Then following is long but well worth the read if you have a Marine in your life!

To know the Corps is to love the Corps, which is why Marine Corps Times
compiled the following list of 232 reasons to stand proudly at this
year’s birthday ball.

1. Cpl. Jason Dunham. First Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since
Vietnam. If jumping on a grenade to save a buddy isn’t worth the top of
the list, nothing is.

2. Civilians have to find time to go to the gym. Marines get paid to go.

3. The National Museum of the Marine Corps. It’s like a Smithsonian of
leatherneck.

4. There’s no such thing as an “ex” Marine.

5. Re-enlistment rates are higher IN the war zone.

6. Stink-proof socks. Well, almost. Systems Command is working on them.

7. Jalapeño cheese.

8. “Every Marine Into the Fight.”

9. Lump-sum re-enlistment bonuses up to $80,000. Many of you would
consider doing it for free.

10. New uniforms #1. Pixel-pattern cammies? Yeah, the Corps came up with
that.

11. “Doc.”

12. Flexed arm hang is harder than it looks. We tried it.

13. Barracks parties on non-payday weekends.

14. Marine Gunners.

15. The Wounded Warrior Regiment.

16. MarAdmin 266/07: Letting 18-year-old Marines drink on base at this
year’s birthday ball.

17. No receipt necessary for travel claim expenses less than $75.

18. The lance corporal underground.

19. Fallujah II.

21. Archibald Henderson’s couch, re-upholstered, is still in the
commandant’s living room.

22. “No better friend, no worse enemy.”

23. Typhoons approaching Okinawa often spark islandwide beer runs.

24. Waivers.

25. Gen. James Jones, who followed his tour as commandant with
appointment as “supreme intergalactic overlord” (OK, it was Supreme
Allied Commander, Europe, but close).

26. 10 rounds from the 500-yard line.

27. Per diem.

28. To civilians, every Marine is recon.

29. Recruiting in Texas is like hunting at the zoo.

30. The “boat cloak.” Because every super hero needs a cape.

31. You can re-enlist in the IRR.

32. The wallet in your sock.

33. Motivating television commercials.

! 34. The “horse shoe” haircut, gone but not forgotten.

35. The global address list. Find your buddies and send them links to
Marine Corps Times.

36. Running cadences that mention napalm. And Eskimos.

37. Stories that begin with, “So there I was ...”

38. Modified parade rest.

39. The transformation. Who you are when you join is not nearly as
important as who you become.

40. Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis getting a fourth star.

41. If you’ve been on liberty in Twentynine Palms, you’ve been on
liberty in Yuma and Barstow, too.

42. Grooming standards. Not only can you not act like a thug, you cannot
look like a thug.

43. It’s not the Army.

44. Women in Manhattan have all seen the Fleet Week episode of “! Sex and
the City.”

45. Combat shotguns.

46. Combat Action Ribbons. IEDs count now, and should have counted all
along. Duh.

47. The occasional free beer. Wear your blues into a bar and see what
happens.

48. After decades of debate, there remains no resolution on whether sand
fleas trump “The Reaper.”

49. The Corps’ doesn’t call its officers, commissioned or not, “petty.”

50. Cpl. Gareth Hawkins, lying on a stretcher after an IED shattered his
leg, demanded re-enlistment before medical evacuation. And got it.

51. Whereas Army, Navy and Air Force jokes are funny, Marine jokes are
potentially dangerous.

52. The occasional friendly debate. Refer to a Marine staff
noncommissioned officer simply as “sergeant,” and see what happens.

53. That troublesome “10 percent,” making good Marines look g! reat since
1775.

54. Everyone at a high school reunion is obliged to justify his last 10
years, except the guy wearing alphas.

55. As if ranks that include the words “master” and “gunnery” aren’t
intimidating enough on their own, the Corps uses them both. At once.

56. Soldiers have Hooah Bars. Marines have Ka-Bars. The second will
generally get you the first.

57. The dress code. You can wear your cammies to meet the commandant or
repair a tank.

58. From “Aliens” to “Doom,” the future vision of warfare almost always
includes Space Marines.

59. The Corps was formed in a bar.

60. Marines predicted the WWII campaigns in the Pacific years earlier
and prepared for the inevitable. So when a Marine says, “Hey, I’ve been
thinking …” perhaps you should take notes.

61. Give a Marine some free time, and he’ll rip down your dictator’s
statue.

62. If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training.

64. Duty station garden spots: Jacksonville, N.C.; Yuma, Ariz.;
Bridgeport, Calif.; Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Yes, we’re kidding.)

65. Making morning PT on time.

66. Recruiters who promise everything EXCEPT a rose garden.

67. Mustangs #1. It’s easier to take crap from a CO who went to boot
camp.

69. Gen. Peter Pace, the first Marine chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He
left his four-star insignia with his fallen! comrades at the Vietnam Wall
when he retired. Nice move.

70. The people zapper. Using microwave energy to disperse a crowd sounds
like fun. Semper fry, gunny.

71. Nothing says “Good morning” like a mouthful of Copenhagen and
freeze-dried coffee.

72. Nothing says “I love you” like a welcome home sheet hanging on a
chain-link fence.

73. Bill Barnes. In June, the former Marine beat the crap out of a
27-year-old pickpocket who tried to make off with his dough. Oh yeah,
he’s 72.

74. Leftwich Trophy. Heisman winners only think they know about leaving
it all on the field.

75. EOD. If you don’t know why this is on the list, defuse the next IED
yourself.

76. Tax-free combat pay. Doing what you signed up for and! not having to
give Uncle Sam a dime back.

77. Montford Point Marines. The first African-American Marines know a
little something about honor, courage and commitment.

78. Front toward enemy. It’s not just a visual reference on a Claymore
mine, it’s a Marine Corps way of life.

79. Mustangs #2. You know at least three Marines who drive them. It’s
like a Ford dealership exploded on base.

80. Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Only a former Marine could truly
appreciate the value of getting your mail on time.

