Say a little prayer for me

It's Monday and like always it brings the Monday blahs. Whether your out working a 9-5 job or working part time. Monday just brings with it the saddened notice that the weekend is over.

This Monday brings class, a class I really love and an excuse to get my first workout done for the week, but it also brings family stress and the possibility of some changes to circumstances within. I have spent my parenting years attempting to remind my children that all actions have repercussions. That being said, the mistakes we make will come back to haunt us.

I pray and hope you will say a little prayer as well, that the repercussion for these actions will be seen by others as enlightening and a chance for the involved child to see the err of their ways and that all the hard work and self introspection has really hit home and that they are headed down the right path and doing what I taught them, "The Right thing!"

"Sighhhhh....she is FINALLY home!"

Afghanistan deployment complete!!! Life changing, new comrades and friendships made, memories tucked away deep in her mind. CHECK!
It seemed like the longest 6 months of my life...and I can't imagine how it was for her? We watched the hot warm summer fade into a cool somewhat colorful fall then the cold of winter (minus the snow, thank goodness!) appeared. We celebrated September Birthday's, Labor Day, Halloween, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, MLK Day, Valentine's Day and even the fall back time change. And she got up everyday to the beige sandy, heartless, cold shouldered war zone. But, we made it!

I would be lying if I said it was easy and I couldn't have done it if not for the aid of Skype. Chelsea and I kept in touch almost daily using it. Even if it was a quick SMS of "Hope you have a Super De DOOPER Day, Be careful out there Princess Airman!"and at least once a month we would use the video phone and spend endless hours just catching up. Sometimes just being in the same room via Skype while the other did mundane activities was just as important as seeing her face and hearing her voice!


How did families ever survive without it? I cannot imagine waiting for the mailman day after day to get a letter with details and words written in a war zone? God bless the modern age and the inventor!!

Chelsea returned to the US in the late hours of February 15th and by the 16th she was putting her combat boots safely upon South Dakota soil!!! What I would've given to be there to welcome her home. But, it will have to wait. Orders have been already given and she is still on duty, so I will have to wait for her to get her leave approved and then, when she gets here, I plan on hanging on to her for dear life!

Don't let anybody tell you that being deployed to a war zone is fun or easy and that they are never in harms way. Thanks to my family and friends and a LOT of prayers, she has returned physically unharmed and we are all grateful and ecstatic!

Did I tell you guys that on the 16th I slept like I haven't in 6 months....it was heavenly!
My baby girl, Princess Airman is home, safe and sound, Welcome back my hero! All I have left to say is, "WHEW and SIGHHHH!"

While we still wait, Cupid stopped by.

No...she hasn't even left the middle east yet :( The one constant we have learned from being a military family is that EVERYTHING is subject to change at a moments notice, and we hurry up and wait.

No phone call the night before or most of the day yesterday and then I get a Facebook message that she is in the Manna's. Flight reset and with any hope, she will call tomorrow afternoon or evening. Fingers crossed and prayers restarted...we wait. She seems to be just fine, homesick and anxious, but keeping busy with her flight.


In the midst of all the waiting, I had to make a mad dash to find my David something for Valentine's and, as usual a couple if mushy cards, because I can never decide on one. Normally because he travels, we don't get to spend this holiday together and my cards & gifts would've been tucked away in his luggage. But, not this year!

I teach on Tuesday evenings and he originally requested that I take the evening off so we could sneak off to Murphin Ridge Inn and stay in the cabins. Snow in the morning & cold afternoon rain in the forecast and knowing the 2 day getaway would be wonderful was tempting. He has been working a lot lately, and has extra vacation time. So how romantic would it be...





It looks quite lovely, and he has been there several times for a work retreat and wanted to share. However, I thought about him and his needs to get away. So, we both decided to save the time, and use the extra days to really get away in March when Chelsea is home and head south with her when she is home in leave. Warm sunny south vs snowy wet gray woods, I think so!

