Head on over to Sarge's blog and see what he has going on today.I have been lucky enough to live a very blessed life.
As a Navy Brat ( a name I cherish) I have had the oppurtunity to live in many different places. I actually attended 17 different school before the 7th grade. I am sure that some people would think that this would not be a blessing but it was. I learned to make friends easily, to accept people for what and who they are and to not judge them, their cultures and beliefs.
As an Enlisted "person" in the Navy, I had the oppurtunity to travel to many beautiful places and see things that most girls from small town Arkansas could only imagine. I count each of these experiences as a blessing.
But my true blessings are:
1. I live in the greatest Country in the world and I am loved by God Almighty.
2. My father who found himself suddenly a widower with a toddler daughter and a Navy career at 21 yrs old, who never gave up and raised me to be the person that I am.
3. My boys:
a. Christopher for being a true blooded American boy who learned early in life that with out our Service members we would not be the Country that we are. Who at the age of 3 informed anyone that would listen that he would grow up and join the Army even though he was also a Navy brat. At 14 yrs old he hopped on his little 250 motorcycle and followed his grandfather and a friend to Washington DC for the Run to the Vietnam Wall, who was an associate member of Rolling Thunder AR Ch.1 in support of POW/MIA's, at 16 he left high school and enrolled in National Guard Youth Challenge in order to graduate early and attempt to join the National Guard, he volunteered at the VA hospital and did 2 yrs of college before joining the Army one month after turning 19.
b. Kyle for always being himself, never bowing down to the crowd and never trying to be something else. Kyle keeps us in stitches with his quick wit. He has a learning disability and struggles for every good grade he gets but has never once asked "why me" or voiced a complaint. He is also my hero. He is 17 and loves his mom and doesn't care who knows it. He still kisses me when he see's me no matter how many of his friends are standing with him.
c. Devin (my d-man) who came 7 yrs after Kyle and knows he will always be the baby no matter what. Who made up his mind that he will someday be the starting catcher for the NY Yankees and works his butt off to achieve that goal, working with a catchers trainer no matter what the temperture is and ready to play a ball game even when he spent the night before with ice on his knees. Worships the very ground his Cav Scout walks on and is very quick to tell someone to be quite or removal their hat during the National Anthem while singing it word for word at the top of his lungs. He will walk up to any stranger in uniform and say Thank you. And loves to tell everyone that his brother is a Hero.
3. My husband who taught me how to drive a stick shift when I was 14 yrs old, insisted that I never let someone talk me out of something when I knew I was right. Came back into my life after 20 yrs and accepted my boys as if they were his own. Will get out on his day off and come to my office to fix a flag that is not hanging correctly, brags to everyone about the accomplishments of each of our boys by starting the sentence with "that boy of ours". He will work all day and then spend the rest of the evening at football games cheering on the team for Chris, the band for Kyle or volunteering to help with baseball practice for Devin. He allows me to always walk the edge of the quicksand pit and is ready to grab and pull if I start to fall in.
4. My best friend for 20 plus years, Donna who raised a handicapped daughter to be self sufficient and head strong, who never allowed her to use Down Syndrome as an excuse and who goes along with any and all hairbrained idea's that I manage to come up with usually about the time that the deadline is approaching and will jump right in and help me finish. Who would lay down her very life for my kids and will even pack, move and unpack my entire house when I manage to break my ankle on moving day. Who can not stand the sight of blood but was always here to help change dad's bandages after his motorcycle wreck. She also makes the best from scratch mac and cheese you will ever taste and that is golden around my house because I consider mac and cheese a vegetable. LOL. And her gooey bars are to die for.
5. My other best friend Carla, who is quick to remind me that I am an Army Strong Mom, who cried with me when Chris left for BCT and suffered and celebrated each letter while he was there. She ragged his recruiter in person everytime I had a bad "my boy is suffering at Ft. Knox day". Always one to make sure that I do not miss a single Military scrapbook idea and sends me my links of the day.
6. Airman Mom who has been with me it seems like since day one of Chris' career. Always sending me words of encouragement and making me want to be a better blogger.
7. The rest of my blogging friends who keep me entertained, educated and informed.
8. My scrapbooking buddies who have pushed me to make sure not a minute of my kids lives have been missed and have enabled me to spend way to much money on scrapbook supplies that I will probably never be able to use but most of all for being there to allow me to escape for a few hours a month and spend some seriously needed "me" time.
9. My employers for allowing me to work in a easy atmostphere most of the time no matter how much I grumble about having to get up and work each day.
and
10 Sarge for suggesting that we each take the time to sit and think about how lucky we really are.
God Bless,
aam
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