I find it funny...

...when I look through Facebook at the friends list's of my friends looking for other people I know, and when I find someone, I think, "Oh my gosh, I remember when so and so did this....." and then I wonder if they would even remember me because we weren't best friends or anything, but we hung out with the same people and were kind of friends by association. I have a lot of those through the years, friends by association. Some of those became good friends and some just kind of faded off in the distance. I do wonder about them sometimes, but not enough to pick up the phone or add them to my friend's list. Sometimes, like I said, I'm not sure if they would even remember who the heck I am or if they would even want to. It's been really important for me to find as many family members as I can on Facebook, because I live so far away from the majority of them, and didn't grow up with them (well, not since I was 12 anyway), I just want to know how they all are. Some of them I send Christmas cards to, and I make half-hearted attempts at keeping in touch, but I'm not good at it. And for different reasons, there are strains on some familial ties, as much as I try to ignore them, I always wonder if I'm being ignored because of them, or because we never actually physically go see anyone. Traveling is hard and expensive, especially with four children, there is nothing I would like to do more than to take a trip to Minnesota and spend a couple of weeks there. My living grandparents aren't getting any younger, none of the family is. It feels like we need a good old fashioned family reunion. But, whenever we do get the chance to travel, we usually can't go that far, or it's to visit the hubby's family because we don't get to see them much either, and we have lived in the same time zone as my parents for several years now, so I always feel guilty even suggesting we go see my extended family. So, each year it gets put off. And now with me in school full time and him getting ready to start, it doesn't seem like it will get any easier. 

But, enough with my complaining. Until next time...

School

It's back to school time for all those kiddies in public school again. It's a little anti climactic for our household. Since we are home-schooling year round now, there really isn't a solid beginning or end. Of course I think it is much better this way, the kids really seem to enjoy learning and we can take trips whenever we want. But, I do like the deals when I can take advantage of them. Having new school supplies is fun, and since I'm in school now too, I get to actually use some things. Clothes, I have to be careful, there really isn't a huge reason to buy clothes, it's too hot still for them to wear the fall clothes and there is no point buying new summer clothes since it will only be "hot" for a few more months. So, I like to wait until after the back to school ruckus when the fall clothes start going on sale before I actually buy their cool weather clothes. Usually I can come up with some coupons from Old Navy or Children's Place and get more for less.

The one thing I do look forward to, is new books and curriculum for the kiddo's and now me. I get email from used curriculum groups all year long, and I pick up what I know I'm going to need for the next level whenever I find a good deal, but the majority of good deals come when new school year gets ready to start because so many people are ready to part with their things. Now, I would sell some of my curriculum, but alas, since I have two more to start school in the next few years, it makes no sense. I really can't part with anything until BooBoo gets some use out of it. I have come to realize though, that that is A LOT of books. I really need some kind of organizational units/shelving for all of my curriculum. I would really like the husband to make me something, but he has another project that he wants to work on, so I really don't have much to work with now, and won't for the foreseeable future. But, on the upside, I have finally gotten a system for keeping portfolio's for the kiddos and I have a computer program that I can enter all of their information and make report cards and all that other fun bookkeeping stuff that I haven't been able to do up until now. So, I'm at least going to go back to last fall to create the records, and that should be good since the oldest is just entering 6th grade this year.

I made it through my first summer semester of courses, and unbeknownst to me I took a course overload at 12 credits. Had I realized this was a course overload and how stressed out I would be for a few weeks, I may not have done it the way I did. But, I did. And I got 12 credits out of the way, so with my transfer credits I now have 24 of the 60 I need for my AA. I'm taking 14 more credits this fall. I have to pay for 1 class, which is 2 of those credits, but it will be less I should have to take in the summer then, if I stay on schedule. I don't know why they say that an AA is a 2 year degree and 12 credits is considered full time, because most AA's need 60 credits, and that doesn't break down into 4 semesters......But, hopefully I'm on the right track now and will graduate before the money runs out. Then I get to figure out how to pay for the BA, etc. I wish I could just stop there, but to do what I want to do, it's going to take more than that. Hopefully I will feel smarter by that time.....

31.....

