War Fighters

Laying Low

O.M.G I've missed my blog!! I bought a new computer. A TOUCHSMART HP 20' monitor, well in the transition I lost all my sign ins and passwprds, I finally cracked it today & I'm back!! Not sure where to start, so much has happened. I'll think about it tonight and post tomorrow. Have a SAFE, FUN, HAPPY Halloween

Want to know something? While "holidays" are not allowed to be celebrated we still celebrate Halloween.......yes  its a HOLIDAY

Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats

Go figure Americas illogical reasonings behind what suits them best

See ya'll tomorrow!! Stay Warm.

Enough is Enough: We don't want a forever war

While the country focuses on the upcoming tenth anniversary of 9/11, there is another tenth anniversary that is coming up next week that triggered sweeping changes around the world.

Just a few days after 9/11, Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) — a single sentence that became the legal foundation for 10 years of war and of 10 years of claims of military power to imprison or kill civilian suspects far from any battlefield. Particularly with Osama bin Laden dead, al Qaeda incapacitated, tremendous levels of casualties for American service members, horrific harms caused by war to innocent people around the world, and with a country emotionally exhausted and financially depleted from 10 years of war, it is time for all Americans to decide whether it is time to turn the page on worldwide war, and decide for ourselves whether and where our country should actually be at war.

In emotionally intense debates on the floors of the Senate and House 10 years ago, members of Congress discussed the need for the AUMF, and their determination to give President Bush the authority to go after the plotters and planners of the 9/11 attacks and those who were harboring them. If you go back and read the debates, the focus was on apprehending or killing bin Laden and his co-conspirators and taking away their refuge in Afghanistan.

In those long ago debates on the 2001 AUMF, no one said the president should send the military or the CIA into places like Yemen, Somalia, Kenya, or Thailand, and certainly no one said the government should consider the AUMF to be a green light to kidnap terrorism suspects off the streets of places like Italy and send them to torture cells in places like Egypt, or to kidnap innocent people in places like New York's JFK Airport or while vacationing in Macedonia and send them off to places like Syria or to the Salt Pit prison in Afghanistan. No one said the U.S. should set up secret prisons in places like Poland and use the same torture tactics that we prosecuted other people for using. No one in Congress in the days after 9/11 thought a sleepy and long-ignored Naval base at Guantánamo would be set up as "the legal equivalent of outer space" or that the government would start eavesdropping on Americans without search warrants. And certainly no one at that time thought we would have a president drawing up lists of people slated for "targeted killings." But all of these things have happened by presidents claiming war authority under the post-9/11 AUMF.

Whatever one thinks of the need for the military to have responded forcefully in the days after the 9/11 attacks, it is now past time to say enough is enough. It should be up to Congress to decide, with clear objectives, whether and where the president can use America's military might. The answer cannot be anywhere and everywhere that any president thinks a terrorism suspect resides, even when there is no real threat to the United States. As Americans, we owe more to our own legacy and values than to be a country that makes war wherever any president decides on his or her own to make war, and we certainly owe more to the men and women serving our country and to the people here and abroad whom we claim to protect than to have a war with no end. We don't have to say no to war forever, but we must say no to a forever war.

A Call to Courage: Reclaiming our Liberties 10 yrs after 9/11

Ten years after 9/11, I join all Americans in remembering the unspeakable losses suffered on that tragic day. The 10th anniversary of 9/11 provides an opportunity to reflect on the turbulent decade behind us, and to recommit ourselves to values that define our nation, including justice, due process, and the rule of law.

In the early days after the attacks, we were reminded that America is not only the land of the free, but also the home of the brave. On the evening of attacks, President Bush addressed the nation, and stated, “Our country is strong. Terrorist acts can shake the foundation of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.”

We could not have imagined that in the decade to follow, our country would engage in policies that directly defied American values and undermined our Constitution. We lost our way when, instead of addressing the challenge of terrorism consistent with our values, our government chose the path of torture and targeted killing, of Guantánamo and military commissions, of warrantless government spying and the entrenchment of a national surveillance state, all of which now define the post-9/11-era. That is not who we are, or who we want to be.

Ten years later, our nation still faces the challenge of remaining both safe and free.

The way forward lies in decisively turning our backs on the policies and practices that violate our greatest strength: our Constitution and the commitment it embodies to the rule of law. It is that strength which is the best rejoinder our nation has to violence and to those who advocate it. Liberty and security do not compete in a zero-sum game; our freedoms are the very foundation of our strength and security. Consistent application of the law is what ensures that practices don't change simply because of a change in the White House.

