For Our Military

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I
Gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you ........as you mattered to us.

Pain Rapide Au Shokalade

Pain Rapide Au Shokalade

4oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2c. butter
4 eggs
2/3 c. honey
2 c instant mashed potatoes
½ c. brandy, rum, or orange juice
2 Tbs Vanilla
2 Tbs orange zest
2 ¼ c all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Grease and line a 9x5 pan.  Preheat oven to 325(.  In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs until thick and light colored, fold in honey, mashed potatoes, brandy, vanilla, and orange zest.  Stir in chocolate mix.
In a separate bowl, mix dry goods and stir 2c into chocolate mix.  Mix should be thick, if not, add the rest of the flour mix.  Pour into prepared pans.  Place in the middle shelf of the oven and bake 60 minutes.  Test with a toothpick.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Turn pan on sides and pull out paper.

Happy Birthday Myjic!!

Happy Birthday Myjic!!!  It’s Myjic Birthday and she’s at the beach due to a surprise from her Hubby.  Lucky her.   I think I am jealous.  Wish I could be at the beach with MY Hubby.  Oh well, Happy Birthday Myjic!!

URGH!!!!

I think I am going to have to go track down Mother Nature and have a severe chat with her.  The other night, I stayed up until 7 am, over 24 hours to get all those papers done, and then I get a call from one of my classmate telling me class at 2pm was cancelled due to the weather.  So I could have been sleeping, but no Mother Nature decides that between 7 am and 11 am she is going t o make it all rainy outside and then drop the temps to make the rain all icy.  By the way, a BIG Thank you goes out to my classmate and friend who called me!!!  You know who you are!!  (  And a BIG Thank you out to my BabyLove to letting me vent to him about my schoolwork.  I Love You, Baby!!!

Finals Week

Finals week….almost done….if I can survive this with my sanity intact…wait a minute…that went bye-bye years ago….uhm….if I can survive this week…I will be doing good.  Only five more philosophy papers to go, and they are due tomorrow, can you all tell I am procrastinating again?  But I am done with my most hated public speaking class, had that final yesterday, and I will be done with philosophy tomorrow, and then history on Saturday, then I will have a week to myself… a little under a week to myself, before I go on a 10 hour trip to my parent’s house.  Goody.  With a little stop a little over half way through at a friends house for three days….haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time with them for almost two years.  I luv my friends… they are wonderful. I need two more philosophy reflection papers, on what I don’t know.  Then I have to write a paper on my evaluation of the class, and a paper on Boethius, a medieval philosopher, and then a paper answering specific questions about the Boethius text.  Fun, fun.  Boethius was actually a really good book and I encourage everyone to check him out.  He has a lot of issues with happiness and God.  But then again, don’t most philosophers?

Holiday Apple Spice Bread

Just because it is the holiday season and this recipe sounded really good.


Apple Spice Bread

3 small apples, unpeeled, shredded
¾ cup boiling water
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cloves
1 Tbs and 1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ cup milk
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup packed brown sugar

Place apples in a small bowl, add boiling water. Cover and let stand until completely cool. Preheat oven to 350(F. Oil a 4x8 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices; mix well.
In another bowl, combine oil, milk, egg whites, vanilla, and brown sugar. Beat with fork or wire whisk until blended. Add to dry ingredients along with apple mix. Mix until all ingrediendts are moist. Place batter in pan. Bake 45 minutes or until done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn on to rack to finish cooling.
Serves 8
Calories 191
Fat 3g

Another Cute Pic

As you can see, I love to post pics of my beautiful Hagrid. I call this one, "NO! You Can't See MY Duckie!" He really seems to love his Duckie. And it is funny to watch NCIS with him. Ever since we got the duck, we've been calling it Duckie when we play with him, well there is a character on NCIS with the nickname Duckie. Ever time someone on the show says Duckie, he looks at the TV and then goes and gets his Duckie, well, unless he is asleep, or not paying attention. And a little tip, don't threaten to "get his Duckie", he doesn't seem to like it too well.

Well, I almost got to talk to my husband today... but then his work interfered and he didn't get to call. I think I will write my congressman, and everyone else's, to give more to the budget so my husband a direct line that I can call anytime, so that I can talk to him whenever I want. Cause if I can't have him home, I want to talk to him whenever I can. :D

I am almost done with the Yuletide shopping, my roommate managed to convince me to go into ToysRUs today to find a present for his three year old nephew. Not just any store, a toy store, and not just any toy store, but ToysRUs! During the Yuletide Seasons! A toy store!! OMG!!! I meant to have all of my Yuletide shopping done before the season started. I have one last gift to pick up, well technically two, but one I can't buy until I go up to my family's house, and the other I have on layaway, I just have to go pick it up. I am going to wait until like 3am, on a Tuesday night, when there is almost no one in the store and definitely NO screaming kids. I HATE screaming kids. And in Wal-Mart, they ALWAYS find me and follow me around the store. Oh well, I think that is a sign that I am not ready to have kids yet, or maybe it's a sign that I am not ready to have badly behaving children. :)

A Little Tip

Never try to put flea and mite spray on a terrified rat while it is in your hands. You tend to get your hands torn to bits by their sharp little claws while they are scrambling around trying to find someplace they feel really safe.

A Really Cute Pic

I took this pic a while ago and just thought I would share it since it was so cute. He really *loves* his Duckie, he has a teddy bear too, but he really *loves* his Duckie.

Bad News

My husband might be staying in Iraq a little longer than expected. *pouts* But that is the military life and we smile and press on, and then think really evil thoughts about the people responsible for the separation and start grinning really evily and have a chuckle and then go on. For some odd reason, most people who know me, don't like to see that evil grin cross my face....for the life of me I can't figure out why...it's not like I have EVER followed through on ANY of my thoughts....I just have them as stress relief, and comic relief and then go on....oh well. But I mailed out a BIG box to him today, I hope he likes it.... and No Myjic, it was not 12 pounds of candy like last time. This box weighed WAY more than that other one!!! :D

A Very nice Walmart Employee

My roommate and I went to Walmart today and met a very nice, well read, intelligent employee that we kept away from his work for almost 45 minutes. It is rare that I meet people like this outside of school, and just thought he should be mentioned. And for now we will call him VMS (long conversation about Stranger in a Strange Land.) We hope to keep in contact with him. If he happens to stop by the blog, welcome to our crazy little world of links. And may all of my many readers be fortunate enough to meet many people like this. :)

The 10 Dog Commandments

I found this and thought it was not only cute, but something that needed more attention.

The 10 Dog Commandments for Responsible Owners

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you will be painful for me. Remember that before you get me.
   
2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.
   
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial to my well-being.
   
4. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, entertainment and friends. I only have you.
   
5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice.
   
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll never forget it.
   
7. Please don't hit me. I can't hit back, but I can bite and scratch, and I really don't want to do that. You always win that fight.
   
8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. I don't speak your language. Perhaps I'm not getting the right foods, or I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart is getting old and weak.
   
9. Take care of me when I get old. You will grow old, too. You'll hope someone cares.
   
10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, "I can't bear to watch," or "let it happen in my absence". Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, I love you.

There is a reason dogs are called man's best friend, may we all take care of our friends and love them dearly.