Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is having a great holiday. I cant help but think about the couples and families that are separated for whatever reason; wars, careers, school. I hope you can find some joy in this holiday season in spite of the distance between you and your loved ones.

I am thankful for...

... my loving husband who means the world to me.

... my supportive parents who are always there for me and my family.
... my wonderful pup, Rigel, who is my complete sanity at some moments.

... the good health of my family who have to stick around for a very long time.

... my friend Mandy, who has become like the sister I've never had. I will miss her so much.

... the internet. I got this idea from a different blog, but it's so totally true! It keeps us all connected and informed.

... my Twitter friends and military family.

... my Blackberry. Along the same lines as the internet, keeps me in touch with all the important people in my life.

... the move we're preparing for. It has come at a perfect time.

... the life we've made for ourselves and the great future we have ahead of us. I cant wait to see what the future has in store for us.

Home

Rigel and I drove back to Paris, Arkansas, this weekend to visit the family. And while I'm in my parents' house, it feels like home. It feels the same as when I lived here. My mom hugs me good night. My dad falls asleep in his chair and snores. Although we've been banished into the back room for bed. The other bedroom is made up within an inch of it's life. Neither my brother nor I sleep there when we come home. But all in all, it feels like home.

Until I leave the house. So much of this little town has changed. The stores have come and gone. The roads have changed. There are stop signs where there weren't stop signs. The tiny Wal-Mart sells beer now! Old houses have come down. Doughnut shops have gone up in their place. The middle school is now the high school.

I drove through my old college town, Fayetteville, on the way here, just for fun. A lot of it has changed. They finally put a stop sign up at Leverett and Razorback. There are huge tall cranes building more and more around campus. More classrooms. More dorms housing the students that will walk the same paths I did for 6 years.

Nothing stays the same. Change is good. But there's a part of me that wants something to stay the same. With the life Joe and I have chosen, everything will change on a regular basis. Houses. Duty stations. Jobs. Bosses. Towns. Doctors. Vets. Scenery. Mountains. Plains. Trees. We'll soon trade in our field and sandals for snow capped mountains and snow boots.

But I guess it is what it is, right? Change IS good. And we can see the nation one PCS at a time. And I can always come home to this odd little town and my nice little house. And my crazy parents. Who will never change.

Until that one awful day that it does change, Rigel's wine box will always be in the window to greet us.

Day 983 of my captivity

From a Cat's Daily Diary...


My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards. There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now................

Sanctity of Marriage?

I know I might be a little late to the game on this one, but I feel the need to say something. I didn't want to say anything while I was too annoyed; my blogs turn out very ranty. But it's been bugging me so much, I think some things need to be said.

First off, as many of you already know, I'm not the most religious person around. And it pisses me off when people try to use religious doctrine as law of the land. America wasn't based on the christian faith; the founding fathers were deists. That's a fact. Look it up. Two words: Jeffersonian bible. Look that up while you're at it.

Secondly, the crap vote in Maine last week was a complete shock to me. Why are we voting on a person's happiness anyway? Homosexual marriage is no different than interracial marriage. And I know that some bigots still aren't a fan of that, but we aren't voting on it anymore. Everyone needs to chill the fuck out and let people be people. Everyday in my elementary school we stand and say the pledge of allegiance. I don't say it. I think it's a bunch of crap. We are brainwashing our children everyday, but we as a country don't stand up for what it says: with liberty and justice for all.... unless you're a gay man.. I guess.

So lets talk about the sanctity of marriage. We as a country have a 50% divorce rate. And it can only follow that in a country that is primarily christian, most of those divorces are from good "christian" folks. So all of your religious arguments have to be thrown out right there. I am an Army wife. The military has a higher divorce rate than the average civilian population. Research shows that about 20% of marriages fall apart within two years when one spouse has been sent off to war. Plus women in every military branch are more than twice as likely to end their marriages as their men. So you wanna talk about the sanctity of marriage and have a vote about who is able to be married? Lets create a law that says that military personnel cant be married. It's fairly likely to end in divorce anyway and it will save the tax payers a shit load of money! So you know how much money is spent on military dependents? My health care is paid for by taxpayers. My housing is paid for by government money... yep, taxpayers again. And the child support payments from the children of divorce? Can you even imagine how much money that is?

Okay, do I honestly think we should forbid soldiers from getting married? Of course not. Should we prevent ANYONE from getting married? OF COURSE NOT! What happened in Maine is like saying that two blue eyed people cant be married. It's absurd and fairly retarded. This is how our nation is progressing. Remember reading in your history books a time where a whole bunch of stuffy white men had to decide whether or not black men were humans and could have EQUAL rights? Whether or not they could vote and own property? Same with females. Do you remember reading about these brave women fighting for YOUR right to vote and have EQUAL rights to men?

Now you have to tell me how homosexuals fighting for EQUAL rights is any different than that. And you can keep your religious nonsense to yourself. I don't care to hear it. None of it is a good excuse to deny rights to any human being. Your religious shit is just an excuse for you to be a bigot and then hide behind some stupid book.

How much does a polar bear weigh?

Enough to break the ice. Hi my name is...

Yeah you get the idea. Never heard that pick up line before. Just thought I would share. LOL! It ought to be the name of a book.