Showing posts with label Heroes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heroes. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
An Awesome Experience for My Kids
I drove up to the high school, dropped my big kids off in the usual place, found a parking spot, and climbed out with my little kids to head to the preschool this morning.
I could hear country music playing. Standing in front of the main doors to the school was a color guard of high school students in their everyday clothes. Each had a flag. There was also an enormous flag hanging down from the front of the school.
It was clear that the music I was hearing was patriotic, but it was a song I hadn't heard before.
I saw an old man backing his car in as we walked across the parking lot and headed toward the wing where the preschool is situated. About this time, I also heard the words: "Color guard, attention!" I didn't watch what happened at this point as I was trying to get my little ones across the parking lot safely, but shortly thereafter, I looked and saw an older woman heading toward the stairs.
It was clear that something very special was happening today.
Then I remembered #2 telling me he was going to what I think he referred to as "Living History Day." Once I recalled this, I realized what was happening.....Veterans from past wars were arriving and they were being honored as they entered the school.
What an awesome thing!
I have to admit I got a bit teary as I walked past all of this this morning. Wars continue and people continue to serve us selflessly. How great for my kids to get to hear the first-hand accounts of history from people such as these.
How wonderful that they are honored in such ways, and we become blessed by their efforts.
I could hear country music playing. Standing in front of the main doors to the school was a color guard of high school students in their everyday clothes. Each had a flag. There was also an enormous flag hanging down from the front of the school.
It was clear that the music I was hearing was patriotic, but it was a song I hadn't heard before.
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| image: wikipedia.com |
It was clear that something very special was happening today.
Then I remembered #2 telling me he was going to what I think he referred to as "Living History Day." Once I recalled this, I realized what was happening.....Veterans from past wars were arriving and they were being honored as they entered the school.
What an awesome thing!
 |
| image: oregonlive.com |
How wonderful that they are honored in such ways, and we become blessed by their efforts.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Shout Out: Julia Shinkle
This is one of those posts that has sat in the background WAY too long. As I attached the new family photo at the top of this blog this evening, I remembered writing this unfinished post and decided that I'd better get it done. So, here you go....
Two mission buddies (who ended up marrying) sent their oldest son to the Missionary Training Center today. Wow! It's just blowing my mind that I met them both when we weren't much older than our oldest children are now.
They have a beautiful family. It's so fun to see where life has taken them in the past number of years. I got to looking at the photos they recently had taken before their son left for the MTC and got to thinking about how before #1 leaves, we HAVE to have some family pictures taken, which is the cause for today's shout out.
When I think of family pictures, I automatically think of my friend Julia. She does AMAZING work. She's creative and fun. She takes the simple things and turns them into works of art. I have to share a couple of our experiences with Julia....
The first time she ever photographed our family, #7 had just been born. Julia called me and asked if she could come take photos of #7 for her portfolio (she was just starting her business). When she came, things were easy and relaxed. She used items we had around the house--baby blankets, a drawer, wooden blocks, etc. It was clear that Julia wasn't just a photographer. She was an artist. Her approach was beyond creative.
I love that Julia can take a random event and turn it into something worth keeping and cherishing. I love that she can take a squirrely family like ours and find those moments when we all look just a little bit sane....
but then, there are those moments when we don't all get that memo.....
Two mission buddies (who ended up marrying) sent their oldest son to the Missionary Training Center today. Wow! It's just blowing my mind that I met them both when we weren't much older than our oldest children are now.
They have a beautiful family. It's so fun to see where life has taken them in the past number of years. I got to looking at the photos they recently had taken before their son left for the MTC and got to thinking about how before #1 leaves, we HAVE to have some family pictures taken, which is the cause for today's shout out.
When I think of family pictures, I automatically think of my friend Julia. She does AMAZING work. She's creative and fun. She takes the simple things and turns them into works of art. I have to share a couple of our experiences with Julia....
