tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113159532024-03-23T13:13:01.104-05:00YIKES!Aimless ramblings from a wife, mom & proud member of several troop support organizations and The Patriot Guard Riders who is absolutely passionate about doing anything within my power to support our troops! The vast majority of my ramblings will be about "troop support stuff," but here & there will be an occasional post about my life in general. :)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.comBlogger956125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-21128100606827292242009-11-04T10:48:00.003-05:002009-11-04T10:54:16.978-05:00Op. Love From Home: Holiday Card Drive for Deployed Troops<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">HOLIDAY CARD DRIVE FOR DEPLOYED TROOPS</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong></strong> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org/"><strong>www.OperationLoveFromHome.org</strong></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><em>Please help us get the word out - deadline is Nov. 28, and we need many more cards to make our Heroes' Holidays Brighter! We can't do it without YOU - so please do what you can - blog, email, put together local card drives, etc... no matter how many or how few cards you send in, they ALL make a difference and bring a smile to a Hero far from home. :)</em></div><br />The Mission: To collect Christmas/Holiday cards, candy canes, and other festive holiday decorations & goodies for American troops serving all over the world, to let them know that we are thinking of them during the holiday season and have not forgotten them!<br /><br />The Reason: Being away from home, often living in harsh conditions with combat & constant danger is difficult ~ our troops need to know we have not forgotten them!!! Mail from home helps to keep our troops' morale strong, making a very real difference in their lives. It keeps them motivated and focused when they know we care about them!<br /><br />The Address: Send your signed, unsealed holiday cards to the following address:<br /><div align="center"><br /><strong>OPERATION: LOVE FROM HOME</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>P.O. Box 1660</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>Loganville, Georgia, 30052</strong></div><div align="center"><strong></strong> </div><div align="center"><strong>ALL ITEMS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 28, 2009</strong></div><br />The Guidelines:<br /><br />**The cards can be handmade or store-bought. Even regular letters are fine. This is a great opportunity to get your Scout troop, school, church/house of worship and other civic organizations involved in doing something to tangibly show support for our troops.<br /><br />**Please do not write the date on your cards. <span style="font-size:85%;">This is so that, in the event cards reach us after our shipping deadline has passed, we can hang on to the cards and use them for our next card drive.</span><br /><br />**Keep the cards fun and light-hearted – this is not a dating service, nor do we allow any political statements! Any cards of an inappropriate, suggestive, or political/otherwise negative nature will be thrown away.<br /><br />If you have any questions, please contact us at <a href="mailto:Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.org">Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.org</a> or <a href="mailto:info@operationlovefromhome.org">info@operationlovefromhome.org</a><br /><br />PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A PRINTABLE PDF OR WORD VERSION OF THIS INFORMATIONAL FLYER!<br /><br />Check out our website at <a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org!/">http://www.OperationLoveFromHome.org!</a><br /><br />Also, you may want to consider joining our Yahoo Group to stay in the loop of what's going on and connect with others who are involved: <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Postage costs are our biggest expense, along with supplies and related expenses of conducting card/care package drives throughout the community. Donations towards postage & supplies are most gratefully accepted!</em></span>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com118tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-78158854132622658852009-10-09T06:32:00.001-05:002009-10-09T06:32:45.675-05:00Couch to 5k - FINISHED!!!!!WOOOHOO! "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuFvhjEO0Ao">IT IS FINISHED!</a>"<br /><br />Today, Gypsy & I headed out to Bay Creek park (the nice, FLAT track that makes it easy to calculate distances for me, lol) for our graduation run. We got there at about 5:50 a.m. It was really nice out this morning - a pleasant 64 degrees, low humidity. There was a whole bunch of crickets, frogs, and even one whipoorwill singing their chorus this morning. It was such a nice day, and the crickets, etc., sounded so cool, I decided to listen to them rather than podcast this morning. I hung the earphones around my neck and had the volume up, so I could still hear the podcast and verbal cues & stuff, but also could hear the crickets, etc. (Besides listening to the neat early-morning sounds of the day, I also have to get used to running without an ipod for my 5k coming up on halloween, which is an iPod-free run, darn it, LOL).<br /><br />Anyway, not much to tell - we went out and ran. There was a great big deer wandering around the parking lot this morning who kept us company. She must've been used to people, because everytime we circled by, she just looked up from her breakfast and watched us watch her as we went by, LOL. I tried to get a pic of her, but it was too dark and she was too far away to get a pic on my phone. Oh well. :-) Anyway, when podcast announcer dude said, "Congratulations, you've run for 30 minutes! Now on to our 5-minute cooldown walk!" I was still 1.25 laps away from having completed a full two miles. So, instead of going on my cooldown walk, Gypsy & I kept jogging thru that last 1.25 laps and made it exactly a full two-mile run! I had wanted to try for distance today, to see if I could go the whole 3.1 miles of a real 5k, but didn't have enough time to do so cuz I got there later than I wanted. x-( BUT, we did get in a full and complete two miles! Took me a total of about 40 minutes to do that two miles, give or take a few minutes. I timed how long it took me to go around the track one time - one loop was 6:09 minutes - and since 3 loops equals one mile, that means my running time is 18:27 for a mile. ack. Very slow. Practically crawling, in fact. BUT... a heck of a lot faster than I was 9 weeks ago, I can tell ya that!!!! 9 weeks ago, I woulda NEVER thought in a million years I would be able to say that I'd run a full two miles - much less that I ran a full two miles in only 35-40 minutes - and still more amazing, that I did not die - or even fear dying - while doing so! Whod'a thunk it??????<br /><br />So now what? On to the <a href="http://mindplunge.com/c25k/one-hour-runner.html">one-hour runner program</a>, AND training in earnest for my Halloween 5k.(Which just might take me a full hour to run, LOL! )Thank you all for your support - couldn't have done it without ya! Will still be posting my progress as I go thru the OHR program, cuz i need the accountability and encouragement to git-r-done.<br /><br />Week 9, Day 3 Done and Graduated. ONWARD & UPWARD!!!! *high fives all around*Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-63400896873812702442009-10-04T12:46:00.002-05:002009-10-04T12:52:19.935-05:00Couch to 5K: WEEK 8 IS DONE! ONE MORE WEEK TO GO!Today before church, I went out for my <a href="http://www.c25k.com/">W8D3 run</a>. It was absolutely <em>horrible</em>! I ended up walking a couple times for a few seconds (once was halfway up an annoying hill) but kicked myself back in gear and kept with the running. It was NOT a good run by any stretch of the imagination. I let myself get waylaid by all kinds of negative thoughts... money, relationship difficulties, prescriptions vs. food vs. mortgage and not enough for all of them, obnoxious, mouthy teenagers, these hills really suck and I'll never be able to do a 5k and I hate this and I can't do it and OMG what am I gonna do about [insert various other stressors here] and I WANT TO CRY AND QUIT RIGHT NOW ON EVERYTHING!!!!!! Yeah, it was bad. But, no matter how ingloriously & slowly I finished today's run, finish I did. I'm NOT at all proud of how it went today (the other Week 8 runs were so easy and fun, a sucky run was very depressing... especially on top of my pre-existing depression of the day, LOL!), but hey - that's life. Some days are not good ones, some runs are not the best... but the trick is to keep going. So - regardless of my mental crankiness and downright LOUSY attitude today - Week 8 is finished.<br /><br />Tomorrow morning, Week 9 officially begins!!! Wooohoo! My Couch to 5k <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/ladies_c25k_graduates_tank_top_tshirt-235133373171932387">graduation t-shirt </a>has officially shipped, as per the email I got yesterday, and hopefully, God willing, I'll have my graduation run on Friday.<br /><br />Even cooler: Today at <a href="http://www.theorchardchurch.org/">church</a>, I was reading the bulletin, and guess what my pastor's next four-week message series is titled? "BORN TO RUN!"<br /><br />Next Sunday, the sermon is called "Focus," and is based on 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:<br /><blockquote><p align="justify"><br /><em>"Remember that in a race, everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You must also run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. SO I RUN STRAIGHT TO THE GOAL, WITH PURPOSE IN EVERY STEP...I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, after preaching to others, I fear that I might be disqualified." </em></p></blockquote><br />Each subsequent week likewise has a running-related verse that would take too long to type out here at the moment. Obviously, the whole series a comparison between running for a prize and a life lived to glorify Jesus...there are definite parallels between the two (and now that I'm actually running, I can see that even clearer than before). So much of it is just not quitting...fall, get back up, keep going... FOCUS on that goal and give it your all.<br /><br />Uh, where was I? Oh yeah... week 8 done. I plan on wearing my C25K graduation t-shirt to church Sunday (how timely is that??? Too cool!). Hopefully nothing happens between now & then to screw that up... I wanna be able to graduate on time this week and not let myself get derailed again, lol. I have that 5k on Halloween to train for, too... must get myself in shape to be ABLE to run the full 5k by then. :) Another cool side note - a fellow C25Ker at church pointed out to me...the final message in Pastor's message series is called "FINISH" (based on Philippians 3:12-21) and is on November 1 - the day AFTER, God willing, I finish my very first 5k.