq.  Military medicine being what it is, they still aren't quite sure what type it was, however, they are sure that there is permanent lung damage from it now.  He is currently on a medical board and under treatment for an asthmatic condition that has developed out of this injury.  While he would like to remain in the Marines, his ability to do so lies with the medical board.  He is still serving at this time on light duty and could use all of the prayers you can send.

 

     My other son took some shrapnel in his leg while in Iraq and received a purple heart for his injury.  What he did not receive was the medical attention he needed immediately after and in follow up to the injury and, nine months later, it has been found that the shrapnel is imbedded in a major nerve group in his leg.  He will finally be seeing a surgeon for his condition this Friday.   He is still serving, received three days light duty immediately after the injury and has been on "light duty", in which he is still going to the field and training for some unknown reason, for the past two weeks.  Prayers for him would be greatly appreciated as well, especially this Friday!

 

     The Vet, Pixie and I are all doing well, although, as I write we are currently burried under quite a bit of snow that came through with the storm last night.  I think we are going to be spending the day shoveling and pulling out the Irish movies for St. Patrick's Day.  I'm also thinking that there is a corned beef and cabbage in the fridge that will be boiling soon.

 

I wish you all well and hope you have a happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America 

 

As I look at this blog tonight, the comments that have recently been left and the place that I find myself in on this day, I realize that this blog is a kind of a picture of one moment in my life.  A moment is something we pass through on our travels to a different time and place that transforms into a completely different moment that is unique unto itself.  I would hope that as we pass through these moments, we change and mature into the people we were intended to be for the times we are needed to be them, not so much for ourselves, but for those who surround and fill our lives.

 

This war has left battles for my family and me that we will be dealing with for some time to come.  Most military families experience various types of "fallout" to one extent or another, and mine is no exception.  Of late I haven't written much and that is primarily due to the fact that the moment of "waiting" has passed for us and we are moving into another moment, unique and separate from the one we were in.

 

I look at the rhetoric and, well, let's face it, blatant propoganda in the comments of my last post and am left with such a feeling of saddness for the people who wrote them.  I'm leaving them there for the world to see and also a question. 

 

Is that what you really want to leave this planet with?  Do you have to hang onto hatred and biggotry so hard, that you won't allow hospitals to be built for the sick, schools to be built for the children and nuclear weapons to become a thing of the past?   Is that kind of hatred really what you, personally, want the legacy of your life to be and if not, how are you, personally, going to change it?

 

Potent questions during a passing moment in time... which is what this has been.

 

This is my last entry as "A Mom in America".  It's time for me to let this moment pass and step into the new one that I am called to be in because it's got enough challenges of it's own.  I wish you all the best!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

 

   

 

   

 

 

Which I'm not even going to mention right now because I am so in love with life in this moment that I can't comprehend what these people are doing.  There are moments in life that really do make it impossible to understand such things... like someone poisoning 700 police officers in Iraq....or shooting Amish schoolgirls in PA...or perpetuating nuclear arms. 

 

Jesus still weeps, people. 

 

It really is time to wake up.

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America 

 

PS

 

Pup, didn't get the chance to call back.  It's the whole waltz thing, ya know?  I'm at the meeting next week.  Pick up the ball and run with it!  And yeah....I'm writing this to you, here.

 

God bless!

 

MIA

 

PPS

 

MIA is the name I want.

 

Yadda

 

Mom

Oh Gee!  Look at that!  North Korea now has nukes!  Isn't that great?  Wow.  The UN was real effective at stopping that one! 

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

Someday there is going to be a quiet Sunday full of rest and relaxation here.  I'd really like to be here when that happens, but the schedule may preclude my attendance at the event.  Right now, the Vet and I are suffering from a slight case of "We've been doing too much and need to chill out somewhere, sometime soon, so let's check the calendar and see when we can schedule that."  It appears that our first opportunity for such a date will be sometime in January of 2007 if we schedule it now.

 

The thing about this that really preturbs me most is that I was somehow under the impression that  when one's children are grown, one has the opportunity to relax and do all of the things one has waited a lifetime to do.  Somehow, that doesn't seem to be happening here.

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America 

Okay..... There seems to be some confusion about what's been going on in life here.  For all of those who think "Mom has gone nuts", she hasn't.  My sons are now both home from Iraq.  For the past LOTS of months, we have been going through deployment shuffle with them and it's been horrible.  War usually is.

 

Son #2, the younger of the two, deployed first.  He was in about the worst place in Iraq that you can be.   This summer, his vehicle was hit and he was wounded by shrapnel.  As the wounds were not life threatening and did not do extensive damage, he stayed with his unit and returned to duty shortly after that event.  Yes, he sets off the metal detector when he goes through airport security.

