They may take away my girl-card, but...

I couldn't care less what Michelle Obama is wearing.


Seriously...

There has been almost as much coverage of her wardrobe as there has been of her husband taking office.

Does that make me less of a girl?

Forty-Four

"Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.

These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.

What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.

In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river.

The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."

32 Came As A Surprise

I should have seen it coming. There were some clues.

I offered to buy lunch (with a gift card) at the Village Tavern at Flatiron Crossing Mall, and my mom says, "No, save it."

"For what?" I asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"I see your social life opening up." was her answer.

Another time, she says to me, "Maybe I'll throw you a surprise party for your birthday."

My response..."Who would you invite? Brenda's friends?"

So, I really should have seen it coming when Mom walked into my house the Friday before my birthday, and then told me to open the door. But I didn't, exactly, see it coming.

So it was definitely a SURPRISE! when I opened the door to Becky, all the way from Angola, Indiana to wish Moi a Happy Birthday.

And it couldn't have been any happier!

So, how did I celebrate the beginning of my 32nd year on the planet?

How about a rodeo? The National Western Stock Show's in town, so Friday night kicked off the weekend watching true American cowboys spend the longest 8 seconds of my life riding the back of a bucking bronco, or holding on tight to a raging bull, or jumping off a galloping horse to land on a running calf. Part of me is in awe that any human being would subject themselves to this. The other part of me is in awe that these men have been doing this all their lives. That these people learned to ride a horse before they learned to walk. That horses, cows, roping and lassoing is a way of live, even in this age. That this life is the true American way of life.

And, because it's my wild and crazy friend Becky, and because it's my birthday weekend, and because growing old may be required, but growing up is optional, I celebrated by wearing a blinking tiara the whole evening.

Saturday, we drove through Boulder, Boulder being the closest to "in" the mountains that I wanted to be this time of year. We drove up Mapleton road to a small park that overlooks the city of Denver - or at least, the haze that is the city of Denver.

Then a quick stop at Flatiron Crossing for lunch (to use that gift card on my newfound social life), then a voyage under the sea in the Downtown Aquarium. Becky and I cozied up to Sharky for pics...

And, then it was home for the evening - pizza, chit-chat and Brain Donors.

If nothing else, I think it says something that someone would fly all the way across the country to see me. It says...

I have amazing friends.
I have amazing family.
And, despite all my whiny and crying...
I am loved.

In Progress

Dear CJane and Nienie,

I feel compelled to write this letter. It's been a long journey, and through choice or fate, you've graciously let the world into this tragedy turned hope turned triumph. You've both touch lives in ways you can't image. You've inspired, enlightened, and honored each other and your families. You've become a testament to the goodness of people, women and sisters. In return, the world has laughed with you, cried with you and prayed for you.

Some things you should know...

1 - These blog entries will be precious to you. These entries will serve you well in the future as a journal, a snapshot of a moment in time. As a remembrance, for those things you don't want to forget and for those things that you can't forget no matter how much you try. You may not want to remember some of the moments that were immortalized in words in newspapers and blogs, but you can reread these words in the future and realize that you have the power over them - that at one time, they were heart-wrenching and pain-filled moments and that now, they are just words on paper (or screen...whatever). You pushed through, you persevered. And even at your weakest moments now, you are stronger than when these words were born on paper.

2 - You don't owe your reading audience anything. We will forever be grateful to you for inviting us to join you on this journey. We are forever changed because you allowed us to attempt to lessen your burdens, through gifts, donations, virtual support and prayer. We gave of our hearts - we volunteered to step up and support you in whatever means we could, but in the end, please remember - WE volunteered to help. You didn't ask, you didn't plea or beg - you invited us. And at any moment, you can choose to enter back into the world of anonymity. We will forever be grateful for these moments you shared with us, and we will forever be thankful that you have now have the choice to continue your dialogues with us, or not.

3 - Take those moments to feel sorry for yourself. Take those moments to ask, "Why me?" Take time to cry, to throw a temper tantrum, to drowned yourself in pity. Because if you take those moments, you allow yourself to have those hours when you say, "Thank God not them." To laugh, to smile and endure someone else's temper tantrum, to drowned yourself and those around you in your presence and love. To heal, to discover, to explore and appreciate it all. You'll enjoy the bigger moments in live, because you allowed those smaller moments.

The End of the Road...

Or, at least, the end of the season.

Colts 17, Chargers 23

Wildcard weekend - lost in overtime. I can at least console myself with Manning's third MVP of the Year pick.

And only 9 months until the season starts again.

A long, long 9 months....*sigh*

Resolute

So, it's January 2nd and I'm just now getting around to writing down my resolutions. Hmmm...my first resolution - Next year, no procrastinating on my resolutions.

So...here it is...2009.

2008 had it's highs and lows. I got a new dog in January, a new job in March, a new address in July. Got to spend the football season with my boys (Yea for Direct TV Sunday ticket) - so I watched all 16 games.

Discovered the world of blogging - Found that true love does exist (at least for other people), that family is what it's all about, that good can triumph and that prayers work - and that's my shout-out to the families of NieNie.

The lows...well, I spent the last four months staring 32 in the face, and feeling that my life had not progressed as far as I would have hoped since staring 31 in the face a year ago. And so, this year...that's my resolution. That when I stare 33 in the face, I will have changed those things in my life that I can control. So...here they are - my 2009 resolutions:

1. Well, the perennial number one resolution - Lose weight. Be healthy. This year, however, I'm going to create a specific plan of attack - more details to come.

2. Expand my mind - Read 5 books that I probably should have read in high school. Books without romance, car chases, crazy serial killers and an inept bounty hunter. Some ideas...Farenheit 451, Brave New World, Catch 22. Just a few suggestions. And no cheating - no choosing books that also get picked by my book club.

3. Expand my mind with American History. I used to love history, particularly American History. I've collected quite the assortment of books about people in history, so it would be nice to do something with these books besides dust around them. Some suggestions - America (yeah, it was written by Jon Stewart from the Daily Show, but I may actually learn something from it), The Idiot's Guide to American History (I think that's what it's called), John Adams, What If?, and a Short History of the American Revolution. Read at least 3 of them.

4. Read the Old Testament. I have one of those Bibles that has the Old and New Testaments divided up into 365 entries, and I've attempted to read an entry every day, but fell far behind at one point and never took the time to catch up. Last year I was going to read it, but the Bible was packed away in one of the boxes I had in storage. This year...no excuses.

5. Take pictures. A think I've probably got like 2 dozen pictures that represent that last 5 years of my life. Change that - the digital camera I got for Christmas should help.

6. Finances - Pay off some debt. Set specific goals - more details on that to be worked out. :)