Our choice is not between safety and freedom; in fact it is our fundamental values that are the very foundation of our strength and security.

A cure not a crime

Contemporary scientific evidence confirms the countless stories of the therapeutic effects of medical marijuana, which has provided unique relief for serious conditions, including cancer and AIDS, when no other medicine is as effective or free of side effects such as nausea or loss of appetite. Nearly one million patients nationwide now use medical marijuana as recommended by their doctors and in accordance with state laws.

Unfortunately, despite the scientifically proven benefits of medical marijuana, and even though nearly one-third of states have recognized those benefits, the federal government continues to ignore the facts, criminalize medical marijuana and obstruct further research into its medical benefits. In fact, the federal government categorizes drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine less seriously and thus permits such drugs to be prescribed where appropriate while prohibiting the prescription of marijuana to seriously ill patients.

Stubbornly denying the medical benefits of marijuana – and thus treating it differently than more serious drugs subject to extreme abuse – is scientifically unsound and deprives seriously ill patients of much-needed pain relief.

The federal government should make clear that it will not prosecute patients, doctors or dispensary operators for complying with state medical marijuana laws. Patients, providers and legislatures need assurance that they can proceed in confidence that state laws will be respected.

Through advocacy and litigation, the  Criminal Law Reform Project is working to increase the number of states that have authorized the use of medical marijuana, and to dissuade the federal government from prosecuting people for using medical marijuana in compliance with state laws.

Remembering September 11, 2001

The fact is, 19 people woke up that morning and changed the way America would be. The way Americans would think of themselves. The way our country was. America hasn't been the same since that fateful September morning.

We have gone to war for this and I personally feel that some people have forgotten what we're fighting for. A friend wrote in his e-mail this morning a comment his Captain made this morning: "civilians are like sheep and the armed forces are sheepdogs. The relationship isn’t always the friendliest unless there is a wolf out to attack the sheep."

I am thankful every single day for the men and woman who are fighting to protect my country, my freedom, my life. To those who have died, in the attacks and in the war since, Thank you and may you rest in peace.

Always remember, Never forget 9/11/01 

Since that day there have been many "theories" about that day but these are the facts:

At least 2,985 people died in the September 11, 2001, attacks, including:
19 terrorists
2,966 victims [2,998 as of Spring 2009] 

There were 266 people on the four planes:

American Airlines Flight 11 (crashed into the WTC): 92 (including five terrorists)

United Airlines Flight 175 (crashed into the WTC): 65 (including five terrorists)

American Airlines Flight 77 (crashed into the Pentagon): 64 (including five terrorists)

United Flight 93 (downed in Shanksville, PA): 45 (including four terrorists)

There were 2,595 people in the World Trade Center and near it, including:
343 NYFD firefighters and paramedics
23 NYPD police officers
37 Port Authority police officers
1,402 people in Tower 1
614 people in Tower 2
658 people at one company, Cantor Fitzgerald
1,762 New York residents
674 New Jersey residents
1 NYFD firefighter killed by a man jumping off the top floors of the Twin Towers

There were 125 civilians and military personnel at the Pentagon.
1,609 people lost a spouse or partner on 9/11. More than 3,051 children lost parents.
While it was mostly Americans who were killed in this horrific attack, there were also 327 foreign nationals.

PTSD: Not all Wounds are Visible

TRAUMA and guilt commonly co-occur. People who have experienced traumatic events may experience something called trauma-related guilt. What is trauma-related guilt?

It refers to the unpleasant feeling of regret stemming from the belief that you could or should have done something different at the time a traumatic event occurred. For example, a military veteran may regret not going back into a combat zone to save a fallen soldier. A rape survivor may feel guilty about not fighting back at the time of the assault.

Trauma survivors may also experience a particular type of trauma-related guilt, called survivor guilt. Survivor guilt is often experienced when a person has made it through some kind of traumatic event while others have not. A person may question why he survived. He may even blame himself for surviving a traumatic event as if he did something wrong

I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart
But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start

How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown

The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved
I never want to leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone

I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
 

I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth
And I've never opened up
I've never truly loved 'Till you put your arms around me

Me to You

Standing here in front of you

You never looked so beautiful

With every breath you steal my words away

It's like seeing you the first time

Yeah that's the way I feel tonight

In you I've found a place I wanna stay

Wish I could freeze you in this moment like a photograph

You're the life I always wanted but never dreamed I could have

It's so easy loving you

To trust you with my heart

There's nothing else I wanna do

It's so easy loving you

With you I feel I could touch the sky

I don't have to climb that high

To see that you're the better part of me

Wish I could freeze a moment and take you away

To a place somewhere only we could be

To trust you with my heart

There's nothing else I wanna do

Just being next to you

You're the final piece that fits

You're the smile I can't resist

For everything you brought me through and everything you'll ever do

I'm not searching or hoping for anything new

There's nobody could love me the way that you do

Our Family Values

Having strong well defined family values helps us solidify the foundation for a strong, tight knit family. When cultivated long enough this closeness provides a soft place to fall when life doesn’t go according to plan. Strong and consistent family values are important in building trust and confidence in each family member.  

