WHAT A WEEK

Well this has been an interesting week for sure. This past Wed. we had a busy day planned & it got even busier. It was to start out with Diane & I going to lunch & shopping at Jack London Square....a nice girls day out. About the time I was getting ready Steve came home from work with bad case of heartburn. He felt he would be ok but was supposed to meet us later in Oakland for a photo exhibit by a friend of ours....he would let us know. When Diane arrived she tried to get Steve to go to Dr. but he said he was fine....we took off.

Arrived at Jack London Square...it was a gorgeous day.

After we wandered around a bit we had a fabulous lunch at Kincaid's....complete with Margarita's of course. I had a Hot Crab Sandwich which was to die for & Diane had French Onion soup & Salad. We finished up with Key Lime Pie at the suggestion of our serverAfter lunch we did a little more sightseeing & shopping & decided to stop in to Cocina Poblana for a final Margarita before we needed to go to the photo gallery. The Restaurant was very nice tho not the best Margarita I've ever had.

After we finished up at JLS we headed up Broadway to the College of the Arts for the first gallery showing of Sean Donnelly's photo's. There was absolutely no parking so we had to park in the lot of a nearby shopping center & walk up the hill to the college. Steve met us there. Also attending were 2 members of East Bay Blue Star Mom's...Tami & Michelle. The show was great...we loved his work. After about an hour or so we need to leave as we still had to stop off in Fremont to pick up Sonja & then head to to San Jose Airport to welcome home the daughter of one of the South Bay Blue Star Mom's. We said our goodbye's to all and left.

We flew down the freeway...making a quick stop in Fremont to pick up Sonja & got back the freeway & headed for the staging area...a Chevron station near the airport. A nice group was there when we arrived...some of the usual attendees plus a new Motorcycle club from the area. They asked me to take their photo. Time came to head out...

Shortly after that last photo was taken Diane grabbed me & told me that Steve was down....at first we thought he was having a sugar drop (he's diabetic) ....luckily we had 2 nurses in the group that took care of him til the EMT's arrived. After the EMT's did their thing they said he was most likely having a heart attack & needed to go to hospital. They started getting him ready for transport. When all this started happening the Patriot Guard moved the flag line to shield the view of Steve so that the soldier would not see him when she arrived.

When the SSgt arrived everything went off without a hitch....lots of hugs from Mom

Got a pix of her with Diane & gave her a Challenge coin before Diane & Sonja took me to the hospital.

More to follow....

LUNAR ECLIPSE

"The Communicator" called this evening & asked me to go outside & look at the sky. After I was outside he told me to look at this moon so we could see the Lunar Eclipse together. Sometimes he can just be the sweetest, most caring person ever....I cherish those times.

VALENTINES FOR THE VETS

Today a group of us headed over to the VA Hospital in Palo Alto to spread a little Valentine's love (belatedly as they couldn't' schedule us any sooner). I found these awesome large pink heart shaped sunglasses that Steve & Darren gladly wore (sure!). We had lots of goodies to pass out & by the end of the day there was alot of happiness for both the patients and us! The glasses were a very big hit...put alot of smiles on alot of faces for sure.

Before we went in to hospital...

(l-r) Leslie, Kathy, Darren, Debbi, Steve, Sonja, Dotty's Mom, Dotty & Janice

Getting ready to deliver the goodies....

7th PYSOP Group Homecoming

5 Army Reservists returned from Iraq this evening. Couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday/Valentines Day than welcome ing home all these wonderful Guys & Gals I love so much. Pretty good group being there was two filights...first at 10:05pm & second at 10:53pm. We headed home after I coined them all & some of the others escorted them to Moffett Field.

Navy Lt Christina Ortega Comes Home

8 Bikes, 2 cages, lots of South Bay Blue Star Moms members, plus friends & family turned out to welcome this Hero who was returning from deployment to Iraq where she served as a PIO with the US Marines. We participated in the escort to the family home also...about 20 minutes away. Neighbors up & down the street had yellow ribbons tied out front & many had Flags waving. Very Awesome. Welcome Home Christina & Thank you for your service.

