Alex Graduated from College…!!! May 14, 2011

Today, my baby boy graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Major in Computer Science and a Minor in Math. I’m so so so so so proud of him!!!

It’s hard to believe that four years have gone by; it seems like just yesterday he was starting there.  I try to think back to what happened during those four short years….counting the Christmases, summer breaks, birthdays, etc, and it makes sense on a time-line way of thinking. However, it doesn’t' feel like four years.

In these ensuing years, I turned 50 (this past September), Alex turned 21 (last June), and Katie turned 24 (this past February).  It’s hard to believe that we are the ages that we are, but time marches on….and so does a college education---one day, one month, one year at a time.

It’s been an eventful four years, both within the family and within the local, National, and world stage. Some good, some bad, but for every bad thing, there is always a few good things to balance it out. God is amazing like that.

Alex had some good classes and not-so-good classes. However, he persevered through it all and today’s celebration was the culmination of  four years of hard work, sleepless nights, stressful exams and assignments, lousy teachers and fantastic teachers, discoveries of the “math kind”, and wonderful surprises in the computer world.

He made it. From entering the “gates” at UMF in August of 2007 to crossing that platform to receive his Diploma in May of 2011, he made it. Thank you God for always being there for him when I couldn’t be; for guiding him through tests and uncertain classes; for being a Shoulder for him to lean on; and for being The Father to encourage him….thank You.

Alex could not have made it without You, and neither could I. Thank You for giving me the strength to let him find his wings, and thank You for carrying him through so he can soar. You are truly an awesome God; Alex, you are an awesome son. What an amazing, amazing young man you have become. I love, love, love you.

Congratulations on your wonderful graduation, Alex….the world is lucky to have you in it; I am humbly blessed to be your mother.

Love, Mom

9/11 Mastermind is DEAD…!!!!!!

Osama Bin Laden was killed last week by US troops; our awesome military made sure it was him by checking the DNA before releasing the news today.

This is wonderful, wonderful news. In fact, within a few minutes of the breaking news, all the postings on  Facebook (including mine) were variations on cheering about his death and praising the US for a job well done.

September 11, 2001 is still as fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. Bin Laden ushered in a massive, 10+ year we’ve engaged in because of his narcissism in wanting to control the world, and his hatred of the Most Powerful Nation on Earth---the United States of America.

Fox News is reporting that he was the most hated and the most hunted terrorist in the world; he was the Face of Terror; he was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for over 10 years.

As a Christian, I’m sorry he didn’t know Christ and, therefore, won’t have the amazing life in Heaven. As an American, I’m glad he’s gone because of the death and destruction he orchestrated on 9/11. 

I don’t think any of us are naïve enough to think that now the earth will be all peaceful and lollipops; the terrorist organization Al Queda will most likely ramp up its terrorist ways to show that they won’t go quietly, in spite of its mastermind having bit the dust. However, the death of this mass murderer will no doubt have some kind of negative effect on these world-wide thugs.

This is no time to stop praying for our Country and our safety. It’s also no time to stop praying for our wonderful, dedicated, brave Military Troops throughout the world. God bless our military men and women.