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Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Big Mahalo!
A big mahalo (thank you) to Thomas for an amazing visit! We loved our visit to Hawai'i and can't wait to return..
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Memorial Day 2010
I know this post is late, but I want to always keep our soldiers, fallen heroes and their families in our thoughts and prayers. I took these photos at Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day... couldn't hold the tears back.
In honor of those who lost their lives while serving our country, President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery:
Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It’s a day to be with the family and remember.
I was thinking this morning that across the country children and their parents will be going to the town parade and the young ones will sit on the sidewalks and wave their flags as the band goes by. Later, maybe, they’ll have a cookout or a day at the beach. And that’s good, because today is a day to be with the family and to remember.
Arlington, this place of so many memories, is a fitting place for some remembering. So many wonderful men and women rest here, men and women who led colorful, vivid, and passionate lives. There are the greats of the military: Bull Halsey and the Admirals Leahy, father and son; Black Jack Pershing; and the GI’s general, Omar Bradley. Great men all, military men. But there are others here known for other things.
Here in Arlington rests a sharecropper’s son who became a hero to a lonely people. Joe Louis came from nowhere, but he knew how to fight. And he galvanized a nation in the days after Pearl Harbor when he put on the uniform of his country and said, “I know we’ll win because we’re on God’s side.” Audie Murphy is here, Audie Murphy of the wild, wild courage. For what else would you call it when a man bounds to the top of a disabled tank, stops an enemy advance, saves lives, and rallies his men, and all of it single-handedly. When he radioed for artillery support and was asked how close the enemy was to his position, he said, “Wait a minute and I’ll let you speak to them.” [Laughter]
Michael Smith is here, and Dick Scobee, both of the space shuttle Challenger. Their courage wasn’t wild, but thoughtful, the mature and measured courage of career professionals who took prudent risks for great reward—in their case, to advance the sum total of knowledge in the world. They’re only the latest to rest here; they join other great explorers with names like Grissom and Chaffee.
Oliver Wendell Holmes is here, the great jurist and fighter for the right. A poet searching for an image of true majesty could not rest until he seized on “Holmes dissenting in a sordid age.” Young Holmes served in the Civil War. He might have been thinking of the crosses and stars of Arlington when he wrote: “At the grave of a hero we end, not with sorrow at the inevitable loss, but with the contagion of his courage; and with a kind of desperate joy we go back to the fight.”
All of these men were different, but they shared this in common: They loved America very much. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for her. And they loved with the sureness of the young. It’s hard not to think of the young in a place like this, for it’s the young who do the fighting and dying when a peace fails and a war begins. Not far from here is the statue of the three servicemen—the three fighting boys of Vietnam. It, too, has majesty and more. Perhaps you’ve seen it—three rough boys walking together, looking ahead with a steady gaze. There’s something wounded about them, a kind of resigned toughness. But there’s an unexpected tenderness, too. At first you don’t really notice, but then you see it. The three are touching each other, as if they’re supporting each other, helping each other on.
I know that many veterans of Vietnam will gather today, some of them perhaps by the wall. And they’re still helping each other on. They were quite a group, the boys of Vietnam—boys who fought a terrible and vicious war without enough support from home, boys who were dodging bullets while we debated the efficacy of the battle. It was often our poor who fought in that war; it was the unpampered boys of the working class who picked up the rifles and went on the march. They learned not to rely on us; they learned to rely on each other. And they were special in another way: They chose to be faithful. They chose to reject the fashionable skepticism of their time. They chose to believe and answer the call of duty. They had the wild, wild courage of youth. They seized certainty from the heart of an ambivalent age; they stood for something.
And we owe them something, those boys. We owe them first a promise: That just as they did not forget their missing comrades, neither, ever, will we. And there are other promises. We must always remember that peace is a fragile thing that needs constant vigilance. We owe them a promise to look at the world with a steady gaze and, perhaps, a resigned toughness, knowing that we have adversaries in the world and challenges and the only way to meet them and maintain the peace is by staying strong.
That, of course, is the lesson of this century, a lesson learned in the Sudetenland, in Poland, in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia, in Cambodia. If we really care about peace, we must stay strong. If we really care about peace, we must, through our strength, demonstrate our unwillingness to accept an ending of the peace. We must be strong enough to create peace where it does not exist and strong enough to protect it where it does. That’s the lesson of this century and, I think, of this day. And that’s all I wanted to say. The rest of my contribution is to leave this great place to its peace, a peace it has earned.
Thank all of you, and God bless you, and have a day full of memories.
After looking up Noah Pier (see below). I found out this girl, sitting by his grave, was his fiance. Their wedding was scheduled for this summer. Remember always.