81. CMC: The tallest member of the Joints Chiefs. OK, so we haven’t
actually measured, but he looks the tallest anyway.

82. No more spit shining boots.

83. Chuck Norris was in the Air Force. Steve McQueen was a Marine.

84. The Crucible.

85. 1/9, 2/9 and 3/9. Welcome back, fellas.

86. The FROG uniform. You are now sweat-wickin’ AND flame-lickin’.

88. The M4. More rifles in the fight is generally a win-win.

89. MRAPs. Trucks straight out of Mad Max. We still love a good Humvee,
but we loved jeeps, too. Things change.

90. Arty guys who do civil affairs. They blow it up, then they fix it.
Circle of life.

91. Service Charlies. They look so good, the Navy’s copying ’em.

92. Fake Marines. No one eats ’em up faster than real Marines.

93. John Lovell. A 71-year-old former Marine is sitting in a Subway
restaurant when two armed men try to rob the place. Lovell grabs his
.45, kills one and w! ounds the other. No word on how Lovell’s sandwich
fared.

94. 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Six Navy Crosses so far. Six.

95. Staff Sgt. Lawrence Dean II, aka the “BadAss Marine.” He recites a
poem. He gets uploaded to YouTube. Thousands get motivated.

96. Gen. James Conway takes over as the new commandant. Among his
demands: a new PT uniform, new tattoo regs, a plan to add dress blues to
the seabag, a change-up in medals and 22,000 more Marines. Someone’s
been thinking about taking over for a while, huh?

97. Body-fat standards. Everyone hates them, until they see a fat
Marine.

98. “Jarhead.” Only a former Marine could write a war story about not
fighting anyone and make it last for 200 pages, then get Jamie Foxx to
star in the movie.

99. The Stumps. The Rock. The Sandbox. Oh, the places you’ll serve.

101. Tattoos #2. Getting a fallen friend’s name tattooed on your other
forearm, and knowing the same.

102. The new PT running suit. Sure, the Army had them first, but the
Army gets most things first.

103. Marine expeditionary units: The cheapest cruise you’ll ever take.

104. Camp Lejeune: The closest interstate and the nearest good shopping
mall are both at least an hour away.

105. Camp Pendleton: There are roads and malls, but try affording a
house near the main gate.

106. Tattoos #3. Meat tags. Getting your blood type and other info inked
on your ribcage isn’t necessarily a bad idea.

107. The Ma! rine Corps is getting bigger. The Navy is getting smaller.

109. 30 days’ paid vacation, plus federal holidays off, is obscene by
civilian standards.

110. Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl, the Corps’ first fighter ace. First
Marine to fly a helicopter. Two Navy Crosses, five Distinguished Flying
Crosses, 14 air medals. In 1998, the 82-year-old was killed during a
home break-in when he jumped in front of a shotgun blast aimed at his
longtime wife, Edna.

111. Tattoos #4. Reaction to the new policy: Conway says sleeves are
going away, Marines run for the chair. Tattoo parlors never saw so much
business.

113. Guaranteed pay raises.

114. Marine Security Guard #1. Duty in the Bahamas.

115. Having a WWII Marine say he’s proud of you

116. Drew Carey used to be in the Marine Corps Reserve. Now, he’s the
host of “The Price is Right.”

117. Combatant diver pins. No more of that Navy crap.

118. A Red Stripe is a beer, mon. A Blood Stripe is a symbol of pride.

119. NMCI, if only they would remove the “MC.”

120. You watched “300,” and it reminded you of your unit.

121. The “Det One” .45 pistol. Designed by Marines, for Marines.

122. Combat marksmanship. You are creeping death. And you get graded on
it.

123. Never lost six nukes on a plane.

124. CamelBaks. Water tastes like water again.

125. Give a Marine enough free time, and he’ll marry your Bahraini
princess.

126. Go to YouTube. Type in “bored Marines.” Enjoy.

127. When the president gets on a helicopter, it’s not called “Army
One.”

128. The opposite of the Peace Corps.

129. Camouflage. You can camouflage anything and make it cool.

130. No Fear #1. Marines aren’t scared of anything. Except apricots. And
Charms.

131. Combat optics on M16s. Leave the iron sights, just in case.

132. “Combat loss” amnesty for missing gear. It’s like pleading the
fifth.

133. Riding a chartered Continental Airlines flight home from the war
zone with assault weapons stuffed in all the overhead compartments.

134. In combat, the division band becomes a heavy-machine-gun platoon.

135. What do headaches, broken bones, infectious diseases, missing limbs
and hurt feelings all have in common? Motrin. Thanks, Doc.

137. Global instability equals job security.

138. When NMCI goes down, and it will, it’s like having the day off.

139. The honor, privilege and responsibility of leading, mentoring and
caring for junior Marines.

140. Gunnery sergeants. Don’t know the answer? Ask the gunny. Need
something? Ask the gunny. In trouble? Avoid the gunny.

141. Because gunny said so.

142. The line to get “tazed” at a military gear expo. Marines will do
anything for a free T-shirt.

143. Deployment reunions. Like reliving your wedding night. Sweet!

144. Gig lines. Even in khakis and a polo shirt.

145. Eight-point covers. Even the uniform stands at attention.

146. Marine Security Guards #2. They’re not cute and cuddly, but when
they greet you at the door, it’s like getting a great big hug from the
United States of America, no matter where you are.

147. The Mameluke sword. Distinctive.

148. The NCO sword. Earned, never given.

149. The World Famous Mud Run. Thousands of people pay good money to run
through 10 clicks of muck every year at Camp Pendleton.

150. John Philip Sousa. A Marine, the nation’s March King and composer
of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Ooh-rah.

151. MRE crackers. Hard as Milk Bones but much tastier. You can almost
feel your teeth getting cleaner as you eat ’em.

152. Jane Wayne Day. She’ll never ask about work again.

153. Shirt stays. Or garters. Whatever you call them, they’re a triple
whammy, keeping your shirt tucked, your socks up and removing all that
unwanted leg hair.

154. The slogans: “The Few, The Proud, The Marines.” “We’re Looking For
a Few Good Men,” “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” “Tell that to the
Marines.” If they could only purchase the rights to Hallmark’s “When You
Care Enough to Send the Very Best.”

