REMEMBERING AND HONORING OUR AMERICAN HERO

SGT BUDDY JAMES "DOC" HUGHIE

On Sunday, February 19, 2012 we marked the five year anniversary of our American Hero being KIA while serving as an army medic in Afghanistan Asia by having a WREATH LAYING CEREMONY.  I have written a bit about this tragic event (previously) so I won’t take the time here to go over all of that.

I invited Buddy’s former CO to the service and asked if he would be the Key Note Speaker.  They are in OK and we are in SC so it was quite a committment for them to make that seventeen hour drie.  He accepted and brought three other OKNG soldiers with him.  All four soldiers were in Afghanistan with Buddy.  I later found out that one of the soldiers was actually in the same convoy that was ambushed by the Taliban when Buddy was KIA!

Our grandson was only three months, four days old when his Daddy Buddy was KIA.  Now that he is five years old I wanted to do something to help him put some pieces of the puzzle together.  He may not yet recognize that there is a puzzzle but I felt like it was important to do something too not only mark this five year milestone but too also give our little guy some memory of his daddy.

So upon he advice of Randy “Steam” Stevens (the SCPGR Captain) I decided on the Wreath Laying Ceremony.  And since this is a military service and I am a mere civilian it wasn’t the easiest thing to pull off.  I couldn’t have done it without the help of the South Carolina Patriot Guard Riders.  Their State Captain was instrumental in helping me manuever through the various agencies.  And if not for Senator Glenn McConnell the Color Guard would have been a highschool ROTC team.  But I felt like Buddy was a decorated soldier and he deserved real soldiers at this ceremony.  I think he’s earned much more than that.  And although one First Sergant from the South Carolina National Guard initially told me that they usually reserve Color Guards for dignateries or high ranking officials he changed his tune when the Senator’s office inquired.

The Ceremony was scheduled for 1400 hours that Sunday.  When I awoke that morning it was pouring down.  We had gotten over two inches of rain that night and depending on which forecast you looked at the forcast for the remainder of the day was 90%-100% chance of rain for the remainder of the day.  Great!

Fortunately the funeral home that helped with Buddy’s burial was nice enough to erect a tent and put out some chairs for us.  And they didn’t charge anything either!

Around 1230 hours the rain let up.  Since the cemetary is less than two miles from our home I decided to ride down there to check on things.  The tent wasn’t up yet.  I guess since we had thunderstorms the night before they layed the rug and chairs on the ground then placed the half-round tent top over that.

At 1320 hours I rode back down there to make sure the Color Guard and bugelar were there and too see if the tent was up.  There had been a number of challenges so I just wanted to let my family know if there was something not quite right.  The Color Guard was there and the tent was up but no bugelar yet.  I decided, what the heck, I wasn’t going to worry about anything else.  It would either come off or not.

I got a call from the SC Patriot Guard Riders and we were to meet them at a store parking lot so they could escort us down the highway and into the cemetary.  There were about twenty-five to thrity bikes with flags so it was an impressive entrance.  By now our prayers for no rain paid off.  The rain stopped!

When we arrived at the cemetary everyone was there.  We waited a few minutes to exit our vehicles so that the SCPGR could form their flag line.  The Color Guard was in place in their dress uniforms.  The OKNG soldiers were there (standing at attention) in their dress uniforms.  Our pastor was there.  The vocalist (the praise and worship leader at our local church) was there.  I didn’t see the bugelar but he should have been tucked away somewhere in the distance.  Everything was set.

Capt Rowland opened with a few short remarks about the ceremony followed the singing of the National Anthym.  Brad (the vocalist) later told me that he was scared to death about messing up the National Anthym with all those soldiers there.