Win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer Contest

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible! I really would love to win this! As a domestic diva, I always like nice things for myself, and this would be great. Maybe if I had a cool new mixer, I would cook and bake more. Yeah, right. ROFL!!!

FIRST HOMECOMING OF 2008

We participated in our first homecoming of the year. This soldier returned from a 15-month tour in Iraq. He didn't get home for Christmas but it will be celebrated by this family even if it is a little bit late.

The Patriot Guard Riders were all set to go...



The Spc arrives to a warm welcome by all....


An interview for the Hero...

One Happy Family...

Getting ready to roll...long escort home...

Operation: SAM presents medal...

Byan Weldan of Lafayette Flag Brigade presents flag..

Friends, Family & Supporters...

Proud Mom...

With some of Livermore's finest...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE

Today is Steve's 57th Birthday! We went to Pasta Pomodoro for dinner .....one of his favorite places to eat...



And for dessert.....

A MARINE'S MIRACLES

I speak of my dear friend Diane often here so I thought it would be good to share this wonderful article by Melanie Morgan. She did a telephone interview with Diane at 6:10 am PST this morning which awesome.

Posted: January 4, 2008 by Melanie Morgan
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Even in death, Lance Cpl. Travis Layfield is reaching back to his family.

The Fremont, Calif., Marine was just 19 when he laid down his life in Iraq, one of 20,000 Camp Pendleton Marines fighting off murderous Islamic radicals around Fallujah and Ramadi on April 6, 2004.

Ten others died that day for freedom.

Although Layfield's life ended in a blood-red frozen moment of gunfire, the family left behind to mourn his death continues to receive words of love and support.

There's an almost supernatural connection as well that continues to provide a bond to their fallen hero.

During the funeral services at the Golden Gate Cemetery in San Bruno honoring Cpl Travis and his Lakota Sioux roots on his father's side, a hint of his continuing spirit came when a gust of wind knocked over the photograph of the young Marine. His family stood in wonderment, interpreting the moment as a sign from Travis that he loved all of them from above.

Last fall, a DNA test confirmed that Travis Layfield left more behind than his loving spirit. Diane Layfield, Travis' mother, found out that he left a young son.
(read more)
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Here is the link to listen to Diane's interview from this morning get out the kleenex! Great job Diane! Pass this along please.
Check off the Friday dot and click onto whatever mediaplayer you want to use, I use Windows Media. Then select 6am hours and click go, she went on the air at around 6:15 am

A BIG WIND

We had the first major storm of the year overnight. I peeked out my bedroom window in the morning to see that our back fence had fallen AND see that our backyard neighbors have chickens that are now in my yard....we aren't zoned for chickens here!!




Wish this fence could have made it thru another winter....

Heading back to the Army

Well we headed to the airport to see "The Communicator" and the soon to be ex (he was already telling me he was gonna do this). As we couldn't get both in the truck someone else drove them to SFO for a very emotional send-off. She was from Tennessee so she had a different, earlier flight. They said their goodbyes & we headed to his gate.



We were able to go all the way thru security & go with him until he boarded.


Got a photo taken with him....


And one with his Dad...

A final family picture for this trip...

Here is his plane....

I will never get used to these good-byes.....ever!

Our 2007 Holiday Picture

Even tho "The Communicator" was on leave for two weeks we barely saw him as he decided to go on a road trip to Washington State (my first Christmas without my son here) with friends & a new girlfriend (is anyone keeping count on these?). We did get to pin him down the night he had to fly back...of course we couldn't get him in a uniform at all...for a Family Photo in front of the tree. This is it...

Remember them all year long........

Toby Keith I'm an American Soldier



Keep them in your thoughts & prayers all year long as if it's Christmas 24/7. They are there for you always.

Christmas Cards for the Wounded

From Fox News -

http://www.foxnews.com/americaspulse/


Operation Holiday Thanks

Show your appreciation and share your season's greetings with a recovering service member. Simply send your holiday cards to:

Operation Holiday Thanks
c/o E.D. Hill
FOX News Channel
1211 6th Ave.
17th floor
New York, NY 10036

WE MUST NEVER FORGET

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