Veterans Day 09

I am patriotic. I would even say fiercely patriotic. I think my Dad gave the old America tree that grows in my heart it's tender little roots. For that I will always be grateful. I know something of what the Marine Corp has meant in his life and I know how he cherishes freedom of choice. I too have come to realize and feel so indebted for the sacrifices made on behalf of my freedoms.

So last week when Veteran's Day showed up I was game for a parade. Until Lila fell asleep in the car 30 minutes before it was time to leave. We all know what one 15 minute cat nap will do to your night. It will force you into the bag of Halloween candy and a diet Coke (and don't judge me because I use caffeine and or chocolate as a coping mechanism- I could smoke you know). I wondered if dragging my kids to downtown B-ham to watch boy scouts march around tossing tootsie rolls was really worth it. Turns out, it was.

As the parade started and the first troop of uniformed soldiers marched by I told Anabelle what they were. I told her when soldiers came by to clap for them and thank them and tell them good job. She asked me, "Mom, why is that guy a soldier?" And that's when the tears started. I couldn't explain to her why he had chosen to be a soldier without emotion (I didn't throw in the fact that possibly paying for college tuition might be a contributing factor). The parade was three hours long and every time a troop walked by we clapped and said 'Thank You'. I couldn't help but become choked up each time. Seeing them in uniform made everything so real, so personal- they were husbands and Dads and sons.

At one point a truck went by with vets from World War 2. It was driving very slowly and I had time to make eye contact with them (it has to drive extra slow- they are like a million years old now. It would be a shame to injure them in a parade when they made it through Normandy). I looked up and made eye contact with a wrinkly old man. Through tears, I mouthed, "Thank You" to him. Through tears, he mouthed back, "Your welcome". What an experience. I had the opportunity not just to feel grateful in my heart, but to be able to express it. In that act, I realized how deeply I love this country and how much I appreciate the men and women of the armed forces and their families. (Phil & Jaime!)

I admit that I stared a little longer when the Air Force guys went by. Trying to prep myself for that. Braden will be entering Officer Training for 13 weeks on March 1st of next year. Visitors welcome from the 2nd of March through May 27th. Must be willing to eat Captain Crunchies for dinner and pop my back.

There isn't a better thing I could have done that day. I don't know that Anabelle will remember it at all. But doing things like that keep it fresh for me. It was important for me to see the eyes of those who have fought. To clap for those who are still fighting. And to say 'thank you' for a life and a country that I love.

God bless America and those who fight to keep it free.




This is what Tim looks like. Not many people know what he looks like with two eyes. Usually one is hiding behind a camera lens. Tim let me take over his camera while he was here and I'm positive I took more pictures of him in a week than he's had in his whole life.

People who do

I have a friend from college named Val. She had biological triplets who are now 4. When they were about two she adopted two more children from Eastern Europe with special needs. Now she is trying to bring home three more from Bulgaria. That makes 8 kids, five of them with special needs! I think of her on the days when I lose patience with my two. The first time Braden and I saw her blog, there was a slide show of one of her little boys in the orphanage where he spent his infancy. Braden walked by the computer and saw a picture of her in the orphanage and said she truly had an angelic look about her. He was so right. I am inspired by people who do- not just think nice thoughts or have sweet intentions, but people who take action and DO something to change the lives of others, especially when it involves a great personal sacrifice.

As you can imagine, international adoption is expensive so she is having a silent auction on her blog to try to raise the money she needs to bring them home. It ends tomorrow night so if you can help her out, find her blog at www.fromthetrenchesofadoption.blogspot.com

If nothing else, maybe she will inspire you too!

Sprouts!

Lila has begun to sprout fun things all over the place. Some teeth here, some hair there- she even grew a neck! It's all very exciting. Now, lets hope she can come up with some walking legs soon.


See the chomper? She got them all at once...she now has four teeth and she knows how to use them. She crawled under the table this week unbeknownst to me, and bit my toe. Hard. It hurt immensely. Let me take a moment and give thanks that the breastaurant has been closed.

First ponytail

It's all good in the{candy collecting neighbor}hood

The only thing that distinguishes Halloween from every other day at our house is the fact that people give you candy for wearing your costume. I think they wore different costumes to every party we went to, compliments of a costume box made of many yard sales. Once Anabelle grasped the concept of trick or treating she was all about it. I did have to talk her into going though. She first told me that she didn't need candy. But I did so I made her go. Why does she always think everything is about her? She sauntered slowly from trunk to trunk complimenting others on every piece of their costumes while eating a sucker. The strategy of speed and efficiency was lost on her. We went to a fun neighborhood and once she got the hang of it, it was fabulous to watch.






Braden thinks its funny when the girls pick their noses, but does he think its funny when they pick his? I do.

Unwilling to temporarily release her grip on the bag of candy, her usual signature silly face suffers a bit

Blowing kisses as we left a house while trick or treating

Cute baby chicky-Colton style

This is Lila dressed as the child of a mother who neglects her for sewing projects. This is the scariest outfit of all- what if I did that more than once a year? Yikes. Good thing that never, ever happens.

Lila dressed as "Super Lila" at the Blankenship's fall feast

Pictures of hot chicks

You'd be hot too if you stepped into this feathery little sweat factory of a costume.

I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what the next Reynolds baby will look like on Halloween.

Half of these are Anabelle and half are Lila, can you tell which ones?