Prayers

My Blog Momma's family has fell into hard times it seems. One of those instances that alters day to day living, until it is resolved.

Brain tumors, fluid, nausea....

So go over and lift Brandon in prayer, and as always in times like these, strength, and clarity for those in the family, and those involved in treatment.

Verizon, do you hear us now?

This is unbelievable! GO READ AND TAKE ACTION!!

spring has sprung, but at least it is not leprosy

Which means I seem to have a nasty case of bronchitis, and pneumonia. Nice. Just the ticket when you are packing a house, and preparing for a 10 hour road trip, meeting with a realtor, and trying to sell a house (oh and preparing for single parenthood)!

I did go to my GP yesterday who I adore, and managed a screen for strept, flu, and a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray came up positive for fluid in bilateral lobes. Pink Ninja was in tow, and loved seeing her Mother get a shot in the bottom. that was a nice grounder yesterday. I also walked away with a script for cough medicine and antibiotics.

I knew I was down in the dumps when I was making it to about 8pm and felt shot. I normally exist on about 6 hours of sleep with no problem. Lately I have been requiring about 10, and remaining very low energy all day.

I skipped yoga this am. and slept instead.

At least it is not leprosy, as Springdale, Arkansas has had an outbreak!

H/T Back Home Again

Nickelodeon flushes its Rebels With a Cause video?

If anyone can find the video, send the link.

It appears Linda Ellerbee's Nick at News program Rebels with a cause, has been flushed down the internet pipe. I have exhausted all methods of looking for it, as have many of my readers.

In fact even the WCW, who featured the story on their Marxist website say it is no longer available.

I find it curious that Linda Ellerbee stood behind these children as they called our Military men and women torturers and murderers and now there is no video available.

The good news is Nickelodeon will no longer air the program that featured the bodies of dead children at 5am.

Attention, Linda Ellerbee wants to exploit military families!

Last night when I returned from church I found my e-mail brimming with this

"The Nickelodeon news series �Nick News with Linda Ellerbee� is looking for kids of soldiers currently home from deployment who are willing to be interviewed about the readjustment process. We�re looking for a few well-spoken kids around 11 to 15 years old to talk about how life has changed now that Mom/Dad has come home - particularly those dealing with a physical injury, divorce or PTSD. This show will recognize that war affects whole families, acknowledge the sacrifices of American troops and their families - especially their kids, and portray the good feelings that come with being reunited. Filming will be completed by the end of February.
Interested families please contact Coordinating Producer Jessie Findlay at Lucky Duck Productions - 212-463-0029 ext. 153 or jessie@nicknews.com. "

If anyone is seriously considering contacting Nickelodeon, I would have them watch this program, Rebels with a Cause.
which no longer is hyperlinked.

Update: 2/8/07 Sculley's Mother found the piece. Thank you. I will also add the images are not safe for children. However I do want those who have not seen it, to be able to view it, and make up your own minds. Is this appropriate television for 5am on Nickelodeon? BTW, it appears that this is only an excerpt from the original piece, but is disturbing.



You can also find it here.


You can go here to see an archive of Nick News programming to see what Ellerbee's agenda is.

In the news program Rebels with a Cause,

This Nickelodeon "news program", is not a news program. It is a leftist primer on how to be a "left-wing radical REBEL".

I am not a blind follower of our Government, and I also think that Government should be watched by it's citizens. It is our civic duty.

However this program led by Ellerby, is anti-war, anti- GWOT, anti-military.

This "news program" is not about people changing the World around them.

Ms. Ellerby uses leftist propaganda buzz words like "taking on the establishment".

She shows a group of "tweenagers" walking around in orange jumpsuits, hooded and yelling from a bullhorn. "We are not ok, with people being tortured by American soldiers!" "Are cooperation's priority over human lives?"

There is also a call for the impeachment of the President in the second segment of the video, "democracy is at stake because of the President violating the Constitution".

The fourth segment of video shows another tweenager, who has put together a video of wounded Iraqi children, with the song Jesus Loves Me playing over it. This teenager blames America, the military, for what is happening in Iraq. This young girl says "she finds, videos and facts on the Internet" to show what is REALLY happening in Iraq. I am guessing she is getting these images from Al Jazeera.

Nickelodeon is the new training ground for leftist propaganda.

My original post is here. I stand by my post. I will also note, that after contacting Viacom, Nickelodeon, And it's advertisers I was ignored. I was never contacted by any of those folks. I will note that Ellerbee's production company Lucky Duck, did find the post and was on my site for hours. So, they were aware of my stance.

