The Second Goodbye

 

Has it REALLY only been NINE days since I last hugged him at Ft. Benning?

 

1 August the year countdown begins.

 

He has deployed before, yes, but this time is different for all of us.

 

We knew this day would come.

 

We didn't know Kathy would die. 

 

The thought of Michael leaving from both his point of view and my point of view since

 

 Kathy died has jarred us both and goodbyes were very painful.

 

We did have our last meal before he deployed at Cracker Barrel, one of my favorite

 

places to eat.  It just seems so homey, like you're at your Grandma's house or

 

something.

 

But I'm not the only Mom who has had a son deploy but hopefully I will be near the

 

last to do so.

 

So on the way home I formulated my How To Keep Ness Busy While Michael Is

 

Deployed plan. 

 

The first item was NOT on my list

 

The wreck.

 

We blew a front left tire on I 75 3 miles from I 24 in Tennessee and hit the guard rail.  I

 

felt the BUMP, swayed side to side as I held Colin who was harnessed into my

 

 seatbelt and saw us go across 3 lanes of traffic as Roger fought with the wheel to

 

keep us upright.  Next thing I knew we were on the right side of the road.

 

We had both Georgia County Police and Georgia State Police at our service in no

 

time flat.

 

We rode like criminals in the back of the state police car to a repair shop in Ringgold,

 

GA and Michael's insurance (of COURSE we were driving his car!) made

 

arrangements for a rental to take us back to IL.  I told them I wanted a SMALL

 

CAR...they claimed the only car available was a 2012 Chrysler S300 the size of a

 

cruise liner with keyless control.  Who KNEW you just jingled a remote box in front of

 

the panel button, pushed it and the car would start?

 

We made the rest of the trip home and I parked the cruise liner with the plan to return

 

it the next day.

 

No such luck.

 

Couldn't make them believe that I had my OWN truck to drive and when it was time to

 

go back and pick up Michael's car, I would rent another car and go and get it.  They

 

told me that I was too honest, that it was OK to rack up $40 a day on a car that was

 

parked in my driveway.

 

So me and the S300 have become friends although I feel like I'm driving the black

 

limo that our President rides in...

 

There is EXCITEMENT coming in the next post...at least I hope so.

 

Continue to believe and if others are having trouble believing, help them to believe. 

 

 

 

 



She Let Go

The First Goodbye

 

After coming home on his 28th birthday on 5 May, my son Michael left this past Friday for 2 weeks of Annual Training at Ft. Pickett, VA.

 

We did a lot while he was here.

 

Or I should say HE did a lot while he was here.

 

Mom came down with costochronditis (weeding and losing weight and having your CPAP machine set too high for your present weight will do that to you) so he took over the yard mowing, weeding and putting trash/recyclables out weekly.  In addition our washer and dryer is in the basement which we access from outside so he did my laundry.

 

He spent time with his sister and future brother-in-law in St. Louis, about 16 miles away.

 

There are no Steak and Shakes in VA so we made sure to get him to one while he was here.  Mom made or had made his favorite meals and desserts. 

 

We watched the movie Lincoln and we both coached the St. Louis Cardinals from this side of the TV as well as he got to go to at least 1 game.

 

He shepherded us through our first tornado warning of the season while Roger was in the hospital with congestive heart failure.  I tell you, Army 1st Lieutenants are good at organizing and moving people/animals to the basement which he had previously set up with all the comforts of the living room except we had to take cover right when supper was done (he was my chief cook and kitchen cleaner while I was at the hospital with Roger).

 

He ran every other day in true Army style and on the days he didn't run, he was conditioning with push ups and sit ups. 

 

He got all the paperwork done for his upcoming deployment to Saudi Arabia at the end of this month for a year.

 

He will be back here on June 23 and the 5 day countdown will be on for the Second Goodbye from Ft. Benning, GA...one that will leave me shaking, crying and wanting to hide out in a cave until August 2014 when he returns.

