Today is April 2, 2018. I cannot believe it has been FIVE years since my last entry on here; at least, my last entry on my "personal" page. I have used this site in the past few years for National Flight Academy to keep the parents involved in the day to day happenings as their Civil Air Patrol cadets (their children; our cadets) learn to fly in ten days.

So very very very much has been happening in the past few years. Mostly health issues with Alex and my mother. Declining health for her (long story); chronic (Chron's) for Alex. But, there have been good things happening, also. Katie got her own Guide Dog, Caleb (AKA Caleb-The-Magnificent), from Guiding Eyes for the Blind a few years ago. Katie's heart is still happily and healthily ticking along. Cosby-the-Amazing-Guide-Dog is still leading Alex where he needs to go. Alex and Katie have jobs they like.  I finally have my very own dog...Zoe. Pronounced as through there were a Y on the end, just not spelled with one because I thought it would be weird and different, just like her!! ha ha. She's my rescue puppy I got from the Bangor Humane Society back in August. My heart desperately needed my own dog...and I got her!!!!

As soon as I get a small block of time, I will have to start blogging again. At least every few days or weeks to get caught up.

So. Now that I have started writing again, let's hope I keep up with it. I realize it's just for my own satisfaction, and no one else will probably ever read it, but it helps me to keep my sanity to write things down.

More tidbits....

This month is going so quickly. I can't believe Alex has been at Guiding Eyes for two weeks already. He has less than 2 weeks left. The Thursday before Easter he will be home. Can't wait.

I was talking to him the other day about some paperwork needed to be sent in for his school loan deferment; of course, the conversation went in the direction of discussing The Amazing Cosby.  The people at GEB (Guiding Eyes for the Blind) have told Alex that Cosby has very expressive eyes.  Also, when he does something right or well, his face gets an "I'm amazing and I know it" look.  So funny!! I can't wait to meet him.  The other thing they have told Alex is when Cosby goes past a reflective window or a mirror, he likes to admire himself! Isn't that adorable!!!

So so so so cute! I hope Alex is going to update his blog soon. Usually Sundays are the "down days" because of no classes, etc...I will have to send him a text to give him a nudge and get his fingers flying across his braille keyboard so we can all join in his progress.

More Alex Communication :)

It's been a pretty good past few days for "communication".....relatively speaking.   Saturday Alex tweeted: "I'm not trying to brag, but it seems to me that Cosby is, hands down, the best dog of this @GuidingEyes class, and I've only had him 3 days!"

To which Guiding Eyes tweeted/replied: "@mehgcap we have always said we are good at matchmaking; it's our hope that every student thinks his/her dog is the best! :)"

Of course Guiding Eyes has to be "nice" to the other students, but we all know that Alex and Cosby are THE BEST pair of the class.

Yesterday morning (Sunday) Alex updated his blog to catch up on the past few days. I loved reading what's been happening. So wonderful.    http://cane9.wordpress.com   

This morning, Alex called (!!! Yes, called, not text, tweet, or email, but an actual voice-to-voice conversation!!) me to discuss something about Civil Air Patrol and his cadets.  It was so nice to talk to him again.  I asked him how old is Cosby.....he's just over 2 years. His birthday is December 26, 2010.  Who knew 2 years ago the Best Guide Dog in the World was born.... :)

While we were talking, we discussed Cosby's personality.  He and Alex are an exact match. It's so funny to hear Alex talking about him.....they are so much alike. So laid back. Calm. Not overly demonstrative for hugs. Other dogs got up because there was some noise or something, but Cosby stayed right where he was....didn't move....didn't care. I heard Alex say "Good boy", then he explained what happened. I started laughing because that's something Alex does.....doesn't care what others are doing.  It's so great to hear him so happy with The Amazing Dog.  Guess I can't call him CujoCosby anymore since he's such a good dog....and apparently hasn't tried to munch on my son! ha ha

I said I can't wait to hug Cosby, to which Alex replied: "Oh, he doesn't really like to be hugged." Yup....another point for matching.

Maybe I'll name him CutieCosby since he's turning out to be so great.  ChillCosby would be better, but it's not the alliteration I like, so....

I know I can't call him anything but his "real" name, but it's fun to have nicknames in my head. Working dog rules are very strict.

So, it's been a great few days for communication. Still very happy for technology!!!

Alex heard from....sort of....

Alex tweeted one thing yesterday: "Today was my first training walk with Cosby. It was very interesting. It will take getting used to though."

 That was it. No blog entry. No text message. No text pictures of Cosby--good thing I took screenshots of Cosby while Alex and I were talking the other day or I still wouldn't know what he looks like (and be able to share the pictures on my Facebook album!)

