A Four Day weekend

And of course I get sick.  I love the irony in life.  A time to rest turns into a time to heal.  I have been enjoying the off time with my family, but I really don't like being sick.  It sucks.  Not too much to write today.  Just drinking some tea, trying to watch some football, and hoping that this crap gets out of my system.  BTW, people really suck.  I hope that my wife and I can teach our daughters to be members of a full society rather than be stuck in a short sighted world view that does not challenge them.  From idiots trying to buy more stuff to those who only care for themselves, I hope that my girls are able to rise above that and become the greatest generation of leaders and citizens of the world.  Just my quick rant.

A good Saturday

I took the girls out today, so that my dear wife could have a little quiet time to herself.  So, as the girls and i went to get some odds and ends for Thanksgiving, Cat was able to just relax.  I am amazed by my wife on a daily basis.  She has held the fort down while I was in Korea for 15 months, Iraq for a year, and any number of schools that the Army sends me to.  She is truly my hero, and the reason I have had any success at all on this wild ride in the military.

Anyway, as the girls and I were leaving Wal-Mart, they saw a group of Veterans who were taking donations.  So, they all took money from their own purses, and donated a dollar each.  That was amazing to me.  But when I asked them why, my eyes were opened to them.  They each said that we have to take care of all the Veterans, Daddy.  Because you are one and we have to take care of those who take care of us.  The pride I felt hearing my girls say that is still beaming.  In fact, I think that they have hit the nail on the head.  

Why, in the most prosperous nation in the world, do we allow those who defend freedom to live in the streets?  Is there an easy answer?  Of course not.  However, I believe that we, as a country, owe it to the men and women of the military (my brothers and sisters in arms) to be able to take care of them in some way.  I am not sure what that is, but I think I have found a new cause to get behind 100%.  Please check out the following link to see the group my girls gave to, and lets see what we can do to take care of those who are serving, and have served this great nation of ours.    www.veteranssupportfl.org

OK, so I haven't posted in a while

So, where do I start.  I had this great idea to start blogging about the life of a Soldier, only to have the life of a Soldier kick into full gear.  In the last nine weeks, I have been to two different schools, in two different areas of the country and have been home for only three weeks.  Needless to say, trying to sit down and attempt any kind of coherent thought was not happening.  However, I am home now, and am back into the groove that is being me.  I have to say that the election of Barack Obama has restored my faith in the humanity of the American people.  Only in this country can we overcome social prejudices in such a way as to where a man like Obama can become the first African-American president.  And honestly, does it matter his skin color?  Certainly many social walls crumbled upon his election, but he is the President-elect of the United States.  That, to me, is the awesomeness of this situation.  I am sure that my parents and grandparents did not think they would see this historic day in their lifetimes.  I am just happy that the first memory that my oldest daughter will have of the President will be that he was an American who just happened to be African-American.  For her generation, that will be just the way things are.  And to see the culture of America move forward, and to be a part of it, and to see my children live in it.....well, that is why I serve, and that is truly the point of the life of a Soldier.  To all my Marine brothers, Semper Fi.  Know that this Soldier respects you and your training, and I cannot wait to do it again.