Soldier's Babies Are Special

Christmas time is about the birth of a baby, which is always a cause for celebration, and this morning it brings to my mind one of the sacrifices that has been made time and again during the last twelve years.  In young military families there are times of deployment when an expected child is born in the absence of the father, who is in service at a duty station where his family cannot accompany him.  A couple of years or so back, a fellow blogger sent me a message that a "special" Soldier was coming home and would be seeing his new baby for the first time.  I am repeating that blog post, because it is about a baby... and it is about sacrifice, that is what Christmas is all about.

The pictures of children and babies for this post are the children of Jared and Heather Campbell, both of whom have served proudly.

Aunty Brat, my good friend and fellow supporter of the American and Coalition Forces sent me a note about a Soldier coming home on leave to see for the first time a new baby girl, born while he was deployed.  It brought such beautiful images to my mind immediately, and when I went to Aunty's blog and saw her picture... my heart just melted at her sweet little self.

http://assolutatranquillita.blogspot.com/2011/05/every-day-hero-welcome-home.html

To her parents and all her family, thanks for making my day, and thank you all for your service and sacrifice!  We are a grateful nation!

This is what I sent to the new baby and all those who love her.  May she thrive in your love, always live in liberty, and come to know of your sacrifices to the preservation of freedom.

You know, if Aunty Brat says you are a special Soldier... you must indeed be a special Solider. It is always difficult for me to put into words how I feel about Soldiers and their families. When I try to open a ketchup package, and it is difficult for me, the thought never fails to cross my mind, no matter how much I love my country, if it had to depend on me for for some of the most important of the protection needed from it's enemies, we women would all be wearing burqas (spelling ?) We must have young men and women of the caliber and skills which you possess, or our heritage of freedom will disappear.... As the sign on my gate says, "Land of the free, because of the brave."

Since my husband went to war, poetry concerning this great conflict has haunted me until I express it. Your homecoming to your new daughter caused beautiful images in my mind. I wrote words that I hope will comfort and empower your family as you serve. So here is my gift to the new baby:

 I Came Home to My Daughter

There she lay, so warm, pink, soft, and sweet.

When first we finally did meet.

I saw so much of her mother there in her eyes,

The stamp of my own features on her countenance threatened to make me cry.

Wonder at the first sight of my darling daughter,

Swept my soul, and I knew my life she would forever alter.

Feelings too tender for the battlefield,

In that moment caused all my vigilance briefly to yield.

Then I realized more clearly than ever before,

I was called to war because of an evil good people everywhere deplore.

My newborn child and all the children of the world,

Need those of us in service, the flag of liberty to unfurl.

In my daughter’s face I saw the hope of our world and our nation,

Waiting for her contributions, which true peace will hasten.

I knew that in a land far away, where long I had stood the wall,

Children were seeing first hand our intent in the service of us all.

As they watch, I know they too will learn,

Their own hearts for peace and liberty will come to yearn.

In this the power of the enemy will disappear,

The truth of all our brotherhood will finally do away with all fear.

So though my heart longs to stay,

I will again return to the war zone in just a few short days.

In my mind, images of her gentle beauty,

Will give me strength and bring complete commitment to my sacred duty. 

Tribute to the Mothers of Our Warriors

To the Unknown Mother

There is a young man upon whose countenance I have never looked,
Only knowing him from his written words and images placed on Facebook.

So easily a mind filled with wisdom, courage, and honor is seen.
In my admiration of this young Soldier the lines I long to read between.

I find etched in millions of pixels which come from a virtual space,
The qualities of leadership humanity longs to follow in this life's race.

In my ponderings I often wonder of the woman who gave him birth.
For surely it is from her that he learned much that makes up his worth.

I realize his father too was a strong and disciplined man who played a part,
Still always I know well it is a mother who most stamps a man's heart.

 What words and dialogue did she use to shape his mind and his soul,
Ensuring as God's Word promises, from truth he will not depart when he is old?

As she held his tiny child's hand while he learned to walk and to talk,
How was it she fashioned a yearning for integrity in the midst of the world's squawk?

