Our Hero

Hours ago I heard about an incident that was both tragic and miraculous. After hearing about the accident I stood dumbfounded, tears in my eye, sad, mad, concerned for the future well being of those involved. Thousands are affected by incidences like this all the time. Mostly I stood there wondering why. Why does this go on? Why do human beings do this to other human beings, why do some die and others live, why my brother in law and not someone else's? Karma? Fate? Luck? God (okay if it was God why not spare other lives that were taken unfairly)? I've cried out with bitter sweet emotion. My brother in law's life was spared but not someone else's. Mostly it leaves me a little empty and in wonder. My sister gets her husband back, my nephews get their dad back, his mom and dad get their son back, my sons get their uncle back and I get my brother in law back. These things I am thankful for. I realize this is not a unique story, this happens in war and in wars past. Some come back (albeit changed but they come back to join their friends and family), some don't and why is that? When I look at the bigger picture I think, yes this is just how it is, death happens in war. When I think of the personal stories (the tragedy, the miracle, the reason for someone fighting and working in a land that is on high alert nearly all of the time and upon departure, finally after a year, two years when one is starting to smell the smells of home their lives are taken, en route to the final journey home) I say why and how. With this heavy heart and mind I go further in my wonderment and think about why some are born into poverty stricken, war stricken lands. I was born into a land that I can with no level of threat go running outside and play softball at night. I do not know if this war is justified, right or wrong, if it should end or go on but I do know I am thankful for those who do risk their lives and long term mental and physical health for the greater good. Is this war really being fought for "our freedoms," I don't know and neither do many others. Sad and somewhat embarrassed to say but I've lost track of what is going on in the war and why we are still fighting. Why haven't we come up with a good plan that allows the people of those nations to sort their problems out, to build their own democracy and fight for their own freedoms. I do realize their problems (terrorists groups oragnizing in their lands) are also our problem. This much I have not lost sight of.

I am forever grateful to those who belong to a story that is both tragic and miraculous. You are my heroes.

This is a link to the particular miracle and tragedy that I write about. May those lives lost rest in peace and those lives spared flourish.

http://www.alqimmah.net/showthread.php?t=6086

Asleep in the car once again. I question why i have no back up reading material on hand for as many hours that i have been stuck in the car with passed out little people. How can two little people be the sleepingest car sleepers ever, makes for great long trips but come on we were only going to the grocery store!

Hey now!

Thank god today is friday. Not functioning at full capacity after several glasses of wine and too little sleep...sorry boys

Testing can not figure this out testing

From home in Washington to Idaho to Oregon to Florida

Okay maybe my traveling plans were a little over zealous as we went from Idaho to Oregon to Florida in a few weeks. After week one of traveling one of us got sick and that started a free fall that got a little out of control -as most free falls tend to- and we all then proceeded to get sick and wound up with ear infections, hearing loss that has not been restored, and snot still pour out of our noses. We spent a week in Idaho playing in the mud and hunting for Easter eggs and then we had a very good visit with our Bubbe and Grandpa from New York. We played on the beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon despite Zane's constant low grade fever (oops, since having one myself I now realize how miserable he must have been lying around on the beach) and then we traveled on to Florida to visit Aunt Tami and Grandma and Aunt Jeanie. It was me and the boys and I do not know how I actually got them on and off a plane by myself to finally land in Florida where I nearly dropped dead (or would have liked to considering I had a low grade fever myself and felt like I got ran over by a bus). En route to Aunt Tami's in central Florida Zane proceeded to put putty in his hair which ended up hardening over night like any good Rubbermaid product does, I'm sure! I'm talking rubber!! Stuck literally to his head. My sister's very resourceful step son, Travis (a current, on his toes college student) came home and suggested we google suggested putty removal techniques, hmm brilliant! It worked and believe it or not it is all about the hand sanitizer, it must be worked into the putty and the hair straight out of the bottle. After nearly two hours it was out and all was well-- no crew cut necessary.

I proceeded to lay around my sister's home, mostly quarantined to my sister's bedroom, as she said that would be easier for her to fumigate after my departure. It was after several days that I decided to go to the local urgent care to get some drugs that if nothing else might have a placebo effect and therefore allow me to actually enjoy the rest of the "vacation." Turns out an ear infection was to blame for the endless low grade fever and drugs just might help. Several hours after taking the antibiotic I was having some very tasty shrimp and soon thereafter I had some sort of allergic reaction (I refuse to believe it was the shrimp as the antibiotic gave me an itchy rash the next day, yes I did get a different antibiotic) my lips started swelling and itching and my butt started itching (that's right) and then I started shivering uncontrollably, meh, off to the emergency room as I just could not stop this uncontrolled annoying shiver to the point my teeth were chattering and I couldn't make them stop. Of course it took hours to see a doctor and of course I was fine by the time I saw someone so yes that was much wasted time. Zeb visited that same urgent care and he also was full of infection in his ears but did not react to any antibiotic and after one really bad night all was well.

Anyway the boys saw Mickey, Donald and Pluto shortly thereafter and all was fine, the Dumbo ride was questionably worth the wait and the Small World Afterall was undoubtedly the best ride for two three year olds. Florida was hot and sunny and we all got some MUCH NEEDED vitamin D and, with a little luck, I got us all back to Tacoma safe and sound.