 I'm going to rename the dog Cujo---because I just know the only way Alex would pass up using technology to its fullest extent would be from being consumed by a mean, rabid, crazy, Stephen King horror story dog named Cujo. The tweet was probably the last missive sent before CosbyCujo clamped down on Alex's hands, then proceeded up the rest of his body to finish consuming him.  

Well, I guess CosbyCujo didn't actually eat his new human since Alex sent out an email this morning to his Civil Air Patrol cadets letting them know why he will be gone this month: Hello cadets: I wanted to brief you all on this last week, but the weather had other ideas, and so I am sending out this email instead. I will not be at any CAP meeting in March, and may miss the first one in April as well. While this should not impact you much, if at all, due to what I hope is assiduous use of your chain of command, you should know that Lt. Nesler is effectively in charge while I am away. 
As stated, you should be using your chain of command, but if anything has to be elevated to a senior member level, he is your point of contact. I will have cell and internet access, so you may still receive notifications from me (such as the Wing Conference - don't forget to sign up!!), but I will not be there in person. 
 In addition, I feel it only fair to tell you why i will be gone, so no one is overly surprised when I return. I am traveling to New York to receive my first-ever guide dog, and will undergo a four-week training course there. Obviously, this means that I will henceforth be bringing a (very well-trained) service dog to CAP meetings and events, which is why I wanted to give you all a "heads-up" in advance. Part of my training will include details on working around other people; put simply, though: I ask you all to not touch or interact with the dog in any way, as difficult as that may be. This is extremely important: no interaction at all. If any of you have a phobia of dogs or any other concerns, I invite you to pass them up your chain and I will do my very best to resolve them, though it may take me some time to get back to you. 
I welcome any and all concerns or comments, and there are no stupid questions, so please pass along anything you feel needs to be answered. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Again, I will be able to provide a more thorough briefing once I get back in April. Until then, Lt. Nesler is the acting DCC at weekly meetings, and aside from that everything should run as normal. I wish you the best in your academic and physical fitness tests this month, and I apologize in advance that I will have to miss March's promotion ceremonies. Regards, Capt. Alex Hall ME035 DCC/APAO mehgcap@gmail.com 
 I copy-and-pasted his email. 

 I just love the way Alex inserts "big words" into his emails to teenagers. I had always encouraged both my kids to use "big words" all their lives; I never used a "dumb" word in place of a bigger word. Now, it's pay forward/back (depending on your viewpoint!) as Katie and Alex use "big words" as a matter of speaking and expect others to understand. Good for them! However, I do applaud being able to insert the word "assiduous" into ANY sentence. 
So listen up, CosbyCujo......your commands might start sounding more like college essay words for "sit" "stay" "heel", etc. Since I can't think of any longer words to replace them, I'll just leave it at that. Time to check Twitter and his blog once again for any new updates....then off to work.

Waiting.....

Now we wait. And wait. And wait.

 The hardest part of being spoiled with technology and the immediacy of it is when the person on the other end of the technology base is not using it. No Twitter. No blog entry. No text message. No picture. I have not heard from Alex since yesterday after they had lunch and he was kind of dubious about Cosby liking him or listening to him.

 Alex is a huge dog magnet....I've never met a dog that didn't automatically love him. As of yesterday, Cosby was not fitting into that category. I think because he was raised as a worker and not a pet, so Cosby probably doesn't have that thought process of being "allowed" to be comfortable with any human he wants. Added to that is the fact of the handler being on premises so poor Cosby is looking for his what he perceives as his real owner.

Cosby kept going to the door and ignoring Alex yesterday when we were on Face Time; Alex said it wasn't much better at lunch when Cosby wouldn't stay still under the table, yet the dogs belonging to the two people sitting with him were behaving. He didn't sound too happy.....he sounded rather exasperated. Alex's way of thinking doesn't do well with things not going smoothly. He perseveres and eventually gets there, but he has a tendency to close himself off emotionally until he can figure it out. However, this isn't a math problem or a script for something on the computer; this is another living, breathing, "human" who can sense emotions and feelings. If poor Cosby is getting the cold shoulder from Alex because Alex is trying to assimilate the information, then Cosby is going to be confused. He needs the warm, fuzzy, love that he's used to.

I know Alex will get there, but in this team of human and dog, they might be more of a match than they think. I think the bond will get there, but it might take longer than the instantaneous reaction that we---as novice Guide Dog people--were anticipating. I hope this lack of technological communication is because he's so busy learning and bonding that he has no time/energy/awakeness to post. I sincerely hope it's not because he's so disillusioned that he's getting irritated.