155. Speaking of slogans, “The Few, The Proud, The Marines” beat out
such notables as Nike’s “Just Do It” and Burger King’s “Have It Your
Way” for a 2007 spot on the advertising Walk of Fame. Better luck next
year, losers.

157. Real duty station garden spots you can go an entire career without
being assigned to: Southern California; Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; Okinawa,
Japan.

158. Rear-party Marines! . God bless them. Whatever reason they stay
behind — injury, impending retirement or being volun-told — they are
indispensable. They deserve medals for what they have to deal with while
a unit is deployed.

159. While field-grade officers are at the company office, company-grade
officers are in the field.

160. Colonels who can take a joke.

161. Free flu shots. And smallpox shots and anthrax shots …

162. Former Sgt. Chris Everhart. While camping with his three sons in
June 2007, a bear snatched their cooler and made a play for his
6-year-old. Everhart threw an 18-inch log at the bear’s head, cracking
its skull before it could attack and killing it instantly. Then, the
park ranger gave him a ticket for leaving the cooler where the bear
could get it.

163. Standards. The Corps doesn’t lower the bar when recruiting gets
tough.

164. Jim Nabors. “Gomer Pyle” becomes an honorary Marine in 2001 and
makes lance corporal. It takes him six years to pin on corporal. Talk
about art imitating life.

165. Vincent D’Onofrio. The other “Private Pyle” is doing pretty well on
“Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” He’s still weird, though.

166. If you ambush Capt. Brian Chontosh’s boys, he’s going to take off
his Navy Cross and kill you. Then, he’s going to pick up your rifle and
kill your buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up your buddy’s rifle and
kill your buddy’s buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up a
rocket-propelled grenade launcher …

167. Speaking of the Navy Cross, a combat award second only to the Medal
of Honor, Marines have earned 1! 5 so far in Iraq, plus one in
Afghanistan. Of the six awarded to sailors for those combat zones, five
went to SEALs, and one went to a corpsman who exposed himself repeatedly
to enemy fire to evacuate and treat wounded Marines. Along with
Chontosh, the other recipients include:

168. Gunnery Sgt. Justin D. Lehew.

169. Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Perez.

170. Sgt. Scott C. Montoya.

171. Cpl. Marco A. Martinez.

172. Sgt. Willie L. Copeland.

173. Capt. Brent Morel (posthumous).

174. Sgt. Anthony L. Viggiani.

175. 1st Sgt. Bradley A. Kasal.

176. Cpl. Robert J. Mitchell.

177. Cpl. Dominic Esquibel.

178. Sgt. Jarrett A. Kraft.

179. Cpl. Jeremiah W. Workman.

180. Cpl. Todd Corbin.

181. Sgt. Aubrey L. McDade Jr.

182. Pfc. Christopher Adlesperger (posthumous).

! 183. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Louis E. Fonseca.

184. Iwo JIMA. Japan might have changed the name to Iwo To, but that
doesn’t mean you have to acknowledge it.

185. Col. John Ripley. Received the Navy Cross for the destruction of
the Dong Ha bridge in Vietnam. The Corps takes care of its own. In 2002,
with Ripley near death, doctors finally found a donated liver for his
much-needed transplant. So the Marine Corps sent helicopters and Marines
to Philadelphia to retrieve it, and they personally rushed it back to
Washington in! time to save his life.

186. Marine Corps Times isn’t a version of Navy Times anymore. How many
careers get their own newspaper?

188. Gatorade bottles wrapped in green, 100 mph tape so as not to offend
the sailors in the room.

189. Camaraderie. Marines will hook you up with their sisters, then
punch you in the mouth for doing what they knew would happen the whole
time.

190. Ingenuity. MRE bombs, 101 uses for cleaning rods and iPods wired
into field radio speakers.

191. Getting off the ship.

192. Getting back on the ship.

193. No beach? No problem. Marines inserted 400 miles into landlocked
Afghanistan and created Camp Rhino using CH-53 Sea Stallions. Imagine
what you can invade with the Osprey.

194. Cases and cases of bottled water mean never having to stand behind
a water bull.

195. Race as a nonissue. It wasn’t always the case, but three black
sergeants major of the Marine Corps in a row show that the Corps has
only one color: green.

196. Every day in the Corps is another reason to celebrate. That’s why
they call them working “parties.”

197. Riddick Bowe had what it took to be boxing’s undisputed heavyweight
champ. He did not have what it took to be a Marine.

198. The U.S. Army Band is called “Pershing’s Own.” The U.S. Marine
Corps Band is called “The President’s Own.”

199. “8th and I.” Ten bucks says you have no idea where the Army chief
of staff lives. Commandants don’t hide.

200. MR! E “rat boxes.” How grunts trick-or-treat.

201. The poncho liner. It’s a blanket, it’s a tent, it’s a keeper.

202. Combat fit-reps. People say they’re equal to regular fit-reps.
People lie.

203. The “E-tool lean.” Sailors don’t know how good they have it.

204. Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno, Medal of Honor recipient. If Marines
have a hot line to heaven, Father Capodanno — aka the Grunt Padre —
would take the call. His body peppered by shrapnel, his right hand
nearly severed, the Navy chaplain and priest crisscrossed a Vietnam
battlefield Sept. 4, 1967, to render last rites to his fallen Marines
and corpsmen with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, until 27 rounds from an
enemy machine gun took his life. Last year, the Vatican de! clared him a
“servant of God.” Next step, sainthood?

206. Amphibious warfare means always being near the beach.

207. No Fear #2. Talk about the AV-8B Harrier’s troubled past all you
like, but brave jump jet pilots are flying missions in Iraq.

208. New Uniforms #2. Wash-and-wear combat uniforms mean no more starch,
no more dry cleaning.

209. Marine air-ground task force. Nothing like controlling the air and
the ground.

210. Slapping an eagle, globe and anchor on the back of your car and
knowing it’ll get you out of at least one speeding ticket.

211. The Navy wants to put Marines back on warships. It seems that
Tomahawk cruise missiles can’t do everything.

212. Liberty in Thailand.

213. Liberty in Australia.

214. Liberty, well, anywhere.

215. The Navy’s mascot is a goat. The Corps’ mascot is a bulldog. You
don’t need Michael Vick to tell you who wins that fight.

