Bronze Star

I wanted to share this because I am continually amazed at the strength of the man I married. I love him for being a part of selfless and courageous things like this, as much as I love him for trying to help me get our six-year old to stop sucking his thumb.

The following is the narrative written when Skip received a Bronze Star in Iraq. (I took out our last name for privacy purposes). The picture above includes one of the men whose life was lost during the incident. I am proud of my husband, I am proud of what he does. I support his career as a US Army Soldier, but I cannot wait for this war to be over.

May 4, 2006 Sergeant First Class (SFC) Alfred B distinguished himself with valor for his actions following an IED strike on a vehicle in his platoon on ASR Jackson in the vicinity of CP543. Earlier in the morning an IED blast had damaged the platoon Buffalo, resulting in two flat tires, and a damaged hydraulic arm. Immediately after linking up with recovery assets and continuing the return to base, the lead RG-31 in the convoy was struck by a devastating IED blast, killing two Soldiers, and wounding three. SFC B quickly maneuvered his platoon to ensure security at the scene. Upon doing this, he pulled his vehicle closer to the blast and dismounted with the platoon medic rushing to the scene. Soon after dismounting, an RPG was fired at the patrol. With the medic, he quickly began administering aid to a wounded Soldier who had been thrown from the vehicle in the blast.

After ensuring the casualty was in good hands, SFC B ran to the vehicle which had burst into flames, and helped lower a casualty from the gunner turret and immediately saw to his care. Recognizing a Soldier was still trapped inside the vehicle now engulfed in flames, SFC B and two other Soldiers immediately began a successful rescue attempt. With little regard for his personal safety, SFC B climbed into the rear of the flaming vehicle and began fighting to the front where the wounded Soldier was. SFC B was turned back several times by heat and flames. After reaching the trapped Soldier and cutting him free with CLS scissors, SFC B immediately began first aid on the Soldier. SFC B did not waver in his determination, ensuring he would not rest until the trapped Soldier was pulled from the vehicle.

Soon after his removal, the ammunition in the vehicle began to cook off, exposing SFC B and the platoon to another danger. Heat from the fire was so intense that it melted the ballistic windows. He backed his Soldiers away from the vehicle and continued to care for the wounded and ensure they received the best possible treatment.

SFC B’s actions clearly reflect a life lived by the Army Values. His actions embody the spirit of the phrase, “leave no man behind.” By climbing into a flaming vehicle in an attempt to save a trapped Soldier’s life, SFC B demonstrated to his men the true meaning of the words personal courage. His actions set an example for all the Soldiers who hear his story, and will never be forgotten by those who watched him risk his life to save another. SFC B’s actions are in keeping with the finest values which we as an Army hold dear. His fearlessness in the face of danger is an inspiration to all Soldiers, and goes above and beyond what could be expected from a Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer. His actions reflect great credit upon himself, the 5th Engineer Battalion, the 16th Engineer Brigade, the 4th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

PROPOSED CITATION FOR THE BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE MEDAL TO SFC ALFRED B FOR HEROISM IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST A HOSTILE FORCE IN IRAQ IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. SFC B DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF WHILE PERFORMING DUTIES AS A PLATOON SERGEANT IN BRAVO COMPANY, 5TH ENGINEER BATTALION DURING AN INSURGENT AMBUSH ON 4 MAY 2006. SFC B, WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR HIS PERSONAL SAFETY HELPED PULL TWO SOLDIERS FROM A BURNING VEHICLE. SFC B'S PERSONAL BRAVERY AND CALMNESS UNDER EXTREME DURESS REFLECT GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF, THE 5TH ENGINEER BATTALION, THE 16TH ENGINEER BRIGADE, THE 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION, AND THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

This is the memorial over in Iraq dedicated to the four men from his unit who lost their lives during their mission.

Memorial Day

They had an awesome flag display at the local cemetery. Check out the slideshow below for more shots.

I took the kids to the cemetery today. I realize it may seem a bit morbid, but I want them to have some kind of connection to their past. History is so valuable, yet so overlooked. At WalMart today, there was a veteran handing out Red Poppies "for the boys who didn't come home." I felt so emotional when I looked at him. Tom Brokaw calls them "The Greatest Generation" and I couldn't agree more. One of my favorite things to do is sit with older men who have fought in wars. They understand hard work, they understand sacrifice, they understand loyalty and commitment. I sometimes feel sad for the younger generations, that these things might be lost to them.