 

Still trying to get on with my life with Kathy being gone over 3 months now.  I miss my BFA so much.

 

Thinking about deleting my Facebook account. (Hopefully that is the Depression Monster talking).

 

Continue to BELIEVE. 

 

Stay tuned.

 

Stay tuned.



Look to the Rainbow!

 

I've been to this Bridge a lot over the years.

 

Never easy...in fact, bittersweet.

 

How do you say goodbye?

 

My beautiful-in-every-way 18 year old granddog, Brandy, slipped to the Rainbow Bridge while I and her mother were gone Saturday morning for a couple of hours.  First time I had left her in forever although Kiereney and Michael were here and she did not die alone.

 

Brandy wanted it that way.

 

We knew she was recently diagnosed with bone cancer but the vet gave her 6 months and that is what I subconsciously put on the calendar.

 

I think she made it a month.

 

But she got a lot accomplished.

 

She got to see Uncle Michael and spend time with him before he deploys.

 

She waited until her Daddy Jay got back from Army training.

 

She got undivided care and love from her Grandma.

 

We sang songs, cuddled and she got any food she wanted.

 

We rescued her for my daughter, Kelli when she was 1.  She was in an abusive home.

 

She was the second of the Dachsie Quads....we bought Shania in 96, rescued Brandy in 96, rescued Macon for Michael a couple of years later and then rescued Katie for Kiereney.  All dachsies, all brown and smooth haired except for black and tan Macon.

 

Brandy was the judicial one of the 4.  She always had a somber look but was the most comforting one.  She always took care of everyone else.  Many said had we had her AKC papers she would have been a winner at Westminster.

 

She was a winner in this family.

 

She loved her vanilla wafers and had the best nose.  Even toward the autumn of her life, she could smell food cooking 2 rooms away and would start the low bark of, "Bring it!"  She loved to eat, yet maintained her svelte physique.

 

She was treasured.

 

She is missed.

 

She will always be in Grandma's heart.

 

A pic of her in the last few months with my daughter, Kelli, and her fiance', Jay.

 

 



Yes. Yes, today is my birthday!

A long time ago (April 30, 1954 @5:32 a.m.) in a far away Land (Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, MO) during a power outage because of a tornado I came into this world at 6 pounds 2 ounces. 

 

I tried to be born at the Cardinals Stadium (old one) when my parents were attending a game and Mom's water broke.  I wasn't due until May 2(silly parents and doctor). 

 

During labor, the hospital was hit with a power outage because of tornadic winds and I was spanked into this world on emergency power.

 

So far, so good.

 

Mom's mom (my grandmother) took the bus to St. Louis that morning to see me, about a 2 hour trip now and God knows how long then.  My dad picked her up at the bus station.  She was so excited to meet her 3rd grandchild...

 

But only got to see me 5 minutes because she and Dad went and viewed all the tornado damage and by the time they got to Maternity, it closed to visitors in 5 minutes.

 

I hear my mom pitched a hissy fit like no other!

 

You would appreciate my mom giving birth all the more in the fact she was 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 90 pounds full term with me.  She wore Girls size 14 childrens clothing.  I could pick her up and carry her around the house when I was in 8th grade (1968), a stunt that did not put me in her favor but made my dad laugh.

 

Sadly, she died suddenly on April 9, 1968 from a brain stroke in the brain stem.  I never saw her again because Catholic hospitals didn't allow children up on the patient floor.

 

I know she has seen the remainder of my 46 birthdays from Heaven but they have never been as happy as the ones Mom was in charge of.  She thought my birthday was a national holiday!  Always a birthday supper, always my favorite homemade cake, always carefully wrapped presents and always a recanting of my birth story.

 

I hope I'm half the mom she was.

 

So today begins my last year of the 50's.

 

I'm planning every day.

 

They say 60 is the new 30...we'll see...

 

Meanwhile I'm going to hang on to this 59th year as tight as I can.

 

Always believing.

 

And I leave you with a little levity...

I don't believe I hung in the same social circle with any of my fellow Taureans except Willie Nelson...