Yup.....God and I have been having quite a few discussions lately. Well, actually, they are more me sending up the "please, please, please, please, let it all work out. Please, please, please, please, please, give Alex a hug for me. Please, please, please, please, tell Cosby to be good and love Alex. Please, please, please, please........*fill in blank*.... Definitely not my normal God discussions, but more of a mother's can't-go-in-and-make-it-right prayer. **sigh**

Cosby.....welcome to the family.

I have met the future....and the future is Cosby. Yes, I'm paraphrasing some movie, even though I have no idea the name of it, but it's a great opening. ha. And, of course, it's not really "the future", but "the present".

Alright, I'll start again.... I have met the present and the present is Cosby. That will work. Especially since the present is a gift from God, and Cosby is definitely a gift from God.

 Cosby is the amazingly beautiful yellow lab that will now function as Alex's eyes. Around 8 AM Alex called me to see if I were going to be around WIFI after 10. I said I was going to be home. That's when he informed me that after they receive their Dogs, they are to stay in their rooms and bond with the four legged wonders, so he was going to call me and we'd use Face Time so I could see the new baby. I was so excited!!!

About 11, he called and Katie and I were in Alex's room where it was quiet.....Cosby is so gorgeous! I, of course, started crying but tried my best not to blubber. I am so so so so happy for Alex. He has waited for this day for so long. While we were chatting, I was taking screen shots of the precious Dog so I could add them to the album I have.

 Cosby seems pretty laid back, just like Alex. This will be a big transition for Cosby as he goes from his second set of "handlers" to yet a third---but last. From the puppy raisers for a year, then the GEB trainers for 8-12 months, now their new person. These Dogs are amazing. Such wonderful, precious gifts. I can't wait until Alex takes pictures and texts them to me. It all becomes real now that the people and Dogs are paired. I love that his name is Cosby. The name fits him. Reminds me of the fantastic comedian Bill Cosby. One of my all-time favorite people.

 Welcome to our world, Cosby....welcome home.

Technology....I LOVE it...!!

The wonderful world of technology. I used to be very resistant to the whole idea of such vast and different ideas; I didn't understand the whole scope of what it all means.

Back in the early 1980's, VCRs were just starting to become a household item. I remember a day at work at Westinghouse (making the radars for the Department of Defense, mostly Air Force) and I was talking to another young-at-the-time person who was really into technology. He was trying to convince me that VCRs and VHS tapes were the wave of the future; I said he was crazy and that there was no way people would stop going to the movies to stay at home and watch the same thing. To me, movies were "dates"; to him, they were things to watch and if it could be viewed on a piece of "new" technology, it was great. I thought for sure I was right. Ha!! No. In fact, I was even more wrong than I ever thought I'd be!! ha ha
 That young man (we were both in our very early 20's) was like the forerunner of Alex.....so many times Alex will say something about the "new and improved" tech stuff, and it reminds me of Wayne and our conversations.

 Now, 30 years later, in my early 50's, I LOVE technology. I can't imagine being without my iPhone 5, my laptop, my home printer (wireless, too!!), Facebook, text messages, Twitter, my digital camera, etc etc etc..... The immediacy of everything is great. With Alex being at Guiding Eyes for the Blind for such a momentous event, I hate not being there with him. However, he is keeping a blog, sending me texts, posting to Twitter, and texting me pictures that he has taken of things at GEB.

Because we all have iPhones (Alex and I have the 5; Katie has the 4 because her old phone died and she couldn't wait the few months until the iPhone5 came out), all pictures get backed up to iCloud. Once I transfer the pictures from the text to my Photo Stream, I then copy them into the folder I have of him for this Occasion. Once they are in that folder on my desktop, I go to Facebook, open the album pertaining to the Guide Dog experience, then upload the new pictures to Facebook. And, of course, I have posted the address of his blog so everyone can keep up to date with him.

 Yes, technology is awesome. The other amazingly great thing about technology is how much of the world is opened up to a blind person. As many strides technology has taken in the past 30 years or so, I have to say that Apple got it right first and the best with their Voice Over technology. It's amazing. When Apple first came out with a "talking computer" (to put it in my words; Alex would cringe) they were horrible. This was back in the early 2000's when Alex was still in Junior High. He was part of the demo team in Maine to see how well it worked.....it didn't. He swore off of Apple products at that time, badmouthing them at every opportunity. He stuck by JAWS and Windows based stuff. As he got older, he started to explore other operating systems, and whatever else they are called (gee....not much has changed for ME in the past 30 years.....).