No thanks, Linda Ellerbee, if I wanted my Husband called a terrorist, or murderer, I would watch Al Jazeera. Why don't you ask your friends at World Can't Wait for help. Oh, I forgot they are too busy at the Marine Recruiting Office in Berkley.

*Update* I called Miss Jamie Findley, I told her I was unhappy with Ms. Ellerbee's Rebels With a Cause story. I also asked her, if she had any idea where the archive of the show was located. Because it has either been removed, or buried. She had no idea who I should contact to find it.

Feel free to call Jamie at 212-463-0029! Let her know what you think about Elerbees' stance.





*If anyone can find a direct link to the rebels with a cause program, please send the link to me. I am running short on time this am, as I am volunteering at the school today.

Alive and well

When it is 75 degrees all day, and you are able to wear shorts, in Arkansas in February, you have a problem.

We were haunted by strange weather all yesterday.

At about 5:00pm, it broke loose, wind, buckets of rain, thunder, and more lightening than I have ever seen. Snapping, cracking, and popping lightening.

I actually opened the back kitchen window after dinner, because the wind, rain and lightening were so feirce we could not hear clear sirens. We could never decide if they were our town sirens or the next towns. I did manage to get a quart of water in my kitchen from opening that window for that 30 minutes.

Tornado sirens, and tornado watches and warnings throughout the evening.

All is well this morning. the balmy temps moved east, and it is chilly this morning.

It looks like Atkins Arkansas got hit, there was a fatality on I40 down the road, and I see Memphis was unlucky as well....

so, a preacher, a black guy, a woman and a mormon walk into a bar....

I cannot think of a punchline, because I am too ill....

Signed, A Proud Marine Wife

(Image from Move America Forward)



This was sent to me by a friend, she asked me to publish it here at AWTM. I was honored she asked.

All Symbols Are Not Created Equal

The military uses symbols to denote everything. Service branch, rank, accomplishment, sometimes even MOS are all represented without having to say a word.

Military families share some common symbols: the blue star, the yellow ribbon, the purple heart and sadly, the gold star.

For the Marine Corps, it starts with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. The wearer of this pin is known, first and foremost, as a United States Marine. It is presented at the completion of boot camp. It is earned. Semper Fi, do or die, baby.

The Marine Corps Dress Blue uniform is full of symbols. The blood stripe on the pants represents sacrifice, the blue of the tunic represents bravery and the white of the collar represents honor.

Rank insignia denotes a Marine's achievement and with that, the addition of responsibilities.

And when a Marine falls, his loss is symbolized by the rifle, helmet, boots and dogtags.

At at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, an empty place is set to symbolize those who have gone before. Gone but not forgotten. Ever

.In order for such symbols to be effective, they must truly have meaning.

So when an institution like the Marine Corps, full of such symbols, comes up against an organization that..oh, I don't know...uses Dollar Store pink foam tiaras and red fingerpaint as symbols...it's not exactly a cage match, is it?

Signed,

A Proud Marine Wife
Carrie Constantini

Purple State or yellow dog.

We are in Arkansassy, and it is election time I have no idea what will happen.

I keep seeing folks with Hillary signs all over the place. A few Obama signs. I always think of Arkansas as a yellow dog state. The Republicans spent little money here, they probably figured it was moot.

I have seen 3 political commercials. (Remember we do not watch a lot of television here at the Casa.)

They have all been Obama commercials.

There is one that remind me of the old coke commercials.



They sort of freak me out. Very retro, and evoking 50's 60's and 70's colors and ideas.

maybe this will help

where did I put that thing?

Packing still. I know everyone is gonna tire of me talking about packing, but it is what it is. To remain a functioning house while packing, with a 4 year old in tow is frustrating. So you know. She does well, it is not the four year old that is the problem, it is me. I just want to pack and be done with it.

It also seems as though when I have boxes, and tape, the marker up and walks away, when I have a marker and labels I run out of boxes.

Today I have to make my way downtown to pick up an end roll of newsprint.

I have used almost all of my linens to pack. I am saving the rest for pictures, mirrors, wall hangings and the like.

*kitchen- about 25% packed
*linen closet- 90% packed
*laundry room and pantry- 25% packed
*Master BR- 25% packed

When I start to look at those numbers, it is a long walk ahead, so I am stopping. Oye.

We are taking our first truckload and trailer up this month. DH reports for duty at the end of the month. We are all making a trip up as a family shortly, to look around the city. It seems as if the city has grown and we will be surprised. So I have to pick out a few houses to look at, etc.

PN asked the other day "Mom, why don't we just find a house shaped box, and pack the whole house in that?"