<br /><br />I have to wonder if all this is some kind of freaky coincidence, or if the pastor saw all us church C25K folks Facebook status messages and got inspiried?? LOL! Nah.. probably just random coincidence...but still...how freakin cool is that??? :) To say that message series is timely (in more ways that one!) is an understatement. :)<br /><br />OK, Week 8 is done - ON TO THE NEXT! 3 runs to go, and I'm an official Couch to 5k graduate. :) wooohoo!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-39746940053036454512009-10-02T08:34:00.004-05:002009-10-02T08:38:34.948-05:00COUCH TO 5K: WEEK 8 UPDATE (yes, very late, I know!)Fell behind on everything, sorry, y'all! Here's my updates for Week 8, Days 1 & 2;<br /><br /><blockquote><div align="justify"><strong>WEEK 8, DAY 1:</strong></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Howdy, folks! Sorry it's been eons since I've been by. Life - and the deluge of torrential rains flooding that hit Georgia As Seen On TV - kept me away from running for the past three weeks or so. Ack! Today, I was DETERMINED to get out there again, since it hasn't rained in a few days and the door to our ark finally opened (LOL). It was 50 degrees when I left the house today... SO much better than jogging in 78 degrees of total humidity!!!!! Long story short, I ended up going to the park right down the road from our house, rather than the nice, FLAT park that's 15 minutes away. Ugh. But! I survived! And so did the dog! :) Even after not having jogged a bit in 3 weeks, it was surprisingly easy. Not "easy" like, literally "easy," but I wasn't dying like I thought I'd be. There were only a couple times I had to do some serious self-lecturing to get thru a tuff spot. 28 minutes, start to finish - wooohoo! Friday night (assuming I complete w8d2 that morning), I'm going to go ahead and order my graduation shirt...so I'll have it when I finish C25K - just 5 runs to go and I'm a graduate! Yikes, gotta run...time to jump in shower and hit the road. :) More later! </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong>WEEK 8, DAY 2:</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Week 8, Day 2 is finished!!!! :) Got out there again today with the dog... it was a little warmer today (57* as opposed to Wednesday's 49*) but still nice running weather. :) I've switched back to going to my "original" park with the small hills on the path, as opposed to the "flat" running track at the other park I was going to. There's two reasons for this: (1) the hilly-path park is exactly one mile from my home; the "nicer" park is 15-20 minutes away and is a pain to get home from due to morning traffic; and (2) there is a real live 5k i want to try on Halloween (the "Run Like Hell 5k" at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta) which apparently has a few hills along the way. Gah. I'm nowhere near running 5k "distance-wise" yet... I am just barely able to do 2 miles in 40 minutes (that's 28 mins of running, plus warmup & cooldown walks, lol). I figure it may take me an hour, or close to it, to do a REAL 5k... but by golly I'm gonna try!!!! I figure if I can cross the finish line and not die, I've succeeded. :) (and of course, i've already decided to wear my C25K graduation t-shirt at the race!) But, I'm digressing here. :)</div><div align="justify"><br />Anyway: the doggie & I went to park, jogged, came home, both survived. :) Not really an awful lot to tell that I can recall...just yer average run in the park. Golly... 10 weeks ago, I never would have imagined saying that, ever! I couldn't even run ONE minute then... and I just ran 28 of them all at once, LOL!!!! pretty amazing. :-) No doubt now that the extra 2 minutes tacked on to next week's program - the final week of c25k - will be very do-able. And I absolutely CANNOT believe I just said that. Like, wow. Unbelievable... whod'a thunk it???? Certainly not me!!!!!!</div><div align="justify"><br />OK, week 8, day 2 done... going to a <a href="http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Conferences/atlanta09.htm">Bible conference thingy </a>tomorrow, then Sunday morning am planning on getting W8D3 out of the way, so next week I can knock out Week 9! :-)</div></blockquote>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-85628082514403128672009-09-13T12:31:00.001-05:002009-09-13T12:31:36.635-05:00Better Late Than Never: Couch to 5k, Week 7, Day 2 ReportOK, so last week was the week from you-know-where! All week long I was going to work early and/or staying late. College projects and oodles of homework (that I'm still behind on) kept me off the track all week. Monday was Day 1 of Week 7 today (sunday) morning was Day 2 of Week 7! Gah! My hubby & kids were convinced that I'd quit the program and would never get back to it again. Nice thought, lol - but nope! today, I woke up at about 8:30 and went for a pre-church run.<br /><br />Was DEFINITELY not looking forward to it - not with a six-day lapse, AND with yesterday going to a "Celebration of Life" for a very dear friend's husband who recently passed away - said celebration was LITERALLY a big PARTY at Lake Lanier - tons of food, tons of desert, live music, the works. :-) Absolutely an awesome time all around. I ate entirely too much of both food and desert, LOL! Whatever little bit of weight I've lost so far, I'm positive I gained it all back yesterday. Oh well - it was worth it. :-)<br /><br />Anyway, wasn't sure how well I'd do today, what with consuming enormous amounts of food yesterday and not having run for six whole days. However, Gypsy (our dog) & I both survived. Barely, but we did. :) Those last five minutes were BRUTAL!<br /><br />Prior to my run, I had tossed around the idea of starting tomorrow with W8D1 to stay "on schedule" - at least, the internal schedule I'd set in my head. But about 5 minutes into the run, and especially during the last 5-10 minutes of the 25-minute jog, I decided that there is no way on God's green earth I was ready to tack on an additional 3 minutes tomorrow...I seriously barely made it thru 25 minutes today. So, tomorrow morning, I will do W7D3, and start Week 8 on Wednesday. No rule that says Day 1 of a C25K week HAS to be on a Monday, right? right. :) I just need to get all three of the Week 7 runs in, i think, before I attempt Week 8.<br /><br />When I've made it thru days 1&2 of Week 8 - SUCCESSFULLY, without stopping or walking (which i seriously considered today, but didn't!) - I'm going to order my <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/ladies_c25k_graduates_tank_top_tshirt-235133373171932387">C25K Graduation t-shirt</a> -- by the time it arrives, I'll be well into week 9, or even finished completely (depending on shipping times). And the very first sunday after I finish c25k, I'm wearin' it to church, totally. :) After reading my facebook updates, one lady at church started c25k...then another...then folks reading THEIR facebook pages joined them, sooo...looks like c25k is spreading thru our church and facebook friends like wildfire. :) How cool is that??? :)<br /><br />So, there's my motivation to NOT quit right there, LOL! These longer runs are BRUTAL and I can't ever imagine "enjoying" a nice, long run...but I DO feel really good AFTER a run, so that helps, as well. :) It's just "during" a run that really is no fun whatsoever, ROFLOL! I'm sure it'll get better with time as my endurance increases. :)<br /><br />Oh, and almost forgot - today, I did something a bit different. Instead of my 5-minute warmup walk looping around the track, I essentially paced back & forth on the straight stretch of track in front of where I parked my car. See, every time I pass my car, I know I've completed one loop - and three loops around the track is a full mile. So, I wanted to see how far I was actually JOGGING around the track, not including the warmup & cooldown. When it was time to start jogging, i put myself right in front of my car so I'd have an accurate count of how many time's I'd circled the track while jogging. Total times JOGGING around the track was a little more than 4 loops (or just over 1 & 1/3 miles), plus one complete loop (about 8 minutes) for my cooldown walk. So, I actually jogged just over 1 & 1/3 miles, and when you add in my warmup & cooldown walks, that's right about 2 miles total altogether. But actual jogging was 1 & 1/3 miles. Woohoo! Who'da thunk it? In three weeks, I will NOT be running 5 k (will be happy to be actually running TWO miles, much less 3.1, lol) - but I WILL be running for 30 minutes straight -- and the more I do that, the better my times will become as I progress. :) Endurance first, speed later. It's all good!<br /><br />Anyway, I have a ton of homework to do, and a Board meeting to get ready for, and lunch to make, so I'm signing off for now. Week 7, Day 2, finally done; Week 7, Day 3 coming up tomorrow a.m.<br /><br />Onward & Upward!!!!!!! HOOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com140tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-48933515646440651242009-09-07T21:45:00.000-05:002009-09-08T09:06:34.607-05:00Couch to 5K: Week 7, Day 1 update!Well, I didn't die! :) I also really hate these 25-minute runs -- SO not fun, LOL! I'm so seriously ADD, I am good with "small" projects that don't require long stretches of time, LOL. It's a challenge keeping my mind engaged, un-bored, and body moving for a whole twenty-five minutes straight. I think the next three weeks are going to be challenging for me for this reason -- gotta keep my motivation up somehow. :-) If nothing else, with sheer dogged determination, lol.<br /><br />I did NOT get up at 0500 to run this morning, because it was labor day, and after several weeks of working 50-60 hours a week, PLUS college, PLUS my 75-90 minute commute, PLUS God only knows what else... I was TIRED! I slept quite a lot this weekend (which is why I'm still awake and doing laundry, lol). I spent most of today (Labor Day) curled up in bed watching the Ghost Hunter rerun marathon on the SyFy channel. :-) Cool, huh? OK, not so much, but whatever. I was officially 100% off-duty today, darn it! :) Anyway, at about 7:30 p.m., it had cooled off enough to make it acceptable jogging weather. Gypsy and I piled into the car and headed for Bay Creek park. We got there at about 7:45, just as the last remnants of a kiddie football game was wrapping up. Still LOTS of people milling about. I circled the parking lot a couple times, trying to decide if I REALLY wanted to humiliate myself in front of all these people. In the end, I decided it didn't matter, and off we went.