Veterans History Project

I stumbled across a very interesting project today; The Veterans History Project.

(The) primary focus is on first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from the following wars:

* World War I (1914-1920)
* World War II (1939-1946)
* Korean War (1950-1955)
* Vietnam War (1961-1975)
* Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
* Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

In addition, those U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), America is losing her veterans at a rate of over 1,000 each day.

Our veterans deserve to be honored and their stories available for generations to come. I have been doing family genealogy recently and what a find it will be for families in the future to come across these stories. I would have loved to find something like this. But, the generations I am researching did not have the technology that is available now. Too many stories have been buried and lost. It is sad that I do not have stories to tell my children about their great, great grandparents. What a delight it will be for a great, great grandchild to one day find a recording in the Library of Congress of his or her relatives. To be able see them and to hear their own personal account will be such a treasure.

There is a packet that can be downloaded. There are suggested questions and all kinds of tips to make this a great interview even if you don't have the experience. I encourage everyone to participate. Our Veterans are the reason why our country is strong and wonderful. They have helped to preserve our rights and freedoms. The least we can do to thank them is to give a little of our time and listen.

I'm not sure who I'm grabbing and interviewing but I will find someone. I bet there is a lonely person in a Nursing Home with some wonderful stories. Also, soon my nephew will be home from Iraq and I know he has stories.

(Hat-Tip to Senator Jim DeMint for promoting this project on his webpage.)

Prayers, Faith, and Humor from above

When Daredevil was in bootcamp, my sanity was saved by a group of ladies whose sons were at Parris Island too. We forged a bond a year ago and still stay in daily contact. They are my lifeline sometimes.

One of the mothers has a son who is deployed to Afghanistan right now. Up until a week or so ago, she had heard from him about every other day. Now, nothing for over a week. Needless to say she is worried. The Causalities board is constantly checked (it is under maintenance at the time I write this). There have been five causalities in the past week in Afghanistan but the names have not been released. She rationalizes that if something had happened she would have heard something by now.

But, we, mothers, know that may work on your head but not your heart. The image of men in dress blues showing up at your door haunts your dreams and thoughts. We have all been worried for her. We have kept her son in our prayers. She is a woman of faith also. She has been praying constantly. She feels a little better after an incident this weekend. She relates,

"I did have a funny experience -- anyone who believes in God knows that he has a great sense of humor. I was at (the) Lake this weekend, walking down a path bordered by farmland on one side and forest on the other. I was thinking about (son) and I stopped for a quiet moment of prayer and added, "Please God, just give me a sign that my son is OK." I walked another few feet and then turned to go back to the cottage. Right there, very close to the spot where I'd been standing when I stopped was a very old rusted SIGN for some sort of fertilizer or weed-killer called Ora-K. The "O" and the "K" were large and the other letters were smaller and faded with age. Ha! I got my "sign," alright. I laughed all the way back to the cottage. I suppose I ought to relax now, huh?"

Sometimes faith is all we have. Please add her and her son as well as all of the other men and women over there to your prayers.

My kind of math

I'm surprised my kids didn't do these.

Tidbits from the Past

I'm doing genealogy research and have found that a portion of the newspapers throughout Florida have been archived at the University of Florida and are viewable online through their Digital Collection.

Currently, I'm looking through the 1899 Editions of The Florida Index, the weekly Lake City, Florida, newspaper at the time.

This excerpt is from Nov. 3, 1899.

This widower isn't dating. He is "running a preparatory department in society". He "hauls the girls about". That makes 'em sound like a sack of feed or something. I just wonder exactly which part of marriage he was preparing them for.

Terrible momma

I'm such a terrible momma. The A/C went out at the house and I bailed and left town. I'm in a nice cool hotel room in Charlotte, NC, while Chowhound and the dog sweat it out at home.

UPDATE: I've learned not to brag. The AC went out in our meeting room today. What goes around comes around. The AC gremlins seem to be following me.

Luckily, I am cold natured and even though the thermostat said 83 I was still comfortable. No one else was but I was. I was freezing during the first half of the day so I figure it's only fair.

My days are numbered

13 days until Daredevil comes home on leave (YEAH!!)
30 days until Daredevil leaves again and heads to Iraq (BOO HOO)
41 days until Chowhound leaves for Marine Corps Bootcamp (BOO HOO)
58 days until Improviser leaves for Air Force Bootcamp (BOO HOO)
59 days until it's just the dog and I.

While I am extremely proud of my boys, this part of life SUCKS!

Pain free!

I want to jump up and down and shout with joy. My head doesn't hurt this morning!! The first time in five days. I feel like a new person. I just hope this lasts a really, really long time.