The Plan

Sometimes you receive an email that reaches into your core and resinates with you in a way that is hard to explain. Its like your thoughts that you were unable to articulate are finally sitting in front of you. I love this country but there are so many things that need to be fixed. We keep putting bandaids on issues and never really resolving the issues. Those that know me know that I tend to stay away from politics. Those that know Dan know that is one of the main things his family discusses. It is a heated passionate ongoing debate. The following email is a plan that would work... now if only the President Elect, Obama, will read it and put it into action.

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The Plan!

Robin Williams, wearing a shirt that says 'I love New York ' in Arabic. You gotta love Robin Williams......Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.

Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!) 'I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.'

1) 'The US will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave or We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.

4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be avail able to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby.

6) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?

'The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?' '

Saying Goodbye

In October 2008, our family got the news that a beloved member was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The night before Thanksgiving, Aunt Shelley Conway lost her fight to cancer. Please join us in prayer as our family mourns this loss. Aunt Shelley has left behind a husband of 25 years, Uncle Mike, and 8 children ranging in age from 8 to 23. For more information, please visit her blog at http://shelleyshelleyconway.blogspot.com/.

Preparing to be a Military Wife

I have been trying to figure out just what it will be like to become a military wife. Those that know me best assure me I will be fine. That the boys and I will strive. I always make the best of everything and am looking forward to a few more years at home with my crew. I love the idea of possibly homeschooling them again for awhile before returning to civilian life and the rat race that it has become.

But others who have "been there done that" have cautioned me against it. Saying I don't know what I am getting into. The costs associated with it, the things that I will miss, the closeness of relationships now experienced. I have been researching and trying to prepare but to be honest, I just don't know where to begin.

I ran across this poem today and thought I would share it with all of you. It says a lot about my beliefs that I have always held. The wifes, husbands, children, families of the officers also selfishly give all for us and this country each and everyday. We should be thanking not only our soldiers for the sacrifices they make but also their families. For without any of them, where would we truly be?

Memorial Day weekend is coming fast. It's just a few days off. I encourage all of you not just to spend another fun week bar-b-queing with your families. That is a fun thing to do. But please, take the moment to share with your children what this holiday is truly about. Those that gave their all for us.

Election 2008

To be honest, I have never been one to follow politics all that closely. Yes, I vote each time an election comes around but all the minute details, I just never bothered with. However, I am going to make an exception to my "never discuss politics" rule.

America, if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got. Its an old saying for certain but so very true. We are quickly approaching the upcoming election and yet here we are listening to the democratics and republicans haggling over the best way to run the country. The only thing that I am seeing is politician's providing answers based upon party lines. This is the "way things have always been done" so "this is the way it shall always be." But let me ask you something, America. Is it working?

There are so many different issues that are of a concern. The worth of a dollar is going down. Our economy is struggling and we are heading for another depression worse than the great depression. Middle class families are normally the ones who can "live the American Dream" yet these same people are struggling to feed their families and pay the bills. What does that mean for those in the lower class? How many will be homeless? How many are suffering without health care or health insurance? How many are unemployed? These are just a few of the many issues. Others include marriage rights, education, foreign policy - the wars in Iraq and Afganstan, and now the potential for another war over Georgia. Is this the beginning of World War 3? What legacy are we leaving for our children?

As the election season gears up to full speed and voters head off to vote... what will the outcome be? Will we continue on the same path of destruction or will we embrace massive change and a new thought process in order to resolve so many issues that are lying in the path to greatness?

The Last Lecture

I have been really struggling this week with the act of balancing my work and my family. Many of you who know me personally, know that I spent 8 years home with my children. I was a mom, chef, maid, teacher, chauffer, nurse, doctor, playmate, disciplinarian, and so much more. I was a homeschooler, mentor, an author, a friend, a confidant, an event planner, and more. I was a wife, helpmate, business partner, secretary, accountant, and more. My life and world centered around my family and what I could do to make their lives better.



Then one day my world seemed to turn upside down. It started with the words ovarian cancer but I figured with my family by my side I could overcome any obstacle. And I did. Then I heard, we are taking your husband to the hospital. It looks bad and it was... in more way than one. That was the beginning of the end. I was traded in for a newer model and suddenly I was no longer a wife and mother. I was now the sole provider with 3 boys looking to me to keep their lives in order and somewhat constant with what they were used to. I gave up on my degree to be a mom. How was I to provide for them?? As always, God provided the answers and my children haven't really lost all that much considering all that there was to lose.



Fast forward to this week, my littlest one curled up on the ottoman wrapped in a blanket asking why can't you just be my mom again. Those sweet little words were heart wrenching. Oh how I wish I could do just that but I kissed him on the head and promised we will have a mommy day soon and headed out for work. That night when I got home, the boys were miserable. Nothing went right and I spent hours rocking and reassuring my boys that life was okay. That there was still someone to love them even if I wasn't home all the time. I went to bed that night in tears.

I woke up that morning in tears as well. I got up and was determined to put on a brave face and continue on with my routine as that was what was best for the kids. A very special someone gave me a bit of wisdom that morning. He stated that it was infinetely more important for me to stay home with the boys that day than go to work. Money would work itself out later this is something that must be done. He was more right than he realizes. I feel so rejuvenated and the kids laughed and giggled all day. We didn't do anything particular just enjoyed being a family at home.

Another friend sent me this link: http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/ His advice... that no parent should miss out on this lecture. I would have to say I agree with his sentiments. However, I would state that there are lessons to be learned by all from this video. I think my kids should watch it as well. This is the link that will take you directly to the video by Professor Randy Pausch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo Its long. I won't lie to you but if you have to skip some parts start about 45 minutes into the lecture. He will start wrapping up his life lessons. Its one of the most touching things I have seen in awhile.

For those of you who are single and dating like me, I have a piece of advice I learned from this about men. Ignore their words and watch their actions. Men are doers not talkers. Their actions will tell you all that you need to know. At first, I thought this isn't true but then I thought about it and you know what.... it is 100% true. I wish I knew this a long time ago.