Famous Birthdays on this Day in History

Birthdays in History for Tuesday 30th April 2013

◀ Mar     April    May ▶
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30
All Events Birthdays
Weddings Deaths

 

Birthdays 1 - 201 of 201
1245 - King Philip III of France (d. 1285)
1309 - Kazimierz III de Great, King of Poland (1333-70)
1553 - Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont, queen of France (d. 1601)
1602 - William Lilly, England, astrologer/author/almanac compiler
1651 - Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, French priest/theorist/saint
1662 - Queen Mary II of England (d. 1694)
1664 - François Louis, Prince of Conti, French general (d. 1709)
1710 - Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (d. 1795)
1717 - Guillaume Gommaire Kennis, composer
1723 - Mathurin Jacques Brisson, French naturalist (d. 1806)
1743 - Robert Jasper van de Capellen, master of Marsch/politician
1767 - Jean Henri Appelius, lawyer/minister of Finance
1770 - David Thompson, English/Canadian explorer (Columbia River)
1777 - Carl Friedrich Gauss, world's great mathematician
1790 - John Cockerill, English/Belgian industrialist
1792 - Johann Friedrich Schwencke, composer
1797 - Andreas V Michiels, Dutch military governor of West-Sumatra
1803 - Albrecht Graf von Roon, Prime Minister of Prussia (d. 1879)
1805 - William Kerley Strong, Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1867
1812 - Kaspar Hauser, German son of grand duke Karel van Bathe
1823 - George JD Campbell, Scottish/Brit Minister to Indies (1868-74/80-85)
1830 - Davis Tillson, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1895
1837 - Alfred Gaul, composer
1846 - Rosalie Amstein, writer
1853 - Alfred v Berger, writer
1857 - Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist (d. 1940)
1858 - Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Harrison, 1st lady (1889-1893)
1864 - Frans Netscher, Dutch writer/journalist (Studies of nude model)
1864 - Juhan Liiv, Estonian poet (d. 1913)
1865 - Max Nettlau, German anarchist (d. 1944)
1869 - Hans Poelzig, German architect (d. 1936)
1870 - Franz Lehar, operetta composer (Naughty Marietta)
1874 - Cyriel Verschaeve, Belgian priest/writer
1876 - Orso Mario Corbino, Italian physicist (d. 1937)
1877 - Alice B. Toklas, American companion of Gertrude Stein (d. 1967)
1882 - Trijntje "Nine" van de Schaaf, author (To the Invisible)
1883 - David John de Lloyd, composer
1884 - Albert Israel Elkus, composer
1885 - Luigi Russolo, composer
1886 - Frank Merrik, composer
1888 - John Crowe Ransom, US poet/critic (God Without Thunder)
1889 - Acario Cotapos, composer
1889 - Rudolph Hermann Simonsen, composer
1891 - Watze Cuperus, Frisian author (Swart mar leaflik)
1893 - Joachim von Ribbentrop, Nazi foreign minister (d. 1946)
1895 - Philippe Panneton, French Canadian physician, diplomat and writer (d. 1960)
1896 - Gary Davis, Laurens SC, blues/folk guitarist (A Little More Faith)
1896 - Hans List, Austrian inventor (d. 1996)
1897 - Humberto Mauro, Brazillina director and screenwriter (d. 1983)
1899 - Jannetje Fisherman-Roosendaal, author (regional novels)
1899 - Lucie Mannheim, Berlin, actress (East Meets West, 39 Steps)
1901 - Simon Kuznets, Ukrainian-born economist, Nobel laureate (d. 1985)
1902 - Andre-Francois Marescotti, composer
1902 - Rudolf Wittelsbach, composer
1903 - Gunther AR Raphael, German composer (Symphony Breve)
1908 - Eve Arden, American actress (d. 1990)
1908 - Bjarni Benediktsson, Icelandic foreign and later prime minister (d. 1970)
1909 - Juliana, Queen of Netherlands (1948-80)
1909 - F. E. McWilliam,Irish sculptor (d. 1992)
1910 - Al Lewis, actor (Leo-Car 54, Grandpa-Munsters)
1911 - Hans Studer, composer
1911 - John-Baptist J Walgrave, [Henricus/Humanus], Flemish, theologist
1911 - Luise Rinser, writer
1912 - Eve Arden, Mill Valley California, actress (Connie-Our Miss Brooks)