Next Captain Rowland spoke about Sgt Buddy James “Doc” Hughie.  (And how interesting is it that as Captain Rowland began speaking that the sun actually brok through the clouds?)  As he spoke, I learned some more about Buddy.  I knew he had completed Advanced Infantry Training to perform the duties of an army medic.  However, I did not know that he had also successfully completed Advanced Infantry Training for both Engineering and Military Police!  Captain Rowland said that it was unusual to find a soldier who had completed two AITs and it was virtually unheard of to have a soldier in your unit that  haD completed three!  Sgt Hughie was a very accomplished soldier.  I also learned that day that when they were deployed to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief his unit found a survivor on day five.  Buddy administered life saving treatmentS to her.  Captain Rowland said the elderly woman was laying on her mattress for five days.  He said you could see the water mark on the walls where the flood waters had floated the mattress up to almost the ceiling.

Next our pastor spoke.  He not only spoke about Buddy (whom he knew) but he also spoke about heroes.  Not those who hit or catch or throw a ball but real heroes!  People who step outside their comfort zones.  People who are selfless.  People who will do whatever it takes, even or especially under dire circumstances, in spite of the risk to their own life.

I watched the soldiers, Buddy’s friends.  Captain Rowland had to stop twice to compose  himself when talking about Buddy.  The other three guys were almost ready to break down and openly cry but they kept it together.  It’s difficult to explain but it did me good to see their emotions still so raw after all these years.  They later told me that this is really the first time they had the chance to say goodby.

I was holding together pretty good… until taps began.  Something about that lone bugelar playing that sad song off in the distance.

After the Wreath Laying Ceremony it was time to adjourn to our community clubhouse where we all enjoyed a catered bar-b-que spread.  There were stories about Buddy’s life.  There were laughs.  But the best thing of all is the way our little grandson played with those big burly soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard.  They picked him up like he was a rag doll and tossed him around.  To hear their laughs, to hear his little giggles to see all their smiles and watch them begin, what I believe will be a life-long relationship, was very healing for me.  And when he gets a little older I think our little grandson will appreciate not only his Daddy Buddy’s life but also appreciate his new soldier friends of the OKNG!

In spite of the circumstances that brought us to that day, Sunday, February 19, 2012 was a pretty good day.

A CRITICAL SPIRIT?

Due to an injury I sustained several weeks ago I have had the fortune to be able to spend some time alone.  It’s a rare thing.  Having been able to just sit and think about my life has been revelational.  More so than just a fleeting thought would provide.

I have figured out what surely everyone else around me has known for years, that I am one heck of a critical person!  And the joke has been (on me) that I don’t even need to try to be critical.  It comes easy.  How sad is  that?

You see for more than two decades (literally) I have been one of the people on the Neighborhood Committee who sends you the letter about your lawn maintenance, your broken down car, your green slimed house and god forbid you don’t put your trash receptical away in a timely manner!

After all, we all knew when we moved into The Neighborhood that there were restrictive covenants.  Right?  So that’s the justification (for me).  You knew the rules coming in to the game, so don’t cry about you can’t do this or that.  Just fix it!  Your inability to adhere to the restrictive covenants is not only affecting your property values but it is affecting mine, your neighbors and the entire neighborhood as a whole!  Right?

Believe it or not I used to be such a positive person.  I even used to listen to positive motivational tapes “back in the day.”  Back then, if you didn’t actually like being around me you at least didn’t mind having me around.  But who in the world wants to hang around a guy who is critical about anything and everything.  If you have a wart it’s my responsibility to point it out.  After all, you’ve had the wart for a while now and no one else has pointed out.  Surely you want to get that wart treated.  Don’t you?  So now I find myself being the Wart Police and I don’t like it!  The thing is though, that I have allowed this criticalness to become sp deeply seated.  And I hate it!!

So I have determined that I need have to change the way I view life.  I have to change the way I interact with people.  I have to change the way I speak with people.  I have to change ME!

It finally dawned on me that this was one of the plans of the enemy for me (to become so critical).  You see that is how he does it.  He lies to you.  “What you are doing is a good thing.  People need to have their property investment protected.  You can make a worthwhile contribution.”  The enemy knows that if he throws something up in front of me that I can readily recognize as being ungodly or sinful that I will shy away from that.  But give me something that seems worthy and productive that I can slowly pervert and I can and will likely fall for that.

