I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

Howdy..!

Did you miss me? (Probably didn't even notice that I was gone!) It's been a few weeks since I had a chance to add a new post. Okay...maybe it was a little longer than a few weeks. I hope that everyone's summer is going great despite the massive heat wave, the fall of the economy, the never ending oil spill / clean up, and last but not least - let us not forget the ongoing debate of the Arizona immigration law drama. What an eventful Summer!!!


As for my summer, I have been participating in an early American History class as part of my degree plan. It's a relative easy class as we refresh what we kind of already know about American History. In case you have forgotten, here's a quick overview:

1. Colonists (Us) came to America for a new beginning for life, liberty, and equality.
2. WE then pushed the natives aside, gave them plenty of diseases not to mention the thousands killed in the process as we took their land.
3. Established the colonies (states) and developed our Government (Constitution).
4. Got in a big fight with the British for our independence (Yah! 4th of July!).
5. Kidnapped some people from another country to work for us for FREE (slavery) while killing more natives (Indians) to get MORE land.
6. Got in another big fight - this time with Mexico to get Texas (Yah Texas!), Arizona, and New Mexico which by the way, the natives were "Mexicans" but then became "Americans".
7. Then someone found gold in California...so naturally we gotta get More land!
8. Got in another big fight (Civil War) with each other (North vs South) to decide what to do about the free workers (slavery).
9. Of course we know the South loses, the slaves are Freed, lots more stuff happens, then flash a little over a century and Obama is President....(Yikes!)
10. ...and the drama still continues.

All in all I have really enjoyed the class in re-learning American History as my interests and views have changed through the years. A few years ago I could have cared less about politics, our history, or even furthering my education as I was lost in a different kind of world full of my own drama.

But now my eyes have been opened, my spirit is awaken, and an inspiration pings at my heart. I see such changes in world that is frightening. It makes me wonder how far any of us would go to stand up for our beliefs and values that our ancestors did so many years ago. How far are we willing to "walk" and "fight" off the enemy for a better life for ourselves and our family? If our forefathers of our country could see the state of this great nation currently, what would cross their minds?


I celebrated the 4th of July with my family this year with a great sense of honor. For the first time in my life, I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I watched the fireworks. I recalled the fights I read about and felt grateful for the freedom we still have in our country. We celebrated the fireworks show with a good friend of ours, Melissa from Germany, who had been an exchange student here a couple of years ago. It was an honor to know her and learn her culture as some of my ancestors are from Germany as well. Yet, I felt very proud to have her celebrate our freedom, our independence, our celebration this 4th.


Honoring our country, respecting our veterans, respecting the laws of the land seems to be slowly dwindling from our very own leaders unfortunately.


It's time to get back this sinking ship as I see it, full of unappreciative people who aren't rowing or doing their part, and set sail for a new beginning like our forefathers once did. We NEED leaders and full-time workers who love and honor the values our country was founded on.

Honor this Country! Fly your American Flag High and Proud! Pay much respect to the people serving to Protect it!

Congrats to the Class of 2010

It's that time again--Graduation. It's been a long while since I have been to a graduation - 2005 was the last time I believe. It's been even a longer time since I graduated but we won't go there. 

Graduation is a sweet yet scary time.  A time for new beginnings, new relationships, and new promises.  As we say so long to our former classmates and head down life's pathway, we can't imagine anything more important than graduating.  We can't imagine that we will ever forget the names of our classmates.  Yet 5 years pass by, then another, and we may be surprised to realize that we have drawn a blank to some of our teachers' and classmates' names.

What will not be forgotten though is graduation day.  The emotions, the music, what we wore, the family,  and maybe even the name of some valedictorians who had a chance to speak will be forever engraved in our mind.

As the Bon Jovi song, "Never Say Good-bye", so sweetly played on my graduation day, courtesy to our valedictorian, Missy Ison -- OK, I went there :-) --, the graduation memory was officially forever stamped in my heart.  I still get 'teary' eyed when I hear that song today. Although life continues on, we will never say good bye to the memories or the emotion of togetherness we felt that graduation day.

My family and I are very proud and happy to celebrate this year's high school graduate, my cousin Amanda McAdams.  She graduated (with honors) and already has a semester of college hours. She is a natural beauty full of talent, wit, and a sweet personality who I know will accomplish her dreams. Check out the graduation picture gift I created for her.

Way to Go, Amanda, Class of 2010!!

We are so very PROUD of You!!

Have You Been Robbed?

I detest thieves!

I recently bought a circular fan as a donation to the gym room at my apartments.  It’s pretty neat that my apartment complex has this small room with a treadmill, exercise bike, and weight machine. Hey, it’s not a 24-Hour Fitness or anything but the convenience works. Unfortunately, the apartment staff has a tendency to turn the A/C off after hours making the room sometimes unbearable.  The fan I bought was nothing fancy, just something I found at Wal-Mart the other day. After dragging my body to the room yesterday morning before work, I was so mad that I could spit nails--what a site that would be.  The new fan I bought was already gone! The nerve! You know that feeling, the disheartening and anger that someone would actually steal.

Usually it’s not the “things” we are really mad about but the complete lack of respect to robe us of our values. Often we think of material things as the stuff being stolen from us.  However things can be taken away from us almost on a daily basis. 

Have you ever “given” or practically “sold” yourself away? When we give away our rights, privileges, happiness, or settle for less than what we deserve, our peace and joy is robbed right from underneath us.  Unless we have peace inside of who we really are, the money and material things are just duct tape – a temporary fix for happiness.  True, I’d like to win the lottery someday just so I can see if money really does buys me happiness. Yet there are a lot more important things to me than that. 

My heritage, my family, my friends, my beliefs, and my values are priceless!  Those are the things that need to be protected the most.  Its unfortunate that the society we live in today are the thieves – the media, the politicians, the entertainment business, the economy, and even false religious leaders are the ones stealing from us.  We lose a part of ourselves when we become like mindless sheep and abide by what society says who we are or who we ought to be.   Like robots we allow these people to take advantage of our weakness instead of standing up for ourselves and our values.
What's more disturbing are the innocent young lives that have had their life literally taken away from someone because they were unable to defend themselves.

It breaks my heart to see and hear about those who steal or give away a part of themselves. Often I find myself giving away a part of me, trying to make someone happier or feeling that I am not good enough.  In my past relationship, I had to pay for nearly everything. In a sense, I “paid” to have a relationship and gave away the true me. The true lost is being without the inner peace. So in an odd way, those who steal are being robbed themselves from the inner peace.

Sometimes when I have had things taken from me, I want to seek refuge.  The anger and powerlessness I feel overwhelms me.  Then I am reminded of a couple of Bible verses, Leviticus 19:18 which states “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” and Romans 12:19 that states “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"^[a]says the Lord.” In due time, God will restore what was lost.

Inner peace...blah, blah, blah…whatever and who cares…right? Well, once you find it and know it well, that inner peace will be your most valuable asset and the one thing you can take with you to the grave. 

Re-Evaluate Your Values and Protect Them!