 How do you define family values? In our home family values are rules or ideals that, as a family, we agree to live by and stay true to. The list of essential family values would be a mile long no doubt and the top 10 lists for each family would be as unique as the one that came up with it. I'm all for order, schedules and structure in my family to help maintain some level of sanity. But too much structure and the unwillingness to give a little can result in a lot of unhappiness and resentment. Something I knew all too well growing up with my parents. I look back and consider the sources from which they had learned how to parent, they were flying by the seat of their pants. They had NO positive or solid parenting skills. I am the result of a teenage pregnancy, broken family with no decent role models. I fight everyday to not be like my step mom. It is engraved into me that if she couldn't be happy no one could be. That I cant trust any man because if they aren't with you, they HAVE to be cheating on me, that if I'm not yelling no one will listen. The list goes on and on. Again my wonderful husband has in a great way RE PROGRAMED me to know right from wrong & it is night and day compared to what I had been exposed to all those early years. The more flexibility you have in decision making, for example, the happier your family will be for it. Imagine one member of the family always thinking they are right and enforcing their way of doing things. When think that, only one person comes to my mind & thats my step mom. This certainly didn't lead to much happiness within the family unit. For my family, to respect each other is to take feelings, thoughts, needs, and preferences in to account when making decisions. It also means acknowledging and valuing everyone's thoughts, feelings and contributions to the family as a whole. Another strong value we exhibit & instill  is  respect. Respect is indeed earned and there is a VERY fine line between it and fear. I grew up living in fear because if it wasnt a verbal beat down it was a physical repercussion. I have NEVER & will NEVER to that to my children.My children have a great respect for me as a mother & friend, my husband as well. The only way to earn and keep someones respect is to first show them respect yourself. Respect as an important family value will extend out of the home and into school, work or other social settings. Having been raised with a very low standard of respect, I at times find it hard to exhibit this characteristic to my children, as I have a LEARNED form of respect that was given by my parents and it was very weak. I over the past 11 yrs since moving AWAY from my parents, I've gained and learned what true respect is & I have my husband to thank for my solid foundation. Moving down the line honesty comes in right up there with respect. This is the foundation of any relationships that are meant to last. Mother-daughter, husband-wife, sister-brother. Without honesty a deeper connection will not form and certainly won't last.  Honesty was not a very strong value in my parents house growing up, so as a young adult I struggled with this as a result of the shady, two faced questionable actions I was raised with & witnessed. Again my husband stepped up to the plate and taught me the BASIC foundation skills that I should have been taught growing up. At the age of 30 he was teaching a 19 yr old that lying was wrong. I should have known, but given what I witnessed growing up was lie after lie to protect the ones you love........WRONG. Lying does no body any good. I witnessed that it was ok to lie to the police, that my brother wasn't home & that we had not seen him.......all the while he was hiding in the flippin horse stalls out back. Talk about confusing a child. We encourage honesty by practicing understanding and respect when someone tells you of their wrong doings. If we lose it and get angry when we're told what has happened the other person will be more likely to hide it from you next time simply to avoid the disrespect. We tell our children that if they tell the truth, they won't get in trouble. They always come forward after being told that & we deal with the situation accordingly & with respect. We never judge or point fingers in our house.