War is never a good thing. It can produce good results, but often at a high price. Skip has been to war a lot. He has seen it all. I would not have traded places with him for anything in the world. I'd rather not detail his experiences today, but I appreciate Memorial Day for the opportunity it gives me to reflect on them. And I am grateful he is alive, he is my husband, and we are for eternity.

Time Keeps On Ticking

I consider the summer to have officially started. Skip left today for a 6 week training stint. His leaving is like the start of a snowball rolling. School goes another week and a half, then we have 2 weeks until the kids leave for their summer visit at their dad's. When they leave, instead of sitting in this house all alone, I decided to go visit my brother and his family in Connecticut, and then go see my parents in NC. The day I fly home from that, Skip will finish his training. I will meet up with him for a week in Seattle to reconnect a bit... no kids, just us after 6 weeks apart. I'm already dying for it. A week later, Jordan and Sam fly in. We'll hang out at home for a few weeks, then drive down to Utah for a reunion with my college girlz. My 3 kids will fly back into Utah, at which point we will hang out a few more days in Utah before taking off for Southern Cal. We'll hang out there for a week or so, drive back up to drop off Jordan and Sam in Utah, and then wind our way back home. School starts shortly after that.
Can you even imagine the insanity? I am looking forward to it all, while holding my breath. I think everyone is going to be wiped out. Hopefully we'll be able to pull some successful family bonding out of it all... and at the very least, I'm expecting to get some good pictures taken. Poor Jordan and Samantha... they're going to have to pose for a week straight so I can even out the number of pictures I have of them vs. the number I have of the other three!

Anyway. I'm on a blogging blah. I have nothing exciting or witty to write about, so in the mean time, you're stuck with MORE PICTURES OF MY KIDS.

The End.

Age Is Fine For Cheese and Wine

Today my husband sent me a link to take an online quiz and determine my Real Age. (You can try it too, if you feel so inclined, by clicking on my handy-dandy link). We participated in this quiz for one or more of the following reasons:
1. We were nervous that perhaps we weren't actually as old we had spent our entire lives thinking.
2. We were hopeful that we were actually younger than we spent our entire lives thinking.
3. We have nothing better to do with our time.

The quiz basically takes you through a series of questions regarding your health, habits, relationships, diet and fitness. It's actually kind of cool, because it helps identify those areas that you need to improve in order to have your body age in conjunction with the pages of the calendar.

I will admit I went in smugly, because I eat really well, I've always exercised, I have great friends and family who are a big part of my life, I've never habitually smoked, drank, blah, blah, blah. Miss Perfect was looking to come out in her biological twenties.
The Mr. in this equation eats red meat as if we own a cattle ranch. I won't divulge his past habits, but suffice it to say I knew he would be checking a lot more "yes I have" boxes than I did. He never really gets why I have "so many friends" and feel the need to communicate with them daily. Mr. Not Quite As Perfect As His Wife should've been rolling into his biological fifties.

Well.
Guess what.

I came in "SEVERAL" YEARS OLDER than I actually am, and he came in "SEVERAL" YEARS YOUNGER!
The results looked a little somethin like this:





I claim total unfairness because I had to check off "yes" on the breast cancer gene. He claims that it TOTALLY DOESN'T MATTER if he eats crap every day, never talks to his friends, and spent half his life with Captain Morgan.

And apparently, he's right.


*In all fairness, the guy bikes twenty-two miles a day. But I'M the one who eats eggplant and doesn't drink soda. I WAS THE GOOD SON!

A Man, His Wife, and Their Pheasants

We have an ongoing "conversation" in our house about the pheasants. Click here for the original story. Last night, the kids and I spotted this one on the way home. We pulled over to grab a picture of it. I came home, and changed Skip's computer desktop from the family picture to this:


He totally loves it, and he's going to keep it up for a long time, mostly because he's a huge fan of the bird, and also mostly because he thinks I'm the funniest person EVER.

Right babe?

Quick Pix

So. I've been working with this new camera. I haven't been satisfied with the pictures I've been taking. I've made that horrible mistake that women make... I compare my stuff to everyone else's. I know a lot of my blogging circle have the same camera that I do. And I see their pictures are phenomenal. Mine have been okay, but not phenomenal.
Being a bit of a perfectionista, I had a near breakdown last week about the issue. My husband, bless his soul, sat on the bed staring at me with the whole "deer in the headlights" look, before finally saying, "um, are you CRYING?" So in an effort to redeem myself, and recapture a bit of rational, adult behavior, I set out to learn a few things RE: the Canon Rebel. It was that, or smash my husband over the head with said camera.
Anyway. Here's how it turned out:

I'm happy. I'm learning. And Noe is now ready to smash the camera over MY head. It stinks being the only child at home.