So change is coming.  I know it won’t be easy.  In fact it may be pretty darned difficult.  In fact in the days since I made known to the Neighborhood Board that I will no longer be involved with The Committee I have received no less than two phone calls and one email regarding some ongoing issues.  Sorry but I can no longer help with that.

I don’t recon that this change will be easy or happen over night, but change I must.  I must become the man my Creator imagined me to be when He intentionally created me.  I’ve lost too many years and damaged too many relationships.  I must love my neighbor.  I must speak life to my acquaintances (maybe a couple will become my friend in the process).

Change is in the air and I am taking deep breaths of it!

MEMORIAL DAY 2011 – WE STILL REMEMBER!

Sgt. Buddy James Hughie

HUSBAND, FATHER, SON, FRIEND

KILLED IN ACTION FEBRUARY 19, 2007

TWO BRONZE STAR (medals) WITH VALOR, PURPLE HEART

Entered into eternal rest serving in Operation Enduring Freedom

Afghanistan, Asia

Killed in Action (KIA) with a single shot from a Taliban sniper while rendering aid to Afghan Army Nationals.  Sgt Hughie went where no other dared.  He saved the lives of two men who were of a different race, a different religion, who lived in a foreign land and they spoke a different language. In the process, his heroic actions cost him his life.  Sgt Hughie stepped out and went where others refused go.

We love him and miss him dearly.  If you have not visited  the links “Our American Hero” and “Sgt Buddy James Hughie” on this home page please take time to do so and get to know our American Hero.  He is the one we knew as Buddy, the one with the radiant white smile who was always willing to help you with whatever needed to be done.  The world is a little darker without Buddy Hughie.

Today as you storm the beaches remember those whom stormed beaches long ago.

Enjoy your freedoms for they are bought with the blood from our American Heros.

The Death of UBL (aka OBL)

Many people know of our American Hero (Sgt Buddy James Hughie) and of Buddy’s being KIA on the border of Pakistan/Afghanistan.  A number of them have asked me how I feel about the recent news of the successful mission carried out by US Navy SEAL Team 6.

Honestly I can’t say how exactly I feek about that.  The recent news from Abbottab, Pakistan has dredged up things in me that I thought I had long ago dealt with.  Anger, grief and a deep sadness.  Strangely, my first thought upon hearing the news was, “How sad for his children and grandchildren.”  Can you believe that?!  Then I felt guilty for feeling anything buy “HOORAY, HE’S DEAD!”  The Number One Terrorist in the world was a hideous human being.  No doubt or question about that.  His mind set and actions has caused untold numbers of people all over the world an unmeasurable amount of anguish.   Still, I can’t help but feel some compassion for his (innocent) children and grandchildren.  I thought, “another daddy gone.” 

All of us who claim the Christ as our Savior… how radically could the world have been changed if that one individual had been captured and also become a follower of the Savior?!  Can you even imagine the termoil that would have caused around the world?   Is it  likely that would have happened had he been caught?  Probably not.  Was it possible?  Well, that depends on who’s god you worship.  If you worship the god that required you to kill people who do not worship the same way you worship than it would never happen.  However, if you worship ad serve the One True God then yes, it certainly was possible.

Am I glad he isn’t around to plan and carry out more terrorit plotws against even more innocentws?  Abolutely!  But I can’t say I’m actually glad he is dead.

I must admit though… I never once prayed for that terrorist.  Not even once.  Sure, I pray (occassionally) for terrorsts.  I pray that they too will come to know Truth.  And if they don’t that they not be able to cause other’s harm before they come to THE Truth.

I know my thoughts and opinions are not very popular.  So what.