<br /><br />The first five minutes of the jog (following the warmup walk) were, of course, icky. I've found if I can survive the first 5-10 minutes of it, the rest isn't so bad. I kept having to keep myself in check -- so many people around always makes me jog faster than I should, without even realizing it. I am SO slow, it's kind of embarrassing, especially when surrounded by others who are "really" running. But whatever, I'm not jogging for them, I'm jogging for me, so to heck with what they may think. So, we continued on.<br /><br />At about the time I was starting to wish for death, the podcast announcer guy came on and said we were just over halfway done. I spent the next minute or so (I'm not good at math, lol) figuring out that that means I should have about 12.5 minutes left - easy, right? OK, not so much "easy," but do-able. I kept plodding along, eventually finding myself going on "auto pilot." Make it to that light. OK, great - now make it to the next light. Now make it to my car... keep going... next light... etc.<br /><br />I was super happy to hear that the twenty-five minutes were over! :) By the time Gypsy & I finished our five-minute cooldown walk, we'd circled the track a total of six & a quarter times - or just a few steps over two miles. Of course, this includes the warmup & cool down laps, so I'm totally not breaking any speed records here. In fact, I may be breaking some SLOWNESS records, come to think about it. ;) But whatever.... as I was doing my after-workout stretches, I saw a friend of mine walk by. :) We were chatting a minute and I was telling her about c25k. I told her how i thought I'd never ever survive the first week, that I couldn't even jog thru a full sixty-second initerval - and now I'd just jogged thru twenty-five minutes straight -- so if fat, out of shape me could do it, then surely absolutely ANYONE can, lol!<br /><br />Wow. Hadn't really thought of it like that - from not even being able to jog for a full sixty seconds to jogging for a full 25-minuets straight - until I was talking to her. Pretty darn amazing. Who'da thunk it? Certainly not me! Wow!<br /><br />Week 7, Day 1 down. Just under three weeks -a mere 8 jogging days - to go and I'm a c25k graduate! Keep yer fingers crossed for me! :)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-7986000382826611782009-08-31T20:10:00.001-05:002009-08-31T20:10:57.552-05:00Week 6, Day 1 of Couch to 5k!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well, today was the first day of WEEK 6 (C25K is a 9-week program...nearly done!)! Holy cow, how'd i get here this fast???? LOL! Week 6, Day one consists of: 5-minute warmup walk, 5 minute jog, 3 minute walk, 8 minute jog, 3 minute walk (or was it 5? I forget!), 5 minute jog and 5 minute cooldown. Wednesday will be simpler - two ten-minute jogging intervals. Friday will be even simpler, but not easier - a straight 25-minute jog! :-0 Week 7, I believe, is simply three days of 25-minute jogs...but let's not think about that right now, LOL!!!!! ;-)<br /><br />It was a drizzly morning (ok, POURING, but at the park it was barely even misting, thankfully) but Gypsy & I got out there nonetheless. I'm too exhausted to give a detailed report - came home, barely had time to eat my cereal before taking off for work...and once I landed at work, it was NON.STOP. All day. As in, get there at nine, work straight thru lunch and still working at 6:44 p.m. when you finally clock out. Got home a few minutes before 8:00 P.M. Yeah, that kinda day. ACK! lol! I *still* have final exams to study for, a paper to finish and a paper to start, and several pages of study notes to complete. and then study - for the aforementioned final exam tomorrow night, that I haven't studied for yet, lol. Um, so... my brain is pretty well mush by now, and I've got a long ways to go yet, LOL!<br /><br />Suffice it to say that both the dog and I survived week six, day 1, yay us! :) Now if I can survive all this studying and the final exam tomorrow, that will REALLY be a miracle! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; ">;)</span>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-26948554899120403452009-08-28T09:35:00.004-05:002009-08-28T09:46:50.075-05:00Couch to 5K - the Dreaded Week 5, Day 3 TWENTY-MINUTE Jog!<div align="justify">Today was the dreaded W5D3 20-minute jog with NO walking intervals to make it easier - the first "really big run" in the C25K program. And........ Gypsy (the dog) and I survived! Yay!!!! Jogged the whole entire 20 minutes! Woooohoo!!!!! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNMDE6vAINA">CLICK HERE</a> for the song that was gonig thru my head when I finished. :) **high fives all around** I was sooooo nervous about today, seriously.... I knew I could run for 20 minutes, but wasn't sure if I could do it *yet* LOL!<br /><br /><br />The first five minutes were the worst... my legs were complaining about being forced to move so quickly, so early, warmup stretches & walk notwithstanding! I remember thinking, again, "People do this for long periods of time and actually have FUN????!?" Ha! But I kept at it and eventually my legs quit their complaining as Gyspy & I got into the jogging more. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">It was interesting to notice all the various mind games and thoughts I had to come up with thruout the 20 minutes to keep going! I alternated between focusing on where I was jogging next (next light post, next sign, etc) to mentally calculating approximatley how far along I was, to thinking, "O<em>nly XX more minutes to go! easy! piece of cake</em>!" etc. And all along, I just kept plugging along - really slowly, lol - but plugging along nonetheless. :) And before I knew it, the jog was over! Including my five-minute warmup walk, I'd circled the track 5 1/4 times - just shy of two miles. So I tacked on an extra five or so minutes to my cooldown walk (which was at a snail's pace cuz I was TIRED! ha!) to complete that final lap on the track. During the course of about 35 minutes total, Gypsy & I went a grand total of <em>exactly</em> <u>two miles</u> - 20 minutes jogging, about 10-15 minutes of warmup & cooldown walking. Me moving forward on my feet for ANY miles is nothing short of amaziing - ha! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we got back to the car, I put Gypsy in the backseat and turned on the a/c. Left the front door open so I could hear the radio as I did my after-stretches. Then, in a really neat coincidence, one of my favorite radio devotionals came on: "Christian Working Woman" with Mary Welchel. I positively got chills when I heard the opening verse - and actually, the whole entire message was eerily accurate and very well-timed -- it was on perserverance! Check it out: </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><blockquote><div align="justify"><strong>Friday, August 28, 2009 - Five Things We Need to Re-Learn</strong> </div><div align="justify"><br />Do you give up too easily? Do you keep wishing for the easy way out of everything you face? It's likely you, like me, could use a lesson or two in how to persevere. Lots of people make good starts; not too many complete the course. </div><div align="justify"><br />We read in <strong>Hebrews 12:1 that <em>we should run with perseverance the race marked out for us.</em> Note that each of us has a unique race marked out. Your race may be different from mine, but<u> the important thing for both of us is to hang in there and cross the finish line</u>.<br /></strong><br />The night is darkest just before the dawn, and all <em>too often we quit the race when it gets dark and bleak, when the finish line is just around the corner</em>. In the first chapter of James we read that "perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Without perseverance we won't reach spiritual maturity. That's why we need to learn perseverance.<br /><br />How often do you feel like quitting? I can remember just a few weeks ago saying to the Lord, "What use is it, Lord? I don't see light at the end of the tunnel and I'd just like to walk away from the whole thing." You know, if you have those kinds of thoughts you might as well talk to God about them. He knows what you're thinking anyway. But God reminded me that I'm called to be faithful, to persevere, and I had to learn it all over again.<br /><br />Hebrews 12:13 says, Don't wander away from the path but <u>forge steadily onward</u>. On the right path the limping foot recovers strength and does not collapse. Therefore, we need to make certain we're on the right path, and then by George, stay on it regardless.<strong><em> Even if you're just limping along, don't stop. As we hang in there, our limps are healed and we're able to cross the finish line</em></strong>.<br /><br />How often do we quit as soon as we develop a limp? We failed, we weren't able to accomplish something we had planned, the resources we were counting on didn't come through, things didn't go as smoothly as we hoped. We got a "hitch in our get-along," as the cowboy said, and that ended the race for us. We quit! But the Bible says keep going on the right path even with your limp.<br /><br />Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2)." Proving faithful is perseverance, and we can learn to be faithful and to persevere. I'm telling you, I'll take a faithful person any day over one with bigger talents or gifts who isn't willing to hang in and get the job done—to stick with it through thick and thin times. </div><div align="justify"><br />I want to encourage you to learn perseverance. <strong><em>Quitters don't win and winners<br />don't quit, and God's looking for people with endurance. <u>Let's stick by the stuff and make it to the finish line by his grace. </u></em></strong></div><div align="left"><br />To order Mary’s book<br />Think About What You Think About, call us at 1-800-292-1218 or visit our website <a href="http://www.christianworkingwoman.org/">http://www.christianworkingwoman.org/</a>.<br /><br />“Keeping Your Heart and Soul at Work” is a one-day seminar on September<br />26 for the woman who wants to better integrate her work and her faith. Click on<br />this link to register and for a brochure <a href="http://www.christianworkingwoman.org/events_details.php?eventKey=46">http://www.christianworkingwoman.org/events_details.php?eventKey=46</a> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div></blockquote><p><br /><br />I mean, seriously - how amazingly dead-on is that?????????? I about fell over! It seemed to me that this was God's way of letting me know He was smiling with me, and encouraging me to keep going! :) Too darn cool. </p><p> So, Week 5 officially done! On to the next!!!!!!! ***big giant grin*** </p>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-44136124511309699792009-08-24T11:40:00.002-05:002009-08-24T11:48:42.035-05:00Update: Couch to 5K - Week 5, Day 1<div align="center">Weeks 1 thur 4 of <a href="http://www.c25k.com/">Couch to 5k</a> were challenging, no doubt. But Week Five is a whole new ballgame - they start ratcheting up the fun in a whole new way! Previously, each week's workout was the same all three days. Week five is a bit different - three totally different - and more challenging! - workouts. They are as follows:</div><div align="center"><br /><strong>DAY ONE</strong>: Five-minute warmup walk; jog 5 minutes; walk 3 minutes; jog 5 minutes; walk 3 minutes; jog 5 minutes; five-minute cooldown walk. </div><div align="center"><br /> </div><div align="center"><strong>DAY TWO</strong>: Five-minute warmup walk; jog **8** minutes; walk 5 minutes; jog **8** more minutes; five-minute cooldown walk. (Note that is only cumulatively *one* more minute of jogging than Day 1 - just strung together in bigger intervals - helps to realize it's the same amount of time as i've done before, just structured different - so theorectially, no biggie, right? :)) </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong>DAY THREE</strong>: Five-minute warmup walk; 20-minute jog (no walking intervals); five-minute cooldown walk. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="justify">So, as you can see, it gets progressively more challenging each day this week. But the cool thing is, once I survive week five, weeks 6-9 won't seem so scary any more, right? I hope, LOL! Anyway, if you are still awake, read on to hear (or "see" rather) my dramatic tale of surviving yet another day of this crazy exercise stuff.... ;)</div><div align="center"><br />* * *</div><div align="justify"><br />Wooohoo!!!! I survived Day 1 of Week 5!!!!! :) Today was the first genuinely COOL day we've had so far. It was only 62 degrees this morning, and very low humidity. aaahhhh... MUCH better!!!!! :) Gypsy & I got to the park at 6:15 - I slept in some because I had to go by the courthouse today to get my notary public certification renewed, which meant I didn’t have to leave the house at 7:30 in the morning (they don't open till like 8:30 or 9). I knew I could run one or two five-minute intervals (like I did last week), but wasn't so sure about how well I'd do with THREE of them to contend with, LOL! </div><p align="justify"><br /><br />Much to my surprise, it wasn't bad. When it came time for my third and final jog, I was startled to realize I wasn't panicking and thinking I'd never make it. I just started off and kept going. :) I was feeling so good, I even picked up the pace for a little while (but then slowed down to normal for the rest of the way, by which time I was breathing pretty hard, but not thinking death was imminent lol).<br /><br />One thing I did during the whole course of today's workout was use a trick they taught us in the Riders' Edge motorcycle safety course: LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. Don't focus on/stare at the ground or the pothole in the road ("target fixation," I think the term was...something like that), because if you do, that's where the bike will go even if you don't want it to. (Yes, this is actually true... the very last thing I saw before I made myself need knee surgery, was the ground, lol!) Instead, focus on where you WANT to go, and you will go there. Kinda Zen-ish, but true.. So, that's the technique I used to try to survive my 5-minute jogs. I'd focus on a lamp-post or a sign on the fence where I wanted to run to, and kept myself zeroed in on that..and got there. Then focused on my next goal...and got there. Not as fast as I wanted, but I got there nonetheless.<br /><br /><br />I'm still REALLY slow. Three laps around this track is one mile. I was hoping that during my five-minute jogging intervals, I could complete one full loop (which would give me a time of 15 mins/mile - pathetic, but immensely better than I could do five weeks ago, lol). Well, not quite there yet. I *almost* made it around one full loop in five minutes - another 45 - 60 seconds and it woulda been a full loop. Which is some better than last week, so there's progress! :) If I keep plugging away at the time/distance, the speed will improve over time. Not worried about it particularly much; each day brings improvements of some sort, so it's all good!!! :-)<br /><br />I did find myself wondering how on earth I was gonna handle day 2's two, eight-minute runs (but still not nearly worried about them as much as I am FRIDAY - the BIG 20-MINUTES-STRAIGHT JOG!) ack! But all I gotta do is show up, and keep pushing forward, and it'll all come together. :-)<br /><br />So, I survived, and the doggie survived. :) [Which reminds me....When hubby went to the store last night, he bought Gypsy "High Performance" dog food, in keeping with her new athletic status as Jogger Dog, LOL. :) ]<br /><br />So...week five, day one, DONE. As Jason & Grant say at the end of EVERY "<a href="http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters/">Ghost Hunters</a>" episode.... "ON TO THE NEXT!" </p>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-23388644914282357292009-08-21T08:42:00.004-05:002009-08-21T08:51:32.409-05:00My newest form of insanity.....What I've been up to the past four weeks...<br /><br />I've been posting my progress in the Couch to 5K program on their forums (www.C25K.com)... I'm so relieved to have survived four weeks straight, I figured I'd post today's report here, too. Four weeks down, five to go --- assuming I can live that long! ;) LOL<br /><br />For the uninitiated -<a href="http://www.c25k.com/"> Couch to 5K </a>is exactly what it sounds like... a training program designed to transform us pathetic couch potatoes into actual... *gasp* RUNNERS (or something like it) in nine weeks. <em>Theoretically</em>, assuming I survive, by the end of Week 9, I <em>should</em> be able to jog for 30 minutes staright - or 5k - or ideally, 5k in thirty minutes, LOL. I'll be happy with any of the above. ha! So far I haven't needed to repeat any weeks, but next week, Week 5 (and each week thereafter) is successively more brutal, so that may change. Whatever... will just keep plugging away at it, slowly but surely. They have these nifty lill free podcasts you download that tell you when to walk and when to run (or shuffle slowly, in my case), offering cheery little encouragements like, "Time for your second five-minute run! Ready? You can do it!!!!!!" (To which I mentally reply, "DIE SCUMBAG, DIE!!!! ARRRGH!"). Ahem. ;)<br /><br />Anyway, week four consisted of three days (done on Mon, Wed & Fri) of the following:<br /><br />5 minute warmup walk<br />3 minute jog<br />90 second walk<br />5 minute jog<br />3 minute walk<br />3 minute jog<br />90 second walk<br />5 minute jog<br />5-minute cooldown walk<br /><br />Anyway, here's my ramblings from C25K forum re: today:<br /><br />============<br /><br /><div align="justify">YAY! Week Four is OVER! :) Gypsy [my dog] & I lived thru another one, lol. I woke up late, and, having taken something to help me sleep last night, felt reeeeaaaaallllly groggy and most decidedly did NOT want to crawl outta the bed and drag myself to the park. But I did anyway, LOL. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I got there late - like 6:00 - at least 30 mins later than usual, ugh. Oh well. Gypsy & I started off after a brief stretching session. Actually, it was a bit <em>too</em> brief... Since i had to be at work early and was running late, I only stretched about half the time I usually do. (Don't worry, my legs yelled at me quite thoroughly and advised me of their displeasure!)</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Nothing remarkable about this workout, except that I <em>did</em> pick up the pace for the very, very last minute of the very last five-minute jogging interval. Went from excruciatingly slow shuffle to somewhat faster shuffle. Hoped to keep that pace for the whole sixty seconds, but didn't quite make it; had to slow down 15-20 seconds before end of last minute back to my usual turtle-slow shuffle, lol. But hey - it's progress, no matter how tiny, and I'll take it. :) </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Managed to get all the way around the track three times, which, according to the signs posted, equals one mile. Woohoo! </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I was wondering off & on how I am going to survive next week, when the program kicks it up a notch or twelve...can I <em>really</em> do three five-minute runs on Monday? and really do two eight-minute runs on Wednesday?? And most of all, can I *<em>really</em>* do a <em>whole entire 20-minute run straight thru</em> on Friday? Or will I need to repeat a day or two, or even the whole week??? </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Stay tuned till next week to find out!!!! [insert dramatic soap opera "cliffhanger" music here...]</div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-79395809656803854262009-08-18T11:54:00.002-05:002009-08-18T11:56:12.448-05:00***whew*****....after hearing about the recent violence in A-Stan, and that we've lost more Heroes over there, it was a tremendous relief when I got a Facebook message/email from one of our adopted Heroes/friends.<br /><br />*Whew!*<br /><br />I hadn't realized how much breath I'd been holding till just now.<br /><br />*breathing again*<br /><br />But, relief is tempered by much sadness for those that fell.... God hold & keep those families.... *cries*Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-36480075647515558372009-08-15T21:09:00.004-05:002009-08-15T21:27:16.005-05:00Remembering Sgt. Michael Stokely, KIA 16 August 2009I will write much more about this later this weekend (I'm going to try to get a video together & posted, if I can figure out how, and have some pics to post as well), but I wanted to get SOMETHING up here NOW.<div><br /></div><div>On August 16, 2005, our little town of Loganville lost one of our own in the War on Terror, <a href="http://www.theyhavenames.com/heroes/mike_stokely.html">Sgt. Michael J. Stokely</a>. Our family did not know Mike, or his friends, or his family...but his loss - and one so close to home -- <a href="http://crazynightinga.blogspot.com/2005/08/war-hits-home-in-loganvillega.html">hit us hard nonetheless</a>. Over the intervening years, we've had the honor and priviledge of getting to know his family, and many of his friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>Each year on the anniversary of his death, at the exact hour of his death, Mike's family, friends, and even those of us who never knew him, gather at his gravesite to remember and pay our respects. Tonight was that annual gathering. Two of his friends who served with him in Iraq were not there tonight. They are <a href="http://crazynightinga.blogspot.com/2006/06/welcome-home-parade.html">two of our family's adopted soldiers (and dear friends of ours)</a> and are currently serving in Afghanistan. Their absence was felt, but I know they were with us in spirit, as we are with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>I will write a more thorough post later, but I just wanted to get something up here now... Please, take a moment to reflect on what our freedom costs. Don't ever, ever take it for granted. Stop now to say a prayer for the families of the fallen, and for all our troops currently serving, wherever they may be. Have you thanked a Soldier or Veteran today? If not.. do. They deserve it.