1912 - Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, soldier/politician
1913 - Bernard Charles Sendall, deputy director general (ITA)
1913 - Edith Fowke, folklorist
1914 - Sid Weiss, bassist
1916 - Claude Shannon, information theorist
1916 - Dugo D Schenker, Suriname/Antillian producer
1916 - Robert Shaw, Red Bluff California, chorale conductor (Robert Shaw Chorale)
1917 - Bea Wain, US singer/radio host (Lucky Strike Hit Parade)
1918 - W Donald McNeill, tennis champ (US Open-1940)
1919 - Valeer [Valerius V] van Kerkhove, Flemish writer/producer
1920 - Duncan Hamilton, driver
1920 - Leen 't Hart, Dutch organist/composer
1922 - Anton Murray, cricketer (South African batsman in 10 Tests 1951-55)
1923 - Alan Wharton, cricketer (Engld batsman once v NZ 1949, scored 7 & 13)
1923 - George Byatt, playwright
1923 - Al Lewis, American actor (d. 2006)
1924 - Sheldon Harnick, Chicago, lyricist (Fiorello, Fiddler on the Roof)
1925 - Corinne Calvet, Paris France, actress (Phantom of Hollywood)
1925 - Johnny Horton, American musician (d. 1960)
1926 - Cloris Leachman, Des Moines Iowa, actress (Last Picture Show, Phyllis)
1926 - Corinne Calvet, France, actress (Apache Uprising)
1926 - Edmund Cooper, UK, sci-fi author (Seed of Light, All Fool's Day)
1927 - Johnny Horton, Los Angeles Ca, rocker
1927 - Lars Hall, Sweden, Pentathelete (Olympic-gold-1952)
1928 - Hugh Hood, Canadian author (d. 2000)
1929 - Peter Carsten, Weissenberg Bavaria, actor (Mr Super Invisible)
1930 - Raoul de Keyser, [Dekeyser], Flemish painter
1931 - William L [Bill] Clay, (Rep-D-MO, 1969- )
1932 - Anton Larrauri, composer
Country Singer Willie Nelson (1933) 1933 - Willie Nelson, Abbott Texas, country singer (On the Road Again)
1934 - Jerry Lordan, English composer and singer (d.1995)
1936 - Zohra Lampert, actress (Doctors' Hospital, Girl With Something Extra)
1938 - Gary Collins, Venice California, actor (6th Sense, Home Show), (d. 2012)
1938 - Larry [Van Cott] Niven, US, sci-fi author (5 Hugo, Neutron Star)
1938 - Juraj Jakubisko, Slovak film director
1939 - Ellen Taafe Zwilich, Miami Florida, (1st woman composer Pulitzer 1982)
1939 - Pieter van Vollenhoven, husband of Dutch Princess Margriet
1940 - Burt Young, NYC, actor (Convoy, Rocky)
1941 - Johnny Farina, rocker (Santo & Johnny)
1941 - Wilfried Jentzsh, composer
1943 - Bobby Vee, Fargo ND, (Devil or Angel, Night has a Thousand Eyes)
1943 - Robert L Livingston, (Rep-R-Louisiana, 1977- )
1943 - Frederick Chiluba, former Zambian president (1991-2001)
1944 - Jill Clayburgh, NYC, actress (Unmarried Woman, Semi-Tough)
1944 - Richard Shoff, rocker (Sandpipers)
1945 - Annie Dillard, American writer (An American Childhood)
1945 - Claude van de Berge, [Rony MF Pauwels], Flemish writer (Graph Theory)
1945 - Michael J Smith, Beaufort NC, Cmdr USN, astr (51L-Challenger disaster)
1945 - Mike Beacon, rocker (Ox)
1945 - Mimi Farina, rocker (Reflections in a Crystal Wind)
1946 - Donald Schollander, Charlotte NC, swimmer (Olympic-4 gold-64)
1946 - Karl XVI Gustav F H, King of Sweden (1973- )
1946 - Bill Plympton, American animator
1947 - Robert Scott, (Rep-D-Virginia)
1947 - Leslie Grantham, English actor
1947 - Mats Odell, Swedish politician
1947 - Tom Køhlert, Brondby IF coach
1948 - Perry King, Alliance OH, actor (Andy Warhol's "Bad")
1948 - Wayne Kramer, guitarist (MC5, Dangerous Madness)
1949 - Phil Garner, baseball manager
1951 - Panuta Rosani, Poland, discus (Olympic 1976) drug disqualified
1952 - Tom Pesek, PC programmer (creator of HAL 9000 program)
1952 - Jacques Audiard, French film director
1953 - Merrill Osmond, Ogden Utah, singer (Osmond Brothers, Donnie & Marie)
1954 - Gunther Tiersch, German DR, 8 man cox (Olympic-gold-1968)
1954 - Jane Campion, New Zealand film director
1955 - Dimitra Papandreau, Greece, wife of Greek PM Andreas Papandreau
1955 - Nicolas Hulot, French journalist
1956 - Jorge Chaminé, Portuguese baritone
1956 - Lars von Trier, Danish film director