Forgiving people who have wronged you is an important choice to make. Yes, forgiveness is a choice. I have been wronged so many times in my life & with the poor skills that I was taught growing up I held on to everything & everyone that had done me wrong, it was all I knew. My step mom is a very bitter person and when someone crosses her, she makes sure she reminds them and hold on to it forever. I having been cooped up in the same house for so many years, i thought that was the only way to live........was to be miserable. If there is a exemplary example of forgiveness it is my husband and his immediate family. I was blown away by how they handle a situation and then forgive and move on!! I had no idea that could happen. It wasn't until about 5 mo ago that a certain life changing event that I realized I was harboring hatred for those who have done me wrong. I attend therapy 3 days a week for 1-1.5 hours each session & i reached a point when I realized the people doing me wrong were getting more of my time than what my family deserved. I sat with my therapist, went down the list of wrong doers and made the decision to FORGIVE each one of them. I can say without a doubt that I wish no ill will to anyone that has ever been part of my life. I have learned that those closest to me deserve my love and I have so much more to give now that I am not ANGRY all the time. I laugh when looking back on my growing up & can not for the life of me remember when my parents were happy........then my heart aches because I wish they knew how strong, comforting, deep, loyal & HAPPY the love of a happy devoted open my marriage is with my soldier. I wish every person I knew could feel it because its amazing. Those close to us always tell me how cute & sweet we are to each other. New friends think we are still dating or newlyweds. Time seems to not exist in our lives. We really do not have a care in the world & it feels great. Alot of our happiness comes from the true act of forgiveness.  It is not some feeling that randomly washes over you when you feel the other person has “suffered” enough. Holding a grudge, is not conducive to a close family with mutual respect. I believe that another great value in a solid family, is giving. Giving without thinking “what's in it for me” is an important value for anyone wanting to be a responsible, contributing member to society. We have taught our children that giving doesnt mean just giving someone some money, but its about giving your time, love & attention. I never knew the true meaning of giving until I became a mother. Now as my family is growing, giving has become as easy to me as breathing. I have turned out to be a wonderful mother despite my past. My husband has brought out the woman in me & my children have brought out my inner child & ability to be a best friend. Speaking of children, children have a natural curiosity. If you've ever watched a toddler even for a couple of minutes you'd see that quality shine through. For some that curiosity wanes. I think it's important to encourage and push our kids and even ourselves to be curious about things. Rarely should we ever just take someone's word for it. How do we spark our curiosity? Ask questions. Lots of them. Read about a topic you know very little about and don’t be afraid to say you don't know. Critical thinking is an important skill that can be learned and developed through exploring your own curiosity. I have always had a great sense of curiosity and to this day I still do. My kids are no exception & as they become more computer savy that will just add to their great knowledge of life. I believe that without communication we would not be able to experience and have a strong family bond or any of the above said values. Having family with mental illnesses presents its own challenges in its self, communication is a very very important. I never learned how to communicate PRODUCTIVELY until a few years into my marriage with the help of my husband and many many therapy sessions later. Now that I know how to communicate it makes being a parent SO MUCH EASIER!! Life got much simpler & I became a much happier person. Communication is a lot more than simply speaking your mind. In addition to spoken words, communication also extends to tone, volume, expression, eye contact, body language and effective listening. I would argue that this is the most important value for families to have. When people feel they can talk openly about anything – hopes, dreams, fears, successes or failures – all without judgment, it’s encouraging and strengthens the bond. Another value I consider to be important is responsibility. In this department, I have to give my parents credit, if anything they taught me how to be responsible. I was always up before the sun, taking care of their animals, then got ready for school, went to school, came home, did chores, homework, did the dinner dishes, shower then bed........day in day out. I had no social life after grade school due to having to be homeschooled because my half sister couldnt go to school because she caused problems & they couldnt afford private school after 3 yrs, I HAD to be home schooled. After the age of ten it was all about my half sister. I was yanked around like a puppet on strings. When I was 18 I couldnt wait to get away and the Army seemed like the right choice. It was. Structure was how I functioned. I knew nothing else. To this day, my husband & I are the most responsible people we know. I take pride in my dedication to making sure everything is taken care of. While my husband lives a life with the responsibility to the Army, we have adapted our own structure of responsibility in our own home. Last but not least its important to have family traditions. This is by far the most fun for me. I think traditions are what make a family unique, they draw people together and create a sense of belonging for everyone. Traditions don’t need to be expensive, elaborate or a lot of work. It can be something as simple as what we do, a lazy Saturday rockin the jammies watchin movies & ordering take out, Sunday when we dont get out of bed or wake up after noon, Thanksgiving when close family comes to dinner, an annual dinner to ring in the new year. If you don’t currently have traditions in your family, create them! We have traditions that our kids love & look forward too.

