The New York Vietnam Memorial ...

The New York Vietnam Memorial is a glass block wall that stands 16 feet high and 70 feet long.  It isn't an Wall of Honor, etched with names of those killed on battles fields in Vietnam, rather is is etched with quotes.  Excepts from letters sent home.  Hope voiced from soldiers to their families, and from families to their loved ones.  

Standing in front of the wall, one can feel the pain written in each word, in each letter.  Sons and daughters a like share in the their stories.  Mothers and  fathers, sisters and brothers, children and grand children; visit this wall to remember.  To pay respect.  To be close to those lost long ago.  

I to,  found myself standing in front of this wall, longing and wishing for yesteryear's.  For the chance to get to know someone, to be able to live days and weeks, months and years; with an uncle who gave his life on the Hill of 875. 

 The ability to hold back tears, appear strong in the weakest moment of my life.  Frozen in front of memories, yet those memories weren't mine; but knowing they could have been feelings and memories my uncle shared was enough to spill the tears over onto my cheeks.  My heart ached like it had never before.  My knees began to buckle.  I had to touch it.  Put my hand on the words written, share in the pain of so many.

Searching for ...

  STAR   LIGHT    STAR    BRIGHT.....

 I just had to spend my time getting up before the crack of dawn, wait for the time when the sun is only thinking about coming up, and scan the sky.  Planet alignment is what I am searching for.  I don't know what I am more excited about; the thought of seeing other planets by looking Eastward, or knowing that 1300 miles away, my sweety is going to be scanning the sky as well. 

Funny isn't it; how the mere through of sharing a moment with some one, gives the project new meaning.  Giddy and ready to go, I race to my sliding glass door with coffee in hand.  I had already told everyone at work what I was going to be doing; and got the "She has lost her ever loving mind" look.  No one wanted to join in on the planet fun.  Quite alright with me, I am going to witness something that isn't going to happen again until 2024.

I love the "Sun"  setting on my camera.  Just look at that.

Standing on the balcony I wait.  And Wait.  And Wait.  Then wait some more.  The sun is breaking ground, and before I know it, she is peering over the ground and shining right at me.  Can't see the planet alignment with the sun in my face.   This was a flop.  I am so upset, I really wanted to see the planets.. Makes me wonder how close they would have been, was I even facing the right direction?  Geez, Paul had to tell me which way was East; did he tell me off my balcony or could it have been out my front door and into the field?  Leave it to me to get lost on my own apartment complex property.  Besides it was an over cased morning, wouldn't have gotten good pictures today anyway.. but there are still a few days to get the pictures I want of the planets.  In the mean time, These are beautiful pictures of the sun coming up, while the sky cleared; I even seen the moon still high up in the sky.

Always The New Yorker...

 Here I sit, Saturday night looking through the photos of my New York trip, when it  finally occurs to me and I fully understand the statement, "You can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl."  My trip to New York City, was a long awaited dream come true; that didn't last long enough.  If my sweety were with me, and I didn't love my job so much... I would have stayed right in Long Island. My uncle Billy's place is out of this world, Nina has done a fabulous job decorating the house, and the neighborhood is to die for.

Staying a few days at my uncles place in Long Island, brought out the girl who was missing in me. The Bronx Girl, and I can't even begin to tell you; just how much I missed her.  Like I was saying before, the neighborhood was out of this world.  The green grass, the colorful flowers planted in peoples yards.. I had died and went to heaven.  To top it all off, yards don't look that good here in Texas.. Not in my area anyway. 

A Stormy night prayer...

When I was a little girl there was nothing like sitting on the sofa and watching television with my father.  Once time we were engrossed in a black and white movie,  now I can't even remember the name of the movie.  I do remember, however, a wooden boat out to sea.. a very bad storm.. and when one of  bad guys grabbed one of the good guys and took him to the highest point of the boat.  I couldn't understand why anyone would want to be at the highest point of a boat during a storm;  and at the time didn't matter because there I was sitting with daddy, watching a black and white movie.  Anyway, with rope in his hands,  the bad guy ties the good guy to this pole like thing that sat in what I thought was a big bucket; right in the middle of this storm.  Before long, and right before my eyes.. the good guy gets struck by lightening.  Screaming.  Wiggling.  Screaming.  Then, another strike.  And another.  Until only clothes rested on his, tied up bones.  

