I Had a Very Merry Christmas!

 
 Ginger Dog doesn't really know what is going on, but she is excited about it...

I can testify to the fact that on the nice/naughty list, Randy did not do near as well as that big stack of gifts indicates... just saying...

Randy has discovered Duck Dynasty! 

And I have created a monster!

A word of advice on buying a "critter caller" with "200 different animal in distress or mating calls..." to be used for the purpose of calling up the coyotes, so they can be taken care of.  That isn't necessarily a good gift selection for a retired Colonel, who was an Airborne Ranger, Malaysian Jungle Survival School, and all round adventurer, especially when said retired Colonel has a mischievous playful streak... and the caller is loud... In fact every animal on the place, and all the women too, can become very annoyed from all the "practice sessions." 

Oh well... ho, ho, ho, and when Randy falls asleep tonight, I will try to sneak it out from under his pillow, (he really, really loves that thing...) and hide it.  Naturally, that would just be in order to safe guard it until the appropriate time for it's use.  Of course it is kind of difficult to sneak up on a retired Airborne Ranger... sleeping or not...  I'll post a report on my success or failure tomorrow...

What is it About Some People

Blue is a horse that my dad would describe as "ornery."

This is her most famous picture, she had been watching the grand-children swinging on this swing set...  It looked like so much fun to her!  So she jumped the fence one day right after they left, and gave it a try... it didn't go as planned.  What in the world would made an animal as large as her think she could swing on a swing set...  I mean I could see a monkey... even a dog maybe... but a horse???  

She has a mind of her own, and she "runs," as in bosses, that pasture.  All the other horses realize she is boss too.  She bows to no one, well no one but Randy.

On her latest adventure she pushed down the back fence and escaped to the neighbor's greener pasture, and it took a couple of hours, a couple of deputy sheriffs, a bucket of feed... which she ignored, Michael and Stephan, and lots of coaching to get her back home.  Once we had walked her down the highway, she wouldn't cross the cattle guard, so we had to go get boards and lay them out, finally about three hours into it, we got her back in the pasture.

Remember I said she bows to no one but Randy, well he got in from Baghdad last night, and this morning he went out to feed the horses.  No more had he gotten out the door, than Ross, the next door neighbor called and said she was down at his place again.  I went out on the porch to wave Randy up to where I was so I could tell him he needed to go get her.  Out of the corner of my eye while I was still talking on the phone to Ross, I see her tearing across the front lawn, run straight back to the tack barn where she had seen Randy from the neighbor's place.

I told Ross she was already home, hung up the phone, and watched as she greeted her friend, coach, and "boss."  She whinnied softly to him, nuzzled him, and otherwise demonstrated her joy at his being home.  He simply opened the gate, (she had once again somehow managed to get out of her halter,) and she trotted in... amazing... simply amazing.

I have always said Randy is the kind of leader who some would follow anywhere, guess that applies to animals as well.  I've got to admit, it made me a little jealous, after all I am here all the time.  I feed her, brush her, treat her wounds when she gets cut going over fences, and otherwise spoil her.  She just looks at me as though I have lost my mind when I try to get her to get with the program, and do what she knows she is supposed to do.  All that had to happen for that to be the case this morning, was for her to get a glimpse of Randy out by the tack barn, and she came rushing home.  Pretty awesome to watch actually.  What is it about that man?  I guess I will just start calling him the horse whisperer.  Animals are such
 an interesting blessing to mankind.  

I Got Up in the Middle of the Night, Looking for Santa!

I tip-toed into the living room, all was quiet...

The Christmas tree was sparkling in the dark...

 

Then sure enough... I found him!!!

Santa is in the house!!!

 

Think I'll go back to bed...

 

 

 

I Got Up Very Early This Morning To Decorate the House for Christmas

It is rare that down in the part of Texas where I live you see snow, and as I brought things in from the truck that I had been too tired to the night before, the wonder I always feel at the sight of snow came over me as a few of the heavy on the moisture side flakes swirled in the wind around me.  

I love Christmas, and of the last five years Randy has been home only one time at Christmas, so this Christmas is going to be very special for me.  Christmas is not merely a holiday to us, but the celebration of the reason for our lives.  It celebrates God the Son, taking on a human body, living without sin before Creation, and laying down His life for each of us, to purchase for us forgiveness of our sins, and citizenship in His eternal heaven.  It is the personification of undeserved love toward you and I, and it occurred to me just exactly how I wished to approach the celebration of this holy day in our home.