1957 - Duane G Carey, St Paul Minn, major USAF/astronaut
1957 - Aviva Chomsky, American historian, daughter of Noam Chomsky
1958 - Charles Berling, French actor, director and screenwriter
1959 - Kamaran Abdalla, Iraq/Engl/Neth actor (Goede Tijden Selechte Tijden)
1959 - Lauren Howe, LPGA golfer
1959 - Paul Gross, Canadian actor, director, and writer
Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper (1959) 1959 - Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
1959 - W. Thomas Smith, Jr, American author and columnist
1960 - Kerry Healey, American politician
1960 - David Miscavige, American cult leader
1961 - Isiah Thomas, NBA forward (Detroit Piston; 1990 NBA playoff MVP)
1963 - Steve Smith, Glasgow Scotland, NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks)
1964 - Ian Healy, cricket wicket-keeper (Australian since 1988)
1964 - Jeff Reboulet, Dayton OH, infielder (Minnesota Twins)
1964 - Barrington Levy, Jamaican musician
1965 - Adrian Pasdar, Pittsfield Mass, actor (C Oliver Resor-Feds, Top Gun)
1965 - Daniela Costian, Australian discus/shot putter (Olympics-96)
1966 - Aundray Bruce, defensive end (Oakland Raiders)
1966 - David Meggett, NFL running back (NY Giants, NE Patriots)
1966 - Jeff Brown, Ottawa, NHL defenseman (Hartford Whalers)
1967 - Steven Mackintosh, British actor
1968 - Babette Van Veen, Neth, actress (Linda-GTST, Blueberry Hill)
1968 - Paulo Jr, Brazilian pop bassist (Sepultura, Morbid Visions)
1968 - Richard Pilon, Saskatoon, NHL defenseman (NY Islanders)
1968 - Roger Mar, Seattle Wash, rapid fire pistol (Olympics-1996)
1968 - Sandra Beikoff, Mackay QLD, golfer (1990 Sunshine Coast Open)
1969 - Dexter Rogers, St Petersburg Fla, volleyball opposite hitter (Oly-96)
1969 - Joey Restivo, Brooklyn, rocker (Linear-I Never Felt This Way, Lies)
1969 - Warren Defever, American musician, composer
1970 - Brad Layton, Seymour Ind, rower (Olympics-1996)
1970 - Debbie D, Phila Pa, actress (Attack of Vampire Mermaid)
1970 - Ken Stanton, American Radio Personality
1971 - B J Tyler, NBA guard (Toronto Raptors)
1971 - Matt Martin, Hamden, NHL defenseman (Toronto Maple Leafs, Oly-US-94)
1971 - Randy Bierman, WLAF tackle (Scottish Claymores)
1971 - Ryan Hawblitzel, West Palm Beach Fla, pitcher (Colorado Rockies)
1971 - Ty Hallock, fullback (Jacksonville Jaguars)
1971 - John Boyne, Irish novelist
1971 - Darren Emerson, English DJ (Underworld)
1972 - Kendricke Bullard, NFL wide receiver (NE Patriots)
1972 - Mario Schaden, hockey forward (Team Austria 1998)
1973 - Akon, American R&B Singer
1974 - Cedric Jones, defensive end (NY Giants)
1974 - Chris Darkins, NFL running back (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
1975 - Beverley Peele, model [or Apr 7]
1975 - Johnny Galecki, Bree Belgium, actor (American Dreamer, David-Roseanne)
1975 - Elliott Sadler, American race car driver
1975 - Mike Chat, American actor
1976 - Amanda Palmer, American musician (The Dresden Dolls)
1977 - Jeannie Haddaway, American politician
1977 - Pell James, American actress
1979 - Gerardo Torrado, Mexican footballer
1981 - John O'Shea, Irish footballer
1981 - Emma Pierson, British actress
Actress Kirsten Dunst (1982) 1982 - Kirsten Dunst, Point Pleasant, New Jersey, American actress (Interview with the Vampire, Spider-Man)
1982 - Lloyd Banks, American rapper
1982 - Cleo Higgins, British singer and actress
1982 - Andrew Seeley, Canadian actor and singer
1983 - Tatjana Hüfner, German luger
1983 - Troy Williamson, American football player
1983 - Yamini, Tamil Singer
1984 - Shawn Daivari, Persian-American professional wrestler and manager
1985 - Ashley Alexandra Dupré, American singer and call girl
1986 - Dianna Agron, Savannah, Georgia, American Actress (Quinn Fabray-Glee)
1987 - Nikki Webster, Australian entertainer
1987 - Rohit Sharma, Indian Cricketer
1988 - Molloko, SD Zoo, 1st California condor chick conceived in captivity