The Party

Mika's birthday... in pictures (and a couple words):

We are ready to do some serious family biking. He was ready to ride the bike of men. I cried when I saw my baby on a bike with gears.

Birthday spankins are a must. As you can see by his face, he loved every one of them.

He invited a bunch of friends over for his party. They played football,
and basketball,
and had water balloon fights.He got some fun presents,
and is now officially ten years old. He has made a huge effort this year to adjust to his new family situation. He is loyal and committed to his father, and he is unconditionally accepting and loving with Skip. He worked hard in school, got excellent grades, kept up with Scouts, played football and soccer, made new friends in a new town, and set a goal to be more patient and kind with his brother. I couldn't be prouder of him. A lot has been asked of him, and he continues to rise to the occasion.

Happy Birthday Meex!

Today is Mika' 10th birthday. In keeping with tradition, here is my top ten list of why I adore my son:
1. He has a very giving heart.

2. He loves sports, and is so enthusiastic about participating.

3. He works hard at school, and has super grades.

4. He enjoys spending time with me, which I hope will continue through the teenage years.

5. He makes an effort to be friends with those who need a friend.

6. He willingly offers me back massages and foot rubs. No, really, he does. I don't even have to ask for them!

7. He often goes the extra mile.

8. He has embraced every member of his new family, on both sides, with open arms.

9. He LOVES to dance, and is getting pretty good at his beat box.

10. He was my longest labor (6 hours), my only child for over three years, and has promised to reward me for being his mother by caring for me when I'm old and feeble.

Happy Birthday Buddy! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Words from McGruff...

Blogapalooza was mostly about fun. We did, however, take a brief moment to discuss some of the issues and topics related to blogging. One in particular was that of safety. We are mostly moms, posting about our families. And we throw a lot of information up on that website, without even realizing we're doing it.
The odds of a creepy stalker coming into your life are slim. Nonetheless, here are a few tips to keep in mind when blogging:

1. Consider not using your last name on anything: your URL address, your blog title, your profile... nothing. Just out of curiousity, I tried an experiment. So as not to put anyone on the spot, I'll change the last name to Nacho, as in you should hope this is Nacho Family.
I see on Patty's blog the title "The Stories of the Nacho Family", and in the profile, a picture of her and her husband labeled "Patty and Paul". So now I know they are Patty and Paul Nacho. I can also see in the profile that they live in California. So I hit the white pages and look them up. POOF! An address. I take that address, plug it in to Yahoo Real Estate, and up pops their house, with a listing of local schools. I also notice the Nachos have adorable children, whose names are also clearly posted. I then found out which school the Nacho children would be in based on their address in relation to the school zone. All this from the last name being visible.

2. Avoid specifically naming local attractions, universities, parks or events. Go to the Plainville Farmers Market every weekend? Blog about it? Hang out at Skaket Beach? Blog about it? The more specific you are about where you go, the easier it would be for someone to go there too.

3. Add a tracker to your sidebar. Most people use Sitemeter. While you initially may be using it to satisfy your vanity and see how popular your blog is, it could also be a tool for tracking who visits regularly. If you notice someone visiting regularly from the same location, and don't know who it could be, start asking around. It's likely just a lurker (someone who likes your blog but won't comment... not to be confused with a stalker, who likes your children but won't comment).

4. Don't let people Google your blog. I did a post about dominoes once, and I noticed on my Sitemeter that people would find my blog post after googling topics related to "rules for playing dominoes." Sitemeter tells you how people found your blog. No one needs to be finding it on Google. Do the following to ensure they can't:
-Go to the settings tab
-Go to the 4th topic: let search engines find your blog
-Select No and save changes

5. An additional safety feature would be to prevent your blog from being added to Blogger's listings. Follow the same steps as above, only select the 3rd option: add your blog to our listings. Then hit No.

6. Don't list your city when you choose your location. Naming the state isn't too bad, but no one really needs to know your city. If you become friends with people, let them know privately.

7. Think twice before mentioning where you or your spouse works. If someone knows your job, it would be easy to figure out your schedule as well.

I hope I'm not freaking anybody out here. Like I said, the odds of this happening are very low. But it's only wise to be as cautious as possible when it comes to our families. I know I have been a little too lax in some of my posts as well. If you have your last name anywhere on there, think twice about it. I found your kid's school today. I know what sport they play. I know their name. All of that would've been much harder to pursue if I didn't have your last name. I feel kind of like McGruff the crime dog, doing a public service announcement. I should make a joke about taking a bite out of crime, but I can't think of one that's actually funny.
Bummer.