 

The day after Son #2 was wounded, Son #1, my oldest, arrived with his unit in Iraq not far from where his brother was.  Eleven days later, Son #1 got into something and went into Respiratory Failure.  He was kept in Iraq for roughly a week until he could be stabalized and was then sent to Germany.  As he was being flown to Germany, his wife found out that she is pregnant with our first grandchild.  After some time in Germany, Son #1 was sent back to the States because he is still sick and they can't figure out what is going on with him.   

 

We're working on that.

 

Meanwhile, Son #2 has finished his deployment and is now back in the States.  We were able to see both of our sons for the first time since they left for Iraq this past weekend.  They are both here in the States AND so is their father!  For my family, this is an incredible thing!

 

So, if my life seems confusing, it's only because it is.  If you can't follow what's going on half the time, join the club because keeping track of all of this is challenging, to say the least.  Our life isn't perfect and we've got some serious battles ahead of us with our oldest and his health but in our own quirky way, we're together in this and are working it as a family.   It may not seem normal to the rest of the world, this lifestyle we are in, but this is who we are and how we live.  Both of my sons are Marines.  My husband is an "on again, off again" Vet.  Our nation is at war and our life is involved in that, a lot.  Like most families in the military, we have and continue to face multiple deployments in this war...but, on days like today, it's good to have us all in, relatively speaking, the same place.

 

 

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America      

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things I really enjoy about traveling anywhere is the impressions that people and places make upon me.  A very short meeting in a random place can enlighten or change the way you think or feel about something in a way you would never have sought or expected.  That happened to us a lot this past weekend, but in everything, I have got to say that one place in particular really struck me.  We went to the "Wounded Warrior's Barracks" down on Lejeune.

 

Apparently a new program that is being started across the military, these barracks are being set up for our wounded to recover in so that they can stay connected with their units and the whole military culture during that process.  Still in it's early phases, it looks like a wonderful program for both the wounded and those who aren't.  You see, the guys who aren't wounded are going over there and volunteering to help out those who are.  It could be with a ride somewhere, answering phones, escorting and assisting or just talking with the guys as they heal, but they are there with them.  Recovery is no longer an ostracized experience for the soldiers, endured in an isolated place that no one knows about because "We don't want to think about them."  The military is finally realizing that no matter what, the guys don't stop thinking about those who have had to come home.  They want to help them, and my impression is that in these barracks, healing is happening for both the active duty soldiers and the wounded as well.

 

It's an incredible experience to talk to these guys and if you're ever down there or on a military base that has one, I encourage you to stop in and thank a soldier, Marine or sailor for all they have done and continue to do and participate in this process in any way that you can.  Incredible people!  Incredible place!  Incredible way to encourage our troops who are giving so much!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

Well, as some of you may have guessed, we weren't here this weekend.  Our seven months of waiting has now ended.  We were down in NC seeing our boyS who are now MEN.  We stayed with son and dil #1.  Slept in our future grandchild's room and greeted busloads of Marines returning home, one of whom was our own #2.  Seeing the two of them together, all grown up but still horsing around....  it did my heart good! 

 

I'd love to say that everything is perfect now.  It's not.  #1 is having a really tough time.  His health isn't good right now and he is very frustrated because healing is a slow thing.  It isn't like this is a bone that can knit back together with him.  Every breath is difficult for him at this point, but there is something I do take comfort in with all of this.  He's a trained Marine.  #2 and the men of his unit reminded me of that.  You see, it wasn't just the families that showed up for the homecoming.  All of the wounded from the unit who could make it came too.  Some were just regaining the ability to walk.  One, the burns were just freshly uncovered on... scars covering his face, his arms and legs that he will carry for life.  His leg was braced and I could see how difficult it was for him to stand and walk.  The thing is, he was there because he is still a Marine and he wanted to see his brothers home. 

 

At graduation from Boot, the families are all told that their son's are now Marines and that means they can do anything.  I thought it was just a bunch of "oorah hype" at the time, but as I looked at the men of #2's unit, as I watched the wounded greet their brothers home, I realized how true that really is.  They have been trained to "identify the enemy" and "neutralize it" with a precision that most of this planet cannot comprehend.  These wounded that I saw were utilizing that training in their recoveries and their ability to do that reminded me that these men are trained to do that in everything in life they encounter.  It's what makes them Marines.  They don't give up on themselves in anything.   It's their job to find a way to make things work the way they decide they should and all of them, the wounded, the sick and the homecomers, display that in everything that they do.   They love life and they love living it with an intensity and passion that most will never know or understand.  

