Merry Christmas

Our sons came home for Christmas and it was a gift from the "Priceless" list. First to arrive was our Marine from 29Palms CA and how wonderful to see him. He is beautiful. He has grown at least 4" taller and carries that Marine Honor with pride... Our Soldier arrived a day later and it is especially wonderful to have him home this holiday as he will report back to Ft. Dix, NJ the 2nd of January 2009 with deployment for Iraq set for the 3rd. As I sat (and sit) and look at my sons, I think of those I mail to and in my heart yearn for them this Christmas, too. As I have said before, "when you are added to my mailing list, you enter my heart and become one of mine", and what better than to have all my "sons" home for the holidays. 

We love them all. We are proud of them and appreciate, more than words can say, the sacrifices they have made, are making and will make for the quest for freedom in a very oppressed land. You may not hear of the cheers they receive, the hugs they get, the smiles and love given to them by the citizens of the countries they are deployed to, but they are very appreciated by the majority of the people there and we need to realize that and not let the bad news cloud the good work our Military is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our men and women have volunteered to be doing what they are doing and the majority of them feel they are doing good. Listen for their voices above the clamoring of the bad talk and the nay-sayers, look deeper than the television news teams and news-papers. There is more good news than bad, if only you'll look and listen for it.

If you want an address to write to and find out for yourself just how things are going, let me know, our Marines would love to hear from you how things are going here as well. They only get the news shows and news-papers, too. Can you imagine being away from home and reading the news papers today describing our country. Would YOU want to come home?? 

Enjoy your New Year and when you see one of our Military, go out of your way to shake their hand and tell them "Thank you! I really appreciate what you are doing!" You'd be surprised how it will lift them up and help make their day. 

Semper Fi,