He Stood Watch...Now It's Our Turn

Today I buried a boy who I knew when he was a kindergartner and i was 19. It was my first job, right out of high school and to pay for college. Cody Stanley and Cade Stanley were two boys, grandson's of my mother's friend and co-worker Anne. Cody was in Kindergarten while Cade was enrolled in the daycare where I worked. Right away I was drawn to Cade. He was quiet, gentle and sweet. A very shy child, the fact that I knew his grandmother and his uncles drew him to me. That spring we became fast friends and he won a special place in my heart. Cody enrolled in the daycare that summer. Cody too was a very sweet and gentle child but where Cade was painfully shy, Cody had a more adventurous spirit. He was shy with people he didn't know but it didn't take long for him to show his true personality. I had them for that year before I left the daycare to work in the elementary school library. There I found my sweet, beautiful boy Cody. He was in 1st grade and his teacher's classroom was down the hall from the library and my office. He was so happy to find a familiar and friendly face in an unfamiliar place. Right away, he settled into the routine of school. Being a country boy, he arrived to school early on the bus and would spend the mornings in the library where we'd talk, tell jokes, look at books and do puzzles. My beautiful boy always had a smile on his face and a sparkle in his beautiful blue eyes. He never left without a quick hug for me. He was my baby. Two years later Cade entered 1st grade and again, his frightened eyes brightened at a familiar face in the unfamiliar place he found himself. Shortly thereafter I left the school and my baby boys moved to Smithville. But I carried them in my heart always.

I saw my boys once more before today...the day we buried their beloved PoPo. Cody was about 10 or 11 and cade was 8 or 9. Seeing their little faces so full of sorrow and their eyes haunted by sadness is an image I will carry all my life. My heart broke that day and as much as I wanted to take them in my arms and just hold them and take all their pain into myself, I couldn't.

Today I saw my beautiful boy, but only in pictures. My beautiful, sweet, gentle boy was killed Wednesday, October 28, 2009, while fighting for our country in Afghanistan. While providing ground support with his battalion, he was killed when an IED (improvised explosive device) detonated near him. USMC Lance Corporal Cody R Stanley died in service to his country, his state, his community, and his family. It was his second tour in a hostile country where he was not wanted. Today, a mother buried her first born child, her 21 yr old baby. A young man who hadn't yet had a chance to love, have children of his own. A young man who lived his life with a grace, compassion and gentility you don't see often anymore, much less in one so young. A life lost is a tragic event, a life lost for no good apparent reason in a war that shouldn't be is a travesty.

I love my country, I am grateful and love all our troops who sacrifice daily for our freedom, but I do NOT support this war. It is a sad day in our country when we send our young men and women to fight a war that has no purpose. Its time to bring our troops home. Bring our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters home. Do NOT send one more child to die on foreign soil.

To the Patriot Guard, Thank you. Thank you for honoring our fallen son, our beloved Cody. Your time and effort to honor his memory and sacrifice was truly appreciated by all who knew and loved Cody.

To the town of Smithville, Texas, THANK YOU for welcoming him home and honoring his life with your show of respect and gratitude along the procession route. Thank you to all the servicemen, USMC, Navy, Army, Fireman, Sheriffs, Constables, National Guardsmen who attended and helped to make the journey run smoothly. God Bless all who stopped and shed a tear or raised a hand in salute. Cody surely was smiling down upon it all.

To the family, my sincerest sympathies and condolences on your loss. The world is a lesser place for having lost a bright and shining spirit. Cody's sacrifice will NOT be forgotten....EVER.

I love you my beautiful boy. You will live in my memory and my heart forever. Safe travels my dearest Cody.

Softlips Giveaway!!

The Art of Random Willy-Nillyness is giving away Softlips lip moisturizer!!

got to http://www.theartofrandomwillynillynes.blogspot.com to find this and many OTHER giveaways.

Softlips lip moisturizers are some of my favorite lip balms on the market. I've grown up with chapstick and carmax(which I hate), but when softlips came on the market..it blew all other lip balms away!! I personally stick to Strawberry and Strawberry-Kiwi flavors but they have so many others I may have to venture away from the familiar. They now have certified organic balms that I'm dying to try, as well as seasonal flavors such as peppermint(one of my FAVORITE flavors of all time).

So if you, like me, have a tendency toward chapped lips...especially now that winter is approaching.... you definitely need to invest in the slim, easy to transport, long lasting Softlips Lip Moisturizers. ;o)

The Act of Being a Friend...

Have you noticed, that in this virtual society friendships and relationships in general have become disposable and false? I have made many friends in the last year that are solely in this virtual society... however, I've found that some were not REAL friendships at all.

It seems that certain people use these avenues to "collect" friendships to satisfy their own selfish needs. I'm not a superficial person at all, but I've learned that my instincts should be trusted irregardless of the fact that I've not met people on the internet.

Case in point...I met this girl on a message board and we had an intense love of old music in common. We started emailing and chatting online. It was in these chats that I noticed this person was not altogether stable. However, against my better judgement I continued to talk to this person, ignoring her mood swings and extreme shifts in attitudes. Eventually she showed that she was anything but sane and I was forced to admit that our friendship was not worth the stress she was causing with her insane expectations...I should however point out that it got ugly before we mutually agreed to go our separate ways. She was a great person to talk to occasionally but her instability was not something I was willing to subject myself to further and apparently my inability or refusal to put her above everything and everyone else in my life prevented her from wanting to resolve our conflict. I miss the person I thought she was...but I will not be revisiting that relationship anytime soon...or ever!

Sodastream Giveaway!

I've seen this soda making gadget before but I'd never thought to try it...its a "luxury" I didn't think was a necessity. However, I've recently entered to WIN one for free! A blogger and fellow twitterer recently posted her review of the Jet sodastream soda maker. Her review has inspired me to enter this giveaway. Seeing as how, she's never steered me wrong before, I'd like anyone and everyone to visit her blog...

for a chance to win this and many other prizes!! Good luck! :)