</div><div><br /></div><div>More to come later, just didn't want to waste any time in getting something up here to honor Mike. </div><div><br /></div><div>Love & prayers,<br />Mama Kat & Family.</div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-60351243240813328872009-06-28T19:57:00.001-05:002009-06-28T19:59:09.117-05:00~FINALLY~Last week, I finally, finally, finally GOT A JOB after having lost my job on Halloween. I've been temping at this firm (43 miles from home...ouch!) for six months, never knowing if I'd be hired or not. Finally on Wednesday, I was! Just in the nick of time, too... Friday I had oral surgery to get one severely abscessed tooth removed, and antoher one that was starting to get that way...yay for dental ins., just in the nick of time.<div><br /></div><div>Being thrown off computer now, more later, maybe if I am allowed.</div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-50691214681745549852009-06-28T09:46:00.000-05:002009-06-28T19:52:30.873-05:00In Honor of Major Kevin M. JenretteFinally...here is the slideshow of pics from the day of Major Jenrette's service. Community support was HUGE. This next week, another Georgia National Guard Hero will be laid to rest in Calhoun, GA. I will be unable to attend due to work, but my prayers are with the family.<br /><br /><div style="width:480px;text-align:right;"><embed width="480" height="360" src="http://static.photobucket.com/flash/rss_slideshow.swf?rssFeed=http%3A%2F%2Ffeed21.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb269%2Fjeffskat%2FPGR%2520MISSIONS%2FMaj%2520Kevin%2520Jenrette%2Ffeed.rss" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed><a href="http://photobucket.com/redirect/album?showShareLB=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/share/icons/embed/btn_geturs.gif" style="border:none;" /></a><a href="http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/jeffskat/PGR%20MISSIONS/Maj%20Kevin%20Jenrette/" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/share/icons/embed/btn_viewall.gif" style="border:none;" /></a></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-51526753622955483182009-06-23T08:40:00.003-05:002009-06-23T08:55:49.769-05:00Not again... Dear God... RIP 1SG John D. BlairYet another of our Georgia National Guard Heroes has fallen... Any time we lose a hero, it's way "too soon" -- but we just laid to rest the other three we lost less than two weeks ago... and already, here, another hero fallen... No more, please... they need to stay nice and safe and not get so much as a scratch, please... War sucks. It's necessary sometimes, but that doesn't make it suck any less. God wrap yourself around each of these families (from last week, and this week) and give them Your comfort, Your strength, Your peace... walk with them every step of the way and hold them up...their lives have been horrifically shattered, and will never be the same again. I don't know the "right" thing to pray, except to say, "God, help them... please." <br /><br />I haven't yet had a chance to fill y'all in regarding Major Jenrette's service, nor the amazing "Welcome Home" for a wounded hero last week. I'll get to it later on, hopefully - but for now, I must honor 1SGT Blair... we will never, ever forget his service and sacrifice...never, ever take our freedom for granted... Thank you, sir... you WILL NOT be forgotten.<br /><br />From a North Georgia news channel, Channel 9, comes this article:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><p><a href="http://www.newschannel9.com/news/john-979426-blair-kia.html"><strong>North Georgia Soldier Killed in Action</strong></a><br /><a href="mailto:rsimms@newschannel9.com">Richard Simms</a><br />June 22, 2009 - 2:34PM<br /><br />A North Georgia soldier has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.<br /><br />First Sergeant John D. Blair, 38, of Gordon County, Ga. was killed when<br />his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade on June 20.<br /><br />First Sergeant Blair was a former deputy sheriff in Gordon County, and was later attached to the Drug Task Force as part of the Georgia Army National Guard's counter-drug operations.</p><p><br />Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston issued the following statement:<br /><br />"It is with great sadness & regret that the Sheriff's Office received official notice from the Department of Defense that First Sergeant John D. Blair, age 38, of Gordon County, and was killed in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on June 20th. The Department of Defense has reported that Blair was killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle near Mado Zayi.<br /><br />"John was a former deputy sheriff here in Gordon County, and was later attached to the local Drug Task Force as part of the Georgia Army National Guard's counter-drug operations for several years. John served as a full-time deputy sheriff from June, 1994 until August, 1998 when he left the Sheriff's Office to assume full time duties in the National Guard.<br /><br />"During his local service with the National Guard's counter-drug operations, John served as a reserve deputy sheriff from October, 2006 until December, 2008, when his National Guard unit was mobilized for duty in Afghanistan. He was an extraordinarily skilled operative, specializing in covert drug-enforcement surveillance.<br /><br />"During his time in the Sheriff's Office, John served as a jail officer, deputy sheriff, & sheriff's detective. He also served on the Office's honor guard, & SWAT team. His former superiors described him as an exemplary officer. He was officially commended on a number of occasions during his law enforcement service here. John remained very close friends with members of the Sheriff's Office, and officers communicated with him by telephone & email in the days & weeks preceding his death.<br /><br />"Sheriff's Office employees were shaken at the news of John's death. The flags at the Sheriff's Office complex are being flown at half-staff, and deputies are wearing black ‘mourning' bands over their badges in honor of Blair.<br /><br />"Sheriff Ralston said, 'John was a patriot, a truly dedicated & excellent peace officer. He met our America's enemies bravely, and laid down his life in the service of his people, his community, and his Country which he loved so much. He will be missed, but he will never be forgotten. <em>Please keep John's family & friends in your thoughts and prayers."<br /></em></p></blockquote>That we most certainly will.. prayers going out for all, continuously.<br /><br />MamaKat & familyKathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-54728430232175384272009-06-06T15:02:00.005-05:002009-06-06T15:28:57.772-05:00~Heartsick~<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know, I know, it's been eons since I've blogged here - or blogged anywhere, for that matter, LOL. Life - knee surgery, unemployment, job searching, temp work (43 miles from home, might I add - hopefully should be "really" hired soon, I hope), computer crashes, and once again starting <a href="http://www.Shorter.edu"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">college</span></a> have kept me busy to the extreme, and my blog has been gathering layers of dust, sprinkled with cobwebs and a downright scary empy echo. But, events from this week have compelled me to brush off the dust, do some spring cleaning, and hit the keyboard once again. Yep, I'm back - expect me to be around much more frequently! (I heard that groan of dismay, lol... sorry, you'll adjust, I promise you will! ;) )</span></div><div><br /></div><div>On a very serious note....</div><div><br /></div>You may or may not know, that our Georgia National Guard guys, the 48th Brigade, have deployed to Afghanistan. They deployed in waves, starting in early spring, and I believe they are all over there now. Anyone who's read this blog longer than 2 minutes (LOL) knows that all soldiers & veterans are very important to me, and our local heroes in particular. <div><br /></div><div>Earlier this week, we lost <i>three </i>of our Heroes, in one single incident. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:'times new roman';"></span><div align="center" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "></div><blockquote><div align="center" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">DoD Identifies Army Casualties</div><br /><div style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;">The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.<span> </span>They died June 4 near Kapisa, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.<span> </span>They were assigned to the <b>1st Battalion, 108th Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, Calhoun, Ga.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;">Killed were:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"><b>Maj. Kevin M. Jenrette, 37, of Lula, Ga.,</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"><b>Staff Sgt. John C. Beale, 39, of Riverdale, Ga., and</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"><b>Spc. Jeffrey W. Jordan, 21, of Rome, Ga.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style=" ;font-size:9pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p></div></blockquote></div><div>My heart sank when I read the DOD announcement. The sorrow hasn't abated since I first read it... indeed, it's gotten more profound. I don't know these Heroes or their families, but they are "ours" nonetheless. If the <a href="http://www.patriotguard.org/">Patriot Guard Riders</a> are invited to participate in their services, I will move heaven and earth to be there, no matter what (as long as it's on a weekend...still only temping at my job and do not have vacation days yet, so I can't miss work, unfortunately). But I'll be there for anything I can be there for.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Our family has friends in the 48th deployed to Afghanistan right now...soldiers we adopted during the 48th's first tour to the Sandbox, who, on their return, got to know our family and we theirs.. friends who grew up with <a href="http://www.mikestokely.com/">Sgt. Mike Stokely</a>, who was KIA on 16 August, 2005 and is now buried only two miles from our home. I anticipate not sleeping too much, and doing even more-than-usual praying, over the next several months, and I've already got care package stuff and letters ready to go, once I have their addresses (they <i>just</i> got there). Our family's adopted soldiers (whether we actully *know* them "in person" or not) really do become part of our family, and we care for them as if they were our own kin 'for real.' Thanks be to God, in <i>nine years </i>of adopting soldiers (yes, well before the war started), <i>we've never, ever lost one</i> yet. *knocking on wood* But the risk is always there -- that's the reality of war. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, I grieve for the heroes above who were lost, and pray for the ones left to carry on, and for all our heroes deployed all over the world, wherever they may be.</div><div><br /></div><div>For those who were lost, and for the veterans who have served, know this: We will NEVER forget. Ever.</div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-27390937852739696442009-04-27T08:41:00.002-05:002009-04-27T08:46:15.835-05:00Rest in PeaceSadly, our friend from church passed away on Monday, April 20, 2009. :( Your prayers are all appreciated for his family! The Patriot Guard Riders came out in full force to honor James, a Vietnam Veteran and All Around Great Guy. The memorial on Friday was amazing. If we could only touch 1/16th of the people he touched in his lifetime, we'd be doing fantastic. He made a huge difference in many lives!!!!! More people were at the church on Friday, than were at church on Easter Sunday. The sanctuary of 400+ seats was 100% filled, and there were about a hundred or so more out in the lobby, watching on tv screens.<br /><br />Here is an article in the Loganville Tribune about him:<br /><div align="justify"><br /></div><blockquote><div align="justify">Beloved counselor to be laid to rest</div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://www.loganvilletribune.com/contact.lasso?ewcd=3f54208252283d0eb277a5ead9a369eb64fca9464900beb1623971571bdf4d8c262890a69295a8c9">By Sharon Swanepoel</a></div><div align="justify">The Loganville Tribune<br />Published April 24, 2009</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">WALTON COUNTY — There are many people in Walton County and the surrounding area that credit James Green with helping turn their lives<br />around. And because of this, The Orchard Church in Loganville is expecting a large turnout for his memorial service this afternoon. Green, 56, of Monroe, died Monday following a motorcycle accident over the weekend while participating in a charitable fund-raising event for the Dreamhouse, a charity for medically fragile children.“There’s a lot of people he’s touched in the area, both in the church and out, and he will be missed,” said Tony Ford, a fellow member of The Orchard Church and also a fellow counselor in a 12-Step recovery program working with people battling addiction. “James was the first person I met when I first became involved in the program more than three years ago.”Ford credits Green with helping him turn his life around, beating his addiction, turning to God and eventually joining Green in his attempts to help others battle the same demons.“I didn’t like him at first — I didn’t like what he had to say,” Ford said. “He told the truth and it stung. But eventually he got through to me and that had a lot to do with where I am at today.”Ford said Green’s testimony was deeply routed in his own problems with drugs many years ago, his subsequent recovery and his profound Christian faith.“He and his wife Rhonda, they were a team and they did so much for the community,” Ford said. “He has sponsored so many children to youth camps when they didn’t have the money and he sponsored people to go to the Promise Keepers conferences too.”Green, who with his wife owned and operated Commercial Electric Inc. in Loganville was a Vietnam veteran and a member of The Orchard Church board of directors. But Ford said it was his work with addicts and “at-risk” teens for which he was most well-known, working through the Walton County Juvenile Center and the Prime for Life Intervention Program.“He also went into jails and institutions and he always had a message of hope,” Ford said. “That man was one of a kind — he will be missed.”Green, who is survived by his wife, Rhonda, his children Nicole, Chelsie and Jimmy, will be memorialized at a ceremony at 4 p.m. today at The Orchard Church on Highway 81 in Loganville. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Dreamhouse for Medically Fragile Children, P O Box 1562,<br />Snellville, 30078 or IEC PAC Fund, 4401 Ford Ave., Suite 1100 Alexandria, Va.<br />22302.<br /><a href="http://www.loganvilletribune.com/library.lasso?pa=save&ewcd=7e2f6825964ca960&cat=News&ecp=2dd9fb452bbf28aeebdd56c52af9c1c54f9c93425254b747f972feaaca031a57cfdb03c179ccceed">Save</a> <a href="http://www.loganvilletribune.com/emailstory.lasso?ewcd=7e2f6825964ca960">Mail</a> <a href="http://www.loganvilletribune.com/print.lasso?ewcd=7e2f6825964ca960">Print</a><br /></div></blockquote><div align="justify"> </div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-8198292347135021802009-04-19T21:30:00.001-05:002009-04-19T21:30:32.957-05:00PRAYERS, PLEASE!!!!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; ">Got word today that a friend of ours from church was injured severely during a fundraising charity motorcycle ride today. They life-flighted him to a hospital in Augusta (GA), where he is stable but unresponsive. Latest word is that his brainstem may be crushed. It is very scary.. please pray for him, his wife and two kids, and our church, which is in shock.</span>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-49840299136624648802009-04-16T13:15:00.002-05:002009-04-16T13:23:14.594-05:00I'm alive! Yes, really!sheesh, I haven't posted here since JANUARY???? How lame of me...bad blogger, bad! *puts self in corner*. This is a quickie update post....<br /><br />…forgive me if you already know some of this. <br /><br />No, I don’t have a job yet. Not a “real” one. I’ve been temping at a firm since January 5… in about 2-3 weeks, I’ll know if they are going to keep this as a permanent position, or if I’m back to square one. Please keep your fingers crossed!<br /><br />Yes, we are still in our house, thanks be to God. spoke with the mortgage co yesterday, to let them know I will know “soon” if I have a real job or not. They were very accommodating and have really amazed me at how helpful they have been. They were able to get HUD to pay 7 months of our mortgage for us (which is like a "silent" second loan, they said - will make payments for that loan at end of our mortgage like any other loan). We won't have to make another mortgage payment till July 1 (and then, every month thereafter like normal). IF I don't get this job permanently, we have another five months of HUD loan available, where HUD will pay the mortgage and we'll pay them back at end of mortgage. After our mortgage is a year old (which it isn't quite yet), they may be able to do a loan modification if needed.<br />But anyway, long story short, we are OK for now. So long as I have a real job by June, so we can make our normal mortgage payment in July, we'll be OK. And if not, we still may have an additional five months in which to find a job for me. I’d rather have a real job NOW, thank you very much, but that remains to be seen. Ack!<br /><br />I started back to college on March 24 -- I’m going to Shorter College, taking their accellerated adult degree program. In only 33 months, I’ll have my Bachelor’s in Business admin. It’s only one night a week, so it’s very manageable. And only one class at a time, five weeks each, so my brain won’t get cluttered with more than one topic at a time (which is very important! LOL). Next class I’m taking starts Tuesday: Logic and critical thinking. :) Wish me luck!<br /><br />OK, gotta run, got mounds of work to do. Will blog more, soon, once I have something worth blogging about! :)Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-13271213983840701042009-01-10T16:18:00.001-05:002009-01-10T16:18:21.899-05:00VALENTINE'S FOR TROOPS UPDATE - WEEK ONE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:48px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); white-space: normal; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;">Today, we got our very first batch of Valentine's cards and Hershey's kisses in the mail! So, our grand total so far is 24 Valentine's cards towards our 3,000-card goal. I know there are lots of y'all out there working on getting cards, making cards, writing letters, etc, and for that, I thank you tremendously. Seriously, every single card makes a difference! Remember, they have to be here in Loganville no later than 1/31 -- not much time, but we've done it before, and I know we'll do it again this year!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;">More updates in the days/weeks to follow! :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;">visit www.OperationLoveFromHome.org and click on the link that says "card drives" for more info. :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:48px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:48px;">* * *</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:48px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); white-space: normal; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;"><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:6;"><b>OPERATION LOVE FROM HOME</b></span></span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="nfakPe">VALENTINE'S</span> CARD DRIVE FOR DEPLOYED TROOPS</b></span></span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:18px;"><br /></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><b>The Mission</b><span style="font-size:85%;">: To collect <b><i>at least <u>3,000</u> <span class="nfakPe">Valentine's</span> Day cards</i></b> for troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the world. <b><i>We are also collecting <span style="text-decoration: underline; ">Hershey's Kisses</span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline; ">Hershey's Hugs</span> – the more, the better! </i></b></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><i><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"></span></i></b></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:Wingdings;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#333333;"><b>The Reason<span style="font-size:85%;">: </span></b><span style="font-size:85%;">Being away from home and living in harsh conditions with combat & constant danger is difficult ~ our troops need to know we have not forgotten them!!! Mail from home helps to keep our troops' morale strong, making a <i>very</i> real difference in their lives. <i>It keeps them motivated and focused when they know we care about them!</i></span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#333333;"><b>The Address<span style="font-size:85%;">: </span></b><span style="font-size:85%;">Send your signed, <u><i>unsealed</i></u> thank-you cards to the following address:</span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>OPERATION: LOVE FROM HOME</b></span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>P.O. Box 1660</b></span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>Loganville, Georgia, 30052</b></span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><b>ALL CARDS <i>MUST</i> BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN <u>SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009</u></b>.