Buzzy Sorensen, Danish Warrior, and commentator on life and living significantly, had posted one of those photographic images he finds or takes, and then tossed out into the world to stun some of us with their message without words.  I don't know who is responsible for this photo, or who owns it... and frankly I don't care, so sue me, because I find in it the love of God...  The message of Christmas is captured in the image, which is the message of true love residing in your heart, and directing your life to reach out to love your neighbor as yourself, because the love of God and his redemption resides within you.  To each of you , Merry Christmas, and may the joy, wonder, and true meaning of Christmas, fill your heart, change your life, and ensure your eternal destination.

  

I HAD SO MUCH FUN ON THE SOUTHERN BELLE SHOWBOAT!

She is a huge water craft, over two million pounds, and they built her right there on the side of the lake.  When it was time to launch this beauty, they didn't want to use anything that would pollute the lake to slide the boat in, so they used tons of bananas...  That's right, they slid the vessel in on bananas!

The views were to die for from the brow of the boat!

                                                                                     
The two giant paddle wheels are a
bright red, and an engineering marvel in their own right!  The inside of the boat is beautifully detailed, and the food was fantastic, and if you want to know where and how to get the best price on tickets, just let me know, we can direct you to the best places to stay, eat, and shop,in Branson, and I will be posting pictures of our travels and adventures to wet your appetites for a trip.   Branson is  great destination for a "get away from it all!"                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                              

 

I will be posting more pictures and details of this romantic evening with my sweet colonel.  The talent of the acts, and the inspiration they stirred in the heart were really spectacular! I am so spoiled!

Free Squirrel!!!

Look at the cute little fellow we came across in a travel agency office while on vacation in Branson!  He is a delight to feed, play with, and pet as we rehab him into going out into the world on his own.  He was a "FREE" squirrel, of course Randy gave me "that look" when I tried to make the whole situation sound like it is the deal of the century.  He rolled his eyes, and gave me the sarcastic look I get when I begged, "can we keep him, please, please, please?"  I am  sucker for a baby anything!  We named him Traveler, since we got him on vacation and carted him across four states.  When he gets older, we are going to send him to cosmetology school, as he has some talent in that area, but needs a little professional training... I guess that is what they mean by "rehabbing a squirrel"... right?  Actually, he doesn't  look like he has any bad habits at all to me, much less is in need of rehab...  Can't believe we were so lucky, and no one else wanted this cute little FREE squirrel...  (My husband LOVES getting anything FREE... That is how I sweet talked him into taking in a squirrel while on vacation... I told him, but Randy, it's a FREE squirrel...  I am a very good "sweet talker..."

  

My Fellow Americans, Sometimes You Make Me So Proud!

There are Americans working in our government whom you never hear of.  They are not politicians, but public servants.  Truly, they work for the people.  Monitoring contracts, overseeing the fulfillment of obligations of the contractors serving American interests around the world, and watching our tax dollars, some are serving in war zones tonight.

My husband is one of them, he served thirty years in the military, and then went on and is now serving in the State Department.  He is the kind of man who will waste nothing he owns, or anything belonging to anyone else.  That makes for a great public servant.  As the footprint of America is being greatly reduced in Iraq, many resources are being left behind, including personal items of those who have served with the Department of State.  It is simply too expensive to ship it home.  These public servants being who they are have organized donation stations, and everything usable is being donated to those of the Iraqi people who are in need.  The heart of our nation is revealed in these kinds of actions.  

One of the great blessings to both my husband's life and mine, which has come from his service in the Middle East, has been the opportunity to come to know Canon Andrew White.  He has served as my husband's chaplain while he has been in Iraq.  Through Brother Andrew we have come to know personally many of the wonderful people of Iraq.   They are good men and women, who love their country and their families, and who strive to bring a good life to both.  

Brother Andrew serves as the pastor of St. George's Church in Baghdad, where a wonderful and significant ministry is made to the people of Iraq.  When St. George's Church could not afford to hire a driver for a large transport truck to move the items my husband had arranged to be donated to the church for distribution, the word spread through the Embassy Chapel members.   Soon the one thousand dollars needed was raised to hire the truck and driver.  These items will now go where my husband and the others know they will meet tremendous need among some of the Iraqis with the greatest struggles.  Americans are for the most part some of the most generous and good people in the world.  God speed to those unsung heroes serving around the world!
                                                                                                                                                                                    

      

 May these donated items find their way to the hearts of the Iraqi people, and may they understand the people, and their motivations, who gave them.

             

A New Interview With Brother Andrew

Brother Andrew is still traveling, and this interview is well worth watching!

          http://www.100huntley.com/video?id=MUrLH-Sh4IE#.UP8YNexuALY.facebook

My Husband Randy Receiving Contracting Officer of the Year Award

 

My husband recently received an award from the Department of State.  He was selected Contracting Officer of the Year, for the year 2011.  He only served in this position for about six months.  Needless to say, I am very proud, as is my whole family.