Prayers for Ft. Hood Families

Please take a minute to say a prayer for the soldiers lost, families and friends of the Ft. Hood shootings.

Cinderella served at Ft. Hood as an MP so this tragedy hits home for our family.

 

Wordless Wednesday – Remember Our Fallen Heros

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Sunday Brunch

I feel like this week was a month long. I guess because of our less than 24 hour trip to San Diego to see LCpl Honda off on his deployment. Yes, it was hard and stressful but I am glad we went. My emotions are just now starting to come out. I miss him even though the last few years I have not seen him very much. The thought of my child on this huge ship in the middle of the sea weighs on my mind. Yes, it could be worse. I am pretty sure that he will not be in a combat situation, but he is gone and I can not just pick up the phone and talk to him. Plus, the holidays are coming and he will not be here.

This year has brought such joy and sorrow. We are blessed to welcome Fuzzy and Wuzzy to our family. Two beautiful twin boys. Their father, my youngest son, Hippie Guy just turned 25 years old. It is hard to imagine my baby at that age. I watched him get married, have children and become a man.

Over the last three years, I watched my oldest son evolve from someone with no purpose to a person who now stands up and defends our country. He marched in Washington DC as symbol of the Marine Corps and now is part of a team force sailing the oceans in defense of our country.

For over eight years I have watched my daughter go from high school wrestling to becoming an Army MP to then becoming a mother. I watched her suffer when her daughter, Butterfly became ill with cancer. I watched here overcome and deal with all that entailed. Then I watched her scream when her son, Lolly Pop Kid went to heaven.

I guess I am having a bit of a bad week.

But beyond that, Butterfly and Cinderella went to see Miley Cyrus. aka Hannah Montana. They had a great time.

So, today brunch’s is pretty simple. Pork Chops and Macaroni and Cheese. I have to admit that Stouffers Macaroni and Cheese is the best. Pop it in the oven and an hour later it’s done.

Two Big, thick pork chops

Season with salt, pepper, onion powder & paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes and then broil on each side for about five minutes.

Bake the Mac & Cheese according to the directions on the package.

Yum, yum easy and simple.

Keep ’em Safe

I came across an article about an 11 year boy whose father is deployed to Afghanistan. Xavier Johnson misses his dad very much just as many other children that have parents  deployed to war zones.

Xavier found a way to cope by making a rap song about his father’s deployment. He preformed the song at a number of military talent shows and he and his father, Capt. Alfonso Johnson made a video and posted it on YouTube.

I found it very inspriring and I am sure most of you will too. If you are military and have children please let them watch this video. Perhaps it will make them feel a little more comforted knowing they are not alone. Many of these kids feel exactly as Xavier does.

Even if you are not military please pass this video on.

Thank you Capt. Alfonso Johnson for your service and thank you Xavier for having the courage to express your feelings along with the talent to put it in a song.

Military Monday – Soldier Gets Silver Star for Afghan Battle

With blood gushing from his head and covering his legs, Staff Sgt. Sean Samaroo thought he was going to die.

So Samaroo said “good-bye to my wife and son” out loud.

But Thursday, 11 months after that searing battle in Afghanistan, the Army paratrooper, flanked by his wife, Natasha, and 13-year-old son, Dylan, received the Silver Star medal for heroism.

“There were a lot of heroes out there and some of them didn’t get recognized as much as me,” Samaroo said following a ceremony at Fort Jackson. “But I’m pretty thankful and honored.”

The amiable 35-year-old Oklahoma native received the nation’s third-highest award for his heroism during an early morning attack July 13 at Wanat, Afghanistan.

Badly outnumbered, Samaroo and some 50 U.S. soldiers stopped 200 Taliban fighters from overtaking their patrol base during a four-hour fight in the Waygul River Valley of Konar province.

The unit from Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, suffered nearly 75 percent casualties. When the fighting ended, nine soldiers were dead and 27 were wounded. An estimated 40 Taliban were killed and a comparable number wounded.

Samaroo is one of 11 soldiers who fought at Wanat to receive a Silver Star. Two soldiers were awarded the medal posthumously.

Congratulations fo Staff Sgt Samaroo and the rest of the 11 brave soldiers. Thank you all for your service.

Read the rest of the story here.

Gotta Love Mudpuppy

Mudpuppy is a soldier in Afghanistan that used to blog but decided to make his blog private. He still stays in touch with his adopted Mom Airman Mom. That way his followers still get a chance to hear about him. Airman Mom put up a post from Mudpuppy today.

Go here and read it right now.

 

See. Gotta love him.

Wordless Wednesday – US Army 234th Birthday 14 June 1775

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Pink is the New Camo

A soldier sleeping on his post in Afghanistan  was awakened by Taliban terrorists attacking the post. He rushed out to help his fellow soldiers defend the post. Not so unusual but there is a twist. He was wearing pink boxer shorts, a red t-shirt and flip-flops.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Army Specialist Zachery Boyd on Thursday and said he would like to meet the young soldier who is only 19 years old.

Secretary Gates said, “Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage.” He added, “I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare.”

Read the full story here.

Just another example of courage under fire. It takes quite a man to run out in pink boxers to defend our country. Thank you Spc. Boyd!

I just love this country!

Quote of the Week

Army: A body of men assembled to rectify the mistakes of the diplomats.
–Josephus Daniels–