As for as releasing the pictures.  I don’t believe they need to be officially released.  They will eventually be leaked by someone.  I don’t need to see them either.  Our lives (my family) have not changed from this week to last.  There will be some other nut-job to fill his shoes that thinks their god needs them to kill for him.  How powerful is your god if he requires you to go around and kill those whom he created?

THE SEASON OF LENT

Much has been written about the Lenten season  I don’t suppose my little ramblings will change much.

In my personal opinion the Church Doctrine of Lent has become a means of allowing many people who say they are Christians to pretty much do as the please throughout the remainder of the year.  However when Lent rolls around these same “sayers” will give up some food group or stop using some technology that consumes a portion of their day or heck, some may even practice acts of benevolence!  But what are these same people replacing those voids in their life with?  During any other time of the year if someone gives up a specific food group what is it called?  It’s a diet.  Right?  If someone takes a break from  technology what is that called?  Maybe a vacation?  If someone practices sporadic acts of benevolence what is that about?  Making the giver feel good about what they are doing?

On the other hand, when people determine that the Holy Spirit (not the calender) is calling them to change destructive patterns of behavior in their life and they obey His leading then there can be true, daily and lasting transformation(s).  The old has passed away…

I think if you approach the season of Lent with the view of “look how bad or slack I’ve been” the enemy has already won.  Guilt does not come from the Lord.  On the other hand, if you approach the season of Lent with the view of  “what daily changes can I make in my life to reflect the teachings of the Savior and too become more Christ-like” then you may be heading in the right direction.

So, are you being lead by the days on a calender or some Church Doctrine?  Or are you seeking The One Who created time?  The former leads to spiritual death.  The later leads to Life eternal.

The choice has always been ours to make.  Choose wisely.

 

SPEEDEE OIL CHANGERS ARE NO HEROES!

For quite some time now I’ve been seeing SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE commercials on TV claiming that they are “Home Town Heroes.”  Heroes?  Really?

A few months ago I stopped by one of the local franchises to chat with the franchisee about the commercial but he/she wasn’t in.  I have a nice memorial on the back of my van honoring our son-in-law (Sgt Buddy James Hughie) and pointed it out to the manager on duty.  After saving the lives of two wounded comrades our American Hero was killed by a Taliban sniper while working on the third.  For his selfless acts of bravery under fire, Buddy was posthumously awarded two Bronze Star medals with Valor and a Purple Heart medal.

I have been growing more and more concerned about the use of the term “Hero.”  Especially as it relates to those using it for monetary gain.  To me (personally) it just seems inherritantly wrong for anyone to tout themself as a hero so they can put money in their pocket.  I mean in order to be truly heroic you should do something without expecting anything in return.  You know… make some sort of sacrifice.  Not, come on in and we will charge you $35.99 to change your oil and “save” your engine.

So anyway, I stopped by another SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE today.  I went in and there were two people behind the counter.  I thought they both looked familiar so I asked them if they were the “Home Town Heroes” I had seen on TV.  They said they were.  I then asked if I could speak with either or both of them privately.  Steve (the manager) nodded affirmatively and walked outside.  I introduced myself and then handed him a laminated card that has Buddy’s picture on it with the following verbage on it.

In Loving Memory of

SGT. BUDDY JAMES HUGHIE

Husband, Father, Son and an

American Hero

October 23, 1981 – February 19, 2007

Entered eternal rest serving in

Operation Enduring Freedom

Afghanistan, Asia

Steve took a quick glance at it and started to hand it back to me.  I told him to keep it and asked that when he had the time to Google Buddy to see what a remarkable hero he was.  I then explained that I was bothered by their advertisement that they were “Home Town Heroes.”  I asked how they could use the term “hero,” further stating that it cheapens its real meaning for people like our son-in-law.  Steve replies with something like, “hero” has been used for a long time.  What about the kid who has on a T-shirt saying his dad is his hero.  I replied that the kid’s dad has likely made sacrifices for his child and in all likelihood earned the right to be  called “hero.”  We went back and forth for a minute or two with silly stuff like that.  Here is my favorite part;

Steve:  What about the old lady who comes in here with a broken down car?  She can’t go see her family.  We fix her car and she gets to go see her family.  Don’t you think we are heroes to her?

