give me an "L"
give me another "L"
give me an "I"
give me an "E"
what's that spell?!!
we have the most wonderful daughter ever.
that's what it spells!
so my camera, my sweet little 2.0 mega pixels camera finally bit the dust...
natch, it happened when our friends were here, on their honeymoon, i was deathly ill for the SECOND time this school year, and my camera said
"no mas, mommy"
"no mas"
it meant no photos of the family all together
no photos of the lovebirds in our house
no sneak up yelling
GOTCHA!
photos
nothing...until i got the news that our girl had been selected to join the
National Junior Honor Society!
GOOOOOOOO Dollie!!
so off i went, to get a new camera, which (after being purchased and a fast tutorial thanks to Javonne)took beautiful photos of our schatzie looking seriously older than the soon to be 13 year old that she is.
(serious run-on, i know, sorry!)
directly after the induction, she went flying off to the pre-championship softball game she was in. she got there at 5pm, we were on that field until 9:30, it was crazy long, and we were all WHOA tired
BUT
her team won!
now, she-we will be up to our eyeballs this weekend in a softball championship.
fingers crossed the weather will hold, and we'll be able to perfect our farmer's tans as we watch and root...
as soon as i can figure out how to get the camera uploading photos, i promise to update :0)
before i go BIGGEST BIRTHDAY shout out to our number one nephew Jacob...who has a birthday surprise on "pre-order" set to ship out on 22 June...a month late honey bear, but full of all the love an auntie, uncle, and cousins could ever pack into a gift! we love you so very much, are so proud of you, and wish you the biggest and the best for this birthday year!!!
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
no. 228 what a moment of silence means
in our house, well, it's loosely defined.
often by the comings and goings
of teenagers and children,
of company,
of friends,
of family,
of single soldiers stationed here-far far away from home
for whom we carve out a special place
where quiet is quite infrequent
but more often than not the noise is a welcome happy sound.
we create the clatter of this life to keep the rest of the world out.
until we can't
and then the moments disrupt our noise and silence consumes the sounds of life-
a by-line in the army paper, alerting us to the reality of
this life
and how in a moment of explosive violence
this life
is changed forever
a movie that sells out at our PX and in two hours creates a silence by taking your breath away
this life
and how so selflessly these soldiers give all
this life
is changed forever
a place where people prepare, support, and sustain loved ones by providing for the future
this life
and how never forgetting the love, honor, duty, and devotion
this life
is changed forever
WHAT do you do, in that moment of silence, WHAT?
giving thanks is so much more than the dollar you spent on that yellow ribbon magnet you've put on your car
giving thanks is so much more than the poppy you took from the VFW volunteer outside the grocery store today
it is more-more than an outward sign
it is more-more than a day off work
it is more.
my blog
my sermon
my challenge.
coming out of the silence on this post today
is yours.
stop being quiet
take your moments-
your silent moments-
and talk
to your children
to your family
to your neighbors
ABOUT
memorial day.
DO something.
don't make these moments of silence
moments that are easy to come by and easy to let go-
these moments SHOULD make you stop.
each moment signifies the exact second
that someone gave all
so that you didn't have to
and did so because
in the committment ceremony,
in their moment,
they said they would.
what does a moment of silence mean?
in memorium on this day
with respect and profound meaning for your lives
from this army family to all the others
our moment of silence begins now...
often by the comings and goings
of teenagers and children,
of company,
of friends,
of family,
of single soldiers stationed here-far far away from home
for whom we carve out a special place
where quiet is quite infrequent
but more often than not the noise is a welcome happy sound.
we create the clatter of this life to keep the rest of the world out.
until we can't
and then the moments disrupt our noise and silence consumes the sounds of life-
a by-line in the army paper, alerting us to the reality of
this life
and how in a moment of explosive violence
this life
is changed forever
a movie that sells out at our PX and in two hours creates a silence by taking your breath away
this life
and how so selflessly these soldiers give all
this life
is changed forever
a place where people prepare, support, and sustain loved ones by providing for the future
this life
and how never forgetting the love, honor, duty, and devotion
this life
is changed forever
WHAT do you do, in that moment of silence, WHAT?
giving thanks is so much more than the dollar you spent on that yellow ribbon magnet you've put on your car
giving thanks is so much more than the poppy you took from the VFW volunteer outside the grocery store today
it is more-more than an outward sign
it is more-more than a day off work
it is more.
my blog
my sermon
my challenge.
coming out of the silence on this post today
is yours.
stop being quiet
take your moments-
your silent moments-
and talk
to your children
to your family
to your neighbors
ABOUT
memorial day.
DO something.
don't make these moments of silence
moments that are easy to come by and easy to let go-
these moments SHOULD make you stop.
each moment signifies the exact second
that someone gave all
so that you didn't have to
and did so because
in the committment ceremony,
in their moment,
they said they would.
what does a moment of silence mean?
in memorium on this day
with respect and profound meaning for your lives
from this army family to all the others
our moment of silence begins now...