She is a smart cookie.

I am looking for a huge box for the house!

Voting

don't know why

I woke this morning, took the kids outside to load them up in the truck to note it was a balmy 68 degrees at 7:55am.

Odd. Humid, windy and warm.

No wonder we are sick, with crud.

It was 22 degrees a few days ago.

It is currently 74 degrees. Doors are flung open, heat turned off, and the darn down comforter looks ridiculous on my bed.

I guess Spring has sprung, and the weather looks blissfully warm for the next week!

I am going to try and get things packed, time is ticking. FAST. FAST.

I did not get much done over the weekend. Too many scheduled activities, and the refereeing took its toll.

Wish me luck.

brunette AWTM and her blonde daughter

For the record, I feel like dog piss right now...just saying.

I am ready to cough up an ovary. I am unsure what sort of respitory virus I have.

Here is the brunette AWTM. You can't really see it, as it was back in a pony tail.

You get the idea.

now my daughter, there is the real looker. Angelic looking truly.

Now if I could get her to act as angelic as she looks...we have a winner folks.

Since it is Sunday, The Sundays

A great voice to be certain....

So the weekend continues. what is super bowl weekend?

Headed to church, home to put a roast in, and then to AWANA.

If you need to read something of value, go to GRITS and read about Lex.

and while we are preparing to go to a birthday party, they hack each other to death in Kenya...

I watch the news from Africa about every other day. I find it confusing most of the time. The political/socio/tribal and economics of Africa are something I do not think I will ever understand.

I have been watching Kenya in particular. We had a family friend spend some time recently in Kenya. She was very excited about going on her trip. She was taking oral histories from women dying of AIDS and writing them down for their families, and their soon to be orphans. When she told us she was going, I was worried, Africa is not for the faint of heart. It is a dangerous place. Unstable. Even the simplest act of driving is dangerous, and God forbid you need a blood transfusion or become ill. Not to mention all of the rogue factions that prey on tourists. She returned earlier than anticipated, after being stopped, and threatened. You can read it here.

And the violence in Kenya seems to have erupted after its most elections in December.

I think the numbers are saying officially 850 killed. But my guess, is it is more. Especially with the number of refugees from Kenya being reported as a quarter of a million. Reports of people being burned alive, The hospitals are seeing an escalation of the number of gang rapes, women coming in to possibly get treated for rape and other injuries acquired. The youngest of these victims is reported to be an 18 month old baby girl. The clashes continue between Mungiki and the Kikuyus....

It is very reminiscent of Biafra and Congo in the 60's, Uganda and Burundi in the 70's, and most recently the genocide in Rwanda.

That is just rude

Another MUST READ

Transforming the National Guard and Reserves into a 21st-Century Operational Force (Commission on National Guard and Reserves, Final Report)

sleet, sick, baby books, the red tent and a 4 day weekend

SR is off of school again today. No sleet, but school illness. He has been great, but PN feels as though he is infringing on her turf AGAIN. The senseless bickering that goes back and forth is not good for me when my red tent is pitched and I am trying to protect steel wool rubbed nerves.

DH has drill this weekend. Bwahhhh....

I am also trying to continue to pack.

As excited as we are about the move, it has been hard to imagine the time has actually arrived.

Going through belongings has been difficult in some cases. The pregnancy journals, and baby books a little hard. I thought I had resolved all of the melancholy feelings around that time, and I have still seem to have some left over sadness and longing.

I was looking at photos of me in a hospital gown, nursing PN and telling my husband via phone of her arrival.

I have mentioned it here, we had waited 10 years into our marriage to consider pregnancy. God blessed us almost immediately after we had started.

I looked through the photos, and recalled my longing for DH to be here, and be involved, the wonderful things he missed. The difficulty of being a single parent. And I realize I am no the first person to manage that, or the last. I do not think I am trying to be a martyr, or my own damn cheerleader.

War is as old as humanity, and sometimes necessary.

When I recall those feelings, I must also recall my own strength. and no this is not one of those self congratulatory posts. I did not make it through without a hitch. I did not make it through without scraped knees, a bruised ego, and frankly I fell flat on my face a couple of times.

I did manage it. Even if it was one minute at a time, which frankly on some days was all I could muster. So when I look at the photos, of the Collective as infants, most of them are taken at arms length with half of my face, some are of an infant learning to walk or stand alone.

And we managed.

I learned I am a very capable person. I am a stronger person than I would have thought.

*I cannot help but think about moving in 10 years, or perhaps 20. I cannot help but wonder what I will think about circumstances later...*

I already voted will you?

This was a great read. Well done Mark Levin.