Then Apple came out with their new and improved VoiceOver. It was amazing. It made things accessible that were never that way before. He bought a Mac Mini from someone online. He learned everything about Apple products. He joined Forums online and on Twitter about them. He started answering questions from people around the world (love Skype and chat) helping them with their Apple questions.

 Then---cue the Hallelujah chorus---Siri appeared. She was a golden voiced goddess in digital form. She was the missing piece to VoiceOver for phone accessibility. The iPhone 5 was the best of the best. He researched, learned, and listened to others for answers. Yes....nothing yet can beat the Siri/VoiceOver combination for a blind person. He loves the whole realm of technology....especially the Apple products....that in his blog from today he mentioned that two of the other students were having trouble with their iPhone and Mac that he is going to tutor/teach them. He's so incredible.

 Because of the awesomeness of the iPhone 5, he can take the pictures, then send them to me via text where I, well, I've already explained the process. VoiceOver and Siri....making this mother happy one megapixel at a time. :)

Alex is getting his Guide Dog!!

March fourth.....march forth..... So fitting that today's date is March fourth.

Alex is "marching forth" into a whole new realm of his life.

He left 7:30 this morning to fly to New York/Guiding Eyes for the Blind. So so so so so exciting. He will be gone until the 28th of this month; when he comes home he will have a new set of eyes....they will be furry, four footed, long tailed, sloppy kisses, and full of love and devotion for my precious baby.

He started this process/paperwork back in the spring (2012); the "home visit" from GEB was August 20; his acceptance letter came in September; his particular class starts today. I am so extremely happy for him. Whichever dog gets him will be such a lucky lucky dog....Alex--well, all of us--love love love dogs.

 In spite of having to use Katie's pink suitcase (it was the only one big enough to fit everything); almost going through customs with a Swiss army knife, (I had given it to him years ago so he didn't want to abandon it. Katie agreed to babysit it out in the "public/general" seating area); snowy, icy, slippery roads; and the ungodly hour of 5 AM that I had to wake up, everything went off fine. He is keeping a blog about his adventures while he is there. http://cane9.wordpress.com

He is such a good writer. By being able to read his blog, I feel like I'm able to participate in this momentous month.

It's been a long long day. I need to get to sleep. It's so exciting to see how this month is going to unfold for him.

Guide Dog Fun Fact....Feb 28, 2013.....

Fun fact: At Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB), the second or third day you are there, the people bring the Dog to your room and leave you alone with it so the "new team" can get acquainted and start to bond. Isn't that sooooo sweet??? I just love it. Reminds me of a new mother bonding with her baby.

February 27, 2013 Almost Guide Dog Time.....

Monday, March 4, Alex embarks on the journey that he has been waiting almost his whole life for----he will be going to get his Guide Dog. He will be flying down to Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Ever since he was little he has wanted a Guide Dog; he would pester me and pester me about getting one when he was just 8 years old: Why do I have to use this stupid cane? Why can't I have a Dog? Nobody else in school/Bangor my age has a cane---I want a Dog. Etc, etc, etc.... The only way his braille/cane teacher, Lori, (Orientation and Mobility instructor)and I could get him to be patient was to explain that in order to have a Dog, you had to be proficient with the cane traveling skills. Eventually that got through to him and came to accept the fact that he would have to wait, but it took a while to get to that point. We also had to drill it into his head that Guide Dog schools wouldn't allow anyone younger than 16 to have one anyway.

 Of course, when he turned 16 he was ready to roll with the tangent of wanting one again, so it took some maneuvering to get him to hold off until he graduated high school. By that time he was mature enough to re-think if he wanted one in college or wait until it was more feasible to have one. Of course, we know enough blind people that he was able to see the ups and downs of having a Dog; the care of one versus the ease of the cane; the mobility of The Dog versus the ease of the cane; the companionship of The Dog versus the ease of the cane..... The cane just gets folded up when not needed, hung on a hook when not in use, and doesn't require feeding, vet visits, or bathroom breaks. But The Dog affords greater mobility, a companion, more independence, and love. It definitely wasn't a decision entered into lightly (the mature Alex versus the 8 year old Alex)....but I really feel it's the correct decision for him now.