In honor of those who lost their lives while serving our country, President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery:
Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It’s a day to be with the family and remember.
I was thinking this morning that across the country children and their parents will be going to the town parade and the young ones will sit on the sidewalks and wave their flags as the band goes by. Later, maybe, they’ll have a cookout or a day at the beach. And that’s good, because today is a day to be with the family and to remember.
Arlington, this place of so many memories, is a fitting place for some remembering. So many wonderful men and women rest here, men and women who led colorful, vivid, and passionate lives. There are the greats of the military: Bull Halsey and the Admirals Leahy, father and son; Black Jack Pershing; and the GI’s general, Omar Bradley. Great men all, military men. But there are others here known for other things.
Here in Arlington rests a sharecropper’s son who became a hero to a lonely people. Joe Louis came from nowhere, but he knew how to fight. And he galvanized a nation in the days after Pearl Harbor when he put on the uniform of his country and said, “I know we’ll win because we’re on God’s side.” Audie Murphy is here, Audie Murphy of the wild, wild courage. For what else would you call it when a man bounds to the top of a disabled tank, stops an enemy advance, saves lives, and rallies his men, and all of it single-handedly. When he radioed for artillery support and was asked how close the enemy was to his position, he said, “Wait a minute and I’ll let you speak to them.” [Laughter]
Michael Smith is here, and Dick Scobee, both of the space shuttle Challenger. Their courage wasn’t wild, but thoughtful, the mature and measured courage of career professionals who took prudent risks for great reward—in their case, to advance the sum total of knowledge in the world. They’re only the latest to rest here; they join other great explorers with names like Grissom and Chaffee.
Oliver Wendell Holmes is here, the great jurist and fighter for the right. A poet searching for an image of true majesty could not rest until he seized on “Holmes dissenting in a sordid age.” Young Holmes served in the Civil War. He might have been thinking of the crosses and stars of Arlington when he wrote: “At the grave of a hero we end, not with sorrow at the inevitable loss, but with the contagion of his courage; and with a kind of desperate joy we go back to the fight.”
All of these men were different, but they shared this in common: They loved America very much. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for her. And they loved with the sureness of the young. It’s hard not to think of the young in a place like this, for it’s the young who do the fighting and dying when a peace fails and a war begins. Not far from here is the statue of the three servicemen—the three fighting boys of Vietnam. It, too, has majesty and more. Perhaps you’ve seen it—three rough boys walking together, looking ahead with a steady gaze. There’s something wounded about them, a kind of resigned toughness. But there’s an unexpected tenderness, too. At first you don’t really notice, but then you see it. The three are touching each other, as if they’re supporting each other, helping each other on.
I know that many veterans of Vietnam will gather today, some of them perhaps by the wall. And they’re still helping each other on. They were quite a group, the boys of Vietnam—boys who fought a terrible and vicious war without enough support from home, boys who were dodging bullets while we debated the efficacy of the battle. It was often our poor who fought in that war; it was the unpampered boys of the working class who picked up the rifles and went on the march. They learned not to rely on us; they learned to rely on each other. And they were special in another way: They chose to be faithful. They chose to reject the fashionable skepticism of their time. They chose to believe and answer the call of duty. They had the wild, wild courage of youth. They seized certainty from the heart of an ambivalent age; they stood for something.
And we owe them something, those boys. We owe them first a promise: That just as they did not forget their missing comrades, neither, ever, will we. And there are other promises. We must always remember that peace is a fragile thing that needs constant vigilance. We owe them a promise to look at the world with a steady gaze and, perhaps, a resigned toughness, knowing that we have adversaries in the world and challenges and the only way to meet them and maintain the peace is by staying strong.
That, of course, is the lesson of this century, a lesson learned in the Sudetenland, in Poland, in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia, in Cambodia. If we really care about peace, we must stay strong. If we really care about peace, we must, through our strength, demonstrate our unwillingness to accept an ending of the peace. We must be strong enough to create peace where it does not exist and strong enough to protect it where it does. That’s the lesson of this century and, I think, of this day. And that’s all I wanted to say. The rest of my contribution is to leave this great place to its peace, a peace it has earned.
Thank all of you, and God bless you, and have a day full of memories.
After looking up Noah Pier (see below). I found out this girl, sitting by his grave, was his fiance. Their wedding was scheduled for this summer. Remember always.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Knoxvegas TIME!
Landon (who is in 9th grade) dressed for the varsity football team! Congrats Landon!!! We are proud of you!
And.... we made it to a UT game!
While we were walking around in the parking lot, I ran into my bible study leader from high school. What a small world!
And.... we made it to a UT game!
