Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Land.

Oh-so-thankful.

I haven't posted much of what I'm thankful for lately, but that doesn't mean I'm not well aware of it. This week's top five are:

1. Experience. I have learned a lot in the past 33 years, and in the past 23 that I can remember the clearest as a semi-adult. :-) And I am so everlastingly grateful for that. 'Cause guess what? Even though I might change a few decisions along the way if I had to do it all over again, I would definitely not want to lose anything I've learned. Life: invaluable.

2. Spring. It's coming, peeps! For real! I felt it a couple of times this week and I am NOT giving up hope.

3. Lent. Even though I'm not giving anything up this year (I have a few excuses, but no really good ones), the season still has an impact on me and makes me appreciate all that Christ has done for me, and all the lagniappe I experience as His Child.

4. My daddy. He is SO smart. Really. I can't even express to you how I amazed I am when he starts talking cars. I love that his speciality is so polar opposite of mine. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate people's areas of expertise when they're similar to what you delve into every day. Ya know?

5. Our country. I know, I know. I always say this. But for real. We live in the land of the FREE. How cool is that? How close were we to being born in a Communist or Socialist country, where we did not have what we consider to be super simple choices daily? I'm just saying. I appreciate it more and more the older I get. And as my nephew will readily attest to, I'm gettin' on up there. :-)

Happy weekend, everyone! Live it up!

Veterans' Day.

On Veterans' Day, it's hard NOT to remember those who have given and are still giving of themselves for my freedom.

In the interest of time, I'm pasting some Zac Brown Band lyrics (from "Chicken Fried"), which express better than I ever could how I feel:

I thank God for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly
Let it ring
Salute the ones who died
The ones who give their lives
So we don't have to sacrifice
All the things we love

Veterans and soldiers, thank you for doing what I do not and could not, and for keeping our country safe.

Fort Hood.

I'm still devastated when I think of the disgusting, uneccessary shooting at Fort Hood in Texas last week.

I caught up this morning on Marshall Ramsey's cartoons from the weekend, and found this one particularly touching:

As usual, MR does a fantastic job of depicting what we all felt, and still feel when reading/seeing the coverage.

I hope that like Columbine, and Virginia Tech, and the Oklahoma City bombing, and 9/11, may we never forget.