 His second year of college (University of Maine at Farmington) he attempted to get a Dog. He went through the whole, drawn-out process of applying to The Seeing Eye in New Jersey, where a few of our friends had gotten their Dogs. The person/evaluator who came up to conduct the "home" visit (in his dorm and on campus instead of evaluating at the actual home)deemed him not "conducive to having a dog" based on the answers Alex gave him. Alex is not a talker or conversationalist (to put it mildly) so when the guy asked him if he went for walks, Alex said no. Because Alex didn't venture out a lot by himself because he needed the Dog to help him find places. The guy took it to mean that Alex wasn't physical enough, thus meaning that the Dog would never have exercise. I think a good evaluator could/should have fleshed the real answers out; I also think Alex needed to be a lot more forthcoming with good answers. So, that experience kind of put a damper on his desire for a Dog for a while. Once he graduated college, the yearning reared its head again, so he applied to Guiding Eyes for the Blind.....and here we are!!!

 This time, though, when the evaluator/home visit guy came out, Alex was ready to answer in full sentences AND let him know that the Dog would be exercised regularly, taken for walks, etc. I also think it helped that Alex was home as opposed to living in the small-ish dorm room so the sweet four-legged baby can be in a real home.

 We also know a few people who have gotten their Dogs from GEB. The school pays for his round-trip plane tickets, supplies all meals, and--best of all--gives the Dogs to deserving people.

Alex will be keeping a blog while he is there. I just love when he keeps a blog on things. He's always so much fun to read....in addition to being a fantastic writer. The address for it is http://cane9.wordpress.com  Ha ha ha.....get his play on words...? ha He's going from a "cane" to a "canine"....well, I thought it was cute anyway.

Such an exciting time....!!! God bless those puppy-raisers who do so much to get these sweet four-legged angels to this point so people like my precious Alex can have a set of good eyes, which comes bundled with four paws, unconditional love, and companionship.

Blizzard of 2013

The Blizzard of 2013 hit us with a vengeance. Almost 2 feet of snow in Bangor; deeper in southern Maine and the Coast. Such is the nature of a Nor'easter....they are hard to predict and the snowfall totals are always not what one would think in any certain region.

Businesses closed that I'd never though would close; except Walmart. We were open. If I could have gotten out I would have been there. This was the first time I've called out of work due to the weather. My van was snowed in and not going anywhere for the duration. Even the Postal Service shut down in New England....but the Bangor Walmart was open.

It was kind if nice to be forced to to do absolutely nothing for a day. So I took lots and lots of pictures....and had a relaxing day. Fortunately we didn't lose power.

So, Blizzard Nemo came and went on the exact day/weekend as the last enormous blizzard 35 years ago in 1978; 34 years before "they" started naming winter storms as they name hurricanes.

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Location:Bangor, Maine

Katie's 26 Birthday!!

February 5, 1987.....the day my life became so much better, richer, happier, and fulfilled. Being blessed by God to be allowed to raise one of His own creations is an amazing honor. My precious baby girl has grown into such an incredible young lady. She is almost finished--another two semesters, I believe--obtaining her third degree from college. The first two were double majors from UMF (University of Maine/Farmington); this time it's a degree in Nutrition from University of Maine/Orono (UMO). This past summer she had applied and was accepted for a Fellowship at Perdue University on a research grant. She was in Indiana for two months. While she was there she also was able to meet family on my dad's side. I was so glad she had such an incredible learning experience.

Katie has such a lovely personality. She is gentle, kind, sweet, loving, and amazing.

I am truly humbly blessed to have her as my Daughter.

I love love love love you Katie. Happy happy happy happy wonderful birthday
~~love, Mom

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Using the App

This is a test to see if this works.