 

Yep, Marines are something different.  I take comfort in the fact that they are and that both of my sons have chosen to be Marines.  It takes a whole lot of courage and inner stregnth to do so, but my God, what a way to live!

 

I could probably write a book about all that we saw down there in these young men this weekend.  It was a rich experience full of the stuff that gets you through life.  That's for another day though.  Today, it's a day of quiet rest for my family in which we all savor the hours we had together this weekend and all that we learned in them.  In a bit, #2 will be home on leave for a while.  I imagine we won't see too much of him then, but when we do, I sure plan on enjoying it!

 

I thank God they are both home!  He has blessed me more than some and I really don't deserve it!  I am thankful, though, and hope that I can keep "lovin life" with the passion that is born in moments like these.

 

Welcome home #2!  #1, you keep working it!  I love you both!!!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America 

 

 

I am so sorely disappointed in the American people this morning that I can't even begin to describe it.  After checking out the NBC news video on this Clinton thing, I cannot believe that what is being talked about is how Clinton stood up to this reporter and people respect that.

 

I guess it's finally happened.  People have become so brainwashed by the constant deluge of "newspeak" that they no longer are capable of actually hearing what is being said.  People's minds are so numbed by the sensationalism that all they look for in a news broadcast is sombody bouncing around in their chair and jesticulating while speaking loudly. 

 

America, you don't see things anymore and you certainly don't hear.

 

For all those who "missed the train" on this one, our former President went on national television and bragged about hiring "people" outside of our military to kill Bin Laden because the Military told him he was nuts!

 

I guess we no longer live in a nation where no one is above the law because, not for nothing, the last I knew contract killing was against the law. 

 

I guess that it really doesn't matter because we all want Bin Laden dead, and hey, he tried, right?  At least he says he tried...after the fact.

 

I guess that if anybody else in the country hired "people" to kill whomever they didn't like, they wouldn't be thrown in jail.  Welcome to the "Wild Wild West, Gang!" where nobody is responsible for their actions and law is a relative thing.

 

I guess nobody really cares that this guy had some pretty questionable deaths happen within his administration while he was in office.  What was that little land deal thingie?  White Water, I believe it was.

 

I guess none of that matters because he's Bill Clinton and he looks good on tv.  Lot's of charisma, ya know?

 

And all they can report on is how he "stood up" to the interviewer. 

 

Makes me sick.

 

For those who are interested.... The list at the bottom of the linked page below might be of interest.

 

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America 

Some things are just too rich to not comment on.  Today's querry.  If Bill Clinton "contracted" someone to kill Bin Laden during his administration, why wouldn't he "contract" to have other people more close to his administration and who could cause problems in little legal messes he found himself and his spouse ensnared in, oh let's just say knocked off and thrown in the bushes in a park in DC? 

 

Let's look at this one, gang.  He has openly admited in a television interview that he put out a hit on Bin Laden.  He didn't use our military.  He "contracted" someone.   I'm not that comfortable knowing that a former President, while in office, was that connected with organized crime that he knew how to do that.  I'm even less comfortable knowing that his spouse, the Senator of this State that I did not vote for,  is considering running for the Presidency now and that she's still married to a man who is so connected with international organized crime, and let's face it these are terrorist organizations who do this stuff, to put hits out on anyone on the planet he chooses to.

 

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

 

I think some people should probably not be allowed to speak publicly and Bill Clinton is one of them.

 

He definitely gets the Napoleon Dymomite award for today.

 

Check it out!!  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14986702/

 

Did you read it?

 

Okay, I wanna hear this one in unison! 

 

 

 

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a day that "I'd rather be there than here!" 

 

It's much easier for me to assimulate what is happening in my life right now, in a superficial way than write about what is really happening. 

 

Suffice it to say that stuff is happening. 

 

Little's is happening, and I wanted to write about that to my son. 

 

God, how do I put this into words?  I don't.  A picture is worth a thousand words, so here goes.

 

The baby pictured above is YOU.  I was holding "Bunny Foo Foo" and you wanted to grab him. 

 

MY children are characterized by this desire to reach out and "grab" what is in front of them.

 

Pup, look around you. 

 

What is in front of you?

 

Did I mention I will always love you?

 

LA

 

Me

 

Do you see one thing clearly, like you did Bunny Foo Foo? 

 

If you do, THAT is what you should go for.

 

My baby, we had nothing to give you but our love.