I've also learned that as an adult you don't have to carry the people into your future that are part of your past. It's ok to become the person that you want to be, have the beliefs that you want to have without fear or judgment from those who think you should do it their way. A last name, bloodline, or siblings related by marriage or 1/2 blood, they don't necessarily earn the title of being a family member. People who don't call, don't write & don't visit have not earned the place in your family to share in the joys and achievements. I have a very close knit family that we talk to on a weekly basis, we see each other 4-5 times a month, they come to our home for holidays, they respect our home & its few rules. We share in the births of babies, festive meals for birthdays & support each other when it feels like no ones in your corner. We do not fight, bicker, make snide remarks, imply any negative connotations, judge or belittle a single member of our family. We are mature and handle our family business in the privacy of our home. I am proud to say I am a hands on mother, in every way I can be, but I also allow my children to develop into their own beings. I do not force any opinion of mine onto them, they make their decisions based on what they have seen and have heard. Our children are very lucky to have a Gramma & Grandpa on the East Coast, Papa & Nanna 20 mins from our house & a Grandma in my home town. That are ALL active participants in their life. They have done what regular families do, by being there for birthdays, Christmas, other holidays. They send cards just because & it means so much to my kids. I am very protective of my children, something I wish I had as a child. Because had I been protected like my children, I would not have been sexually assaulted & sodomized. Everyone always dramatized my 1/2 sisters "traumatic" childhood but nothing was ever said or done about mine which was on so many levels more important to deal with, but decisions people made allowed the criminal to walk free. Thats something they have made me have to deal with.

But in the end, after all the trauma, bad decisions & minimal parenting skills, a beautiful, strong, devoted woman emerged. I want to thank my wonderful husband, Dick & Betty, Bill & Sue, Joyce & Lisa. You have all taught me many great things. Each one building up a part of me making me who I am today. I am a great mother, dedicated army wife & loyal friend. I'd say that having the set building blocks & firm foundation my family is a great one. If you want to be a member of my family, you dont have to be blood related, all you have to is BE ACTIVE with us, leave all judgments at the door, have an open heart & get ready to be loved like never before. We are excited as our little family grows. Family Values are so important. Is your family really a "family" at all??

Therapy that relieves symptoms of Trauma

Neuro feedback is a therapy for trauma. ......... Conventional psychotherapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder typically involves several years of individual and group sessions. Medication for anxiety, depression, and other symptoms is routinely prescribed with an open-ended time frame.All too often the individual becomes discouraged and drops out of therapy before they truly resolve their trauma and return to a normal life. It's hard to keep revisiting a destructive trauma in hopes of getting rid of the aftermath!

A new form of therapy for this disorder has emerged in the last few years. The pioneering work of Dr. Eugene Peniston at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Fort Lyons, Colorado, and Dr. Carol Manchester in Cincinnati, Ohio, has opened a new range of possibilities for those seeking help with serious, persistent anxiety and depression. The brain can literally be trained out of the destructive brain wave loops that keep the PTSD active. Neuro feedback professional provide this training, which can eliminate both the PTSD and its symptoms.

Using continuous feedback of information about the electrical activity of the client’s brain, the client is taught to allow themselves to go into a profoundly relaxed, yet quietly alert state. This is possible because certain patterns of brain electrical activity are known to correspond to this calm, centered feeling. Rather than treating symptoms or having a person work through a treatment regimen, the source of the problem is addressed directly - with training. A computer records EEG activity (brain wave patterns) using electrodes pasted on the scalp surface.This non-invasive "listening" device is painless and comfortable. In conventional NF, an assessment of the EEG activity is done. This allows the neurotherapist to determine the pattern of training that will be most beneficial for the individual. The computer is then adjusted so that it creates a musical tone as the person begins to generate more of the desirable brain rhythms. This “neuro-feed-back” literally guides the person to a more and more calm state. Clients begin to feel a tremendous sense of empowerment as they take back what they were deprived of by the trauma — a good nights sleep, feelings of calm and confidence, and a general sense of well-being.

The results of controlled studies, as well as clinical experience with this therapy have been tremendously encouraging. People who have been suffering from PTSD for ten and twenty years are often completely relieved of their symptoms. Follow-up testing has shown that the person becomes markedly less anxious, depression is reduced or eliminated, and the person is generally more comfortable and relaxed. The power of the traumatic incident is removed, reducing an all-consuming experience to a simpler factual memory. Release from trauma means regaining one's life.