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Hurricane Sandy, also known as Frankenstorm as it’s hitting so close to Halloween, hit the ground with a vengeance Monday using New Jersey as its landing pad. The 1300 mile wide vortex of furious wind wreaked havoc all along the Eastern Seaboard while churning up the Coast, even before it landed in NJ. I believe NC was the first, hardest-hit area, with the Outer Banks getting beaten up very badly. The wind from this devastating storm sent walls of water crashing over the islands, filling roads with sand and destroying houses. Sandy continued to gather steam as she meandered up the East Coast, finally deciding that NJ is she wanted to step onto solid ground. Because of the extreme wind force and size of the hurricane, plus the full moon present at high tide, NJ,New York, Ocean City (MD), and Rehoboth Beach (DE) didn’t stand a chance. Of course, there are many many many other towns devastated by this phenomenon, but those are the places mostly covered by the news. Thankfully, up here in Bangor, Maine, we didn’t get too much more than some really strong winds, lots of rain, and a few very loud, sustained thunder storms today. The magnitude of this storm across the Eastern Seaboard and into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes is staggering. Once it made landfall, it hit with another storm brewing up snow in West Virginia, western Maryland, and that area. No wonder they dubbed it “Frankenstorm”. Manhattan/Long Island was flooded. Not just with a little bit of water, but gushes and gushes of water in the subway tubes, sewer tunnels, etc. Over 80 houses in one neighborhood were burned to the ground in a Queens neighborhood; the fire fighters couldn’t get there fast enough because of the severe weather and flooding. The New York Stock Exhange will re-open on Tuesday morning, after two days of being closed due to weather. A huge swath of New York City is in darkness because of power being out. Over a million people a day ride the subway system in NY and NJ, but they can’t go anywhere because the subway tubes are flooded. The extreme loss, extreme weather, and extreme impact are beyond comprehension. When I look at the pictures on Facebook, Fox News, or the local Bangor Daily news, it’s staggering to think that anyone survived, but because of so much advanced hype and notice about this behemoth, many towns were evacuated, or people knew to expect it and were prepared. However, the long-term effects of this will be yet to be seen. Next Tuesday is the election to vote out the worst, most evil, most non-patriotic president (Obama) this wonderful Country has ever had…..if many places still don’t have power, will those people be able to vote? If people are still just getting over the shock of their destroyed houses, neighborhoods, and lives, will they even be interested in voting? What will be the economic impact of so many destroyed businesses? Or, how about the economic strain of trying to put back together the infrastructure of such an important city as New York? Not to mention the dozens and dozens of smaller, yet just as important, devastated towns. It’s beyond my scope of imagination or thought as to what impact all this will have. Just to look at the rampant destruction is bad enough. It’s like my mind simply ceases to take in the “horrendous-ness” of it all because it’s too much. It’s one thing to see whole towns destroyed by one hurricane, within one state, limited to one area. That’s heart-breakingly sad. Hurricane Katrina was horrible horrible horrible with its destruction……then the levees broke in New Orleans and that was amazingly sad. This Hurricane Sandy was frightening because it not only destroyed homes, lives, and beaches, but it was, I believe, the biggest on record at over 1,300 miles AND it collided with a blizzard, AND it caused one of the world-important cities to shut down, AND it has had a ripple-effect with train and plane cancellations. As I was watching it unfold on Fox News, I honestly didn’t even know how to form a prayer of help. It’s just that enormous. It’s one of those times when you have to trust that God knows what the heart needs to say, but the words can’t make it to your mouth because your brain can’t process all the facts. It’s breath-takingly horrible.

However, through it all, our wonderful, amazing military was still guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery. I am truly humbled by their selfless dedication.

9-11. Ten years later.

September 11, 2011.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of when our Country was viciously and senselessly attacked. I want to say that things have gotten better, we’ve become and stayed a unified Nation, we are more tolerant of one another, and people are nicer.  Sadly, that’s not completely true.

I remember I was cleaning one of my houses (Andrea Bickford….she was my "every other Tuesday house”). As usual, I had the radio tuned to WVOM to listen to Dr. Laura. The hourly news had just come on at 9AM. They were saying something about a plane that had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. I don’t normally have my peoples’ TV on, but for some reason, I decided to turn the TV on; there seemed to be much more urgency in their voices than normal when breaking news is happening. So, I turned on the TV, watched the news people talk about how awful it was that a plane “accidentally” flew into the Tower, then we all—as a Nation—watched while the second plane flew into the second tower. I was stunned. I was speechless. I was devastated. I was in shock. As gentle pandemonium erupted on the tv news, questions were raised but not immediately answered, and we as a Nation were cut to our very core, it became apparent that America had turned a corner and taken a route no one would have predicted….much less wanted.

I finished cleaning Andrea’s house in shock. I turned the tv off, turned the radio back on so I could have the news with me as I travelled through the house, and kept a steady stream of questions in my mind. I knew Bangor was too far from NYC to be hurt immediately, but I needed to know Katie and Alex were ok. As news came in that the Pentagon had been hit, it became more real as our airport has one of the longest runways in the nation to handle military planes, the SST (now retired), etc. I knew then that Bangor could be a possible target. It didn’t take me long to finish her house, get home, and make sure all was well with the schools. When word came in that a plane headed for the White House had been diverted by heroes on there, but had still fatefully crashed in Shanksville, PA, it became frighteningly real that a plane could be diverted and crashed in Bangor, too, as we are so close to the airport. When all air traffic was stopped for those few days, it was strange not to hear any airplanes around Bangor. Strange and surreal.

As more information came over the news, and we found out it was Islamic Terrorists, I was disgusted that “people” would do something so horrendous in the name of “allah”/jihad. Katie had a very close friend who was a Muslim…..I told Katie that when she goes to school the next day, stand next to her friend and don’t let anyone pick on her or say anything nasty to her; it wasn’t someone nice like her or her family that did this. It was pure evil disguised as a religion.