 

I'M LIKE BOSTON...NOBODY CAN KEEP ME DOWN!

 

 

Yeah, this is me.

 

Granted the hair is waaaay shorter now both from cutting and hair loss from cancer treatment.

 

But that's OK....it's small potatoes.

 

 

I'm writing this post for a particular purpose with 2 examples:

 

 

You ignorant SPAMMERS just keep it up!

 

I REFUSE to make my friends have to go through a song and dance routine to comment on my blog.

 

But know this and know it deep...

 

I will spend my last breath on this Earth deleting your nonsensical, useless posts to this blog.

 

Cause this is MY blog and THESE are MY friends and you serve no earthly purpose on this Earth but taking up air space...

 

I am smarter than to tell you NOT to do it...

 

You weren't given the common sense God gave an earthworm to comply and know where you're NOT wanted.

 

So knock yourselves out.

 

I AM Dachsielver

 

and

 

I AM A SURVIVOR!

 

(brushing spammer germs from hands)

 

Now to my second example.

 

For you on on Facebook, you know the last 2 months has been the struggle from Hell reconciling myself to the fact that Kathy no longer is available for phone calls, shopping, visits or hugs.

 

I determined this past weekend was going to be the line I was drawing to either succumb to it or rise past it because it was getting to that point...

 

And then I found this piece of writing on Facebook:

It sounds JUST like Kathy wrote it herself.

 

It made sense.

 

Especially when I remember God has given me almost 8 years of thyroid cancer remission not to shut off my life and mourn my best friend.

 

So I have decided to:

 



 

This is what Kathy would want me to do.

