So I put together list of some things I love about this country. Ready?
1. Band of Brothers:
I realize it is a Mini Series but it is based on real heroes some of whom did not return from Europe. As the Grandaughter of a World War II veteran, a medic who was stationed in the Pacific Theater, I feel it is incredibly important to appreciate the Greatest Generation. They built this country. They saved freedom. They never once asked "What's in it for me?" We should be more like that generation and less selfish. If we spent our time working and enjoying life the way our grandparents or great grandparents did and less time complaining about how life wasn't fair, we would all rise above.
2. Baseball on National Holidays. Okay, so baseball isn't there for Veterans Day, Presidents Day or MLK Day but is there any doubt that those days would be better if it was? No sport does patriotism the way MLB does from the Red, White and Blue camo hats to the giant flags, to the National anthem and God Bless America. Memorial Day and July 4th were made for baseball.
3. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, potato salad, brownies, and our grills.
We had friends over Sunday and it was amazing because the 35 days of rain in the last 50 or whatever it is stopped about 1 and we were able to spend our entire night outside on the deck.
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4. Freedom:
Our freedom was won by those amazing men and women who served and sacrificed for all of us. We are all free to choose who we are and how we will survive, or not survive. We all have the gift of education and we all have the chance to take advantage of that education to better ourselves and our children. Most importantly we are free to live how we want, where we want, with whom we want and worship as we wish. Only when our individual freedom effects someone else's freedom does the debate start about who's freedom is more important. Usually, as is the case with prayer, the freedom of the majority is put aside for the freedom of the minority. Is it right? Probably not but freedom isn't perfect and it isn't free.
5. Coffee.
If we were British we would drink tea but thanks to the amazing people in Boston we threw tea in the harbor and never looked back. Coffee became a way of life and thank GOD for that. I will only ever drink my tea iced and sweet but you give me coffee hot, cold, strong, creamy, full of lucious flavors or just plain. Anyway you slice it, coffee is genius.
6. Apple Pie. What I did baseball and hot dogs. Apple pie had to be there. Actually I love Cherry best but Apple is good too. Pie is brilliant and I almost convince myself there are some health benefits to fruit, sugar, and buttery crust.
7. Outdoor sports
Fishing, swimming, hiking, biking, softball, baseball, and anything that gets you outside in beautiful weather is a win.
8. Moments of peace.
Have you ever stopped to think there are places in this world where there is no peace? There is no quiet. Can you imagine living in Israel where having a bomb shelter in your home is a necessity? Can you imagine being a Christian in a Muslim country where Isis or any other radical group is terrorizing people? Can you imagine the reality of explosions going on day or night? Probably not. Thank God for that.
9. The vote.
We take it for granted. We hate politicians. We argue with our friends. We mute our friends during election season on Social Media but, we have the right to vote our conscious and that earns us the right to complain about the idiots in office.
10. The American Soldier and the American Spirit:
It has been there for almost 240 years. Sacrificing comforts, missing family, dying so we could live, laugh, love, act on and express our beliefs, and sleep easy. God Bless the American Troops, past, present, and future. Without them, the USA would have failed a long, long time ago. Without them, we would be drinking tea or speaking German. Without them, we would have reason to fear terrorists could prevail. We have the best trained and strongest military in the world. Nobody, not crazy terrorists outside this country or in, will prevail. This country knows how to come together and fight when outsiders attack and deep down, this country is full of men, women, and children who will grab a pitch fork or a shovel and fight, if need be. We do not give up. We are the sons and daughters of the United States of America and if you push us, the great eagle will swoop down on the little field mice and tear them limb from crazy limb.
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It's okay:
*Sometimes I just don't feel like I am a good enough Step-mom. I suspect that every parent goes through this. I feel like when my kid acts up I am suppose to have some special insight into why and know how to fix it and that isn't the way the world works. Shoot, I don't know how to fix it sometimes when I act up.
*I haven't picked up a paint brush to paint furniture in weeks. I want to but right now I am feeling like a total failure because I haven't sold either of the pieces that I had for sale and I look at the 3 pieces in the garage and think to myself "If I refinish these and I do them the way someone else should want them, I won't want them in my house. If I make them the way I want them, they may not sell." I haven't figured out where I am going with this side business and can it even be called a business if you haven't done anything but paint some pieces that haven't sold?
*I am in desperate need of a haircut and can't seem to find the time to get it done. My split ends have split ends.
*Lately, everyone at work is more use to seeing me without makeup than with it. I am suffering from a big time case of "I just don't care". The problem is, I look like I have no eyes when I don't wear eye makeup. I have big eyes but without mascara, you can't see my lashes.
*I really want to go to Broken Bow, Oklahoma for our 1st anniversary but we can't plan anything yet. I have been looking at cottage rentals and I am in complete love with this place. So much so that I am actually ready to move there, forever. It is perfect. There are hills and a lake. It is the place I always wanted to live in my dreams. We didn't take a true honeymoon. We spent a couple of days in a hotel then moved into our new house. I would say in the 8 months of marriage the 2 nights in the hotel have been the least stressed and most relaxed nights of our marriage.
*I am trying really hard not to complain about rain after years of drought but I really need to see the sun for a consistent two week period before the next rain shower. I realize what I am asking. I realize this is Texas and the minute it stops raining it is going to hit 100 degrees. I am getting cabin fever and to be honest, we are all getting a little depressed being stuck indoors all weekend long every weekend.
*I have failed completely so far this year at making a commitment to getting back into a exercise routine.