Update from Tino...

As we plan to ship out our next package this week, we are keeping in mind this most current email from our friend Tino.  The guys are working with heavy hearts, but their courage and dedication remains!  (Bless their hearts.)  I have spread the word via Facebook to ask friends to fill our Marines' mailbags with letters and cards of support!  (I am true believer that the smallest handwritten note or card can feel like a piece of gold when times get tough.)   

I'm so happy to hear from you, I figured you were busy. Right now the boys are really down, because we lost a brother the other day to an explosion. So right now we're trying to recover, lock & load and continue on with our mission. One of the guys asked if you could put this question on your blog----> "how many people think they could do this job knowing the danger you're putting yourself into?" Said he just wanted to let people know it is not an easy job fighting for this country and know the risk we face. Now for the kids questions....
1. Its a mixture. Our new AO is all rocks, but our last AO was all sand. I could not build a sand castle if i wanted to, because its different kind of sand. Dust/sand 
2. I'm with the same platoon. (R.I.P to our latest Marine KIA)
3. I hope the president sticks to his plan, but I should be off the battlefield by September 15 back into friendly lines and be home late September.
Tell Linc we wish him all the best with his milk challenge and that we will think of something special for him in our next set of pictures. Please give everyone a BIG OORAH for us.

The kids emailed some questions to Tino, that he easily answered for them.  They wanted to know:
1.)   Could he build a sand castle, being that he was in a sandy location. 
2.)   Does he stay with same platoon of men, or do new friends come and go.
3.)   After hearing Obama's speech, how soon would Tino be home? 


I would post a survey, but being that I am not getting many votes, I thought posting the letter from Tino would hit home to our readers just the same.  Our family has been sharing our stories and experiences with Herobox.org to all that will listen!  Our lives are so much richer having been given the chance to correspond with Tino and the guys!   

July 4th

Happy Independence Day! 

 Thank you to those that are protecting our freedom.  We appreciate your bravery and are blessed to have you serving our country.

BIG news... BIG news....

It is official... Lexi is a two wheel bike rider now! 

This morning she proved her great skills by allowing Mike to take off the training wheels, and within minutes she was a pro!  It was certainly her time to ride a two wheeler!  No more fears of being the only soon to be 2nd grader that still needed training wheels.  All we needed was a trip to the school outdoor basketball court, and a chance to try.  The hill on our street was not the best place to learn, but the flat surface was perfect!   

Look out world - Lexi is on the move!

busy, busy, busy

Okay, so once upon a time, summer used to be some down time and a time to get caught up on some rest and relaxation.  Well, I feel relaxed by being home with the kiddos, but I have yet to discover the rest I once had enjoyed.  LOL  


Monday started with some trips to the libraries, then some chicken farming chores, some weeding in the gardens, and a trip to Target to update Linc's Epi-pens.  


Today started at 8am with a stop at the local mechanic to have him pull out a bolt that was lodged in my tire.  FUN!   Then, Ella enjoyed her check up at the pediatrician at 9am - where we learned she grew 9 inches in one year - YIKES!  She is perfect though, and right on target.  Then we detoured to a local playground and played.  That was fun!  Until I realized I forgot sunscreen and Ella began to redden slightly... so home we headed.  


Tomorrow was supposed to be a lazy morning, until my Thyroid ultrasound in the afternoon, but now we travel to the car dealer. My check engine light came on today, throwing a code about a bad sensor.  ARGH!  So... never a dull moment!  Off we go tomorrow to seek solutions.  


Thursday I am looking forward to my iPad training!  My students are going to love the opportunities this will help me create for them, as readers!  I can't wait!!!  Lexi has already volunteered to be the tester of apps. for me.  LOL


So... apparently, I will sleep when I am dead!  LOL  Too much life to live at the moment.  And when the time is there to relax, it is much more memorable to stop and PLAY!  The time spent on the swings today and the trips down the slide may have been more productive than a nap anyway, right?  If nothing else, they were at least more memorable and certainly full of lots of giggles!

interesting....

While doing some reading tonight online, I came across this great statement:

“You don’t learn to write by going through a series of preset writing exercises. You learn to write by grappling with a real subject that truly matters to you.”                  Ralph Fletcher, What A Writer Needs

Rather interesting, don't you think.   Writing comes naturally when writing from the heart.  The chore of putting words down on paper or on screen is no longer a chore when it is one's way of conveying something felt strongly - something that, simply put, MATTERS!


It is for this reason I teach all my students, no matter how young, the why's.  If goals are not known right out of the gate, then how will they know if they should invest enough energy to feel strongly about the objective at hand? All the how to's and strategies in the world hold little power if the purpose for learning is absent.  Because I said so, simply isn't good enough when looking to achieve growth and feel success!


Same goes for parenting and our personal goals for our children.  Endless hours of schooling hold little value if our children aren't given a chance to understand the fundamentals of life first - the reasons for living.  These fundamentals will allow them to decide what is important to them.  


When Linc asks daily what animal his meat is from, which he does, we will continue to answer him. This is obviously something that matters to him at this moment in time - what is he eating and where did it come from?  (When exactly did society lose the importance this basic question??)  How are our kiddos to be true contributors to society if they don't have all their why's answered? (As exhausting as it may be at times.) Granted, we cannot always easily give a why, like when Lexi asked, "Why are there bad people in the world?"  I tried explaining that life is about learning right from wrong, and some people haven't taken the time learn those important lessons. However, I am quite certain that topic is still unresolved in her mind.  In fact, as an adult, I think it is still unresolved in my mind.  However, I am living life, gaining experiences, and growing with each step taken. I trust that Lexi is doing the same and maybe someday she will have an answer for me!  


Ella has begun to speak daily of her worldly wishes.  For instance, did you know she wishes there were no ants or bugs in the world.  When asked why, she will tell you that she simply doesn't feel they are needed if they gross so many people out.  Ella also wished the other evening that there was no sickness in the world, and that everyone was happy all the time.  Again, I asked why and she told me that no one needs to feel bad if they could all be healthy and feel good.  Her thoughts are so simple and innocent, yet so deep as well.  I used to think she would be an engineer or a mechanic as she puts much thought in the workings and schematics of things.  However, as she matures, I realize she puts much thought into everything - maybe she is the next great philosopher, waiting to shed some insight into human nature. (Or maybe her destiny includes being a beauty pageant contestant longing to solve childhood hunger and achieve world peace! lol)


So, one simple professional reading on my part, has allowed me to contemplate what matters to me (seeking positive changes around me, enriching the lives of children as they grow, and possibly even helping enlighten a few adults along my journey).  


After all, aren't we all grappling to figure out what really matters so we can write our own personal story?