From that point on, I have held a very high respect {and fear} of storms.  No joke.  Wednesday night while I was finishing up my day at work;  there was a loud rumble, a crack in the sky, and sound of heavy rain hitting the roof.  No big deal, I was in side.  I kept thinking that I was missing some of the greatest storm pictures in the history of me taking pictures.  I couldn't wait to get home and grab my camera.  Something told me, by the time I headed home, walked up two lights of steps, unlock my door and set my belongings down; the storm would be over.  This was only partly true.  While the rain let up long enough for my to grand daughters and myself to make a mad dash for my front door, which I am extremely grateful for, little did I know the best part of the storm was yet to come. 

Birth of a New Day...

"We can make the choice 

to value and retain the

wide eye spark of childhood."

~ Thomas Kinkade 

No matter what day it is,  my mind is set on having a good day.   It may not always end up a good day, but I am determined to start my day, by Leaving the past behind me.   It is a promise I made to myself.  Each day is a new beginning and what might have happened the day before; is now in the past.    Every night before going to bed,  I set my alarm for 6:30am.  When the alarm rings, I head straight for the kitchen, Coffee !!   I only make a half pot  {no need for a full pot of coffee being single} and enjoy the smell as it fills the apartment.  I keep my living room blinds open enough to let the morning light dance across my coffee table and bounce off  the walls, brightening the space with the promise of a new day.  

As I slowly pull back the long blinds covering my sliding glass door, I scan the sky; searching for clues.  With the door gliding across the tracks; I tilt my head slightly back, close my eyes,  and take in a breath of the morning air..  

First Glance... Love the reflection in my left eye....

Mothers Day reunion and Tears...

Mothers Day with The Mirror of Mom and The Mirror of Empty Nester was an interesting emotional reunion.  

Earlier this  afternoon, I received a phone call from my daughter Tabitha, asking if I was home.  Shortly after we hung up, my door bell rang and my grandson Garrett, with a great big smile, is standing there to greet me.  "Happy Mothers Day Nana" he said as he hugged me ever so tightly.  I needed that.  He just made my day.

He hands me a gift  in tissue paper wrapping, "This is for you"  I could only smile; cause I couldn't get the lump to go down and I knew if I had opened my mouth, the tear would have flowed like a mad river.  "For me?  Thank you baby"  "It's from all of us Nana.  You dont have to untie the ribbon; not like at Christmas time, you can just rip it open"  First I removed the card, "I'll read the card in a few minutes" I stated  "Yeah, that's a good idea" Garrett replied.  I pulled off the blue ribbon, carefully opened the tissue paper, lifted the foil gingerly and... fought very hard to keep the tears back.  I could feel them swelling in my eyes, longing to spill over.  "Oh, I always wanted one of these"  I choked out  "Mom made it you know.. but I liked it too." he added.  While holding the shirt I said  "I can't wait to wear it.  Where should I wear it to first?"  "Wear it on every Mothers Day, and when ever you want to.  Don't forget to read the card Nana."  Carefully I folded my shirt, opened the card and began to read.

A Do Over?...

 If given the chance for a "Do Over", would you want to start back from the beginning?   This term came up yesterday, while I on enjoying the afternoon breeze I heard two children playing outside and one of them said to the other.. "I want a Do Over".   With a smile on my face, and as my youth flashed before my very eyes,  quietly to myself I thought....   "Nope.  Wouldn't care for a  "Do Over"  myself".... I hold close every memory; Trial and tribulation,  Greatest joys and Happiness,  and Every Pain and Tear I felt in my life.  They have Molded me into the Wiser person I am today..

Watching my children live it up,  is the greatest gift of my life.  Seeing them in love and sharing moments with their children; it doesn't get any better then that.

This is my youngest daughter Ashley.  She loves to have a good time, making people laugh, and is a loyal to her friends.   It is never a dull moment with Ashley,  laughing is how you'd spend every second with her..

Her first child... Welcoming her home... Building memories... Creating bonds...