Deeply Devoted Soulmates: Livin our Happily ever after

 The years have come & gone, with many chapters written. My love for my soldier is as strong today as it was over 10 yrs ago when he said hello. Its been a wonderful gift to love my american hero. There is nothing he will ever do that will lessen my love for him. My world revolves around him and our amazing family. I have come to learn that soldiers need prayers not only when deployed but also after. In fact I think they need them more after. I will never know what the memories from down range hold, but I do know the toll that they have taken. My soldier is not alone, I know that & I hope he does as well. We are blessed with a very strong, understanding, forgiving kind of love for each other & we are able to tell when each other is going through a rough time. My husband has been my rock since before I got out of the Army & has been my strongest supporter. I am forever in debt to him for standing by my side for the many years of our marriage that I was undiagnosed as being Bipolar Type II. We have been on top of the world and we have been at rock bottom. Once I was diagnosed and placed on medication things began to make alot more sense to BOTH of us. I have brought tremendous baggage & trauma to the union of our marriage but he has always been there to hold my hand and tell me that everything is going to be alright. We have reached a point in our marriage, 9 yrs in, having survived 2 very long deployments and my husbands 14 yr Army career its time for me to be the one that holds everything together. While he goes through the motions of going to work and coming home, its all starting to take its toll on him. Being diagnosed with PTSD is something that I know, personally, will cripple you to the core if you allow it too. He is the greatest husband a woman could dream of having, hes also a fantastic devoted father, son & brother. I know that depression greatly diminishes your view of your life and what you perceive yourself to be worth. I want him (& others) to know that you are NOT alone. The materialistic things that you posses DO NOT make who you are. Your diagnosed trauma does not make you less of a being or make you unlovable. I love my husband so much that I would do anything to ease the burden he carries, the trauma he has seen & take all his pain from him if I could. Since I cant the only other option is to, hold his hand, hold him tightly in my arms, listen to everything he has to say, support his decisions & show him how much I love him, I every possible way I can. I said till death do us part & promise to cherish him. He has taught me so much about life, I feel older but in a good way. I have always known I have been wiser beyond my years and to have him add to my knowledge is to me a great blessing. He is very smart and is a wonderful teacher. He is doing & will do great things in his future. As our family is growing I am twitterpated with the fact that he is all mine. I feel like a kid in a candy store. The rest of my life holds so much promise & the things that we can accomplish together are yet to be seen. We are giving our children a great life & its a sense of achievement knowing we are giving our children a better life than we had. So as the day comes to a close, I can say without a doubt, we are so much in love and hold each other every night while we sleep. I dont know why we have a king size bed, we could fit in a twin............just makes more room for our munchkins. My husband and I are living our happily ever after. There is no where else I want to be & I'm exactly where I am meant to be. I'm done for the night but will be back tomorrow to talk about our family and how much it means to us. Night all ((hugs))
my

REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER gets CUSTODY of 3 yr old

 Family and friends held up signs in front of the Baker County courthouse asking for the publics help in getting a nearly 4-year-old girl back after a judge granted custody of her to a sex offender. Last week, the judge found that the law requires Miranda Coleman be turned over to her legal, but not biological, father, Donald Coleman, because he was married to her mother. Her mother died, and now her family is begging to get the girl back in their custody, saying she shouldn't be living with a man who's a registered sex offender. Miranda's mother's family said they're worried about her well-being, and despite all the legal documents and arguments, they don't want people to forget that at the middle of all the debate and drama is an innocent young girl.

"We see her toys, and they're still in the same place," Becky Graves, Miranda's aunt, said while crying. "She doesn't wake up in the morning to tell us she loves us. She doesn't tell us she loves us before she goes to bed."

Graves said she has been brought to tears a lot lately since Miranda was taken away from her family by order of the courts. Miranda will be 4 years old on Sunday. She'll likely spend her birthday with her legal father, Coleman, a registered sex offender. "You can't play with a child's life," Graves said. "It's not a puppy. It's a human being.

"The custody battle is long and complicated. Coleman had a relationship with Miranda's mother, Wanelle Coleman, years ago. He was 38 at the time, and she was just 14. Wanelle Coleman became pregnant and had Donald Coleman's child. Donald Coleman was charged with having sex with a minor and sent to jail. But Wanelle and Donald Coleman said they were in love, so they stayed together, got married and had two more children. Miranda was the result of an extra-marital affair. It was part of the reason Wanelle and Donald Coleman were going through a divorce in 2007.

But before the divorce was final, and when Miranda was only weeks old, Wanelle Coleman died in a car crash, meaning Donald Coleman was still Miranda's legal father. That's why a judge last week granted custody to Donald Coleman and not Wanelle Coleman's family, who fears for the little girl's safety in Donald Coleman's home. "There's rodents and holes in the floor and wires hanging from the ceilings. There's exposed wires in the wall," Graves said of Donald Coleman's house. Circuit court documents appear to tell a different story.

