Veterans Day 2012

I want to honor all our veterans past and present so if you or a family member are a veteran, please comment the name, branch, and rank for us all to see so we can say 

Thank You....

All Gave Some and Some Gave All....

As I see all the posts and watch all the videos in honor of Veterans' Day, I can't help but to think of our veterans and their families and all the sacrifices they have made in the name of freedom. I think we take our freedom for granted entirely too much.

Everyone wants to complain about the government, the election, etc but I think we all need to take a moment and think how BLESSED we are to have the FREEDOM to complain!!!

There are wives sitting at dinner tables with their children and an empty chair where "Daddy" should be sitting. There are mothers who cry themselves to sleep at night missing their sons and daughters. There are husbands tucking their children into bed at night and helping them to say a prayer for "Mommy" who is so far away. There are fathers who choke back tears as they listen to the patriotic songs play as they think about their child who is fighting for our country.

There is the husband, daughter, son, wife who is fighting for our country in a foreign land far away from their children, spouse, parents. Everyday they fight. Their's is a 24/7 job with no escape. Not really. Not even when they finally come home. The things they have seen, the experiences they have been through - will forever be with them. It influences every fiber of their being. Every moment of every day.

The LEAST we as a country can do is take a moment and tell our veterans how much we appreciate them.

I personally wish there was more I could do to show my appreciation. To show them how thankful I am for them fighting so I don't have to. To show them while I will never truly understand how much they have sacrificed, I do recognize it and appreciate it.

So to them I say...

Thank You.

Rocky Terrain brings about Beauty

Sometimes it is so frustrating to go from having an incredible support group of friends around you to having very few.

At one point, you have people asking how you are doing, bringing meals by, offering to help with household chores, etc...

And then next thing you know, nearly everyone forgets about you.

I say NEARLY everyone.

There are a few who still remember. They still come check on you. They still bring you meals and offer to help in anyway they can.

THOSE are your true friends.

Some people get so into helping others. This isn't always a bad thing. But when you go searching for "bigger" and "better" situations to help with, maybe the motive behind it all isn't what it should be.

I have found that I have some incredible friends. I am thankful for the experiences my family has had to go through. It has helped us discover who we can trust and count on. It has made us stronger. It has made us appreciate our friendships.

The experiences have had an effect on me in both positive and negative ways. I am bitter. I am angry. I feel betrayed. But I have learned a lot about people.

Experiences change people.

Sometimes for the good. Sometimes for the bad. It's really up to the person who is going through it to decide how it's going to effect and change them.

I choose good.

I choose to cherish my friendships and to return all the joy they have given to me.

In Memory of Ashley Rain on what would have been her upcoming 14th birthday

Help me celebrate Ashley's 14th birthday please.

This is an opportunity to help me heal and help me remember her in a positive way.

Roger N Niki Martin Fundraising Page - Roger N Niki Martin's Personal Page for The Fifth Annual Charge It for CHARGE

The Show Goes On...

I think we all have those days where we feel like giving up; where it seems like no matter what we do, we can't win.

This song is one that helps me remember not to give up - to be determined and to not worry about the little things. I love this song.

Hope you enjoy it too....





My favorite part:
So no matter what you been through, no matter what you into
No matter what you see when you look outside your window
Brown grass or green grass, picket fence or barbed wire
Never ever put them down, you just lift your arms higher

Raise 'em 'til your arms tired let 'em know you here
That you struggling, survivin', that you gon' persevere
Yeah, ain't nobody leavin', nobody goin' home
Even if they turn the lights out, the show is goin' on