216. If you need another occupying land force, you can use the Marine
Corps. If you need another rapidly deployable, sea-based,
front-door-kicking, air-ground team, you can’t use the Army.

217. 1775 Rum Punch. Four parts dark rum, two parts lime juice, one part
pure maple syrup, grenadine to taste.

218. “It’s fun to shoot some people,” said Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis. He says
what he thinks.

219. The Beirut Memorial Wall. If you ever forget what you’re fighting
for, pay a visit.

221. “Son, we live in a world that has ! walls, and those walls have to be
guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant
Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly
fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that
luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s
death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while
grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the
truth because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you
want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor,
code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent
defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the
time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps
under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions
the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank
you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and
stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are
entitled to.” Jack Nicholson, “A Few Good Men.”

222. Maj. Meghan McClung, Marine public affairs officer, killed by a
roadside bomb in Iraq while escorting media. The PAO is more than just a
spokesman.

223. Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Like Dunham, he hugged a grenade to save his
buddies in Iraq. No Medal of Honor … yet.

224. Hearing an accidental discharge into the clearing barrel, then
waiting for the lieutenant to walk inside.

225. Call signs like “Spider” and “Assassin,” and these guys were
generals.

227. Buttered noodles for breakfast.

228. “Every Marine should look like a Marine. But a Marine looks like a
Marine when he’s got a bayonet stuck in the enemy’s chest.” Gen. Robert
Magnus, assistant commandant, discussing body-fat standards.

229. “Infantry” is the easiest job for recruiters to sell.

230. Being the youngest Marine at the ball.

231. Being the oldest Marine at the ball.

232. Marine Corps Times appreciates all you do. Happy birthday, Marines!

So much has happened for me in the last few days.   My company, hit by the financial crisis made some critical decisions in order to stay in business and my tech job was cut in the process.   So I am out of work for the first time in many, many years.

I see this as an opportunity for me to advance in my chosen career though.    Thank goodness I don't have many bills so that I can actually live on unemployment if I need to for a while.    I feel for those that have lost jobs and can't manage to survive afterwards.   

In any case, I am exploring my options on returning to college and actually getting some kind of degree in my field which is Information Technology.   Indiana has many programs and grants available for those who lose their jobs due to no fault of their own and may have trouble finding a comparable position elsewhere.   Due to the fact that I am self-taught in my field and have no actual degree, my chances of finding a decent position are negligible.   So hopefully WIA Adult grants for education will help me get that sought-after degree.  I am thinking of getting one in computer security systems which is VERY needed at this time although with my experience I could get a job anywhere with ANY degree in Computer Sciences.  I have almost 10 years of hands-on experience as an MIS Assistant and IT Coordinator for manufacturing companies.  I am well-versed in Network and Database administration, hardware and software troubleshooting and creating manufacturing mods using Access database as well as being very familiar with Quality Assurance procedures and other things concerned with QA.  But I NEED that degree (even an associate degree would help) to get decent pay and not have to actually work up to the same position I have held for the last four years.

My ex-boss gave me an excellent reference letter.   But I am getting too old to have to prove my capabilities at ANOTHER company.    So I am going to try very hard to get the funding for that degree.   Please pray for me if you get a moment.    I have faith in my own ability to pursue this dream but believe me when I say I am praying for it to work out too.

Eric and his little family are all doing well.    He has an education grant from his service in the USMC and should be starting school in early spring. 

I do want to share this photo that my mom took of my great-niece Aalyah and Landon.   To prepare you the caption is "Girl Gives Boy Valentine Day kiss and Boy Gets Sick"  *grin*.    You'll see why it has that caption LOL.

 
Girl Gives Boy Valentine Kiss; Boy Gets Sick !!

Well with everything that has been happening this winter: making a new type of home with the addition of Eric, Patty and Landon, getting to know and completely fall in love with my new grandson, holidays to get through and new things to do at work just so we can stay in business, I haven’t had much time to blog.   Just so you know, we are all doing well and I certainly plan on getting some updates here soon for everyone that has followed this blog these last 4 years.  I certainly hope everyone is doing okay in these current tough times.

But … I got an email that I just had to share with all my friends who support our USMC and our military as I have always done on this blog.  So here it is:

Cemetery Escort Duty

I just wanted to get the day over with and go down to Smokey's.  Sneaking a look at my watch, I saw the time, 1655.  Five minutes to go before the cemetery gates are closed for the day.  Full dress was hot in the August sun. Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever--the heat and humidity at the same level--both too high.

I saw the car pull into the drive, '69 or '70 model Cadillac Deville, looked factory-new.  It pulled into the parking lot at a snail's pace.  An old woman got out so slow I thought she was paralyzed; she had a cane and a sheaf of flowers--about four or five bunches as best I could tell.

I couldn't help myself.  The thought came unwanted, and left a slightly bitter taste:  'She's going to spend an hour, and for this old soldier, my hip hurts like hell and I'm ready to get out of here right now!'  But for this day, my duty was to assist anyone coming in.
Kevin would lock the 'In' gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along, we might make it to Smokey's in time.

I broke post attention.  My hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch. I must have made a real military sight: middle-aged man with a small pot gut and half a limp, in marine full-dress uniform, which had lost its razor crease about thirty minutes after I began the watch at the cemetery.

I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk.  She looked up at me with an old woman's squint.

'Ma'am, may I assist you in any way?'

She took long enough to answer. 'Yes, son.  Can you carry these flowers?  I seem to be moving a tad slow these days.'

'My pleasure, ma'am.'  Well, it wasn't too much of a lie..

She looked again.  'Marine, where were you stationed?'

'Vietnam, ma'am.  Ground-pounder. '69 to '71.'

She looked at me closer.  'Wounded in action, I see.  Well done, Marine. I'll be as quick as I can.'

I lied a little bigger:  'No hurry, ma'am.'