The motions filed allege Miranda's grandmother, Rita Manning, who's been raising Miranda since she was born, "wrongfully removed or wrongfully detained the minor child." Manning was charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she allegedly knew of the relationship Donald Coleman had with Wanelle Coleman when she was just a young teen, according to the documents. An emergency motion in the documents reads, "Rita Manning has charges in the past relating to children, which cause concern for the safety and well-being of the child.

"Manning's family, though, denies she is responsible for any wrongdoing and say she only signed off on the marriage because she felt it was best, given her daughter was already pregnant. Friends and family of Miranda's late mother have been outside the courthouse for days now, protesting, asking for help. They want Miranda back, and they said they won't give up until they have her. "It's awful," Graves said. "She's been with us since she's been born, and to have her snatched out of our arms is just as bad as losing her mom.

"Donald Coleman was unavailable for comment Monday. He also has custody of the three children he fathered with Wanelle Coleman. Wanelle's family is trying to get custody of them, too. They said they want all of Wanelle's children because they said they're at risk for some serious harm living with Donald Coleman because of his past. Graves and her family said that as they fight to have Miranda back, they want the laws changed on who a sex offender can have custody of

Our Dreams

The science of dreams is obviously not a clear-cut one. While many believe our dreams mean something, there are also many who don't. But what about dreams that have foretold future events? Has this simply been coincidence? Below are some examples of dreams that have reportedly done just that.....


In Lucid Dreaming," Stephen LaBerge reports that a man took his small son camping near a lake in a small valley near their home. He took the son to the water's edge to take a bath but realized he had forgotten the soap. He left the boy standing by the edge of the water and saw him picking up pebbles and throwing them into the water. When he returned with the soap, his son was lying face down in the water, dead. The man awoke and immediately realized this was only a dream. A while after that, some friends invited him and his son to go camping. Although it didn't occur to him immediately, the setting was similar to the setting he had seen in his dream. At one point during the camping trip, he took his son to the lake to take a bath but realized he had forgotten the soap. He sat the boy down and was leaving to get the soap when he saw the boy reach down and pick up pebbles to throw into the water. His dream immediately jumped into his head, and he snatched the boy up and took him with him.

There is an investment group made up of people who have precognitive dreams about stocks. Phenomena Magazine: Precognitive Stock Market Dreamers (November 1, 2004) reports that Dr. Arthur Bernard, a psychologist who teaches dreamwork and a member of the group, had a very successful experience. He had a recurring dream about an obscure biotech stock called ICOS. In the dream, he saw the stock suddenly explode in value. Because of the intensity of the dream, he felt sure that this dream was precognitive. He bought about 40,000 shares of ICOS at $4 per share. He sold his shares in 1998 at $28 each, amounting to an approximate $1.6 million profit.

Science Frontiers Online: Precognitive Dreams (Nov-Dec 1998) reports that M.S. Stowell, in her doctoral dissertation, interviewed several people who claimed to have precognitive dreams. Of 51 presumed precognitive dreams, Stowell was able to prove that 37 had indeed come true. One report from a woman named Elizabeth told of a dream about a plane crashing on a highway near an overpass. Elizabeth was driving her car on that highway at the time and could see that the plane was going to crash there as she drove under the overpass. In her dream, she just escaped the plane. Within a few weeks, a plane crashed on the highway she had dreamt about.

Ongoing Dream Research and Therapy:
Research in various areas of dreaming is ongoing, particularly in the areas of REM sleep and lucidity. One study in lucid dreaming involves trying to get the dreamer to communicate with observers while he or she is dreaming. Stephen LaBerge, who is at the forefront of lucid dreaming research, has successfully achieved communication through eye movements, but of course this type of communication is very limited. His ongoing work involves dreamers wearing a glove that incorporates movement sensors to record hand movements during sleep. By using sign language, they hope be able to get reports of dreams as they are occurring.

Juggling

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you're keeping all of these in the Air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.

But the other four Balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it."

