Operation Christmas Tree = You giving to those who give.

I just recently found out about this great program that sends Christmas Trees to the men and women who protect our country and can not be home with their loved ones this year. What a great idea!

This website tells all about it and allows you to purchase a tree for a service member of your choice or the "next" available service member waiting to receive a little taste of home for just $25.00. Hurry, time is running out to make someones holiday a little brighter while away from their families this Christmas season.

C-H-R-A-I-N

The child is 6 almost 7 and as of last night I though I had heard everything. You would think after 6 years of living with a little one and knowing all their little quirks and years of teaching and correcting speech patterns and heck...life in general I was thinking we were pretty much in the clear on the basics!

While studying spelling words with Jav last night he had to do "rhyming" words with the words of his choice. He chose the word "rain". Hmmmm....what rhymes with rain? Ok, I'll give the kid a few so we can move on - "P-ain, pain,you know Jav, when you fall and hurt yourself you have pain". Progress, right? Let's do one more.

Me: Choo choo (waiting for him to catch the hint)
Me: (again) Choo choo. Javan! Train
Javan: Teeerain
Me: Yes! Good job, train. Write it down.
Javan: Hahahah, train, Mom your funny,

This is when I realized something was not clicking here.

Me: What is so funny?
Jav: Train, that sounds funny, that is not a word.
Me: Jav! Choo choo, choo choo TRAIN.
Jav: What's that?

At this point I was worried he might have a head injury of some sort.

Me: JAVAN! A Train, like on railroad tracks?(Now I even drew a picture for him)
Jav: Oh! A chrain - choo choo chrain.

Yikes! AMAZING!

As Jav would say, "Everybody relax down".

Another election year has come to pass and I am sure you have heard just as many comments as I have regarding the outcome of our President Elect. I have never seen as much upset or heard so many discouraging comments and worries as we begin a new chapter of American history. I do worry, I worry because I am concerned for the future of our brave men and women who I have the great privilege to meet and befriend every day who will fight for our country no matter who leads it. They will take a stand and follow every order even if they do not fully agree in their hearts that it is the right one. These men and women will repeatedly return to war even if ground is lost due to our leaders making the "wrong" decision, but they will do it with unfaltering commitment, obedience and without disgracing our country. I worry for the people of our country, our freedoms, our children.

God is in control, he always has been and always will be. I am reminded of this by reading my friends blog and I am so refreshed as I realize that we can only do so much as citizens. We voted. The rest is left in Gods hands to guide and direct the man who is to lead or country.

Faith, it is the gift that was given to us in the times of despair, need and uplifting. Feel free to use it!