She smiled and winked at me.  'Son, I'm 85-years-old and I can tell a lie from a long way off. Let's get this done.  Might be the last time I can do this.  My name's Joanne Wieserman, and I've a few Marines I'd like to see one more time.'

'Yes, ma 'am.  At your service.'

She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone.  She picked one of the flowers out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone.  She murmured something I couldn't quite make out. The name on the marble was Donald S. Davidson, USMC: France 1918.

She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone.  I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek. She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X. Davidson, USMC, 1943.

She went up the row a ways and laid another bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman, USMC, 1944.

She paused for a second.  'Two more, son, and we'll be done'

I almost didn't say anything, but, 'Yes, ma'am.  Take your time.'

She looked confused. 'Where's the Vietnam section, son?  I seem to have lost my way.'
I pointed with my chin.  'That way, ma'am.'

'Oh!' she chuckled quietly.  'Son, me and old age ain't too friendly.'

She headed down the walk I'd pointed at.  She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted.  She placed a bunch on Larry Wieserman, USMC, 1968, and the last on Darrel Wieserman, USMC, 1970.  She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn't make out.

'OK, son, I'm finished.  Get me back to my car and you can go home.'

Yes, ma'am.  If I may ask, were those your kinfolk?'

She paused. 'Yes, Donald Davidson was my father, Stephen was my uncle, Stanley was my husband, Larry and Darrel were our sons.  All killed in action, all marines.'

She stopped.  Whether she had finished, or couldn't finish, I don't know. She made her way to her car, slowly and painfully.

I waited for a polite distance to come between us and then double-timed it over to Kevin, waiting by the car.

'Get to the 'Out' gate quick.  I have something I've got to do.'

Kevin started to say something, but saw the look I gave him.  He broke the rules to get us there down the service road.  We beat her.  She hadn't made it around the rotunda yet.

'Kevin, stand at attention next to the gatepost.  Follow my lead.'  I humped it across the drive to the other post.

When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny's voice: 'TehenHut!  Present Haaaarms!'
I have to hand it to Kevin; he never blinked an eye--full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud.

She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send-off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing duty, honor and sacrifice. I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.
Instead of 'The End,' just think of 'Taps.'

As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer: 'Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas.  Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us.'

Let's all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before in our thoughts.
They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy.

'In God We Trust.'

Sorry about your monitor; it made mine blurry too!
If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under!

Sorry to my friends here that I have been so negligent about posting.    But I have been busy getting to know my expanded family again!

I have been debating if I should change the title of these since as of the middle of October my son is a RETIRED Marine.   But they say that 'once a Marine, always a Marine' so I haven't decided if I should give up the title of Marine mom yet.   What do you think?

Anyway ... I have pictures!   Landon is a sweetheart and I am so glad to have him in my life and home as well as having my son back safely from four years in the Corps and two tours in Iraq.   And I have a new daughter to spoil in Patty!   Lots going on but I have had time to take some pics :)

 
This is when Patty and Landon first got to my house .   Everyone stayed up too late as you can tell by Eric's yawn lol~

Two proud new grandmas!   My baby sister,Julie and Aaliyah (my great-niece, 4 months) on the left, me and Landon (5 weeks) on the right.

Such a sweet little boy!

There will be more pics soon.  I thought I had some of Landon smiling but they must have not taken like I thought they did.   Having lots of fun here though :)    Hope everyone out in Spaces land is well and as happy as I am!!

God bless you all and Semper fi to all our Marines out there!

Baby Update:

After an extremely LONG labor (over 24 hours) Patty and Eric have a new son!!   Patty and Landon are both doing well and Patty managed to give birth to him naturally (Good job girl!).    Landon definitely takes after his dad too since Eric is a big guy (6'4").   Landon is 9lb 7oz and 22 inches long.   And he has blonde hair.   He was crying when Patty called me about 5 minutes after he was born because they were checking and cleaning him but when I talked to Eric (Patty was too tired to do much more than tell me I was a grandma and how much he weighed) - Eric said whenever they would stop messing with him he would calm down and look around.   So hopefully he takes after his dad that way too since Eric was probably the best baby I have ever seen.   Patty and Eric both are already in love with this beautiful boy.  Eric said he looks great and I could tell he was so excited to finally meet his son.   He said "I made that!!" and you could tell he's a proud as a peacock lol.  

Will post pics when I get them (hopefully soon).  Wow .. I'm a grandma! 

God Bless and Semper Fi from this new nana!

Baby Update:

We quite possibly have lift-off!!!    I got a call from Patty at 4:30am this morning (1:30 their time) and it appears that she is now in active labor with no outside help.  YAY!!   Well other than the fact that she was at the playground on base last night swinging on the swings with her friend Meghan hehe.  That had to be a cute sight as big as she is right now.  Meghan is their neighbor and Patty's official birthing coach since she thought she might hurt Eric when he was cheering through her contractions like a cheerleader pom-poms and all - which knowing Eric I can just see that haha - anyway thank you Meghan for being there to help them do this!!!  

Anyway I will definitely let everyone know when we finally get to see Landon.  I really want to be there but I know Patty is in good hands so we all just have to patient.   GRRRRRR.  NOT EASY!!!!

God Bless and Semper Fi!

On the seventh anniversary of an awful day in the history of our nation, my prayers and thoughts go out to all of those that lost loved ones on 9-11-01.   Believe me when I say, you are not forgotten.

Still no Landon -  Doc something said in a comment he posted that I really got a kick out of yesterday (even Patty laughed at it).  Thank you for the laugh haha!  Here's doc's comment:

September 09 8:45 AM
(http://docblood.spaces.live.com/)
Congratulations to all!  I don't think I'd stand that close to Patty, though.  She looks like she might explode at any moment.
Peace, Doc

So hopefully this baby won't do like his dad did and be THREE (yes -3) weeks late or Patty may just actually explode!

There's something that JustinsAuntPatricia of 'Welcome to the Insanity' asked for my help in and I really don't know what to do other than send email to government officials and pass this on by blog and email which is what I am doing.  Please pass this on and contact your congressmen/congresswomen asking why can't the government accept this generous gift so our lost soldiers can be honored in the manner they should be.  I am redoing the entire blog post that Patricia posted on her site and I am also emailing it to my Marine parent contacts.