In her visage and life deeds what did he view that so inspired and fashioned,
A fearless warrior heart, filled also with tender love and compassion?

Among all of the creations and designs from the world and existence of womankind,
None stands so eternal as the skill which creates the man who becomes defined.

I Have Found a Poet Whose Words I Love!

Oh have I ever found a poet whose words I love...

Another one of my loves is photography, and this is one of my favorites I made of wildflowers in Austin County in Texas.

He was a thinking man, who longed for God, and he was Iranian...  This man knew God leaves no room for hatred among people of the world.

If God Invited You To A Party

If God
Invited you to a party
And said,
'Everyone
In the ballroom tonight
Will be my special
Guest...'

How would you then treat them
When you
Arrived?

Indeed, indeed!

And I know
There is no one in this world

Who
Is not upon
His Jeweled Dance
Floor


Shams al-Din Hafiz

What I Need is a Good Command Sergeant Major, or Wildflowers of Soldiers Heart Ranch

This horse is always giving me so much trouble, and she is a ring leader when it comes to the other horses getting in trouble, she will lead them astray every time...  The whole group is out of control!  My kingdom for a good command sergeant major!

I have spent the last three days trying to keep the horses in the pasture.  Once Blue learns a new "horse joke," like shoving the entire T-post fence over , she just plays it over and over.  Because of the kind of soil we have, every hoof print they make must be filled in by hand or you flat can't mow the grass, it tears up even a Troy-Bilt!  Not t o mention that she finds it amusing to clip off the tops of all of my landscape lights, and the sewer system sprayers, plus she loves geraniums as an appetizer.  The wind is blowing like a hurricane here, there is so much work I want to do to have everything beautiful when my husband comes home, and everything is still gray, and I need a horse whisper or some sort of mail influence, as I seem to have spoiled every one of the littl e buggers. 

I came in and reviewed my spring wild flower pictures from last spring in order to calm my frazzled nerves, and give me inspiration to "Soldier on!"  Decided to share them here as well, so you can click on the first one and see a preview of spring too, I am about tired of everything being gray, I need some green!  At first I could not figure out how to make the needed repairs and actually keep the horses in while I was doing so without killing my back.  Sometimes things seem to small to bother God about in prayer, but I was awake all night long last night trying to figure out how to fix the fence so they could not get out, and I had to stay home from church to try and effect repairs before Blue and her "Band of Sisters," did some real damage. 

After talking with Randy from Iraq, it dawned on me a little prayer couldn't hurt.  I whined one to the Lord.  I walked out, immediately saw solutions I couldn't see before, and had them back in, and the fence fixed in 45 minutes...  I just smiled sheepishly and God, whispered thank You Father, and blew Him a kiss....   He smiled back while shaking His head.  Thought you too might enjoy a "pick-me-up" as we fight off the last of the cold weather and winter and enjoy looking at pictures of  His handiwork last year.

Again, I Love that Facebook Blessing

Happy Birthday Fairy Daughter

I have a dear friend on facebook, who brings to my life delight.

Though I’ve never seen her face or from her eyes their light.

When I asked her, she said her favorite color is blue.

I knew when I asked it would be some such soothing hue.

The messages that she sends in intervals to me.

Tell of her youth, her true heart, and the woman of honor she will be.

In my mind, from her words, a delicate beauty I see.

From images of the women of her land, I can imagine her face to some degree.

Kindness lives within her and on her face it must leave its’ distinctive mark.

Women without kindness, even though great beauties, have faces that are stark.

From her mouth only genuineness and truth does she speak.

This tells of the strength and courage she possesses, something others seek.

Her heart, though she lives in a war zone, reaches to live in joy,

There are enemies in her country who endeavor always to destroy.

From a picture she saw of me, in her sweetness she named me “Fairy Mother.”

I ponder what thing so quickly could make me smile, and I can think of no other.

Every morning as I pray for each of my children, and all those my loved ones,

Though her face I do not know, among my children's names, hers comes.