 

When I was first diagnosed, I told her she would outlive me.  I am a year older and with the cancer diagnosis that I have to get checked every November because it lies dormant in the body and I will always have a risk of going out of remission, I figured I'd beat her to the Pearly Gates.

 

So didn't happen.

 

God isn't ready for me yet and He may never be.

 

especially if I bring all my BELIEVE quotes and items with me...

 

So although I know I have only experienced Easter without her and managed to get through that, my birthday is coming up.  She without FAIL was the first person to call me on my birthday.  And I'm steeling myself that this isn't going to happen this year.

 

Nor will we go to the town parade Memorial Day weekend.

 

Or share her birthday.

 

Or Thanksgiving.

 

Or Christmas.

 

Or sending Michael off to deployment and receiving him home in July 2014.

 

Which begs the picture

 

 

This is Michael and Kathy a few minutes before we had to leave him to go home while he headed to Washington State to mobe up and deploy to the Sinai Pennisula from there.

 

There won't be any of these pictures at Ft. Benning, GA on 28 June.

 

Let me leave you with this:

 

 

 



Our Hearts Have Turned to Massachusetts and Texas

 

 

Who knew that such a sunny, beautiful Patriots Day in Boston, home of the Boston Marathon, could turn into such a nightmare?

 

We happened to be watching MSNBC, because that's how we roll, we're news freaks, when the first reports came in.  My first thoughts were, "Not again!"

 

Like, Columbine, like Oklahoma City, like 9-11, we were roboted to our TV.

 

My husband also has his eldest grandson who is attending Suffolk University in Boston to play baseball.  He has ALWAYS been at the finish line of the Boston Marathon as long as he was able to go. 

 

We didn't know if/how he was involved but we prayed for him as fervently as we did the others there.  We were notified by email from his aunt that Christopher was called to a mandatory baseball practice the afternoon of the Marathon and was not able to be at the finish line. 

 

Everything was closed in Boston for Patriots Day but apparently baseball practice.

 

Thank God.

 

He was training near there and saw the throng of people rushing toward him and saw the mass of ambulances heading to the finish line.  He lives 5 minutes from there.

 

We are grateful for his well being.

 

A cherished friend of our family was there with her family and kids cheering on her sister who was running in the Marathon.  What a horrible time they had reuniting, but the entire family was safe, but never the same after that experience.

 

And then came this:

 

 

 

And then we discovered the tragedy that had befallen this small town in Texas.

 

I hope they knew that our hearts supported their tragedy as much as the one in Boston and we will always have a piece of our hearts dedicated to both of them.

 

Because I believe that both of these tragedies will be overcome by the strong citizens of these towns and the overwhelming support of our nation.

 

Please support these cities however you can by your good thoughts, your prayers and supporting their needs.

 

And thank you for the support you have given me since the tragic loss of my best friend, Kathy.

 

Every hour and every day is a winding road of emotions all over the place.  I have experienced the first Easter without her and about to not experience the first Memorial Day weekend without her.

 

I.just.cannot.

 

I have to garner my emotions and stay strong for 28 June when Michael deploys to Saudi Arabia for a year as an aide de camp to a Brigadier General who is stationed at the Embassy in Saudi Arabia. 

 

I simply have to believe he will be safe and come back to us.

 

Just like I have to believe that Kelli will regain insurance to pay for her MS meds that hopefully will get these MS flairs under control.

 

Just like I have to believe that there is a life out there outside of the world of pseudotumor cerebri for Kiereney and she will find her place in this world.

 

Just like I have to believe that the best days are in front of me where Roger and I will be getting 24 hours out of each and every day and living life to the fullest extent because no minute is a given.

 

Just like I have to believe that the phenomenal friends I have met in FB and on Blogger will become more real when I get to meet them this year.  God is making my travel plans and I'm just waiting for Him to announce the when, where, who, why and how, and I BELIEVE that will happen.

 

Don't stop believing...you haven't let me stop and I won't let you stop.

 

Happy Belated 4th Birthday to my Colin on 19 April.  You complete me, sweet Chihuahua.