is the column in Time magazine, where someone, some one regular or irregular person gets a voice.
today the world lost one voice.
team leader called me on my way to school...
it was just after 7am here in germany
it was shortly after the president had been informed in washington
the news was scrolling updates filled with shock and disbelief.
a mighty voice.
Senator Ted Kennedy cried at my grandfather's funeral.
he sat behind me during the service; what i remember most about that day, was the soft sound of loss.
a strong voice.
Senator Ted Kennedy was a true champion for the people.
he cared about our country; what i remember about his service, is his devotion to making this country a place for all it's citizens to be equal, our schools to be g.o.o.d., and health care to be universal.
a big voice.
Senator Ted Kennedy was a person who filled a room.
he would smile and speak; what i remember about this man, is more than his family name, it was the reflection found in the faces of those who listened and heard him.
yes, he was a Kennedy, and
his family was important to my family-
his family was important to my country-
his family was important to my, our, THIS world-
with his family, for whom i offer the greatest condolence, in the weeks of passing that have overcome them...
i take my turn in thanking him for his very full life.
i take my turn in thanking him for his big, strong, mighty voice.
i take
my turn
may you rest in peace...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 08, 2009
no. 244 a house divided
is what you have when a daddy is a DIE hard Yankees fan
and a ben is a DOUBLE-DIE hard Redsox fan...
oh my stars!
umarmen und lieben
e
and a ben is a DOUBLE-DIE hard Redsox fan...
oh my stars!
umarmen und lieben
e
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
no. 241 we welcome you with love!
with the happiest post i have read
in a long long time,
this estatic member of Team Tang says "WOOHOO" and welcomes
"little e"
into the fold of our K-1 family!!!
La, Kevin, Sammy,
our hugs, love, kisses, and wishes for a fast trip to get her-
Ellie...
xoxoxoxooxoxx
"big e", t, p, d, and b
in a long long time,
this estatic member of Team Tang says "WOOHOO" and welcomes
"little e"
into the fold of our K-1 family!!!
La, Kevin, Sammy,
our hugs, love, kisses, and wishes for a fast trip to get her-
Ellie...
xoxoxoxooxoxx
"big e", t, p, d, and b
no.240 all about the wish
go here.
i wished that rahn would get a good night's sleep in anticipation for a great new school year.
what would you wish for today if you could?
umarmen und lieben
e
i wished that rahn would get a good night's sleep in anticipation for a great new school year.
what would you wish for today if you could?
umarmen und lieben
e
Sunday, August 02, 2009
no. 238 arklow
the yoda laptop isn't letting me rotate my pictures...fingers crossed it will stop the madness soon!
we went to see HP6 in arklow...had to take a photo on the way out
the band in a truck-TOTALLY brought back memories of trips to scotland to see my grandma and the lamas fair
we went to see HP6 in arklow...had to take a photo on the way out
the band in a truck-TOTALLY brought back memories of trips to scotland to see my grandma and the lamas fair
Saturday, August 01, 2009
no. 237 arriving
sunny smiles from ireland
over the hedge
ben, in front of our home away from home in ireland
the front yard of the cottage, Corbalis Lodge, Rathdrum Co. Wicklow Ireland
ben and daddy sharing a morning cuppa
we have arrived!
over the hedge
ben, in front of our home away from home in ireland
the front yard of the cottage, Corbalis Lodge, Rathdrum Co. Wicklow Ireland
ben and daddy sharing a morning cuppa
we have arrived!
no. 235 lost in the shuffle
so... the post with other snaps from ireland...
hmmm.
i'm fixing it, but you know the yoda laptop does the first photo last.
the 3 pictures "choosing a rock"
temptation to keep scrolling!
umarmen und lieben
e
hmmm.
i'm fixing it, but you know the yoda laptop does the first photo last.
the 3 pictures "choosing a rock"
temptation to keep scrolling!
umarmen und lieben
e
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
no. 233 out of sight
walking into the shoppette just now
a song
was playing that made me stop.
for a minute i was singing along
but my head was somewhere else
thinking of my life
as it was
in another place
and
in another time...
short version-
i know that life passes us by.
i know that while we are gone
we are
out of sight.
and i know that often
out of sight
does mean
out of mind
even to the closest of friends
even to the most important people
even to the family you thought you could never be without.
i know.
i understand.
i get the big picture.
but the big picture isn't the immediate picture
particularly for our children
who are dealing with the heavy reality of saying goodbye.
saying goodbye because it is PCS season in our world
that's the unavoidable time when soliders and their families leave for new duty posts...a Permanent Change of Station.
but really, to military kids and their friends, who know better-
nothing is permanent
and this is just a move
to a new place
far away
from the life you work so hard to create for yourself
in spite of where the military sends you.
in a perfect situation
our children would have:
lived in one community
gone to a single elementary school
experienced preteen angst and upset in one middle school
captured four years of high school
lived in one community.
but they haven't
and they won't
and for every hard goodbye
i pray for a soft hello.
it's as simple and as complicated as that.
we miss you all
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e
a song
was playing that made me stop.
for a minute i was singing along
but my head was somewhere else
thinking of my life
as it was
in another place
and
in another time...
short version-
i know that life passes us by.
i know that while we are gone
we are
out of sight.
and i know that often
out of sight
does mean
out of mind
even to the closest of friends
even to the most important people
even to the family you thought you could never be without.
i know.
i understand.