We're the Government. We'd Rather Pay for It

Tomb of the Unknowns

By Nancy Lofholm The Denver Post
Aug 17, 2008

Retired Glenwood Springs car dealer John Haines' hope of donating a giant chunk of snow -white marble to the federal government to replace the cracked Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is stalled again.

Haines' hoped-for donation, which has sat outside the Yule Quarry near Marble since it was cut for the tomb in 2003, didn't even rate a mention in a 34-page Department of the Army report to Congress this week on replacement and repair options for the deteriorating tomb.

Haines' donation creates problems for the federal government because it is free and has not gone through a pricey bidding and specification process. A quarry in Vermont has expressed interest in submitting a bid.

This week's report — the latest in a string of tomb reports done since Arlington officials decided the marble needed replacing 18 years ago — estimates the cost of replacing the tomb's marble at $2.2 million — $80,000 of that for seeking bids, $90,000 for buying and transporting the marble and the remainder for sculpting.

Haines made the final payment for his $31,000 piece of marble last week. He also has lined up donated transport for the rock on a flag-decorated flatbed truck. He did all that after receiving a letter from an Army major general five years ago thanking him for his "most kind and generous donation."

"It's not doable. A citizen can't just give us any piece of marble and say, 'This is what we'll use to replace the tomb,' " said Thurman Higginbotham, deputy superintendent of Arlington.

But Haines' marble isn't just any marble. It was cut from the same Yule Quarry where the original gold-veined marble for the Tomb of the Unknowns was mined nearly 80 years ago. The marble on the outside of the Lincoln Memorial also came from that quarry. The tomb replacement piece was cut after a nearly five-year search for an unflawed piece that would look like the original.

"It was a very emotional moment when they separated it from the wall and it got the thumbs-up," said historical filmmaker David Showalter, who filmed the cutting for his "The History of Marble" DVD.

Showalter said the fact that there were veterans working on the cutting made the search more poignant.

The original marble monument sits on a vault containing the remains of an unknown World War I soldier. Remainsof unknown World War II and Korean War soldiers are in nearby crypts. The crypt for the Vietnam War sits empty after remains placed there were later identified.

The marble tomb itself, carved with laurel wreaths and Greek figures and also called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, has come to symbolize the sacrifice of all soldiers. And that has raised an emotional debate that has delayed its replacement.

The tomb developed two cracks in the 1930s. Reports were done on the problem in 1967 and 1989. The second report recommended replacement or encasing the tomb in a weatherproof structure.

Since then, two repairs with grout have been attempted, but the cracks have continued to grow. They are now nearly 48 feet long and span each side of the tomb. A third crack has shown up on the base of the monument.

Arlington was ordered to do another study this year after historians and veterans critical of the plan to replace the tomb's marble protested enough that an amendment was added to the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. That amendment, sponsored by veterans and Sens. Jim Webb of Virginia, whose district includes Arlington, and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, required a detailed report on how Arlington has tried to repair the tomb and how it proposes to replace it.

The new report does not make an outright recommendation but does reiterate that even if the tomb is repaired for now, it will eventually need to be replaced.

Higginbotham said Arlington owes it to the public to make the tomb right again.

"I would rather see us do the right thing so that someday when we have 10,000 people watching the changing of the guard we won't have a piece of marble fall off," Higginbotham said.

Arlington can't take any action for 180 days or without congressional approval. If replacement is the decided course, there will be a lengthy period of drawing up bid specifications and going through more historical study processes.

U.S. Rep. John Salazar, a Manassa Democrat and veteran who has worked with Haines over the years to make the donation a reality, will be taking a close look at the report, his spokesman Eric Wortman said.

"We would think the government should seriously consider any donations to the taxpayers," Wortman said.

Meanwhile, the free, room-sized block of marble gracing a hillside near Marble draws some curious tourists who snap pictures in front of it. Haines said if it can't be used for the tomb, he has the option to sell it back to the quarry, where it would be cut up and sold for other projects.

"I understand how the government works," Haines said. "But there comes a point when you just say 'to hell with it.' "

Follow up Blog

September 10, 2008, 8:52am

Retired Glenwood Springs car dealer John Haines' hope of donating a giant chunk of snow -white marble to the federal government to replace the cracked Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is stalled again.

Haines' hoped-for donation, which has sat outside the Yule Quarry near Marble since it was cut for the tomb in 2003, didn't even rate a mention in a 34-page Department of the Army report to Congress this week on replacement and repair options for the deteriorating tomb.

Haines' donation creates problems for the federal government because it is free and has not gone through a pricey bidding and specification process.

[...]

This week's report — the latest in a string of tomb reports done since Arlington officials decided the marble needed replacing 18 years ago — estimates the cost of replacing the tomb's marble at $2.2 million — $80,000 of that for seeking bids, $90,000 for buying and transporting the marble and the remainder for sculpting.

Haines made the final payment for his $31,000 piece of marble last week. He also has lined up donated transport for the rock on a flag-decorated flatbed truck. He did all that after receiving a letter from an Army major general five years ago thanking him for his "most kind and generous donation." 

Better that the government spend $170,000 merely to solicit a bid, then another $2.2 million on the actual marble, because who knows what kind of bargain marble Haines is donating?

Except...

...Haines' marble isn't just any marble. It was cut from the same Yule Quarry where the original gold-veined marble for the Tomb of the Unknowns was mined nearly 80 years ago. The marble on the outside of the Lincoln Memorial also came from that quarry. The tomb replacement piece was cut after a nearly five-year search for an unflawed piece that would look like the original. 

The only problem with Haines' marble really does seem to be the fact that he wants to donate it.

"It's not doable. A citizen can't just give us any piece of marble and say, 'This is what we'll use to replace the tomb,' " said Thurman Higginbotham, deputy superintendent of Arlington. 

[...]

Meanwhile, the free, room-sized block of marble gracing a hillside near Marble draws some curious tourists who snap pictures in front of it. Haines said if it can't be used for the tomb, he has the option to sell it back to the quarry, where it would be cut up and sold for other projects.