I am reposting this from my Facebook notes since I haven't posted on my blog in a while.
_________________________

I've been watching for the last two days as my wall is filled with those mourning the loss of 31 American (I realize there were Afghani policemen on board as well, but for this post I am dealing with the number 31) military members from a terrible tragedy. And I've said my prayers for the family who are in the process of being notified of some of the worst news that can every come to a military family, and I thank God for my friends spouse's who are safe and sound and I prayed extra hard for those still there fighting. But the more posts I see, the more upset I start to get. While for most people, Afghanistan is a passing thought if they happen to hear about it on the news, for some people, it's never far from their conscious thoughts. And it's sad. It's so sad that it takes the deaths of an entire SEAL team and helicopter crew to make people wake up again. What about all the other men who died last week during combat operations?

 Sgt. William B. GrossPaniagua, 28, of Daly City, Calif., died July 31 in Kunar province, Afghanistan
 Pfc. Brice M. Scott, 22, of Columbus, Ga., died July 31 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Leon H. Lucas Jr., 32, of Wilson, N.C., died Aug. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan
 Staff Sgt. Patrick R. Dolphin, 29, of Moscow, Pa., Sgt. Dennis E. Kancler, 26, of Brecksville, Ohio, and Sgt. Christopher M. Wrinkle, 29, of Dallastown, Pa., died July 31 while supporting combat operations in Herat province, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Kirk A. Owen, 37, of Sapulpa, Okla., died Aug. 2 in Paktia province, Afghanistan,
Spc. Barun Rai, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 3 in Logar province, Afghanistan
Pfc. Cody G. Baker, 19, of Holton, Kan.
Pfc. Gil I. Morales Del Valle, 21, of Jacksonville, Fla
Capt. Waid C. Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, Ala., died Aug. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan
Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, of Chelsea, Okla., died Aug. 4 in Paktia province, Afghanistan
Sgt. Daniel D. Gurr, 21, of Vernal, Utah, died Aug. 5 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan
Spc. Jinsu Lee, 34, of Chatsworth, Calif. died Aug. 5, in Kunar province, Afghanistan
Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, Ga. died Aug. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan

And all that went before them? 31 men at one time is a tragedy, but it's no more and no less than the other men and women who died doing their sworn duty for this Country. And what about the military left behind? The ones who have made serving their Country their career and are in the process of getting screwed out of their retirements by a government who doesn't give a rat's ass about them?! The same government who would rather keep the welfare vote than do right by those who put their lives on the line day after day?!? I haven't seen one post. Or how about the ones who are coming back after seeing their entire team blown away and trying to get help but are being told it's all in their head or they are disingenuous and just trying to bilk the government for all they can get? What about those guys who are told those things and they spiral further and further into their PTSD and depression and everyone ignores it until the guy finally puts a bullet in his head over the 4th of July weekend to stop the pain... We think if we ignore these things they aren't really happening and it will just go away?? Well, I'm sorry, but these things are happening, they are happening all around you. And you can only ignore it for so long. I don't care whether you agree with the war, don't think we should be over there, don't think we need a professional military, whatever. Care about it, and not just when a horrible tragedy occurs and we lose 31 people at once.

People think if we didn't have an all volunteer military, which includes about 13% of those who make it a career and provide the knowledge and experience to lead the rest through whatever we may face, either we wouldn't have an enemies and other Countries would just leave us alone.... If our ancestors had thought that way we might well still belong to England, or be speaking Spanish, German, or Japanese (not by choice). Hell, we could still become part of Communist China, as they own most of our treasury and provide most of the stuff we buy because it's too expensive to make it here...well, won't that be a thrill..... instead of being one of the greatest free nations in the world we can just fade a way as a forgotten memory circa 1984....but I digress....

I mourn the loss of those 31 men from that helicopter crash yesterday morning, the same way I mourn every casualty notice I see from the DOD, may you never know that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that some wife, mother, sister, father, brother, son, daughter is feeling when that knock comes to their door... the way I can only imagine it must come.

And those of us whose spouses will never be the same some physically, some mentally, some both, that bond can never be broken. Our job is to be there for each other.

God Bless all our hero's. Every single one.