Volunteer Luncheon

I was voluntold by several people to attend a luncheon today. With me being on crutches and using a wheel chair for bigger outings I was reluctant. I am also not a fan of praise for the volunteer things I do, I prefer to fly under the radar.

I want to share with you the lovely word my husband wrote about me and my volunteer work (He didn’t want to write the blog post so…)

My wife Ann:

Ann does more good than anyone knows.

She is always smiling, and willing to help.

She’ll get up at 3am to make coffee for the FRG, or make beds for returning soldiers. She’ll even turn the living room into a warehouse or drive cross-country to get something that’s needed.

She’ll stay up late listening to a vet friend who just needs an ear.

Then at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum she’ll watch and chat with visitors, and take a few photos.

Sometimes she surprises me. To quote her when I told her she was getting an award and the XO had been asking about her.

“The best way to see into my heart is to read my blog.”

I can’t count the times she’s told me she’s up to something with that grin, and it’s always good mischief.

She’s an angel at heart, a true Soldiers Angel. (As long as she’s had her coffee.)

This is the award I received I could not have achieved this without the help of my Soldiers Angels friends. Wingtip to wingtip we can do anything. I thank all of my angel friends and supporters.

I am so proud of….

On Wednesday my husband David went to the promotion board. He is an active duty soldier in the US Army. I stayed home and fretted would he make it. I knew in my heart he was well prepared by his squad leader, but at the board anything can happen. He came home with a smile, gave me a big hug and said, yes I made it. So now it’s a waiting game for promotion points.

I have also been nominated for some kind of volunteer award. For those of you who do not regularly follow my blog, I am a busy volunteer, at ASOM, Soldiers Angels, and of course my FRG (Family Readiness Group). I am proud that my work has been noticed, not that recognition is why I do what I do. In fact the opposite is true. I don’t like being the center of attention and just the thought of attending some volunteer recognition lunch… Well let’s just say not my thing. If you want to read about some of my volunteer adventures just browse my other blog posts.

Now I just have to get a few surprises in store for hubby & his upcoming promotion.

Well if I want any chance at reaching my goal of bombarding Dad with 100 pages to edit upon his return from France I’d better get back to pounding keys.

Tragedy in Boston and how it can change plot lines

First off I want to offer my thoughts and prayers for those who were killed or injured in the terrorist attack on the Boston marathon.

Next comes the army wife, many thanks to the soldiers both National guard and active duty who were there, and immediately jumped into action. Tyler who is a member of the armed forces comforted a woman named Victoria wants to thank you.

Now the writer in me will take over. How many writers particularly those who write suspense and thrillers ever thought of this. I urge you to write your plot lines with one thing in mind, please don’t make your book a how to manual for an attack. Keep the details of how to build bombs in your research notes, while interesting and informative let’s not hand over that information. If you choose to include details about the bombs in your novels alter the specifics so they are not instructive.

I was thinking of this as I listened to the news yesterday and worked on my novel. I know anyone can google the information but let’s as a community not hand it to them even by accident in a novel.

1-7 ADA Homecoming

I made this from photos I took at the homecoming.
I was cold and wet, but happy. I will let the video do the talking for me on this one.
Anyone I took individual photos of gave me permission.
The music is by Daniel Smith and he routinely allows this song to be used for tributes to the U.S. Military.

He in fact gives this song away for free.

What have I been up to?

Well I took a road trip. Why? I turned a simple trip that could have been done in 2 days and turned it into a 3000 + mile road trip. Why?

I decided that using the car and driving I could get more done.

I left my home in NC and headed out for OK. I did have a traveling companion, Philip our kitten.

Philip had never been on a long road trip before, but he eventually adjusted.

I stopped in OK to see my Dad. The went on to Fort Riley in KS to help another Army wife.

After completing this I stopped in to see Dad once more before leaving OK. Then I headed down to San Antonio TX.

I was headed for the Soldiers Angels warehouse.

Here I dropped off the extra items we had from the drive for items for the barracks rooms of single soldiers returning from deployment, and picked up the blankets I needed to complete this task.

Sidetracked note this is just a few of the coins and other items that are proudly shown off at the Soldiers Angels warehouse.

With my van reloaded with 75 handmade blankets, I once again took to the road. Next stop Huntsville AL. I was stopping there to meet a soldier I had adopted through a few tours.

The next morning I took off for home, only to be struck by the desire to get my husband some of his favorite bagels. When I realized I would not make it to the bagel shop in time I had to call in the reinforcements.

My in-laws were more than happy to pick up my last minute order and meet me just off the interstate. Now having the bagels, and a few other goodies secured in my van I rolled for home.

I arrived tired but pleased with everything I had accomplished on this trip.

Now I need to get back to my Novel. Another chapter awaits, a freshly created one that was not in the original outline.