While we were walking around in the parking lot, I ran into my bible study leader from high school. What a small world!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
In the loving memory of RBG
Today it has been 5 years since my dad has passed away. It really doesn't seem that long ago, it seems like just yesterday. It has been especially hard for some reason today, I have been doing a lot of reflecting and remembering. Here's some photos of my dad, to all of you who never had a chance to meet him.... you missed meeting an incredible person.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I finally was able to talk to my brother today and it was the best feeling to know that he's ok and made it overseas safe and sound. Some of you probably know this already, but just to fill you in. My brother, Thomas, left the beginning of January for Afghanistan. He is now in his 3rd tour since the war began. As of last year he upgraded his military status and is now in military intelligence. All of this to say his job is very important, stressful, and a LOT of work. If you think about it please pray for strength and wisdom for my brother. Better yet, pray for all of our men and women in the military serving all over the world. I pray specifically that they will "find rest in the shadow of the Almighty". Psalm 91 below is what I have been praying for my brother and if you want.........join me.
Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Jacksonville!
Hello to all of you faithful bloggers. I just made it to Jacksonville FL for a conference with work. The conference doesn't "officially" start till tomorrow morning, but I needed to get here early. After an hour wait on the tarmac in ATL and a 32.50 shuttle ride, I made it! Great thing is, the City of Jacksonville has free wireless for the city.... yea I can finally catch up on my blogging. :)
Thomas came for a visit this past week, he was here Wed till around 1pm today. We had an awesome visit, we ate, ate and ate some more.... somewhere in between all of that we went to a Braves game and did some shopping. It's always a joy to be able to hang out with my one and only brother.... and it's been really great to see Eric and Thomas get to know each other better.
Here are some photos from the weekend.
Thomas came for a visit this past week, he was here Wed till around 1pm today. We had an awesome visit, we ate, ate and ate some more.... somewhere in between all of that we went to a Braves game and did some shopping. It's always a joy to be able to hang out with my one and only brother.... and it's been really great to see Eric and Thomas get to know each other better.
Here are some photos from the weekend.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Happy Almost 2007!
Our First Christmas together as a married couple has been amazing! We went home to Tennessee and spent half our time with Eric’s family and the other half with my family. It was a really quick journey home, but well worth it. Jeff and Thomas were both home and it’s always great to see the brothers who aren’t around often. I can truly say that this Christmas I was a little overwhelmed by all of the nice gifts that were given to us! I included some photos from Christmas, so check out some of our gifts. Also check out Eric's special Christmas tie which he designed and made!
We made it back home on Christmas Eve with enough time to relax that night. We celebrated Christmas Day, just us… and it was wonderful! Last week Eric had to work, so we have been enjoying this weekend. I really can’t believe that tomorrow is 2007! Where in the world did 2006 go! Have we really been married almost 5 months! Woah! I am leaving tomorrow to drive to Knoxville. My brother and I are going to Mississippi on Tuesday to visit with the other side of my family. Eric will be spending his first week by himself since we have been married, so if you think about it- give him a call or an email… I know he’d appreciate it. We’ll finally see each other again next weekend because one of my best friends, Kerry is getting married! I am a bridesmaid and Eric will be playing cello. Tag-teaming it! Here is a photo of Kerry and Preston at our wedding rehearsal......
We have been friends since Freshman year of high school and I am so thankful for this dear friend that God has given me. I would describe Kerry as a calming and reassuring presence. She has shown me steady and consistent love over the years, and challenges me to extend the same to others. I was honored to have her stand beside me at my wedding, so I cannot wait to do the same for her. AND Eric and I love Preston and we are soooooo incredibly happy for them. Praise the Lord for what HE has done! So until next weekend!
We made it back home on Christmas Eve with enough time to relax that night. We celebrated Christmas Day, just us… and it was wonderful! Last week Eric had to work, so we have been enjoying this weekend. I really can’t believe that tomorrow is 2007! Where in the world did 2006 go! Have we really been married almost 5 months! Woah! I am leaving tomorrow to drive to Knoxville. My brother and I are going to Mississippi on Tuesday to visit with the other side of my family. Eric will be spending his first week by himself since we have been married, so if you think about it- give him a call or an email… I know he’d appreciate it. We’ll finally see each other again next weekend because one of my best friends, Kerry is getting married! I am a bridesmaid and Eric will be playing cello. Tag-teaming it! Here is a photo of Kerry and Preston at our wedding rehearsal......
We have been friends since Freshman year of high school and I am so thankful for this dear friend that God has given me. I would describe Kerry as a calming and reassuring presence. She has shown me steady and consistent love over the years, and challenges me to extend the same to others. I was honored to have her stand beside me at my wedding, so I cannot wait to do the same for her. AND Eric and I love Preston and we are soooooo incredibly happy for them. Praise the Lord for what HE has done! So until next weekend!
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