People that Mean A Lot

As you get older you learn what is more important and also who is important. Letting people know what they mean may be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be verbal and in person. A personal note or even a card that has the right words works the same. We are not guaranteed a tomorrow nor is anyone else, so why wait to let someone know why you appreciate them or what you love about them. They may cherish these words for years to come and look back at them on a day they may need a smile. New Years could be a starting point to do this annually.
Photo taken at the beach this winter

Being Content

Learning to be content – boy if we could all do that what a happier place it would be. Growing up we didn’t have much and I appreciated everything. I even remember declining offers of material things from my Poppy because I felt bad having people buy things for us. As I became an adult I have enjoyed making small purchases like a person would buying something big. My kids are growing up differently, not with things handed to them, but it is easier.
When we bought our home that we live in now I was thrilled, it was like a dream house. Once we settled it was easy to see the things wrong with the place and over time get annoyed with the lack of funds to take care of it. I went through times of thinking “will I ever feel the same way about this house?” Looking back at the photos I took of the empty rooms after we signed the paper work I tried to remember how I felt. Now, 7 years later, I have that feeling. Of course things are still waiting to be taken care of but this is my home and I love it. I made a list of things I couldn’t stand about it and then things only this house had. The difference was huge and I realized I have to be content, just as we should be with many things.
I had a friend that moved “up” shall we say. I was thrilled and admired her house but she pointed out the things she didn’t like that I would have never noticed (sounds familiar?). She wanted to change this and that and lost that happiness that she had when they moved in. Her husband was in the area as she spoke hearing all the honeys do’s he that would eventually end up on his list. This conversation continued most of the time I was at her house. Within a few years they ended up losing their home and divorced. Now I’m not saying that her lack on being content resulted in that, but how sad that when she had it all she lacked a smile.
Content doesn’t mean settling but being satisfied and at peace.

Life is a Gift

Life Is a Gift
Today Before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about your food -Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband/wife -

Think of someone who's crying to GOD for a companion.

Today Before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before whining about the distance you drive -

Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job -

Think of the Unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your Job.

And when Depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.

Anger is a condition where the tongue works faster than the mind
You can’t change the past but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future
God always gives his best to those that leave their choice with him
A hug is a small gift, and one size fits all
If anyone speaks badly of you live so none will believe it
"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval." Mark Twain
"I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure:

Try to please everybody all the time.”
Herbert Swope
Use what talents you possess:

the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

Henry Van Dyke

Short Version

Military Lingo –

so you do not get lost in what could be a brief long distance conversation:
AIT — Advanced Infantry Training; Advanced Individual Training

BCT — Basic Combat Training or Brigage Combat Team

CAV — Cavalry (Armored Cavalry Regiment)
FOB — Forward Operating Base; Forward Operations Base
HE — High-Explosive; Handling Equipment; Housing Expense; Heavy Equipment
IBCT — Infantry Brigade Combat Team
IED— Improvised Explosive Device
LBV — Load-Bearing Vest. Used for carrying ammunition, water, and

other tactical loads while in the field, or during an assault.
MEDEVAC— MEDical EVACuation to an aid station or field hospital, usually by air ambulance.
MOS— Military Occupational Specialty
MRE— Meals, Ready to Eat;

(slang: Meals Rejected/ Meals Refused by Everyone/ Meals Rejected by the Enemy)
PT — Physical Training

RPG — Rocket-Propelled Grenade

What the????

When writing to your solider you will follow their name with lots of numbers and letters. Why? Well I tried to compile a simple explanation and hope it is correct.

If not I’m sure someone will tell me one day.
The Army has many units which a soldier may belong. Say you lived in:

North America, USA, Florida,

Brevard County, City of Melbourne,

neighborhood of Windover Farms, on Main Street,

and finally house 1234.

This is all true and in the military the unit is described from the smallest to the largest

(like starting with house #1234, following their name).

I will use these comparisons below so you understand it better.
Your soldiers name (house number #1234)
Next unit up is a Squad (Main Street), which has 2 teams, usually 8-10 soldiers.

Squads are numbered.
The next larger unit is a Platoon (Windover Farms),

which consists of 3 or 4 squads. They are numbered.
A Company (Melbourne) is 3 or 4 platoons.
Next would be a Battalion (Brevard County) and they have 3 - 5 companies.
The larger unit (Florida) can be called a Regiment and be made up of 2 or more battalions, they have numbered labels like 84th Inf Reg etc. You may have a unit called a Brigade which can have 3 to 6 battalions. They also have numbered labels.
Then the larger unity is a Division (USA) and can have up to 3 brigades.

Divisions have number labels like 3rd Infantry Division.
Finally the branch of the military (North America).

Many times I read something and wonder “is this my brother’s group?” and after learning

this I realized one small piece of information can be about a large group of soldiers.

I’m not sure if I am 100% correct on this but this is pretty much the idea.