Saturday, May 09, 2009
no.227 to be or not to be-THAT is the question
with all love and respect to our pet, re-reading the entries from this year
i realize just how maudlin this blog has become.
there has been a LOT of upset this year-physical, emotional, academic
you name it
but anyway you do, it's upset.
so i've gotten to thinking:
do i stop?
?
do i?
do i end this chapter of life and communique'
or
do i accept what life has thrown in my direction and simply be.
hmmm
i was telling a friend last night that i thought i needed to lighten it up, that i wasn't even sharing our life here in germany anymore, that my blogging had become more of a catharthic uber sharing of me in my 40's than the original trip
the trip that took us from virginia
to carolina
all the way to germany
uber mind sharing over exciting life travels and adventure-
certainly not the direction i planned on taking when i started talking to my laptop
hmmm
there is a spargel fest in schweitzingen today...
spargel=asparagus
we live in the asparagus capital of germany
a little ditty i should have mentioned when we got here-just getting to it now.
maybe i'll walk over and take a look, take some snaps, post something light and witty.
simply be.
hmmm
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
i realize just how maudlin this blog has become.
there has been a LOT of upset this year-physical, emotional, academic
you name it
but anyway you do, it's upset.
so i've gotten to thinking:
do i stop?
?
do i?
do i end this chapter of life and communique'
or
do i accept what life has thrown in my direction and simply be.
hmmm
i was telling a friend last night that i thought i needed to lighten it up, that i wasn't even sharing our life here in germany anymore, that my blogging had become more of a catharthic uber sharing of me in my 40's than the original trip
the trip that took us from virginia
to carolina
all the way to germany
uber mind sharing over exciting life travels and adventure-
certainly not the direction i planned on taking when i started talking to my laptop
hmmm
there is a spargel fest in schweitzingen today...
spargel=asparagus
we live in the asparagus capital of germany
a little ditty i should have mentioned when we got here-just getting to it now.
maybe i'll walk over and take a look, take some snaps, post something light and witty.
simply be.
hmmm
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
Thursday, May 07, 2009
no. 226 Vahlhalla
and with the phone call from the woods
Vahlhalla opened its doors
and
the pack
was restored
rest in peace Ozzy...you were a jedi
(l. to r. Rebel 1987-2006, Ranger 1996-2006, Ozzy, Yofi 1997-2007)
Vahlhalla opened its doors
and
the pack
was restored
rest in peace Ozzy...you were a jedi
(l. to r. Rebel 1987-2006, Ranger 1996-2006, Ozzy, Yofi 1997-2007)
Saturday, May 02, 2009
no. 225 the interlude
as the titanic sank, the band kept playing
convinced the ship was invincible, ridiculously optimistic, the music continued-
until it stopped.
i have read and reread my last post-it's practically been my screen saver-it's time for me to face the music.
so, basically, mr. ben needed a break.
moving here was hardest on him, something we all knew
it's hard enough to be a grown-up making big decisions
it's harder still when you're a little guy and you don't get too much say so in the process.
the woods in virginia have been all he's known-
and all we want-
he wanted home
he needed home
so
we let him go
just for a while
to rejuvenate
to relax
to reconnect with the place and people he misses with his whole heart.
i realize a week later that my upset was perhaps my reaction to not making this piece of the world
home enough
home enough
to bridge the distance
to carry over the love
to complete the puzzle with a found missing piece
to play the music of our life with more than cautious optimisim
outside the music is loud and strong-busy and hectic
inside the music has quietened
the music is soft, low, wistful
we miss our little guy, but, with every day of this unbelievable family trip the music in his voice is vibrant and clear
no caution there
music that is playing and playing and playing
in the woods of his home
the interlude
this trip
the break in all the music
he is alright
we are alright, missing him-
missing him so
but he'll be back in june
and in the meantime
our band will play on
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e
convinced the ship was invincible, ridiculously optimistic, the music continued-
until it stopped.
i have read and reread my last post-it's practically been my screen saver-it's time for me to face the music.
so, basically, mr. ben needed a break.
moving here was hardest on him, something we all knew
it's hard enough to be a grown-up making big decisions
it's harder still when you're a little guy and you don't get too much say so in the process.
the woods in virginia have been all he's known-
and all we want-
he wanted home
he needed home
so
we let him go
just for a while
to rejuvenate
to relax
to reconnect with the place and people he misses with his whole heart.
i realize a week later that my upset was perhaps my reaction to not making this piece of the world
home enough
home enough
to bridge the distance
to carry over the love
to complete the puzzle with a found missing piece
to play the music of our life with more than cautious optimisim
outside the music is loud and strong-busy and hectic
inside the music has quietened
the music is soft, low, wistful
we miss our little guy, but, with every day of this unbelievable family trip the music in his voice is vibrant and clear
no caution there
music that is playing and playing and playing
in the woods of his home
the interlude
this trip
the break in all the music
he is alright
we are alright, missing him-
missing him so
but he'll be back in june
and in the meantime
our band will play on
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e
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