"I understand how the government works," Haines said. "But there comes a point when you just say 'to hell with it.' " 

Haines should use the marble to construct a monument to government waste.  [Ohhh I SO agree with this one!! - marine mom]

Hmmm ...  Still waiting :)  Here's a picture of a VERY pregnant Patty and her beautiful mother taken this past weekend.    Come on Landon!   We are all anxious to meet you!

So what else is new with this Marine mom?   I'm engaged!  That's something I really never thought I would say again LOL!   But sometimes the right one comes around and when that right one does - you need to jump - and this one is definitely the right one!!

  Right now the plan is that we are going to Gatlinburg TN in the late spring or early summer to get married.   He keeps trying to talk me into going to Las Vegas and getting married now but I have previous commitments since I need to supply a place for Eric, Patty and Landon to stay while they get settled here this winter and I need to do this for them.  Plus we need to add onto his house or buy a bigger one before we get married since there definitely isn't enough space where he lives.  But things are going EXCELLENT and I am excited to start a new life with my man when we do get married.   So I am in love, happy and about to become a new grandma.   Life is GREAT!!

Also ... still keeping the 3/7 in my prayers since they left for another overseas tour recently and Eric has a lot of friends in harm's way again.   May they all come home safe and sound in seven months!

God bless you all and Semper Fi!

Busy summer but I wanted to put an update out there on Patty, Eric and their soon-to-be born baby.   All things are on course to a healthy boy and Patty is doing great.   She is going with an epidural during the delivery but I can't say that I blame her.

For a little while Eric was considering re-enlisting due to some medical bills they still owe from Patty's brain surgery last July.  He's pretty sure though that if he re-enlists they will send him overseas again and he doesn't want to leave Patty OR his son.  But thank goodness that crisis was diverted and he is still coming back here in September.   Patty is staying with her grandma and mom till Oct 22nd so they can spend some time with the baby before the move and she can heal up from the birth then flying here to be with Eric (who hopefully will have a job by then).

I'll try to actually write up a post later this week but for now - this is the latest pic of Landon Davis in her belly.   Poor girl!   She's a real Marine wife that's for sure cause she doesn't complain about the fact that she is stretched to the max lol! 

That's my grandbaby in there!

Semper Fi and God bless you all.

Been a while since I had a good Marine story on here so I thought I would let you read one that sent me into gales of laughter - mostly because it is SO Marine-like!  Thanks for the story Michael and God bless you!

Personal Sanitation and Hygiene

While at MCRD Pendleton, 1st Battalion, the day was scheduled for our final inspection.

We were assembled in an area adjacent to our Company, in formation, while at ease when a sharp command came, "Attention".

Most of us had never seen an Officer our entire training cycle. Well, here was a 2nd Lieutenant. When he arrived at a private almost directly behind me and asked, "What's the muzzle velocity of the M-14 Rifle, the private being questioned clearly crapped all over himself and was promptly sent back to the Platoon area to clean up.

He was the only person in my Platoon not in our picture taken immediately after the inspection was completed.

We returned to our Platoon area, changed into utilities, were informed that we could now unbutton our collars, and for the rest of the day would be on a "Casual" status.

In about an hour we were told to assemble the entire Platoon into one Quonset hut. Our DI's and Platoon Commander entered and announced that this would be a Q&A session...that we could ask anything that we wanted to on this one occasion.

Well, the following occurred:

I asked why it was, that after all of our classes and training involving "Personal Sanitation and Hygiene", when we were in the Head, did the DI's then choose to have us do "On your backs, and On your bellies" in the dirt and sand and water covering the entire floor of the Head? It seemed to me that this was directly contradicting the purpose of being in the head to begin with....to clean up after another day of hard training.

Well, SSgt. Stoner replied, "You know that the Head is just chock-full of germs and microbes and all kinds of nasty sh*t. We, in the Marine Corps, after many years of dutiful investigation, investing millions of dollars, have come to one final conclusion....in order to kill all those germs and microbes and such there's only one way to do it....you gotta CRUSH those mothers!"

Semper Fi
Michael N
Da Nang, 69-70

I know its been a while since I posted an entry here but after all, it's summer and there is just so much to do!   Patty is doing well with her pregnancy but the little guy's name has been changed.   She was so adamant that she wanted his first name to be Nathaniel (which I like too) but Eric hated that name.   Literally.  He just didn't want to name his son that but Patty told him he could have the middle name if she could pick the first name.   So what did my ingenious son do?   He picked the name Shawn for the middle name which Patty hates HAHA!   So they finally got together (what a concept! hehe) and realized they had to pick a name that they both liked.   Therefore little guy is now going to be named Landon Davis!   Which I think has a very nice ring to it and it uses names from both of the soon-to-be grandfathers, PLUS the middle name was my idea so most of the grandparents were involved too! Compromise after all is a very good to learn early in a marriage!

Since I have been thinking about kids a lot, I thought I would share a beautiful piece of work with you that my mother sent me.   Children are the true geniuses in our world, at least that is what I believe.   And this proves it.

God bless and Semper Fi

What Is Love?
==============
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4-to 8-year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." (Rebecca - age 8 )

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." (Billy - age 4 )

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." (Karl - age 5 )

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." (Chrissy - age 6 )

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." (Terri - age 4 )

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." (Danny - age 7)

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss," (Emily - age 8)

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." (Bobby - age 7)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend whom you hate." (Nikka - age 6)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, and then he wears it everyday." (Noelle - age 7)

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." (Tommy - age 6)

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." (Cindy - age 8)

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." (Clare - age 6)

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." (Elaine-age 5)

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." (Chris - age 7)

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." (Mary Ann - age 4)
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." (Lauren - age 4)

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (Karen - age 7)

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." (Mark - age 6)
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." (Jessica - age 8)

And the final one to melt anybody's heart: Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

I got some information from Alien Hunter that totally blew my mind.   Do you know that if a soldier is injured bad enough that he can't fight anymore they take his sign-up bonus from him?!?!?   This fact is just so wrong on so many levels I can't begin to comprehend it.   I will just post a link to the info that he added in a comment here:

Alien Hunter's comment:
One link to the bonus fiasco is http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/jan/21/military-signing-bonus-squabble/ . I also have 2 nephews serving - 1 active duty Army, 1 TX Army National Guard - both tell me the same about bonuses. It is a regulation that if a soldier is unable to complete his/her enlistment and has a bonus that the bonus for the unserved enlistment portion must be repaid. It doesn't matter if the reason is due to injury or death. Two other sources I use are http://militarynews.com/ and http://www.dav.org/ .  I also use Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force Times papers for source material.