I think some good lessons were learned that day….we as a Nation learned a lot.  In the ensuing weeks and months, we stood together as a Nation, prayed together as a Nation, held hands in solidarity as a Nation, mourned together as a Nation. The beautiful American Flag was everywhere. We talked about our Faith and God openly, without fear of ridicule. Political parties didn’t seem to matter as much as “just” being an American did. Months later, we as a Nation applauded and cheered when President George Bush sent troops over to Iraq.

Fast forward to ten years later. The war is still being fought….not as many support it. Flags are here and there….not as prevalent as they were. Talking about our Faith or God openly is now cause for ridicule from many….we are made to feel it’s “not important”. Political parties are back….and even more divided than ever.  The steel Crosses found at Ground Zero after that heart-wrenching day, and put on public display near the Site, are now topics of heated debate as the “atheists” want them gone. Those steel Crosses have been a source of comfort and hope for thousands, if not millions, of people. Now the atheists are crying foul…saying it’s crossing the line between church and state to have them there. I don’t understand my Country anymore. If God is not in control, then this Country is lost.

Political Correctness has gone way over the line in the opposite direction, afraid to offend anyone of the Muslim faith. There are good Muslims and bad ones, just as there are in any religion. However, as a whole, the terrorists who are out to “get us” are of the same ilk….they are not white Christians. They are Middle-Eastern-skinned Muslims. I say racial profiling makes sense. If I’m a true American, then I don’t care if I’m singled out or not…..as long as my Country and my people are safe.

I love my Country. I love my Flag. I love my Constitution and all it stands for. We still have some work to do to get back to the unity of 9-12.  I absolutely don’t like (can’t stand) the president we have now. I honestly feel he’s a communist who does not have the best interest of this wonderful Country. He has gone around the world apologizing for our greatness, instead of being proud to have one of the few democracies on earth. He doesn’t stand up for/with Israel, which is scary. I feel he is a divider, not a uniter. I’m scared of where this Country is headed. After 9-11, we should still be bigger and stronger than ever. However, human nature always seems to take over so we are not “there” yet. President Bush was an excellent leader after The Day. He was not weak on defense, he truly and deeply loved this Country, and he was a Christian. He always showed the sincerity of loving this Country and leading it as a Christian. I was proud to call him my President. This current sham of a leader….not so much.

In church at Bangor Baptist today we had an incredible, moving Remembrance Service. Two songs were sung to open the service, each with an accompanying video of real footage from That Day (first video), and pictures of our brave Military Service men/women, either in action in Iraq&Afghanistan or their coffins and burials (second video). So so so so so moving. After that, there was a short documentary of interviews of the first responders, families of fallen police or fire department members and fallen pilots, and chaplains who were there that day and the ensuing months. It was one of the most powerful videos I’ve seen for a long time. There were two young men on either side of me who were wiping away tears as much as I was.

We can NEVER forget what happened That Day. America IS the greatest Nation on earth so we will always be a target. We NEED to stand strong, not apologize, and lift other nations up to our standards. We HAVE to pray for our Country. It’s imperative that GOD stays in our hearts, our schools, and our politics.  Our excellent military MUST be prayed for daily.

Ten years. So much has changed, yet so little. I remember it like it was yesterday. It still touches me down to my soul when I think about what happened, the loss, anxiety, and confusion. Yet, it still fills me with pride when I think about the men and women who wouldn’t leave Ground Zero as they searched for loved ones and strangers; every house had a flag; good deeds were done in the name of righteousness; churches were filled to capacity; blood banks were full; people pitched in wherever they could without complaining and without pay.

Ten years. The name of God needs to be back on everyone’s thankful lips, and in everyone’s hearts. He needs to hear us as a Nation again.

Ten years. Too many fallen hero soldiers for us not to win the war.

Ten years. Too many tears fallen for us not to have pride in our Country again.

Ten years. Many prayers. Many lives touched and changed.

Ten years. Ten years of still loving God. Ten years of praying for our Troops and our Country. Ten years of becoming numb to what change was really brought about by those selfish acts of cowardice on the part of those non-God-fearing pieces of trash.

May God bless America now and always. May we become once again what God wanted us to be. May God continue to love us in spite of our faults as a Nation. May we turn as one back to Him Who brought this Nation up.

I love my Country. I’m proud to be a Christian American.

Ten years.

Alex’s 22nd Birthday!!!!!!!

June 9, 2011.

Twenty-two wonderful years ago, my life became beyond blessed when Alex was born. He is such an incredible son.

