happy veterans day!!!

I don't like to get in to politics on here, but there is something I have been thinking about, due to a recent conversation with my son Sam. He knows the details of how the English and the American soldiers fought against the spread of Hitler. He knows about the other wars against communism, and the suffering that was involved. So he asked me the other day, all inocently, "Mom, if everyone hates communism so much, and it caused the collapse of so many countries, why do people want everyone to have health care with the government controlling it?" hmm, Sam, good question.

And I won't even put in my two cents on the issue.

But I will say a big thank you to all who have served to protect our freedom!!! And to all those left at home to hope and pray. Thank you!

My father was in the Air Force, but he didn't finish his time. He changed his birth certificate, enlisted when he was 17, and missed my mother so much he kept leaving to go see her. Bad, bad. He was discharged. One of my brothers was in the Navy, my other brother in the Air Force.

Anyways, we have it good here in the USA. We have alot to be thankful for. My father used to say that everyone wants everything handed to them. My mother used to say that people want heaven on earth with no suffering.

I, for one, am thankful today for one particular thing: WATER!!!!

I took a shower this morning without checking with 15 other people. I just turned on the water, it came out blasting.....I forgot what it feels like to wash up under actual pressure (except the pressure to hurry the heck up, ha.)

When I came out to the kitchen, I turned on the tap without checking if anyone was in the shower. Or if laundry was in the washer. Oh, how lovely. This problem has been going on for months, getting worse and worse, and now it is gone!!! And the good part? It only cost $109! There was apparently a huge clog of muddy clay stuff in the line of the pressure tank. So Mr. Darling cleaned it out and replaced a section of the pipe, and voila!!! Water!

Everyone is home today, including Paul. And today is a special day, for another reason: It is Benjamin Paul's 21st birthday! He never had to go to school on his birthday. Wow, 21 years ago I was a 23 year old, having baby number three. Emily Anne was almost 4, and Abigail Marie was almost two. I had had a miscarriage the year before on the 18th of November, then I was due for Ben the next year on that very date, but he was a week early. He was my smallest baby ever, at 6 pounds three ounces. I remember when I expressed conccern, the dr. just said, "He'll grow." And did he ever. He was the best little boy, full of mischief. Mirielle was born 15 months later, then Joseph 15 months after that. And Benjamin was Mr. Helper. He could pick up and vacuum when he was three years old. I am not confused about that, either, because we moved into this house when he was 4 years old. And he used to vacuum the living room in our mobile home all the time. He liked to do it, so he would pick up all the toys and vaccuum. He was also his daddy's helper. Paul used to bring him with him all the time when they were building this house, we had his 4th birthday here when it was still under construction. They had cupcakes on a stack of sheetrock. Benjamin has always been smart and curious and energetic. He started working on the farm down the road at 13, he just went down there all the time and put notes in his scribbly handwriting, in the guy's mailbox. The guy finally called him, and he started working when he was 13 or 14.

So today he is 21, has gone to community college for a few years with no degree yet, has had a few jobs, none right now, and he doesn't know for sure what he is going to do for his life....maybe the Navy.

Virginia (Jenny), I just wanted to suggest to you about the dollhouse stuff: if you are on a tight budget, your girls might be just as happy if you get them some furniture sets without the dollhouse. My kids like the houses okay, but they are more likely to just get the furniture and accessories out and set up houses on the picnic table or floor or shelves of the coffee table. One neat thing though, is the FisherPrice dollhouse mini van, it is cute, but it is like twenty bucks! And it is hard to find the babies without buying the house, as I think a few come with it. But you could try ebay for that. Actually right now ToysRUs is having a special that if you buy the dollhouse for $70, you get the minivan free, that is a deal...and if you get a ten dollars off 100 coupon, and pick up a few accessories, ...hmm. You should check online and see if it is still going on. The stuff isn't totally unbreakable, but is sturdy.

I need to get moving....it seems like a Saturday. A day with everyone here in the middle of the week....I am taking Sonja K. with me on my walk yesterday. She started fussing when I chose Kathryn yesterday, so I promised her today. That is a good thing, it binds me to going!!! I just have to remember to promise someone else for tomorrow.....