 

You had everything you needed.

 

 

 

Always and forever I will love you!

 

A Mom in America

 

Always, I will love you!

 

Mom 

 

 

 

I was just standing outside and contemplating the fact that #1 has discovered my secret wish.  He called today.  There will be a new picture of Little's soon.... doing just about what his uncle, #2 was doing at about the same age.  Not for nothing #1, but my biggest wish for you kids was not that you would "have one just like you."  I'm not that vindictive, believe it or not.  I wished you all to have ones like each other!  INFINITE variety!  INFINITE possibilities!  God is good and He does listen!  Just wait till she starts the scheduling!!!!  This is gonna be good! 

 

I love you Kiddo, and believe it or not, you will manage.  Life is good!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

Please excuse the current absence.......  I'm a bit behind on things here and trying to catch up.  I'll be in and out for a bit longer....more often out than in.  There's this whole life thing happening here and a whole lot of stuff to do.  Little's is growing and as of the last peeking was taking the opportunity to wave at it's Mommy and Daddy.  Job change is in progress although to a different one than what I was going for.  New teaching job full-time.  Yeah!  Should be fun.  Pixie is in college now, so our schedule is completely nuts.  Boys are both good at last reporting.

 

God bless!

 

A Mom in America

So, I'm thinking I need to cut the white out on the photo.  It bugs me.  Aesthetically, it's just distracting to me.  There's just something about the universe exploding in the background here and unfolding in the womb in the foreground that really is being missed because of the white on the borders.  Soooooo, tomorrow, this will be my task...to fix the picture of Littles. 

 

I don't know if anyone out there is getting this or not... what is going on within my whole family here.  There is such a mixture of emotion and everything else going on inside of me right now, I can't even describe it!  I am so proud of my daughter-in-law!  This is such a HUGE thing she is doing... yet really concerned for her husband, my son #1.  Then there's #2 and all that he is doing and being right now... and that completely leaves Pixie and the Vet and I out of the picture.  Yet the one thing that is holding me together right now, amidst the war, my first grandchild and the little girl who is now turning into a woman is that thing that joins the universe exploding and the baby unfolding in the womb.  It's my God.  I see Him in every heartbeat of all of those I love right now. 

 

It's an incredible point in my life and my hope and prayer in all of this is that all of those I love see it!  In this moment we are living, those times I'm telling #1 that the reason his wife is making no sense is because she is posessed by another human being, those times I'm telling #2 that every breath I'm taking is a prayer for him and his safety, those times I hug Pix and tell her gently... "I know" and "It's going to be okay.", and those times I lay with the Vet at night and chuckle at the fact that when we were making babies, we were too young to understand any of this, in all of these times... my hope is that all of them know... and in that knowlege, faith grows.

 

I have faith in my daughter-in-law.  She's smart.  She is strong and she can do this!

 

I have faith in #1...my Heart.  He knows what the right thing to do is.

 

I have faith in #2... my Rock.  Scared to death, this kid exudes cool in the worst of times. 

 

I have faith in Pixie...my Timepiece.  Starting to define time in her own ways and making it do what she wants it to do.

 

I have faith in the Vet... my Love.  He is the air that I breathe and I can't imagine life without him.

 

What I've learned most this summer.... I'm starting to have faith in me.  I'm a treasured child of God and when I forget that, He sends an entire community ... well actually two, to remind me. 

 

It's an awesome place that I am standing in right now, one with infinite possibilities.  I know that the place I tried to retreat to will not be tolerated by Him or any who know me.  I'm afraid of what lies ahead because I have never been there before......

 

And the universe is exploding behind me.  Life is unfolding in front of me.  Anywhere I turn, I face Creation... and that is the place of God.  

 

Life is an incredible thing!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom... and GrandMom in America 

Another day here.  We got the first "baby pictures" of my grandchild.  It's a ..... blob!  I'm so proud!  I'd put them up but ... well, I'm thinking that there are some things you can only truly appreciate if you are related to them and this is one.  I am always amazed, though, by this whole life thing that we do.  Even though it's still just a "blob", it moves and the heart is beating.  All of us are left wondering what the rest will be for now.  Life is there though and is making it's presence known. 

 

Coolest thing on the face of the planet... aside from seeing your baby on the ultra sound for the first time is talking to your baby after he has seen his! 

 

After conferring with #1, I do have permission to publish...... SOOOOO  Above is the latest addition to our family!

 

God bless!

 

A Mom.... actually A GrandMom in America 

 

PS

 

This is the stuff that life is about!

 

Blessings!

 

MIA 

aka

GMIA