It’s hard to believe that 22 years have passed by since I gave birth to this little bundle of awesomeness at Annapolis Hospital. Every day is such an adventure in fun, love, and happiness. Even when things are tough, money is tight, and things don’t always go how I need or expect them to, I know I have the love of my son. He can make me laugh like no one else can.

Alex, this past year has not been the most earth-shattering in terms excitement, but it’s been monumental nonetheless….last month, in May, you graduated from COLLEGE (University of Maine at Farmington) with a Major in Computer Science and a Minor in Math. That’s soooooooo incredible!! I’m so proud of you; not only for getting the two degrees, but for not giving up on the Math Minor this past semester when it seemed it was going to be impossible to obtain it. Yet, as with everything else in your life, you persevered and passed. You are one of the most stubborn people I know and because of that attitude you never give up.

You make my life so happy; I can’t begin to tell you how honored, blessed, and humbly thankful to God I am to be your mother.  I know you are not one to be overly or outwardly demonstrative with your emotions or hugs, but I know how much you love me. I never doubt that for a minute. I wouldn’t change who you are for anything or anyone in the world. To change you would be to lose a part of me; you are perfect to me.  I am so, so, so, so thankful to call you my son.

Happy birthday, baby boy. I love you.

Love, love, love,  Mom. 

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.

Katie’s 24th birthday…February 5, 2011

Twenty four wonderful, blessed, incredible years ago I was given a precious, precious Gift….my sweet baby daughter Katie.

Katie, words are so insignificant to express my humble love for you. You have blessed my life in so many ways, big and small. I am forever so, so, so grateful to God for allowing me the privilege and honor of being your mother.

This has been such an eventful year…..you graduated from college in May with two (!!!) degrees, then in August you had your heart fixed with a new valve. In January you started college again with a whole different degree in mind; one that I think will be better suited to you than teaching was. As a Registered Dietician, you will be able to play with your food to your heart’s content (all puns intended).

I love, love, love, love you.

Love, MOM

Good News…..

It was such a crazy, stressful, emotional day yesterday. Alex didn’t get out of his French final until 4:00—the professor was running 1 1/2 hours behind! ugh. We finally were able to head home on horrible Route 2; thankfully the snow showers had stopped so the roads weren’t terrible, but they were still awful in most spots due to some very slippery stretches.  It took a little longer than the usual 1 1/2 hours to get home, but we reached Bangor at almost 6 pm. As I’m nearing my exit on I-95 to turn onto Hogan Road, then home, I get another phone call. When I answered, it was the doctor calling about my breast “finding”. He introduced himself, and I asked him if I had to pull over to the side of the road to cry. He didn’t know that I had been called in the morning about setting up a follow-up ultrasound, so he was calling for the same reason. However, I didn’t know that he didn’t know, so I thought he was calling to tell me to get the hospital as soon as possible or something; all kinds of things went through my mind at that moment. He said it wasn’t anything to worry about; I have dense breast tissue, so if they see something they want to make sure it’s “only” a benign cyst, and that’s why they order the extra screening. He said almost 100 percent of the time it’s nothing, but it’s better to check it out. I felt better after talking to him.  However, getting another call like that on a dark, slippery, very crowded I-95 is not a good thing.

I dropped Katie off at the house, Alex ran in to grab his guitar, then he and I left…again. I took him to church for practice, then I went to CAP. He was early to his meeting; I was only 15 minutes late to mine, but the cadet promotions had barely started so I really didn’t miss much (a friend of mine was taking pictures for me until I got there).

When I got home, Katie told me that Dave called (he’s the husband of our friend Mary); he’s also a radiologist. When I called him back, he said Mary had forwarded my email to him, so he could stop on his way home from work and read my mammogram. He said there was absolutely nothing to worry about; it’s exactly the same size, shape, etc as last year, the year before, and the year before that, when I had to have an extra screening at that time and was so worried. He said to still make the appointment for the ultrasound so I can have the piece of mind that it’s nothing, and not have to worry about it.

They knew how worried I’d be about this, and he took time out of his day, after a busy day at work reading other people’s stuff, and all the other radiologist-related things he does, and stopped to read mine so I’d feel better. It’s so great to have such wonderful friends. I almost cried when he told me what he had done, and that Mary had sent my email on to him, etc. I was so relieved to hear the good news, from someone I trust, and I was so touched that they would do that. I love them.

This morning I made the appointment for the utltrasound; since the first time available wasn’t until after Christmas, I don’t have to stress over Christmas about it. 

I feel so blessed on so many levels.