The first time she ever photographed our family, #7 had just been born. Julia called me and asked if she could come take photos of #7 for her portfolio (she was just starting her business). When she came, things were easy and relaxed. She used items we had around the house--baby blankets, a drawer, wooden blocks, etc. It was clear that Julia wasn't just a photographer. She was an artist. Her approach was beyond creative.
In 2011, after receiving my nomination as Oregon's Young Mother of the Year, which later turned into a Mother of the Year nomination (long story having everything to do with the age of my oldest child and nothing to do with my expertness of being a mother--as if I even had to explain that to you), I was informed that one thing I would have to do is turn in some family photos and photos of myself. I immediately thought of Julia, but going from one child to photograph, who pretty much slept the entire time, to a big ol' family of nine? Ugh! How would that go? Would she even be able to get one click with all of us behaving ourselves?....Yah, good luck on that one.
Here are some of the images from that session.....
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| I love this spontaneous, unstaged catch. |
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| One child climbed on and Julia told everyone else to gather 'round. This was the result. |
This was my absolute favorite:
Julia asked me if I'd brought any kinds of snacks. I told her that I had a bag of Cheerios in a bag in my purse. She asked if I would get them. I did. Next thing I knew, she had us all standing shoulder to shoulder in a random, however we placed ourselves, order and sat #7 in front of us on the ground. You can't see them, but there are Cheerios all around her. That's why her hand is to her mouth--she's eating a Cheerio.
In the meantime, there's Julia laying on the ground across from us snapping pictures of our legs and little Cheerio-munching #7. Love it!
Next, it came time for #1's senior portraits. For this one, we went out to Julia's property. Again, easy, relaxed. Here are some of my favorites:
I'm looking forward to #2 having this experience this coming year.
I decided that with #1 leaving for college, we needed to have a family session to capture us all as we were before our first flew the nest.
I have often posted the photo on the right, but I haven't shared how that photo came to be. It actually started out with the experience on the left. I was just sitting there. Actually, I think Julia was taking my photo. I was sitting alone. Along came two children. They started hugging on me and then Julia, observing this, called the whole crew over. Thus, the photo on the right.
I love that Julia can take a random event and turn it into something worth keeping and cherishing. I love that she can take a squirrely family like ours and find those moments when we all look just a little bit sane....
but then, there are those moments when we don't all get that memo.....
Thank you, Julia! I simply ADORE you!!!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
A New Hero
Yesterday I was introduced, though Facebook, to this man....
His name is Chiune Sugihara. I had never heard of him before. I searched further and found out why he was so significant as I watched this:
There is a longer (six-part) report on this on You Tube if you want to see more. This is just a short clip of that program.
The most amazing thing about Mr. Sugihara is that he went against his own government. With the understanding of Japanese honor, that is truly shocking. He really took a risk.
One of the things he said touched my heart....
"If you have an opportunity to help someone in your lifetime, do it. In life, do what's right because it's right, and leave it alone--no ulterior motive. Do what is right. Don't make money from it. Don't write an article about it. Don't publicize it. Do what's right because it's right."
Sometimes I think we get so wrapped up in policy. We allow these things to talk us out of doing the right thing for others around us.
What a great man! Such an amazing example to the world!
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| image: dennischeatham.com |
There is a longer (six-part) report on this on You Tube if you want to see more. This is just a short clip of that program.
The most amazing thing about Mr. Sugihara is that he went against his own government. With the understanding of Japanese honor, that is truly shocking. He really took a risk.
One of the things he said touched my heart....
"If you have an opportunity to help someone in your lifetime, do it. In life, do what's right because it's right, and leave it alone--no ulterior motive. Do what is right. Don't make money from it. Don't write an article about it. Don't publicize it. Do what's right because it's right."
Sometimes I think we get so wrapped up in policy. We allow these things to talk us out of doing the right thing for others around us.
What a great man! Such an amazing example to the world!
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