Friday, November 30, 2007

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.'

PLEASE, Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S.service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30t h Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum , Iraq.


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Thursday, November 29, 2007

So the Sharks lost

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In a shoot out! That stupid shoot out again...we need to get better at that!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Happy about somethings...Upset about things too



So I had a pretty great trip in AZ. We did however have something happen while we were there. Jeff's house got broken into. Which totally sucks. I mean Steve's Dad is so wonderful to us. He is so nice to all my friends too. Whenever we have pool parties at his place we can stay till whenever and he never complains. Anyway it just totally hurts when people violate you this way. I mean its not even my stuff that was stolen. I mean not really. Sure there are non-replaceable pictures of me and Steve that Jeff has taken that I don't have. I guess if they were so important to me I should have done more. But like Dad I figured how would every single computer you ever own or ipod or back be taken.

Everyone keeps asking well does he have insurance well sure there's insurance but that doesn't make it right or any better. And I know its just stuff. I get that. Things can be replaced. But what about the things that can't be replaced, the items given to them by the relatives that have since died.
We took them out for dinner the other night to try and take their minds off it. But its hard not to keep going back to it. Then the insurance company is horrible they want pictures and proof of everything. Well I guess because yea not everyone is very honest. Its really too bad though some of the things were never pictured and gifts so those items probably won't be recovered.
The burglars were also kind enough to leave the refrigerator wide open so it ruined all of Jeff's insulin so he had to go and replace it. Plus it was a huge smelly mess. They totally ransacked the place so it was a lot of mess to and time to clean up to get it back to somewhat normal. They stole one of the cars too. Since they had extra sets of keys in the house and they have more then one car. They now have the wonderful task of re-keying all the cars and getting a new garage opener because they stole that out of Madeleine's car. I guess for when they come back.


My niece Sarah was baptized and that was wonderful to be part of. Even though I didn't do anything but sit in the chairs but it was nice all the same. Just nice to be there and get to see her become a part of the church.


In other news I lost 1.4 pounds over Thanksgiving! So I am down 44.6 pounds total!! Give me a Woot WOOT! Yeah I know its been slow and steady lately but I feel like its picking up here. Last week was good with 3.4 & now 1.4 so I am make some progress. I lost a total of 6.8 for the month which isn't too bad. Over Thanksgiving I made a veggie tray and the veggie dip. I did have a bit of cheese counted the points and moved on. Didn't over eat though and didn't even touch any pie.




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Wordless Wednesday #3

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving day

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So we've been here about 24 hours or so. We ran into a bit of traffic when we hit PHX morning commute there starts early 6am. Its crazy. We got our nails done yesterday so Laura will be very happy. Plus now I am sort of Sharks representing. Because I tried to get Sharks color its not dark enough but I'll live!

Last night I baked some Harvest muffins while everyone else was making pies. I made them for my breakfest this morning & for desert tonight. There a my 2 point replacement for anything high point I might be tempted to have.


I also have alot of veggies to eat. I was in charge of the veggie platter. SO I got alot of what I liked. Yea I planned ahead. Anyway I know I said it before. Have a great Thanksgiving! Stay safe and try to be nice to your family.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

So much to say....


So last night at WI I lost again this time its something to celebrate. I lost 3.4! So I am finally down over 40+ pounds. It seemed like it took forever! I mean I was losing only .2 & .4 or 1.2 for a few weeks there. The last 10lbs took me what seemed like FOREVER to lose. Why does it seem like you can gain 10 pounds in 2 weeks but then you have to work so hard to lose it?



Steve & I leave tonight for AZ. We're off for our family's Thanksgiving reunion/baptism. This year Sarah will be getting baptized on Saturday. She'll have the love and support of family around her. Anyway I think this is will be our last reunions for awhile. The patriarch of our family won't even be there. Steve's grandfather & his wife aren't feeling up to par anymore so they don't like to be around crowds of people. I am not sure how that will be. I've been around this family for 10 years and all the family functions I've been to I've personally always seen them there. So I think it will be quite strange and sort of empty without them but the show must go on. They will be sadly & deeply missed from the festivities though.
Steve's aunt cooked up something new just for the women too we're going to have a special girls only meeting that should be kind of fun. There are so many boys in our family. But if you think about it once everyone gets married off there will be just as many boys as there will be girls :)




Drive safely & Don't drink and Drive!
If you go shopping be kind & courtesy to those store employees most work for minimum wage.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Is this whats going on???

Victoria Brescoll, a Yale researcher, found that men who get angry at the office gain stature and clout, even as women who get angry lose stature because they are seen as out of control.

That may be why Obama is trying to get “fired up,” in the words of his fall slogan, while Hillary calmly observes that she can take the heat and stereotypically adds that she likes the kitchen.