Me:  Seriously?  That’s stretching it a bit don’t you think?

Steve:  Well I think you’re stretching it!

Me:  Wow. (turning to walk away)

Steve:  Have a nice day!

People like Steve and companies who use the term “Hero” in their marketing campaigns to put money in their pockets…. Well, to me, they are War Profiteers!  Our town has a somewhat large populous of military families and for SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE and others to try to push those emotional, patriotic buttons for financial gain (to me) is just despicable!

So, go anywhere but SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE to have your oil changed and car maintenance.  This is one family of a TRUE AMERICAN HERO who would certainly support you doing so!

Dr. Terry Jones

I will not presume to know if you have heard the Word of the Lord as it relates to burning the Qur’an. 

I pray that you are crystal clear on the Message that you have received from Him.  If you are 100% clear that this action is of the Lord,you (of course) must proceed.  However, if this is in fact from the great deceiver then I pray that you receive revelation knowledge to that fact.

Holy Scripture tells me that His ways are Higher than mine and that I can not understand the mind of the Lord.  I surely do not understand how burning a Qur’an is showing those whom do not believe in Christ the Savior that He IS the only way to the Father.  Neither can I understand how stirring up more hatred is His way.  But it is not my “job” to understand what you are doing.  It is, however, my responsibility to pray for those in places of leadership.  I believe that for a season that is you Dr Terry Jones.  Pray I shall.  I shall pray that you have the strength, discernment and wisdom to follow the leading(s) of the Great I Am.  I shall pray that anything short of completely following Him that He will “interupt” you from any and all disobediance by the means He deems appropriate.  I pray that you have longevity of life.

1 Corenthians 8:7-13 speaks of us causing our brothers to stumble.  Additionally in Ezekiel 34 the Lord Speaks of the shephards’ responsibility as it relates to them (the shephards) causing the sheep to “not be fed.”

My family has suffered the deep sorrow that can only be felt through the killing (by a Taliban sniper) of one of our loved ones.  We miss our American Hero terribly.

Please take a moment to read what I wrote of those early days.  A series titled “DEATH AT THE FRONT DOOR” (parts 1-3).  It has been a very difficult journey to love those whom I can not understand. But in the end I have come to bettere understand that He IS in control and He does not NEED (nor require) me to help Him with His plan.

I am to love and pray and when necessary “shake the dirt from my sandals.”

Blessings to you as you remain obediant to His Calling.

http://mssc54.wordpress.com/our-american-hero/

MEMORIAL DAY 2010 – WE STILL REMEMBER!

Sgt. Buddy James Hughie

HUSBAND, FATHER, SON, FRIEND

KILLED IN ACTION FEBRUARY 19, 2007

TWO BRONZE STAR (medals) WITH VALOR, PURPLE HEART

Entered into eternal rest serving in Operation Enduring Freedom

Afghanistan, Asia

 

Killed in Action (KIA) with a single shot from a Taliban sniper while rendering aid to Afghan Army Nationals.  Sgt Hughie went where no other dared.  He saved the lives of two men who were of a different race, a different religion, who lived in a foreign land and they spoke a different language. In the process, his heroic actions cost him his life.  Sgt Hughie stepped out and went where others refused go.

We love him and miss him dearly.  If you have not visited  the links “Our American Hero” and “Sgt Buddy James Hughie” on this home page please take time to do so and get to know our American Hero.  He is the one we knew as Buddy, the one with the radiant white smile who was always willing to help you with whatever needed to be done.  The world is a little darker without Buddy Hughie.

Enjoy your freedoms for they are bought with the blood from our American Heros.

Why are Atheists so hateful toward people of faith?