i get the big picture.
but the big picture isn't the immediate picture
particularly for our children
who are dealing with the heavy reality of saying goodbye.
saying goodbye because it is PCS season in our world
that's the unavoidable time when soliders and their families leave for new duty posts...a Permanent Change of Station.
but really, to military kids and their friends, who know better-
nothing is permanent
and this is just a move
to a new place
far away
from the life you work so hard to create for yourself
in spite of where the military sends you.
in a perfect situation
our children would have:
lived in one community
gone to a single elementary school
experienced preteen angst and upset in one middle school
captured four years of high school
lived in one community.
but they haven't
and they won't
and for every hard goodbye
i pray for a soft hello.
it's as simple and as complicated as that.
we miss you all
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
no. 231 or the one where she turns 13
that "she" is my little girl
"she" is 13 today.
i think i'm in shock-
seriously.
seriously in shock.
it can't be that 13 years and 9 months of my life with her have already passed.
it just can't be...
i remember everything about being pregnant with her...it was the worst pregnancy...
ever.
i wasn't cute or bubbly
i wasn't gracious
i was enormous
and had the morning sickness of a thousand people
she turned my body upside-down and SIDEWAYS
she messed with me that badly!
i became diabetic
i went on bed rest
i was enormous-did i mention that?!
i was impatient
i was grumpy
i was enormous
i was convinced this baby was
a girl-
our daughter to be.
my mom was the only other person who agreed...even my doctor thought it was a boy
i knew better
she was already giving me the headaches...in utero no less!
heh
just kidding
i knew better though, i did.
from the beginning i knew that she would be the
only
one.
just doodlebug
no other daughters claiming
flesh of my flesh
daughters of my heart-later, much much later
but dollie
she was born and the mold was broken-
one of a kind.
these are the years where mothers and daughters struggle
where the temptation to spread wings is dashed by the primitive need to protect
where voices carry over one another
where tears are mighty
and
where tears are few
i love her with everything that i am
i love her with everything that i have
i love her with everything
i love her.
she is my daughter
she is my gift to the world
she is the world's gift
to me.
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
on your 13th birthday and every day
Dorothy Laura Grace
xoxox
momma
"she" is 13 today.
i think i'm in shock-
seriously.
seriously in shock.
it can't be that 13 years and 9 months of my life with her have already passed.
it just can't be...
i remember everything about being pregnant with her...it was the worst pregnancy...
ever.
i wasn't cute or bubbly
i wasn't gracious
i was enormous
and had the morning sickness of a thousand people
she turned my body upside-down and SIDEWAYS
she messed with me that badly!
i became diabetic
i went on bed rest
i was enormous-did i mention that?!
i was impatient
i was grumpy
i was enormous
i was convinced this baby was
a girl-
our daughter to be.
my mom was the only other person who agreed...even my doctor thought it was a boy
i knew better
she was already giving me the headaches...in utero no less!
heh
just kidding
i knew better though, i did.
from the beginning i knew that she would be the
only
one.
just doodlebug
no other daughters claiming
flesh of my flesh
daughters of my heart-later, much much later
but dollie
she was born and the mold was broken-
one of a kind.
these are the years where mothers and daughters struggle
where the temptation to spread wings is dashed by the primitive need to protect
where voices carry over one another
where tears are mighty
and
where tears are few
i love her with everything that i am
i love her with everything that i have
i love her with everything
i love her.
she is my daughter
she is my gift to the world
she is the world's gift
to me.
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
on your 13th birthday and every day
Dorothy Laura Grace
xoxox
momma
Sunday, June 14, 2009
no. 230 more doodle love!
no pics yet-
sorry.
i know that's REALLY why my 2 loyal readers come here...for the fabbo photo ops.
again sorry.
they are coming-promise.
doodle bug love continues
as she was chosen as
MVP
for the softball tournament!!!
(her team came in 3rd overall, and considering that she didn't know you were allowed to steal bases when she played her first game EVER in April, is a pretty sweet deal!)
oh my stars!
that super duper girlie-o of ours...
she is on a roll
and she deserves the accolades!
side bar:
back to school tomorrow for the training before summer school starts.
bleech
HOW did i end up on THIS train?!
seriously...
trying VERY hard to wrap myself around the positive as i drive friends to the airport for their summer in the states.
we
are
staying
here.
no trips over for us.
*sigh*
thinking about rainbows and ponies right now
rainbows and ponies...
kisses and wishes,
hope and virtue,
umarmen und lieben
e
sorry.
i know that's REALLY why my 2 loyal readers come here...for the fabbo photo ops.
again sorry.
they are coming-promise.
doodle bug love continues
as she was chosen as
MVP
for the softball tournament!!!
(her team came in 3rd overall, and considering that she didn't know you were allowed to steal bases when she played her first game EVER in April, is a pretty sweet deal!)
oh my stars!
that super duper girlie-o of ours...
she is on a roll
and she deserves the accolades!
side bar:
back to school tomorrow for the training before summer school starts.
bleech
HOW did i end up on THIS train?!
seriously...
trying VERY hard to wrap myself around the positive as i drive friends to the airport for their summer in the states.
we
are
staying
here.
no trips over for us.
*sigh*
thinking about rainbows and ponies right now
rainbows and ponies...
kisses and wishes,
hope and virtue,
umarmen und lieben
e
Sunday, May 31, 2009
no. 229 give me a "D" give me an "O"
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
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
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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