The Truth About Fort Hood

On November 5th, 2009, three friends of mine, and fellow Mental Health Technicians, Trey, Dayna , and Kortenkamp were at Fort Hood preparing for their first deployments. I suspected that things would go off without a hitch. Then all of a sudden there were a flurry of reports about a shooting. I saw on facebook that Trey's fiance was freaking out because she couldn't get a hold of him. It turned out that he was ok, he had just gotten separated from the group when he saw that Dayna had been shot. I can't even go on to the rest of the story because I honestly don't know all the details. Kara recently posted this video and I would like for everyone to watch it. People are forgetting that this even occurred and no one is bothering to learn the truth about the situation. I was very lucky that the three people I knew were not killed, my three friends were not so lucky. They lost people they knew and cared about. Dayna was severely injured and has to live with that everyday. Pin It

Memorial Day

I just want to remind everyone what this holiday weekend means. Please remember the fallen.

Dirge for Two Veterans Walt Whitman (from Leaves of Grass, first published in the 1867 edition)          1    The last sunbeam Lightly falls from the finish’d Sabbath, On the pavement here—and there beyond, it is looking,    Down a new-made double grave.          2    Lo! the moon ascending! Up from the east, the silvery round moon; Beautiful over the house tops, ghastly phantom moon;    Immense and silent moon.          3    I see a sad procession, And I hear the sound of coming full-key’d bugles; All the channels of the city streets they’re flooding,    As with voices and with tears.          4    I hear the great drums pounding, And the small drums steady whirring; And every blow of the great convulsive drums,    Strikes me through and through.          5    For the son is brought with the father; In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell; Two veterans, son and father, dropt together,    And the double grave awaits them.          6    Now nearer blow the bugles, And the drums strike more convulsive; And the day-light o’er the pavement quite has faded,    And the strong dead-march enwraps me.          7    In the eastern sky up-buoying, The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumin’d; (’Tis some mother’s large, transparent face,    In heaven brighter growing.)          8    O strong dead-march, you please me! O moon immense, with your silvery face you soothe me! O my soldiers twain! O my veterans, passing to burial!    What I have I also give you.          9    The moon gives you light, And the bugles and the drums give you music; And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans,    My heart gives you love.
In Flanders Fields John McCrae (1915) In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

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I'm famous! Plus Menu Plan Monday & Reading Check-In

 Have you seen the latest issue of Parents Magazine? This one here:

I'm in it! For reals. I'm kind of a big deal now.

Ok not really. Last month a reader asked one of the writers a question. She said her husband was deployed and her daughter didn't want to go on Skype and talk to him, so she wondered what to do. The writer said not to force the issue and that the child would be reacquainted when the parent returned. When I was in the Army, I was a Mental Health Specialist. Two of the most common issues were homesickness and the shock of coming back home to a family that you are basically a stranger to. So I wrote a letter to the editor and said this:

I just think it is really important to make every effort to keep the channels of communication open. One of the best ways of doing that nowadays is Skype. Skype is really a Godsend. A child of any age can see their parent through the camera and recognize them. It is so important for the morale of the deployed soldier to see their family. Obviously I am no expert, but this is just based on what I saw for myself.

So I thought that was pretty cool. I actually had no idea it was in there. One of my old bosses messaged me on facebook to let me know. Someone saw that it said I was a Mental Health Specialist so they brought it to show him and he was surprised to see my name. I'm pretty darn proud of myself. All right, I'm done tooting my own horn. I'll be back tomorrow with an awesome historical fiction book review.

Menu Plan Monday
Here's the noms we are making this week.

Monday - Italian Pot Pie
Tuesday - Baked Chicken (most likely more Honey Mustard Chicken, that was a hit last week.)
Wednesday - Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Thursday - Egg Boat Sandwiches
Friday - Beef and Bean Burritos
Saturday - Eating out
Sunday - Hmm.... I don't know yet.

So what am I reading these days? Well I finally took The Invention of Hugo Cabret off the shelf. I've been really intimidated by its ginormous size. Did you know that the book is illustrated so half the book is actually the illustrations?! Well, now you do, and you don't have to be intimidated anymore. I just finished part 1, and I can't wait to get to my bed tonight to read part 2. I think I should be able to finish it today, making it just a 2 day book. Love those. This will count towards my Off the Shelf 2012 challenge too. Woohoo. Reading a couple of books for review, including these adorable BabyLit Board Book primers based on classic novels like Pride & Prejudice, Romeo & Juliet, Jane Eyre, and Alice in Wonderland. They're freaking adorable!

So what are you reading and eating this week? Let me know! Pin It