 

I have, upon occasion, visited Blogs written by Atheists.  When I take the time to leave a (respectful) comment I am always blasted by other commenters.  And they don’t approach me with the slightest bit of civility either.  Name calling seems to be one of the most used forms of communicating.

I won’t try to get into all the “whys” that Atheists are so mean to people of faith.  Except that one of the most common themes seem to revolve around the “Look at how religion has played such a role in violence over the centuries.”  I must agree that they do have a very valid point with that argument.    But then again you don’t have to believe in any religious god to have a violent following.

It has been my personal observation that there are “haters” on both sides of this issue.  Like any disagreement each party can become very hateful, vindictive and down right cruel.  I will say that the Atheists have a valid argument when they say that religion’s role in violence over the centuries has been abhorrent.  However, they (the Atheists) are confusing the humans who claim to be followers of their religion’s diety with the founder/diety of  that very same religion.  

Mankind, for the most part, has been selfish since Adam and Eve.  Of course that was not the Creator’s intent.  However, He gave Adam and Eve the ability to choose and they each chose self over loving obedience.  The rest as they say is history.

I’m getting a bit off track here.  The purpose of this Blog post is not to proselytize but to try to determine why it is that Atheists must resort to such crude, hateful and denigrating forms of communicating to people of faith.

Surely no one can expect to “convert” a person by berating them.  It matters not what the subject matter is (politics, religion, alternative life styles) I think it is better to communicate in a polite and respectful manner if you want the other person to try to see the point you are making.

I have some childhood friends who (as children under their parents’ supervision) were full participants in their local churches.  Now, as adults, they could not be further from those beliefs and practices.   I must say that, for the most part, they have been pretty-much respectful of my faith… for the most part.  Of course they tend to throw little jabs by trying to get them in through the back door, so to speak.  I notice them and ignore them.  But it makes my heart ache (proverbially speaking of course).   I wonder how it is that an individual can get from “here to there”.  I do know that the One True God had nothing to do with them taking that journey. 

I suspect that people develope deep-seeded negative views toward God based on how they have been treated.  SOMEONE had to betray or even abuse them to chase them from their former beliefs.

I think it can be much like a dog that becomes so vicious that the only choice is to quarantine it or too put it down.   And NO I am not saying that Atheists should be quaranteened or put down!  That vicious dog was someone’s little puppy one day.  Full of love and promise.  Everyone loves a fluffy little puppy.  But because the puppy isn’t properly cared for as it is growing up it developes some bad habits.  Rather than spend the time to lovingly show this puppy better ways to correct its unwanted behavior it is neglected or even worse abused.  The more neglect and abuse the puppy receives the more ardent it becomes in its beliefe that whenever “those people” come around its bad news.   And after a while the puppy has grown into a dog that knows (based on repeated abusive treatment) that when “those people” come around they are going to make life miserable.

I think there is a significant number of us who claim to be Christian who will have some answering to do about the way we interacted with or fellow created beings when we find ourself at the Bema Seat.

God help us all.

An Attitude of Gratitude

The last few months I have allowed myself to become so busy that I got caught up in what can be the every day drudgery of life.  Bad me.

However, just over the last few days or week or so I have been more reflective in nature.   As I have (intentionally) gone over some of my life long issues of hurt and woundedness I have realized that in spite of my bad habits and poor choices I have found myself in a place of blessing.

For many years I lead a life of self-indulgence.  I used to have the tendency of compartmentalizing my life.  For instance if I was not deliberately abusing my children then I was a good father.  After all I was better than those fathers.  If I could feed my (former) drug use without actually having to spend money then, of course, using drugs was not a problem.  If I could still hold down a job then there certainly was nothing wrong with drinking two quarts of Jack Daniels a week!  I was good at compartmentalizing.  Or perhaps the more professionally accepted term would be “rationalizing.” 