He ended up staying home with me, and went and bought me, as he called it, "a not very romantical gift". NOT!! My valentine fed my quest to become an even better photographer and bought me a 70-300mm lens for my camera!! As if you guys don't get to see enough pictures of my world, it's only gonna get better! Now I can get those perfect shots from a distance...Watch Out! :) To make it even sweeter he offered to take me to the Zoo tomorrow to practice shooting! Somebody call the Zoo and tell them to wake up the animals, cause camera crazy Bev is on her way!


After the perfect gift, which also included my favorite Verona coffee, dark chocolate bars and chocolate covered cherries, we had a dinner, where I am pretty sure I consumed 2 days worth of calories, and we even had dessert, something neither of us NEVER do. (I did walk Emma twice today, and I keep trying to convince myself it will counteract those calories?!)

Stuffed we curled up, snuggled and watched The Biggest loser and both felt the shame of our dinner...Definitely one of my FAVORITE Valentine's Days. Mostly because we were together! I hope your was just as memorable and special and....

Waiting...the hardest part!

We got word one month ago..the days of departure change and weather as well as logistics always change things, but, we know she is on her way!

Here's our proof!


Sitting in some airport, somewhere in this great big world! This picture showed up yesterday afternoon...now, we and especially this anxious Momma WAIT for the phone to ring and her voice singing on the other end announcing she has made it back to the United States, our Hero home from her first tour in Afghanistan!


RING DAMN PHONE...JUST RING!!!! This has been the longest 6 months of our lives. It rates right up there with waiting 9 months for your birth! I need to hear my baby girls voice..SAFE and SOUND!

Cold Saturday Bliss!

Freezing temperatures and a home tv set on college basketball? The perfect excuse to hunker down in my theatre seat for one of the longest opera's I have seen yet.

Götterdämmerung!! The final chapter to Wagner's Ring series...ahhhh!!

Again, the cool 3 dimensional sets were used and the headlining Deborah Voight and Jay Hunter Morris were phenomenal. How difficult a 6 hour performance could be is something I don't want to even begin to attempt. How they kept their energy and momentum is still unfathomable. But, they did it. I was once again, in awe of their physical ability to sing those notes in German.The orchestration as visioned by Fabio Luisu was beautiful, haunting and mesmerizing!

In this last installment. Siegfried sets out into the world to do heroic deeds by his one true love Bruunhilde. Where does he end up? In a house of deceit, The Gibichung home of Gunther, Gutrune and their half brother, the son of Alberich, former family keepers of the ring and all its betrothed gold.

A plan is devised, a potion is administered and Siegfried suddenly forgets all about Bruunhilde and becomes enchanted with Gutrune. A wife for his comrade and blood brother, a scene straight out of any manly movie, is needed and they convince him that Bruunhilde is the worthy choice. But, they need his heroic rescue of her to set her at Gunther's side.


Long story short...against her will, but because one fearless, disguised hero crosses the fire to take her hand, she sets home with Gunther and Siegfried uses the tarnhelm, returns to the castle. Bruunhilde doesn't want to be there, she longs for her true love, Siegfried. He shows himself, with Guntrune, madly in love, still under the potions effects. Bruunhilde becomes enraged, feeling betrayed, she tells the whole story, Siegfried not having a memory of their past, denies it, and Gunther become humiliated by all the truth.

Gunther needs to end his humiliation and must destroy Siegfried so Hagen devised yet another plan. A hunt is set, a reverse potion is given and when Siegfried remembers his one true love, he is murdered. The Ring still on his hand, and Hagen can't wait to get it. He will have the gold and control...HA!

They take Siegfried's body back to the castle. Bruunhilde and Gutrune are both devastated. Lies, betrayal, love and murder! Yep, even early opera's knew what kept audiences interested and on the edge of their seats.