Mr_Sandman has been fighting for years to get his disability. He has hired a lawyer to help him.  Two tours in Iraq and a case of PTSD.  http://mrsandman782000.spaces.live.com

I didn't mean to carry on so long - some things just get to me. I never thought that I would be so politically active in writing congresspeople either.

If you want to help check your state's website (for Indiana its http://www.in.gov) for a list of your congressmen/women and write them protesting this practice.  

Eric/Patty/Nathaniel update:

One of the reasons I am so appalled by the information that I posted above is because I know for a fact how Eric and Patty are struggling from paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet.   So I can see any military personnel that gets a bonus using it to pay the bills that add up insurmountably while a married couple is just trying to survive.    To have to pay back your bonus under those circumstances would be almost unbelievably hard if not impossible for them.   I know the kids are doing without sometimes and I also know that if they ask me for help I will certainly try to help although I struggle under the same circumstances to pay my own bills.   It's part of the reason I am glad to have Eric, Patty and Nathaniel staying with me for a few months when they get out of the Marine Corps.   I hope in that time to be able to buy the house I am now living in which will help a lot (my house payments will be considerably lower than rent - plus I will be building equity).    We are all struggling in this economy but through hard work and perhaps - sharing your living expenses with other members of family - we can make it.   Eric plans on using his education bonus when he gets here to attend college (night school for electronic engineering) while he is working so hopefully things will get better for them out in the real world and away from the hardships of trying to live on a military paycheck.  Enough of that though.

Patty's friends on base held a baby shower for her recently.   And she sent me pics of it and Eric was there!   So here is the newest pic I have of both of them together.

That's for everyone that asked me where the pics of the new dad-to-be were!  Looks like they had fun.   Patty sent me a pic too of Eric drinking out of a baby bottle (one of the games) but I'll be nice and not post it here haha!   If you look close you can see that Eric has a black eye.   The night before the baby shower one of his Marine friends got very drunk and belligerent.  Eric was worried that he [the drunk friend] might hurt the person he was arguing with so he stepped in between his friend and the rest of the people there to try to calm him down and got punched four times!  Not one to be deterred he just held onto his friend until he calmed down.   Tough guy - I can't tell you how many times I have heard or seen him break up fights.   I guess being as big as he is makes him a good negotiator.   I'm so glad his size didn't make him want to start fights like so many of his brother Marines like to do!  Oh well - like the saying goes "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."   That's a Marine for you, they work hard, fight hard - and party hard.

Semper Fidelis and God bless you all.   

So ... this weekend marks a huge milestone in my life.   I have actually joined the ranks of people that have spent more than a half century on this earth.   Yes that's right, Marine Mom is officially the big 5 - 0.   To tell the truth I don't feel like I have been dragging this poor old body around for that long.   I feel better than I did in my twenties save for the inevitable half hour in the morning before that first cup of coffee hits my veins!   All in all I am satisfied and happy with my life.   Like us all - I have made mistakes and suffered the effects of misjudging people around me at times but after all, no one is perfect and I have found in my heart to forgive those that hurt me.  Hopefully I have learned from those mistakes and won't make the same ones twice!   My one true shortcoming is that I enjoy spending too much time alone.   I resolve on this day to start trying to spend more time with friends and family.   Too much solitude can be wearing on the soul.   That's one reason I am glad that Eric and Patty and little Nate (when he is born) will be staying with me when they come back home at the end of Eric's stint in the Marine Corps.   Only a few more months and my house will be full again.   I am looking forward to it.  

I do still have some work to do on my psyche but overall I truly am happy with my life.   I have great kids who all have wonderful marriages and are making it in life well enough and who - if they work hard - will leave their mark on the world around them.   What more can you ask out of life?   My one goal left (at the moment) is to actually become a writer but I still have time for that.   After all, you actually have to write to do that and lately my desire to do so has been sorely diminished for one reason or another.   But my creativity has always gone through spells of inactivity.   It will be back.

I got a very apt email from a friend today that I think sums up the things I have learned in fifty years of life quite eloquently.   Here it is:

The Most Beautiful Rainbow
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that
wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You
will have your heart broken probably more than once and
it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so
remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight
with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things
an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast,
and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too
many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never
been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset
is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Don't be
afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

Live simply. Love generously.
Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.

On to news from the homefront:  Patty sent me the last ultrasound (it was done May 7th so he is a lot bigger now) of Nathaniel Clayton finally!   And a new picture of her sideways LOL.   She is so beautiful.  Pregnancy suits her well.    The ultrasound photo I am showing here has little Nate showing them that he definitely is a boy haha!   His legs are spread and he appears to either be pointing at his stuff or - maybe trying to grab it?  HAHA - Patty says he is definitely his father's son.

 
Nathaniel and his mama in all their glory.   We are so blessed.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Got an ABATE function some friends and I are going to this weekend myself so hopefully it will go well!

Semper Fi and God bless you all.

Soldiers risk ruin while awaiting benefit checks - Military- msnbc.com

Its a sad sad day when we don't even take care of our own.   This particular article represents that fact in shocking extreme.   It starts with the story of Isaac Stevens, an Army private first-class, 3rd Infantry Division, 11 Bravo Company and what happened after an accident in the military left him permanently disabled.  Here's an expert -

The injury alone didn't put him in a homeless shelter. Instead, it was military bureaucracy — specifically, the way injured soldiers are discharged on just a fraction of their salary and then forced to wait six to nine months, and sometimes even more than a year, before their full disability payments begin to flow...

Click the link above to read the whole article from MSNBC.com.

Semper Fi and God bless all of our military men and women - and you.