Mom

This is my mom. She is one talented woman. She is artistic, creative, she sings, plays the piano, directs a mean choir, sews, gardens, cooks, knows more about sports than most women alive... you name it. She is unique in so many ways. Did you know she was raised in the West Indian Mafia? The HBO series that could be made about that extended family... good stuff.

My mom and I had a horribly rough patch during my teenage years. Somehow our relationship survived it, and after I moved out of the house, I discovered she was not an evil person who knew nothing and was trying to ruin my life. Imagine that!

I admire my mom for so many reasons. She has a great ability to sense when people need a listening ear, and she's a good advice giver. She is officially retired, but still teaches ESL, works for CES, holds multiple callings in their branch, and manages to remember and send a couple bucks to all her grandkids on their birthdays.

She has been a support to me during the worst and best times of my life. She loves me unconditionally, and has taught me so much about myself. We will never enjoy shopping together, but I am grateful for our relationship, and proud to call her my mom.

Happy Mothers Day, Mom! I love you!

Ser-Lhe A Dado

Most likely because my mission was by far the most spiritual time of my life, I often think spiritually in Portuguese. The title of this post translates to "it will be given him". This was certainly my experience during Women's Conference. (Yes, yes, it's time for the religious insights. I can't have my posterity thinking I was nothing but a goofball.)

For the past couple of years, I have struggled with some very negative feelings towards an individual in my life. It has consumed me at times, and I have felt hate and anger like I didn't know I was capable of feeling. I have sought out advice, I have wanted to rid myself of those feelings, but I have not been successful.
I went to Women's Conference with the sole purpose of finding an answer to this struggle. And you know... I did. I went to a variety of workshops, covering such topics as Strengthening Your Marriage, Building Faith, and Finding Happiness Amid Fear. Even though the topics were all different, I continually heard the same messages. This is the doctrine of personal revelation. It is a key component of the LDS church. We believe God hears and answers prayers, and that we can seek out His will for us. It's not just a blind faith... like pray and God will provide. That's where our doctrine of works comes into play. We have to be willing to go and do what the Lord commands.
So if the Lord commands you to let go of hate in your heart, you just have to do it. If He commands you to forgive, to pray, to seek Him out, then you do it. And in turn, His grace will compensate for our lack of ability to be perfect in those commandments. In this instance, those things have been hard for me. But I truly felt the desire to reframe my thoughts, to discipline myself mentally, and to move forward. I recognize that I have no control over what other people do. I may have to deal with this situation for years and years. But how I handle the situation inside of myself is a direct reflection of my faith. Someone quoted a scripture that said "I will order all things for your good as fast as ye are able to receive them."
This process is continual. I am thankful the Lord saw fit to order a few more things for my good, that in His time I have become more prepared to accept this principle and apply it in my life. I recognize my responsibility in handling this trial, but I gratefully accept His guidance in doing so. E ser-lhe a dado... what was given me was peace. That comforting scripture in John 14:27... "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you" The Savior left His disciples with that peace in their time of need, and surely He does the same for each of us.
Will I ever be perfect in this trial? I don't know. But I am thankful to be taught line upon line, and I recognize the love of my Savior in my life. Estou grata que foi me a dado.

Highlights: Round Two

It's time to dish about the event of the year... Blogapalooza. What can I say? It was as much fun as I hoped it would be. I walked into a room full of women I had never met before, and I could call most of them by name and knew many details of their lives. Who could've worried there would be nothing to talk about? The problem was there wasn't enough time to talk to as many of the women as I would've liked.

I was most surprised to meet Heidi in real life, as she looked nothing like the pictures on her blog. But I was so glad she did as I begged her to (hee hee) and made the trek across the country, because it was worth every minute of it. And of course, I got to give Shally a big REAL hug for all the great things she's brought my way. Really, everyone was so fantastic, I was almost mesmerized for a good part of the night.

I may be a little biased, but I totally sat at the funnest table. I laughed so hard, that it gave me a valid excuse for ignoring the cold squash and dry chicken on my plate. I feel like I should name everyone and say how much I enjoyed each person, but as you can see here...
...there were a lot of us. Over forty, to be semi-exact. We played some games, had some "organized" discussions, and generally just loved every minute of it. Then we got locked in the student center because we lingered much longer than allowed, and the security guard failed to see the bright side of the situation. Bummer.

