THANK YOU!

To those in my family who have served:
My daddy, Jimmy Ray-US Army
My brother, Chad Ray-US Navy
My cousin, Bruce Pilcher-US Navy
My cousin, now deceased, Marty Erwin-US Air Force
His wife, Julia Erwin-US Air Force
To my mothers cousin who lost his life in Vietnam, I am sorry, I never met him nor can I remember his name.

To members of Charlie's family who have served or are serving:
His brother, Gary McAlpin-US Army
His nephew, Kevin McAlpin-US Army
His nephew, Jason McAlpin-US Army
His niece, Tracy McAlpin-Bunko-US Air Force
His father, Charles McAlpin-US Navy

To Friends who we are honored to know or know their family:
Chip Staggs-US Marines
Rob Birka- US Army (Welcome home from Iraq)
Terry Elliott- US Navy
Sarah's Brother, Andy- US Army
Randy Thompson
Scott Reid
Rhett Anderson
Donald Boaz
Terry Orange
Eddie Cole
Lisa's Daughter & Son-in-law
Harvey's son
Cory's 2 friends who joined the marines after graduation-Joe & Lil' Dunn

And the many more whom I never had the chance to meet nor will ever have the chance to meet. To those who have yet to commit to serve, I also thank you!

It is by your commitment and, for some, by your blood that we are free today. I praise your courage. I give you each honor. I pray for you and your families. I am proud to be an American. I am proud to live in America. I lift each of you today and every day for the job you do to ensure my freedom. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you! May God truly bless and protect each of you.

A great man once said things so eloquently:

Theodore Roosevelt, 1907:

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he's an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American People.

Let us say to the immigrant not that we hope he will learn English, but that he has got to learn it. Let the immigrant who does not learn it go back. He has got to consider the interest of the United States or he should not stay here. He must be made to see that his opportunities in this country depend upon his knowing English and observing American standards. The employer cannot be permitted to regard him as an industrial asset.We must in every way possible encourage the immigrant to rise, help him up, give him a chance to help himself. If we try to carry him he may well prove not well worth carrying. We must in turn insist upon his showing the same standard of fealty to this country and to join with us in raising the level of the common American citizenship.

Newspaper article, 1916

Using the motto "America for Americans" for all Americans, whether they were born here or abroad, the former President declared that "the salvation of our people lies in having a nationalized and unified America, ready for the tremendous task of both war and peace.""I appeal to all our citizens," the Colonel said, "no matter from what land their forefathers came, to keep this ever in mind, and to shun with scorn and contempt the sinister intriguers and mischiefmakers who would seek to divide them along lines of creed, birthplace or of national origin."Col. Roosevelt said he came to St. Louis to speak on Americanism--to speak of and condemn the use of the hyphen "whenever it represents an effort to form political parties along racial lines or to bring pressure to bear on parties and politicians, not for American purposes, but in the interest of some group of voters of a certain national origin or of the country from which they or their fathers came."

Again, AMERICA FOR AMERICANS.

New Love.....
Well...maybe not new, but refreshed! I just love the David Crowder Band! Funky cool and just plain good!

I love the sound...I love the freshness...I love the lyrics....I love the beat....I don't love his hair/beard thing..but that is ok..I don't love my thighs either! ehheheehee! Mostly upbeat....head banging kind of upbeat! A concert would send me soaring!

Not much more to say for now!

Have a BLESSED day!

Another digi layout...kind of. It is actually a card style look that when printed, is a 4x6 cool border/photo. This is Cory's friend, Kimber. His perspective on Prom '07....."Next year I am gonna take someone who will actually dance with me!"

My first digital scrapbook page!

Let's just say I was inspired by the challenge to do something I hadn't done before. The digi-pages are from some freebies on the net. I am terrible at organizing myself in such a way as to know who/where they are from, sorry. I don't even think they were all from the same place. I have mixed and matched. It was totally a cool process and I recreated it twice.....ehheheee! I do have to say the process was quite slow, some due to my inexperience and most due to the speed of my puter. Oh how I want to have a laptop with tons of memory and then to have an external harddrive on top of that! Crazy things to dream of huh? Well, if you are like me, you save every cotton-picking thing that you find plus my photos and who knows what else there could be! External harddrive and memory....dreaming in color!

Now, this layout was pretty cool, but you know, my boys are going to be soooo jealous! I must create some layouts with their photos. Not today, but very soon. Cory has prom tonight so I should be able to get a few good shot of him to scrap! How cool....my baby is 17 and going to prom!

Thank you, Lord. Abba, El-Shaddai, Yahweh. Thank you for the trials I face each day. You have blessed me beyond measure. Thank you that you are the most high. Thank you for speaking to me in that still small voice, yet the one that truly gets my attention.

I pray that each step is carefully taken in the direction you are leading. That each member of this family is lifted up and protected. Father, you have blessed me with each child and I give each back to you knowing you love them more and want more for them than I could ever imagine. I pray that you show them how to guard their hearts, minds and mouths throughout this day. Make them sensitive to your council and a blessing to others around them. I lift each to you that the tests they are taking in school go well. Give them strength, O Lord, all of us, to face each thing that comes our way today be it good or bad. Help me to remember each of them throughout the day with specific prayers.

I lift my friends to you that each face this day with boldness for you and a confidence that this is the day you have made and I pray they rejoice and be glad in it. I pray each of them see you at work and accept your invitation to join you when invited. I pray you give them the gentleness of your spirit to work through anything they face.

I lift my church to you, Father, that you may continue blessing all who attend and those who are yet to attend. I pray you annoint each member in such a way as to draw others to you. I pray for those we have in service for our country and those who are sick and those who are suffering. Father, give each a peace of your presence today.

I pray for Charlie and myself, that we be faithful to you in spite of the circumstances in our lives. I pray for your wisdom and guidance in each step we take. I ask that you bind satan's attack upon us as we face the current trial and that each of us will immediately recognize the attack and use our sword of the word to counter his efforts to knock us off balance and make us doubt. I ask that each decision we make today be the best decision as often it is difficult to tell.

I praise you for all you have done, are doing and will be doing in the lives of all around us. Thank you for your love and your son.

In Jesus precious name, Amen.