Support our Troops

Okay, so this is probably a legend, but the story is moving. I checked it out on snopes and found that it is a legend, but it doesn't change the message. I am not telling everyone to wear red on Fridays, I am just passing the story on through the blog to give people a chance to stop and take a moment to silently or publicly thank our troops who serve at home and abroad.



If red Friday is new to you, read below on why it came about...

Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home. No, he responded. Heading out I asked? No. I'm escorting a soldier home. Going to pick him up? No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq, I'm taking him home to his family. The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do. Upon landing in Chicago , the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom. 'Ladies! and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign.' Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American. So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what yo u do so we can live the way we do. Red Fridays. Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority.' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of Americans supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .. every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media let s on. The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is 'We need your support and your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.



Like I said, I am not saying go out and wear red. I am saying, please support our troops whether you agree with the war or not. Our troops are doing what they are asked and should be respected and supported for that alone.

I have a What?

So, have you ever been told something and your gut response is a high pitched 'WHAT?' I just experienced this. As many of you know, I have been in a little pain for the past, oh, 5 days. I went in to see my doctor yesterday and told him my problems and he was able to look at the results to the blood work. Everything looked good and he listend to my lungs and tapped my stomach and said that what I have been experiencing points towards kidney stones. He ordered a CT scan so he could see how large and how many. Well, I had my CT scan today and waited for the results. The phone call came and I expected to hear that a stone the size of Jupiter is lodged in my right kidney and they would be needing to use some voodoo ninja medicine procedure to get it out. This was not the case. "We got the results from your CT scan and you don't have kidney stones." Really, I said, what do I have then. "Well, you have pneumonia." WHAT? Then Why does my kidney hurt? "The pneumonia is in your lower right lobe which is just above your kidney." So, here are my mixed emotions. One, I am happy to report that I do not have to go through child birth. Two, I now know the cause of my pain. Three, boy do I feel stupid for getting all this sympathy from others who have actually experienced kidney stones. I apologize for the blasphemy. I know I tread on sacred ground. Where was I, oh yes, and four the CT scan was pretty cool. I got to see pictures of my insides. So, there you have it. I will now be taking antibiotics for the next 5 days and that should do it. Thanks everyone for the positive thoughts and concern and prayers.

Nephi says it came to pass.

So, I am on day three of passing kidney stones. It is like nothing I have experienced before, but, you know what, I don't wish it on anyone. Those who have experienced it know what I am talking about. I passed one yesterday and thought that would be it, but I still felt a dull pain in my kidney and knew I was in for more. Please allow me to let you in on the journey of a stone. First, imagine that someone came up behind you with and knife and stuck you in the kidney area. Now, instead of taking the knife out, they left it there and there is nothing you can do about it. Now try to experience the same pain traveling from said kidney until it passes and you feel it every painful cm along the way. It is quite exhilarating, NOT!!! I am in an Indiana Jones mood at the moment and I feel like the current stone is the size of the boulder Indy had to run from. I included a picture to give you a visual. The second picture is of an actual stone created by a calcium deposit. Looks pretty menacing to me. I hope to have realized Nephi's promise by the end of the day today. That would be a good thing.

I love family

Happy Memorial Day. We had a fun weekend getting together with family to remember family members who have passed on. It was fun to sit this evening and listen to my brothers reminisce about playing at the Smith house and the fun toys we used to have. I had forgotten about the scaffold that we used a a jungle gym and the 55 gallon barrels we used to race with in the backyard. The pictures are from this weekend. We went and visited Nat's brother Aaron's grave on Sunday out at Dry Creek. That is the most beautiful and serene cemetery I have ever visited. It was Eli's first time there as an active participant. It was fun. The pictures are cute. We also visited Dad and Steve's graves at the Meridian Cemetery. It is hard

to believe Steve has been gone for almost 12 years and dad for 2 1/2. I am constantly reminded of how important family is and am grateful that we can all get together and laugh and carry on and that our kids all have great relationships. Families are awesome.

Memorial Day

It is that time to pause and pay tribut to the men and women who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. We also pay tribute to the brave men and women who are currently serving and to their families for sacrificing so much so they can serve. We also pause to remember those family friends and loved ones who have have passed on and now wait for us and the glorious reunion that will take place when our time comes to pass through the veil. Happy Memorial Day everyone.

Indiana Jones

Nat and went out to celebrate our anniversary. We went to Smokey Mountain Pizza. I highly recommend the Teriyaki chicken Fettuccine. We then went and saw the new Indiana Jones movie. It was a good flick. Has a lot of action and references to the earlier movies. I thought it went a little too SciFi in this one though. It was good though. One more recommendation, Tin Roof Brownie Blizzard. All I can say is, yummmmieeeeee.

Kids Say The Funniest Things

I think it could be kind of fun to have a piece of the blog let you all in on the world of middle school students. I never have the same day twice and some of the things kids say leave me speechless or rolling on the floor laughing.(After they leave my office of course.) So, I have added a list of some of the darndest things kids say. I will try to keep the list current. The one that still takes the cake for me was when I was teaching High School and one of my students came to me on the day the Senior paper was due. She said that I probably wouldn't believe her, but her dog ate her floppy disk so she couldn't print her paper. I told her that was pretty creative and decided to give her a chance. I told her to bring me the floppy disk to prove it. Later that day, she brought me a disk that had been chewed up by a puppy. Her dog had actually eaten her homework. I hope you enjoy some of the golden nuggets I am able to share.