Happy Birth Day Colorado Style

Friday morning, my daughter's birthday, my son's wedding, an emotional day. Unknown to her, I invited the wedding party over for a surprise breakfast birthday party. The girls and I got up and fixed breakfast and set it on the picnic table out front. We sat up a gift table with The Southern Bell cake in the middle (the much more expensive Southern Bell cake when you factor in the speeding ticket). Breakfast and birthday cake... What could be better? The guys and girls began to arrive and we gathered out front for the  birthday song and breakfast. The horses grazed beside the yard and as the sun began to wipe the chill away. In the foothills of Colorado we celebrated the birth of a Sailor. I've always felt birthday should be pronounced... "Birth-Day", because as a mom I

tend to relive the day of my children's birth on their birthday. I remember hers better than the others because I, (for some stupid reason), wanted to do it drug-free and all the other crap you tend to idealize with your first child. I smartened up after her and went for the drug induced haze on the other two,(not really but kind of). Anywho... (rabbit trail) When I held that pink bundle of joy in my arms for the first time, I could only imagine she would turn out to be the fascinating person she is today. To say I admire her strength, courage and tenacity is an understatement. She is someone who has

achieved things I could never dream of, has done more than I could ever hope, and has gone places I would have never believed possible. This was her moment, this was her "Birth Day". Happy Birth Day Sissy. Love you tons and bunches.

The Oath

We stood upon Mount Soledad last spring, reading the memorials to the men and women who have given their lives for our country. My daughter stood along side me. The day before she had returned from a 9 month deployment. Just a few years earlier she had been in college working toward a degree in interior design. She had been accepted in Design school at OSU when she decided she wanted to do something different with her life. Now she stood beside me, a woman who had seen the world, who had walked foreign lands and had made unbelievable sacrifices for the protection of the freedoms we enjoy every day. As we read the memorials she said...

"You know Mom I never understood what would make someone willing to give their life to protect our country. After being in foreign lands and seeing the different cultures and the way people live, I totally get it now. We live in the greatest nation on earth! I totally understand because what we have here is worth giving your life to protect and I absolutely would."

I can honestly say if she had graduated from the most prestigious college and become the most famous designer in the country I would be no more proud of her than I am now. I know what she has given up to do the job she is now doing. I know the emotional toil, the personal struggles and the physical demands she meets every day of her life. Today she will once again raise her hand and take an oath to protect and to serve each and every American. There are no degrees, no accolades, no accommodations or recognition that is more honorable than that. Does this sound like a Mother speaking??? Maybe so, but more so, this is an American speaking not just for her, but for every person, past and present who has made the same oath. It's because of people like her that we enjoy the freedoms we do. God Bless American and all those who serve. Job well done Sissy, I love you!

Facebook.... The Next Best Thing To Being There

When I was a little kid, telephones were the way people kept in touch. AT&T had a teary eyed commercial with people sharing life changing moments via the telephone... The commercial said "AT&T... The next best thing to being there." Gosh, that is so old school by the standards of today's technology. My daughter is participating in RIMPAC 2010. Her busy schedule aboard the USS Sampson DDG102 keeps us from getting to talk to her. We are happy to receive an occasional email, but even they have been few and far between. Thankfully, the Navy keeps us updated daily on the exercises as well as providing outstanding pictures. They do this with a Facebook page. Every morning we can click on RIMPAC 2010 Facebook page and see beautiful pictures of our military at work. Just being able to see pictures of her ship and others out there on the big blue ocean makes this Momma feel a lot more connected. My motto now is... Facebook, The next best thing to being there.