Men vs. Women

We don’t understand Women : Their “Whatever” “Anything” OR “You Decide”
1 . (Whatever)
Men: What should we have for dinner?
Women: Whatever..
Men: Why don’t we have Mexican?
Women: No not Mexican, the last time i got pimples on my face
Men: Alright, why don’t we have Szechwan cuisine
Women: Yesterday we ate Szechwan, today too?
Men: Hmm….. I suggest we have seafood
Women: Seafood is not good, I got diarrhea
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women : Whatever..
2. (Anything)
Men: So what should we do now?
Women: Anything
Men: How about watching a movie? It’s been a long time
Women: Watching movie is no good, it’s a waste of time
Men: How about we go for bowling, or some exercises?
Women: Exercise on such a hot day?
Men: Then find a cafe and have a drink
Women: I am off caffeine
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women: Anything

3. (You decide)
Men: Then do we just go home?
Women: You decide
Men: Let’s take the bus, I will accompany you
Women: The bus is dirty and crowded.
Men: OK; we will take a cab
Women: Not worth it… for such a short distance
Men: All right, then we can walk. We can enjoy the weather
Women: I am hungry, can’t walk.
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women: You decide
Men: Let’s have dinner first?
Women: Whatever…
Men: What shall we eat?
Women: Anything..

w o m a n

If you kiss her, you are not gentlemen
If you don’t, you are not a man
If you praise her, she thinks you are lying
If you don’t, you are good for nothing
If you agree to all her likes, she is abusing
If you don’t you are not understanding
If you visit her too often, she thinks it is boring
If you don’t, she accuses you of double crossing
If you are well dressed, she says you are a playboy
If you don’t, you are a dull boy
If you are jealous, she says it’s bad
If you don’t, she thinks you don’t love her
If you attempt a romance, she says you didn’t respect her
If you don’t, she thinks you don’t like her
If you kiss her once in a while, she professes you are cold
If you kiss her too many, she yells that you are taking advantage
If you fail to help her in crossing the street, you lack ethics
If you do, she thinks it’s just one of the man’s tactics
If you stare at other, she accuses you of flirting
If she is stared by others, she says that they are just admiring
If she talks, she wants you to listen
If you listen, she wants you to talk

In Short:
So simple, yet so complex
So weak, yet so powerful
So confusing, yet so desirable …women!

MEN

If you kiss him, he kisses you back
If you don’t, he patiently waits
If you praise him, he says thanks you
If you don’t, he feels secure in your love
If you agree to all his likes, you have met your fantasy man
If you don’t, you still get along
If you visit him often, he welcomes you every time
If you don’t, he’ll visit you instead
If you are well dressed, he says you are beautiful
If you don’t, you are still beautiful
If you are jealous, he reassures you and holds you
If you’re not, he gives you no reason to be
If you kiss him once in a while, he’s appreciative of your affection
If you kiss him often, he will always have you on his mind
If you stare at another man, he knows that you’re only admiring
If he is stared by other women you know why-he’s one hot babe
If you talk, he’ll always listen
If you listen, he’ll tell you anything you want to know

Be AWARE, a crying baby may not be what you think........

Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby

Sad & Scary!!

My Graphics



MSNBC New Anchor is not a fan of Sarah Palin

Martin Bashir, it seems, is not a fan of Sarah Palin. And during his MSNBC show and “Clear the Air” segment, he went looking for a way to roast the possible 2012 candidate who is now on a national bus tour. So what tool did he use to blast the woman even many of her detractors see as patriotic? The American flag.



According to Bashir, Palin could be breaking the law by displaying the American flag on her tour bus:
In fact, the whole thing could be in breach of a federal law because the United States Flag Code establishes important rules for the use and display of the stars and stripes, the flag of the United States. Under standards of respect and etiquette, it’s made clear that the flag of the United States should never be used for any advertising purpose whatsoever. Yet that’s precisely what Sarah Palin is doing. She’s using the flag of the United States for her own financial purposes. She drapes herself in the stars and stripes and makes millions of dollars in the process. This has got nothing to do with the presidency and everything to do with filling her pockets. And by raising her profile, she raises her income. It is as simple as that. So she was right when she said that hers is not a campaign bus. It‘s a cash bus and she’ll keep it rolling for as long as she can

NewsBusters quickly takes Bashir to task, especially reminding him that the U.S. Flag Code is not federal law:

The only problem: the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning is protected by the First Amendment. If flag burning is protected speech, certainly displaying the flag on a tour bus is legal. Or do the rules not apply to Sarah Palin? In Bashir’s warped sense of reality, conservatives like Palin would be arrested for flying the American flag at rallies in which they promote causes that Bashir does not support.
[...]
The Congressional Research Service, a non-partisan organization that provides legal analysis to members of Congress, clarified that observance of the Flag Code is “purely voluntary” in a 2008 congressional report: “While wearing the colors may be in poor taste and offensive to many, it is important to remember that the Flag Code is intended as a guide to be followed on a purely voluntary basis to insure proper respect for the flag.”

Considering Palin’s profile has been raised so much in the last week, she can expect attacks like this from the left. But attacks like this are a weak attempt at a nuanced smear campaign

Obama & Twitter