Bruunhilde decided's how to honor him, and save the much desired ring and all it's power. She sets up a hero's funeral, she leaps into the the flames with her one true love, as they burn his body sending his soul to the gods. What does she do with the ring, you ask? She removed it from Siegfried's hand curses it and throws it to the depths of the Rhine. The river overflows destroying all of the Gibichungs' hall. Hagen, trying to retrieve the ring leaps into the water, drowns and the Rhinemaidens joyfully reclaim their gold and in the distance, Valhalla and the Gods are seen surrounded by the flames.


LONG opera...but, still a better way to spend a cold Saturday afternoon! My mind, soul and brain are filled and resting now.

Can't wait for the next performance!! We've got Ernani on February 25th, Manon on April 7th and I can't wait to see La Traviata on April 14th!

Off to the Opera, AGAIN!!

Deborah Voight & Jay Hunter Morris!!!


3D led being used!! I will update tonight....- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Doing what is right.

Seems like that word is forgotten more than ever nowadays. Our generation was raised to always do the right thing. Our moral compass was set on right, not wrong or selfish. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

I follow the rules. I stop at all stop signs, no matter how late I am. I put the cart away when I shop and use one. I pick up the remnants of Emma's 2 walks a day. This week I even let two people with less than 3 items go in front of me at the store when I had a buggy plum full and coupons to be managed.


In this last month doing the right things seems useless. It is a virtual mine field in our community, some guy blew at me and kept flashing his high beams at me on the way home from Blanchester because I wasn't going fast enough for hIm and then to top it off, when I was working on my upcoming Zumbathon event, I got smacked in the face by my very own olive branch.

Discouraging as it is, that bible verse found me, it lifted my spirits and reminded me that I am that person. We are only as good as our actions and my actions, although sometimes may be confused with someone's insecurities and fears, are intended to be good.

My heart is good, my intentions only to be helpful, honest, and humble. But most of all, I, MYSELF will continue to,

Customer opinions DO matter!

Years ago I was the nitpicking lady next to you in a restaurant when the food was not up to their usual standards or if the screwed up my order. How hard is to write "NO garden!" on a sandwich? And doesn't that mean nothing that grows in the ground? No lettuce, tomato, AND definitely NOO onions!

Anywho, after my children became teenagers, they suddenly were mortified by my behavior and the complaint department shut down. I would simply not eat it. UNTIL, we stopped one day to have a late lunch early dinner at Bob Evan's and my beloved standby order of a Belgium Waffle disappeared off the menu and some crazy hash thingy replaced it.

I did complain to our waitress and I continued every time we went. After our third trip I decided to go online and voice my consumer opinion. "Why take it away? It wasn't broken. It was the perfect little warm vanilla fluffy goodness! Please bring it back?!"


Regretfully, I did not hear back from them. They had the waffle irons...why stop making them? I was going to just become a Bob Evan's sandwich eater :( and it made me sad.

UNTIL, this Sunday when we stopped at the one in Chillicothe, OH and as I scanned the menu, looking back and forth between sandwich's and salads, and once again complaining about them taking away my beloved Waffle, I flipped the menu to the breakfast section...

My poor David blushed. I squealed with delight!! To him I probably sounded like that obnoxious squealing pig in the insurance commercial! Right there...at the VERY TOP of the breakfast menu, was a shiny new sticker!! On that sticker...."New, improved recipe, Belgium Waffles."!!!

Yes, I ordered it! I remember giggling like a schoolgirl when I said the words, "Belgium Waffle". It was heavenly, with my side of bacon and coffee. It WAS my free day selection. Something usually reserved for Friday's. No regrets, no shame, not one bit concerned about the calories, I savored every single bite. And, I even made a point to tell our waitress just how happy I was it was back. She smiled and said, "Lots of people missed them."

The Customer is ALWAYS right...voicing your opinion may actually get you what you want. Lesson here=don't mess with our Belgium Waffles!!

THANK YOU BOB EVAN's!!! :))) I am one Happy Waffle Gal!