I'm Confused...

I've been trying to figure it out for quite some time now, and haven't been able to make any sense out of it...

Doesn't a person need to have actually *done* something (not just have potential, and not just utter words) to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

I've sincerely tried to be open minded about it, not wanting to allow a simple knee-jerk reaction, and have made a real attempt to understand just why the committee awarded President Obama the Peace Prize. I honestly think I simply must have misjudged the true meaning of that prize. Not because of who won it, as my friends on the "other side of the aisle" will no doubt accuse (please, no knee-jerking), but because of the overwhelming lack of real actions to have truly earned it. Let him actually *do* something, which takes more time than the committee even had to evaluate, and then judge on the sole basis of the actions done.

This prize should not be a tool to make some sort of political statement, or to award as an encouragement to follow through on words spoken, but a recognition of true and noble deeds already and actually accomplished. I do not see anything of that calibre happening at this point, and certainly not way back at the time the vote was taken for the Prize. Even staunch supporters of the President have to admit, beyond the high expectations they have for him, he has not yet done anything *that* noteworthy.

I am afraid this once esteemed honor will not be quite as high in my personal estimation in the future. By using the Peace Prize as a political statement, the committee has cheapened it in my eyes. It has lost all its former meaning for me.

Star Size Comparison HD

A bit of perspective is always a good thing.

And in the end, don't forget that God, who made it all, cares intimately about each one of us.

Reach outside yourself and be a blessing to those in your universe. :) I'm glad you're in mine!

Celebrating Freedom

There is a great article on the Army's website for Europe about our little garrison here, celebrating how, 65 years ago, U.S. forces liberated this area from the Nazis. It was a fun weekend! Read the article HERE.

Illiteracy Stinks

Needing to do laundry, I inquired at the hotel desk and was happy to learn there is a coin-operated washer and dryer in the basement. Cheerfully making my way to the basement to check out the situation, this is what greeted me:

Not only are the words a mystery, the symbols don't even tell me what I need to know. *Sigh* Ignorance definitely is NOT bliss. ;-)

Netherlands, Week 1 continued

Here are some photos of the view from the front and side of our hotel room balcony, showing part of the golf course. It's a very big balcony, and a lovely breeze is constantly blowing.

This pic is out of order, but here we are at the airport in Dallas, ready to start our adventure!

So far it has been a very interesting experience. Today we attended our first chapel service and met several wonderful families. Many folks are leaving the area this summer, so the congregation needs some rebuilding. We also all got our library cards, and were able to check out some books and DVDs. We have a list of 4 houses to look at on Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully we will soon have a place to live. Friday is our driving class and test, and hopefully the day we will get our Dutch drivers licences. So much to do!

Getting online was a challenge...we purchased some minutes with the online service here at the hotel, but our laptop was running out of juice and we had no way to charge it. Today we borrowed a transformer, and are very thankful we can plug in the laptop, as well as the kids' handheld games and such. There isn't a lot to do here at the hotel, and for now we are dependent upon the gracious help of others to get around town. But, we are getting some much-needed rest and recovering from jet lag. It's hard to believe we are actually here!

We Have Arrived!

We are finally in The Netherlands! (We found out that "Holland" is actually the name of only part of NL, and not even the part we are living in, so we have to get used to saying Netherlands instead of Holland.) Here are a few pictures we've taken so far.

First, pictures on the plane...it was the first flight for all the kids other than flights as babies (which, for some reason, they don't remember), so they were very excited.

It was a looooong flight! Kevin and Caitlin try to pass the time with a little chess...

We left Dallas at well over 100 degrees, and arrived in NL at 80 degrees. Ahhhhhhh :)

This is the hotel we are staying in, tucked among the trees. It is right on a golf course, and in a rare wooded area of NL. It is a lovely hotel, and the accomodations are very spacious and comfortable.

The kids are taking a little rest during a leisurely stroll around the hotel grounds...

To be continued...

Having a Ball

One of the nice things about Army life is the chance to get all gussied up and attend a formal event like a ball. I just love to see my man in his dress blues! :)

Home again, home again...

Jiggity Jig! :D

Kevin is home, safe and sound. Time to retrieve the coffee pot from the garage. Now, before my coffee-loving friends brand me a heretic for relegating the coffee pot to the garage, let me explain that I became a tea drinker during the deployment because coffee made me lonely. For those of you that know my beloved "bean-juice fanatic," you will understand why. But (oh joy and rapture), no longer! With the return of my Honey and his coffee habit also return quiet evenings on the back patio, outdoor grilling of pork steaks (yum), and falling asleep with my head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. All is right with the world once again.

(BTW...yes Caitlin is in this photo...she is smooshed between Thomas and Daddy, with just a bit of her coat peeking out.)

Cute Monster

What Your Cute Monster Says About You

You are a very natural, real person. You're comfortable with who you are - and your spirit truly shines through. You are free of inhibitions and hang ups. Because of this freedom, you tend to be very creative. Your inner demon is greed. You can't help but lust after wealth and shiny objects. People think you're cute because you are so lively. Your natural glow makes you charming.

The Cute Monster Test

Hmm...not so sure about the "lusting after wealth" part, but I do admit I have an affinity for shiny things! lol :)

Putting the Puzzle Together

The students I teach are amazing. They are mysterious, magical, heartbreaking, baffling, beautiful ... they are autistic.

From the AutismSpeaks website:

"Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. "

It's the "severe" ones I teach, and love. Many of them are nonverbal, about half of them display extreme behaviors such as self-injury, tantrums, and violent outbursts. I've been either hit, kicked, or bitten on an almost daily basis. Kevin asked me recently how I suppress the natural reaction to retaliate, and I could only say that I don't feel that reaction. It doesn't cross my mind to retaliate, because they aren't being malicious or hateful...it is the only way they know how to express themselves until they learn differently, and it is my job to reach them and teach them.

It occurs to me that God has given me an amazing gift...to understand in some small way the love of Christ for us, through these beautiful but heartbreaking children. We often treat Him the same way: avoiding eye contact and close personal interaction; throwing tantrums; staring at our fingers flicking in front of our face, oblivious of the glories He wants to show us; engaging in self-injurious behavior and hurting those around us, kicking and hitting and biting and hammering those nails in deeper. And though we break His heart, in His eyes we are beautiful, and He loves us. He loves us. And He takes the time to reach us, and teach us.