</span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">The Guidelines<span style="font-size:85%;">:</span></span></span></b></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">The cards can be handmade or store-bought. <i>This is a great opportunity to get your Scout troop, school, church/house of worship and other civic organizations involved in doing something to tangibly show support for our troops.</i></span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Please <u>do</u> <b><u>not</u></b> <u>write</u> <u>the</u> <u>date</u> <wbr>on your cards.</span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">Keep the cards fun and light-hearted – this is not a dating service! </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"></span></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Send in <span class="nfakPe">Valentine's</span> candy if you are able to! :)</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">If you have any questions, please contact us at </span></span></b><span style="color:#0000ff;"><u><a href="mailto:Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.org" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(61, 84, 89); "><b><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.<wbr>org</span></span></b></a></u></span><b><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"> or </span></span></b><span style="color:#0000ff;"><u><a href="mailto:info@operationlovefromhome.org" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(61, 84, 89); "><b><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">info@<wbr>operationlovefromhome.org</span></span></b></a></u></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">Check out our website: </span></span><span style="color:#0000ff;"><u><a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(61, 84, 89); "><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">www.<wbr>OperationLoveFromHome.org</span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"> for more info, and join our Yahoo Group to stay in the loop - </span></span><span style="color:#0000ff;"><u><a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(61, 84, 89); "><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">http://groups.yahoo.com/<wbr>group/LoveFromHome</span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;">!</span></span></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:Bookman Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><span style="font-weight: bold; ">Postage costs are our biggest expense, </span>and we are also in need of funds to file our 501(c)(3) application with the IRS. Donations towards postage and/or IRS filing fees are most gratefully accepted!</i></span></span></p><div style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:48px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); white-space: normal; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:16px;"></span></span></div></span>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-10093377686156428142009-01-10T13:16:00.003-05:002009-01-10T14:18:34.855-05:00OUCH!So, I got my annual registration/tag renewal for my purty, much-loved lill PT Cruiser that we bought in March, and paid it today (had to pay it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">right away</span> so that my 09 sticker for my license plate would be delivered before my birthday - the expiration date of the old one). $199.01 for my car for annual reg./tag renewal! OUCH! Oh yeah, and another $15 to renew my license for five more years...that also expires on my birthday. Happy 36 to me, a month early. Ack! LOL<div><br /></div><div>Wouldn't have been so bad, except hubby just spent a ton of $ getting stuff he needed to fix the brakes on the thing... yes, a lill over 12,000 miles and already it needed brake work... ack! brake pads, rotors, tools to DO the brake work.... etc) so that really killed us this week. Ack! again! </div><div><br /></div><div>But... on the bright side... we HAD it to pay today. Even if it does only leave us with *just* enough $$ for gas and absolutely positively nothing else (lol) for the next week, at least we could take care of it. *whew* (And I'm so glad that hubby's van renewal thingy isn't due till JULY, lol!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Last week, I spent my first week as a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">temp </span>for Really Big Law Firm In The City for three partners (which means that next Friday (or Monday, depending on if direct deposit is set up yet), I'll have a REAL paycheck! wooohoo!). I have really enjoyed being there! I hope like crazy it becomes permanent, but no gaurantees of that at all. They don't know if they are going to hire someone or not, so we will see. But I hope I stay...working for the practice group I'm in is downright INTERESTING, to say the least! :) And everyone is really nice, too. AND they have something I've always wanted....FILE CLERKS that DO ALL THE FILING! Yes, a virtually FILING-FREE JOB! Since I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">loathe </span>filing, I'm MOST happy about that. :-) Get the filing, email File Folks, and they come and take it and it magically disappears into the appropriate files. :) So cool. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, I got a phone call from a firm (not a headhunter, a REAL firm!) in Monroe, GA - which is SOOOO close to my house (like, 12 miles instead of the 35 miles I'm driving to Really Big Law Firm). I didn't get it till last night, cuz I had my cell phone OFF during the day while I was workinig...but I called them back to leave a message that yes, I am interested in talking with them further, etc. (No guarantees on the temp job with Really Big Firm In The City, you know...and working so close to home would be a dream come true, if the salary is enough for us to live on, etc....). They won't get the message till Monday, of course - so we will see if anything comes of that. They may decide not to bother with me since I'm temping somewhere, but I'd really like to interview with them if I could on an evening or something if possible...see if there's any possibility there. I'd <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">so </span>love a 20-30 minute commute, as opposed to a 90-minute commute. But I'll deal with a 90-min. commute if I have to... life in ATL, it is what it is. Have done it for ten years, so whatever.</div><div><br /></div><div>Keep your fingers crossed. The big thing is, I want to be where GOD wants me to be. So whatever is His will, that's what I'm happy with.</div><div><br /></div><div>One day at a time....</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-50239584026945697742009-01-03T13:52:00.001-05:002009-01-03T14:03:44.168-05:00VALENTINE'S CARD DRIVE FOR TROOPS - LET'S GIT-R-DONE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaF_KzJHmu98kdPO0mUjuiNlGuseGaBmUq4CAE3aYr78c9Zqz5K-1hORWdeeTb_YorUWsZdVy0MSL7zKLybeSnIXUftjVTyK2G8p0r9gYDpRW_ONHspP2I7l5p4VVfN2ne6Te/s1600-h/SEAN+DUSTMAN+WITH+CARDS.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaF_KzJHmu98kdPO0mUjuiNlGuseGaBmUq4CAE3aYr78c9Zqz5K-1hORWdeeTb_YorUWsZdVy0MSL7zKLybeSnIXUftjVTyK2G8p0r9gYDpRW_ONHspP2I7l5p4VVfN2ne6Te/s400/SEAN+DUSTMAN+WITH+CARDS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287145157257958082" /></a><br /><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><i><span style="Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:8.0ptfont-family:";">It's that time again, folks! Christmas is over with, New Year's celebrations are through (and hopefully recovered from!)... so now is the time to chase away those "after-holiday blahs" for our heroes! (Not to mention, the day-to-day "regular" blahs that come from being so far away from home!) Check out the info below to see how you can help -- and please do forward this on to others, post on your blogs, message boards, etc -- we need a lot of people working together to reach our goal by January 31! (We also have a nice, printable flyer that you can hand out to folks - just email us and we'll get it to you!) ~ Thanks for your support of our HEROES! <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style="Teen Light";mso-font-kerning:8.0ptfont-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><b><span style=" ;font-size:18pt;color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">VALENTINE'S CARD DRIVE FOR DEPLOYED TROOPS</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Mission:</span></span></b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> To collect at least 3,000 Valentine's Day cards for troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the world. We are also collecting Hershey's Kisses and Hershey's Hugs – the more, the better! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Reason:</span></span></b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> Being away from home and living in harsh conditions with combat & constant danger is difficult ~ our troops need to know we have not forgotten them!!! Mail from home helps to keep our troops' morale strong, making a very real difference in their lives. It keeps them motivated and focused when they know we care about them! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Address:</span></span></b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> Send your signed, unsealed thank-you cards to the following address: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">OPERATION LOVE FROM HOME</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">P.O. Box 1660</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Loganville, Georgia, 30052</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><b><i><u><span style=" ;font-size:14pt;color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">ALL CARDS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009.</span></span></u></i></b><span style=" ;font-size:14pt;color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><span style=" ;font-size:10pt;color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">(Sorry, no exceptions or extensions can be granted due to shipping time!)</span></span><span style=" ;color:red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><b><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Guidelines: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The cards can be handmade or store-bought. Even regular letters are fine. This is a great opportunity to get your Scout troop, school, church/house of worship and other civic organizations involved in doing something to tangibly show support for our troops. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Please do not write the date on your cards. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Keep the cards fun and light-hearted – this is not a dating service! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Send in Valentine's candy if you are able to! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">If you have any questions, please contact us at </span><a href="mailto:Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.org" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Kat@OperationLoveFromHome.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> or </span><a href="mailto:info@operationlovefromhome.org" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">info@operationlovefromhome.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Check out our website: </span><a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">www.OperationLoveFromHome.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> for more info, and join our Yahoo Group to stay in the loop - </span><a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.1pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:4.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white"><b><i><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Postage costs are our biggest expense, and we are also in need of funds to file our 501(c)(3) application with the IRS. Donations towards postage and/or IRS filing fees are most gratefully accepted!</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Teen Light"; mso-font-kerning:8.0ptfont-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-26189933447668960282009-01-03T10:46:00.003-05:002009-01-03T21:09:47.252-05:002008 WEBLOG AWARDS -- VOTE NOW! (before Jan 5!)OK, I'm soooo late in posting this, yikes! I meant to post this like 2 or 3 days ago, but Life got in the way and I couldn't get to it...ack! *puts self in corner with dunce cap on*<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, enough of that. One of the very <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">best</span></span></span> new milbloggers has been nominated for the 2008 Weblog Awards! I'm posting this in hopes that you will check out his blog and vote for him -- he's an excellent writer and he surely deserves this award! (I do have to warn you, his blog is DEFINITELY "R" rated in content at times. Or more like NC-17, perhaps - or NC-17 +++? He is an infantryman, after all, lol! Not for the faint of heart, howzat?). His blog is raw and real and gives a great glimpse into life in the Sandbox for a Soldier... a Jewish soldier, at that -- think about it. A Jewish soldier, serving in the Middle East. He's in double danger there -- not only because he's "there" in the first place, but because the bad guys over there hate all Jews with a passion. An American and a Jew - double target if it were known to the enemy (hence his absolute strict anonymity, of course!). BT's post about being the only one celebrating Hanukkah, out in the freezing cold because he wasn't allowed to light a candle inside a building, was heartbreaking. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, if you haven't already discovered <a href="http://www.sargeasmic.com/2008/12/my-contract-with-you-2008-weblog-awards.html">Big Tobacco</a>, check him out! And then VOTE for him in the 2008 Weblog Awards!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.sargeasmic.com/2008/12/my-contract-with-you-2008-weblog-awards.html">CLICK HERE!</a></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-45491034960069544762009-01-02T10:16:00.003-05:002009-01-02T10:18:23.621-05:00Sixteen Random Things<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">I was tagged on Facebook with this, thought I'd post it here, too. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged! :)</span></span></span></span><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rules:<br /><br />Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a post with sixteen random things, facts, habits, or goals about you.<br /><br />At the end, choose sixteen people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you - if i tagged you, it’s because i want to know more about you!!!! (not in a creepy stalker kinda way, honest! lol)<br /></span><br /><br />1. I will be thankful for and in the midst of EVERY situation in my life, no matter what, because God is in control ultimately and no matter how bad it gets, no matter what happens, He always has and will continue to take care of us. The fact that He loves me and forgives me and accepts me, in spite of myself, is more than enough to be thankful for, no matter how bad everything else get. :) ( <a href="http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=1+Thessalonians+5:18&passage2=&passage3=&passage4=&passage5=&version1=45&version2=0&version3=0&version4=0&version5=0&hidefootnotes=1&hidecrossreferences=1&Submit.x=77&Submit.y=11">1 Thessalonians 5:18</a>; <a href="http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Romans+8:28&version1=45">Romans 8:28</a>; <a href="http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Philippians+4:12-13&version1=45">Philippians 4:12-13</a>; <a href="http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=John+3:16-21&version1=45">John 3:16-21</a>; <a href="http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Romans+5:6-11&version1=45">Romans 5:6-11</a>)<br /><br />2. I am lucky enough to have some of the most FANTASTIC friends in the universe, I am grateful for them everyday! (yes, I stole this answer from the person who tagged me, but she's absolutely right - I'm blessed with the bestest friends in the world - love y'all!)<br /><br />3. I still need to find a job. Supposed to start a temp job Monday - but the commute is going to be horrible.<br /><br />4. I'm really very shy and quiet in person - I will email and post like crazy, because I'm far more comfortable with the "written" word than actually having to SAY something, LOL! In crowds I kinda keep to myself, unless I'm real comfortable with the people I'm with. I just never have much to say, really, LOL! On that same note, I'm HORRIBLE about returning phone calls, or making phone calls unless I really, really really HAVE TO, lol! Something to work on this year....!<br /><br />5. Good grief, I'm only on number 5?! (see #4 above - I just never have much to say, LOL!)<br /><br />6. I am praying in 2009 for more boldness and wisdom - boldness to be ABLE to speak, lol - and wisdom to know WHAT to say (or what NOT to say)! :)<br /><br />7. This year, one of my main goals is to get<br /><a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org/">Operation Love From Home's</a> 501c3 status finalized. Currently working on the application -- need $350 to file the thing once it's complete.<br /><br />8. Speaking of <a href="http://www.operationlovefromhome.org/">Operation Love From Home</a>, we are right now collecting Valentine's Cards, Hershey's Hugs & Hershey's Kisses to send to the troops. We need THREE THOUSAND signed cards by JANUARY 31 to ship all over the world for Valentine's Day. C'mon - show our troops you appreciate them! see our website for more details - www.OperationLoveFromhome.org. Every single card truly counts!<br /><br />9. Holy cow, I'm only on number 9? *sigh*<br /><br />10. In March, I'm supposed to start classes at Shorter College - just transferred there from Ga. Perimeter College. In 33 months if all goes well, I"ll have my B.S. in either Business Administration or Business Management (that should make me a bit more employable, I'm hoping!)<br /><br />11. I heart music and love to dance. (Even though I can't dance at ALL!!!)<br /><br />12. I'm getting back into the swing of things with my letter-writing, slowly but surely. Life Chaos is calming down somewhat (or I'm just getting used to it, lol) and I'm picking back up the things I had to drop over the summer/fall due to knee surgery and all.<br /><br />13. Being a member of the <a href="http://www.patriotguardriders.org/">Patriot Guard Riders</a> is one of the most important parts of my life - not THE most important part, of course (God, family, career come first) but the mission of the PGR is so very close to my heart and means so much to me to be able to do SOMETHING for the families of our heroes, it's up high on the list for sure.<br /><br />14. I would love to take ballroom dance lessons again! I took a brief 8-week introduction course many, many years ago, and loved it. :) (see numbers 3 and 11 above, lol)<br /><br />15. I NEVER want to get a tattoo - I hate needles and pain! (Of course, I also said I'd NEVER ride a motorcycle... and we all know how THAT turned out! lol! BTW - I'm dying to go for a ride - been way too long need my fix! lol!)<br /><br />16. I am going continue supporting the soldiers this year, though probably will need to cut it back to only 4 or so at a time. :(<br /><br />Am I done? Yay!!! finally! LOL! :)<br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11315953.post-79140440849524343642008-12-24T22:05:00.001-05:002008-12-24T22:07:08.827-05:00CHRISTMAS DAY, 2008 - A CONTRASTTomorrow morning, my two lill kids (two oldes are with their bio father in PA till 1/4) will wake up at some ungodly early hour, probably only minutes after I finally fall asleep, LOL, and bound into the living room to rip into their presents with unbridled small-child enthusiasm and delight. Laughter, joy and shreiks of excitement will be the order of the day, along with chaos, mess, barking dogs and toys galore.<br /><br /><br />Tomorrow morning, another family will welcome home their son who has been serving in a far-off desert war. He will be arriving via special charter plane.In a flag-draped casket.On Christmas Day.My heart BREAKS for this family. I keep thinking of the song, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" -- only that's NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE! Dangit.<br /><br /><br />I have small kids who will be doing the "OMGosh, SANTA CAME WHILE WE SLEPT!!!" deal, so I will not be able to be at the airport to honor and show supportfor this Hero and Family. Thankfully, there are others in the Patriot Guard who CAN be there... even on Christmas Day. ( The dedication and sincerity of this group of Patriots - the Patriot Guard Riders - is truly a humbling and amazing thing to see and be a part of!)<br /><br /><br />Keep this family in your prayers and remember:<br /><br />Only two forces have ever offered to die for you:<br /><br />JESUS CHRIST for the salvation of your soul and forgiveness for ALL sins<br /><br />*and*<br /><br />THE AMERICAN G.I. for your freedom and safety.<br /><br />THANK THEM BOTH TODAY... and do not forget.......<br /><br />My heart & prayers are with this family........Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01367064141753344111noreply@blogger.com2