I may give Utah a lot of flack... and some of you may be starting to feel a little bit slighted because of it. You mustn't. Utah has a lot of wonderful things to offer. I enjoy a visit there. I also enjoy making fun of a few of its idiosyncrasies, so we'll call it even. But on its upside, it does boast the Rodizio Grill at Trolley Square. I have been there several times, and always love it. It's a Brazilian place, where you can eat meat all night long, right off the skewer and fresh off the open fire. Have mercy, it's gluttony at its best. Expensive, but worth every penny.

The morning before my flight home, Lisa, Laura and I met up with another friend from our mission for breakfast. Dorian is this fantastically talented woman who travels the world and does really interesting things. We served in Cape Verde together, and it was a crazy trip. I haven't seen her since 2000, when the three of us took a trip out to Boston together. It was great to catch up. She's so smart, so pretty, and has a very sharp wit. She's also single. So if you happen to have a phenomenal brother or cousin or maybe even an uncle... hook it up.

I was bummed it was all over, but I couldn't wait to get home to my family. I got tons of hugs and loves, and found my home fully intact. Skip is one in a million. He held the fort down and kept the troops happy. I didn't worry for a minute while I was gone. I loved getting away, and I loved coming home. A Little Time Out: It does a body good.

Highlights: Round One

I took that picture myself. I'm feeling very proud of it.

After my initial airport entertainment, I reconciled myself to the fact that I was spending precious vacation time in the state of Utah. This was not such a bad thing when I looked outside and saw the above scene. Blue skies, snow-capped mountains, deep green pines... it made the rest of the state's oddities bearable.

And then... my pesseguinha arrived. I hooked up wiht Lisa and we immediately began what would turn into four days of non-stop talking, reminiscing, and bonding. That's good stuff. We headed down to Provo, and checked into our dorm. More to come on that horrific experience.

We added to the party a little at a time. Laura (Lisa's mom) met us down there, and if there is anyone on earth that you just want to spend time with and feel good, it's Laura. From the first time she fed me biscuits and sausage gravy, I knew she was a keeper.
Imagine my surprise when we added another duo to our group! Nancy and Darlene, who I met through Lisa years ago, were also around. Nancy is intelligent and purposeful, and her mom is just a kick in the pants. The more, the merrier. This was going to be fun.
We met up that night with a friend I made through blogging, Martha. We went out for dinner, and had some really good conversation. I spend all my time in real life with my husband, which I absolutely enjoy doing. But I will confess that a night out with some girlfriends did my soul good. Martha proved to be every bit as insightful and enjoyable as I suspected she would. Plus, we ate horrific amounts of Mexican food, which is always a plus.
The night did take a turn for the worse, however, when we reached the dorm rooms. With three herniated discs in my back, I was terrified of sleeping on this "mattress", and was slightly leery of walls that so closely resembled Rice Krispie treats. And then there was the bathroom. Look closely. Yes, that is a toilet tucked back in the corner. I am a slender chick, and I had to turn sideways to fit back there. Ew. There were three dorm rooms to an "apartment", with one shared bathroom. Lisa and I were thrilled to find the other 2 rooms empty. No bathroom sharing with dirty-bottomed people! But at 9:30, we heard noise. People were there. Shoot! I devised a plan to sneak out for a drink of water so I could spy on them. Must check for general clean-persona. Imagine my surprise when they were spying back, and who would it happen to be, but Celia and Denae! There was a lot of screaming and squealing, relief at general clean-personas, and then chatting. Skip called, and Celia was excited because she likes bald men. She made him jealous by telling him she would be sleeping with me tonight, spooning even. Here she is, practicing to be the outside spoon:

What an amazing first day in the foreign country state of Utah!

Top 10 Signs You're in the SLC Airport

Without a doubt, Utah is a unique place. Here are the top 10 signs you've arrived at SLC International Airport:

1. 80% of the women you see are blonde.

2. 80% of those women have the Posh Spice bob and Jackie O sunglasses.

3. All airport security positions are filled by Polynesians. And you are more intimidated by the female guards than the male.

4. You see a black guy.

5. You spend five minutes watching him to see if you can figure out which sport he is likely playing at which university.

6. The line to check in is really, really long. However, more of the line space is taken up by strollers than actual passengers.

7. There are more bread stores than any other airport in the country. Thank the pioneer ancestors for that one.

8. If you are Mormon, you will run into someone you know from college, a previous ward, or a mission.

9. There are still signs up that say "Mitt for President!"

10. You may also find the smaller signs that read "Fly JetBlue... the Church is True!"

I could never live in Utah. There are some wonderful people there, and it is a beautiful state. I love to visit there, but I am not a Utah girl at heart. I did have an incredible time at both the BYU Women's Conference, as well as Blogapalooza. Every day this week, my goal is to post about a highlight from the trip. Stay tuned...