I ended up in Alcoholics Anonymous for a while.  However, I never did like their “One Day at a Time” philosophy.  To me that was saying that, ” I betcha one day I’m going to fall off the wagon.”   I did do at least two meetings a day for the first ninety days.  Some days I would do three meetings!  I got all the cute little chips and listened to all the stories about why others drank.  It was their spouse’s fault.  The kids drove them nuts.  Their boss didn’t like them.  They were abused as a child.  The wind was blowing.  The lighting was bad.  Their mother didn’t breast feed them but did breast feed their siblings.  And on, and on, and on.   But in fairness to all the story tellers I haven’t been to an AA meeting in a couple of decades or so, so maybe the tone has changed.  But I doubt it.

It’s a wonder I didn’t end up needing treatment for depression!  At first I latched on to the “I have a disease” thing.  After all if I wasn’t responsible then I would have no responsibility for my past actions.  Heck, I just couldn’t help myself.  I mean have you ever heard of anyone blasting a cancer patient for losing their hair?!  I have a disease!  I just can’t help myself!

Man this post is starting to go all  over the place here.

Anyway, I lost a significant portion of my life because of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and mostly too SELF PITTY!!  I’m actually still trying to work through and figure out how it is that I (specifically) came to feel that I always got the short end of the stick!  I can go down the list.

1.  My dad travled out of town 4 or 5 nights a week.  So I basically had an absentee dad.

2.  I was the only boy with 4 sisters.  I did get a brother when I was 13 but for all intense and purposes, poor me was raised in a girl’s dormatory.

3.  Teachers and other adults would (almost) always tell me what beautiful eyelashes I have!  Why the heck would you tell a little boy he has beautiful eyelashes!  That can scar a kid!!

4.  My dad used to just beat the living tar out of me!  I mean BEAT ME!!

5.  My grandfather was an alcoholic.

6.  My father was an alcoholic.

7.  My grandfather was a womanizer.

8.  My father was a womanizer.  Heck he even took me with him one Saturday to visit his girlfriend.  Well he didn’t tell me that’s what we were doing but when we pulled up in his green Plymouth I had to wait out in the car while he went to “visit.”  I can still see her standing on the backdoor stoop holding the screen door open for my dad.  She had blonde hair put up in a bun and had on a pretty tight-fitting yellow dress.

9.   Where the hell did that blonde haired woman in the tight-fitting yellow dress think my mom was?

10.  Don’t hit your sisters.  You don’t know your own strength.  It doesn’t matter that they hit you first.  You’re a boy and they’re a girl.

11.  You have to go to mass on Sunday and on Holy Days of Observation.  Now go get me a beer out of the refrigerator and get the lighter fluid for my lighter.

12.  We don’t have the money for that.  Do you want to ride with me to get some beer.

13.  We don’t have the money for that either.  You can go to the golf course with me if you are quiet.

I doubt my childhood was much different from most of my classmates.  But I sure did like more attention than the other kids.  Any attention really, good  or bad, just please notice me.

ENOUGH!!  My wife and I just celebrated out thirty-sixth wedding anniversary!  Our thirty year old daughter is married to a great guy and they have a five-year old son and a fourteen week old daughter.  Our twenty-six year old daughter (although widowed three years ago) has a great guy who looks at three-year old Cooper as his son and Coop to him as his daddy.  Our twenty-one year old daughter has been in a relationship with a young man she went to highschool with and there is talk of marriage (come day).  Ummm Brindon don’t forget to talk to the father first.    After much discussion between my wife and I and our three older children we then prayed about what God has in store for us in this season of life.  So in November of 2009 we adopted.  So in addition to the aforementioned daughters we also have an eight year old daughter and a five-year old son!

I am in very good physical health.  I am in good mental health.  I believe my spiritual life is on track.  I have a wife that not only loves me but is also committed to me.  I have five wonderful, happy and healthy children.  I have two very active grandsons and a beautiful little granddaughter.  My peach trees are doing well.  My plum-tree is loaded.  Our vegetable garden is going gangbusters.  We have a fantastic church family.

LIFE IS GOOD AND I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THESE BLESSINGS!