How'd that happen?

***Don't forget about the giveaway. Ends Friday!***

I put the little man in a 6-9 month outfit and could not get it snapped. This is the first time in his nearly 9 month history that has outgrown a size before he hit that chronological age.

Here he is in a 12 month pair of jammies.





























































How the HEY did he get so big! Doesn't he look so grown up in real jammies instead of a sleeper?
He want you all to to know that he wears these jammies in honor of fire fighters everywhere, but especially his daddy.

Oddly, reading that Karen Kingsbury book and our approaching Independence Day have really set me to reflecting on 9/11. I do not ever want to forget what happened or the sacrifices that so many men and women made. Fire fighters, EMS, police officers, and the victims and their families.

Related to this, I was very pleased to come across this program called Red Shirt Fridays from which all the proceeds go toward making handicap accessible housing for soldiers rendered handicapped from this war effort. We have been at this mess for nearly 8 years if you look at the two war fronts together, and weather you are a supporter of the war or a protester, I am sure we all agree on one thing: we want our men and women of the military home safely. The Red Shirt program is about standing together in solidarity by wearing your red shirt every Friday until every last soldier is home. We'll be getting our red shirts because we want our service men and women to know we care about them.

"For those that will fight for it...FREEDOM ...has a flavor the protected shall never know." ~Tim Craft, 1968

Book review and a GIVEAWAY!!

I was given the book One Tuesday Morning a few weeks ago by a woman who I only met once before her family moved out of the house next door. It only took a few pages of reading before I nearly marched over there and told her what she could do with her book that I couldn't possibly read this book. You see, this is a story of a 9-11 widow, but not just any 9-11 widow -- a firefighter's widow. I won't even watch firefighter movies anymore, so I didn't think I would be able to read this book.

Well, something made me keep the book and read on. I think God was telling me to trust him and not live in fear of what could happen. So, I read.

I do not usually care for Christian fiction. It's often too phony. However, this is the story of a man who is completely given over to God, and how the way he lived caused others to find God's truth after his death. I felt while reading God telling me that there is no sense living in fear of what could happen while Jeff is on the job. That can be the only reason why I refuse to watch those movies or read those books. I still do not plan on doing so, but the root of this is not fear. It is preventing that fear from creeping up.

As the story opens, we see how the fireman's wife, Jamie is completely resistant to God and lives in constant fear of her husband losing his life in the line of duty.

When Jamie's worst fears are realized during the 9-11 terrorist attacks, she doesn't even know it because an survivor with a head injury induced amnesia is mistakenly identified as her husband. For nearly three months, they live under the assumption that this man is her husband. It is not until the man has his first few flashbacks that this world starts to unravel.

I do not want to give to much away about this book, but I will say that the ending is bitter and sweet at the same time. Also, I don't recommend this book if you are faint of heart. I had an extremely difficult time reading the chapters that took place during the time frame of the terrorist attacks. I didn't realize how raw that wound still was.

In any case, here's your chance to win your copy. I bought my own copy because it was taking me soooo long to read it due to the whole can't-read-while-the-baby-is-awake thing. Then the family moved away before I could give her back her copy of the book (maybe two weeks after she gave it to me). So, rather than keep two copies, I thought I'd give away the newer one. You have until July 3 to get your entry in. I will announce the winner on July 4. Just leave a comment here, perhaps telling where you were on the day of the 9-11 attacks. (Only if you want.)

Happy entering. I'm off to start on the sequel: Beyond Tuesday Morning. You know, since the baby is in bed;-)

My Fireman's First Real Fire

So, Jeff had his first big fire last night. This is it. Can you imagine owning so MUCH house and then losing it to a fire? Apparently, it was struck by lightening. Here is a slide show of the damage. Yet another reason why my husband rocks, because there is no way I would be getting near a fire like this.

(Note that this was not his first fire. The first one was when that psycho lady set her entertainment center on fire because she was fighting with her husband. Uh, yeah, that'll teach him. And then there was the two during recruit school, but they were only there to help with the overhaul and salvage.)

Another One Bites the Dust

In one of my previous posts, I discussed all the factories that have been laying off or shutting down in this area. I sure hope that it encourages my former students and future students to pursue post-secondary training of some type (college, tech training, etc.). A lot of people around here used to just depend on going to work at the factory after they finished high school (or before), like their daddies did. Then there was this today in the Messenger. Mowhawk is one of the biggest factories here. I know that the Ft. Oglethorpe plant is smaller than the Dalton one, so thankfully Dalton is not shutting down, but it's still quite a blow to our work force. Unemployment in Walker County has risen by over 300% in the past couple of years - the highest hike in all of our surrounding counties.

I am really glad that Jeff works in an industry that can not be shut down (although one Atlanta county did close three fire stations last year, and then got in to really HOT water with Homeland Security for accepting a grant from them. Turns out, they used the grant money to build the fire stations. Not a good idea to shut them down with in a few years after taking gov't. money. And I am glad that when I was teaching, it was in a position that couldn't be eliminated.

I think things are going to get a lot worse here before they get better.

Finally! Graduation Photos

I was waiting to download photos from Linda, since her camera takes WAY better quality pictures than mine.



















Right after I pinned Jeff's badge.















My super duper sweet grandparents drove all the way from Florida for this!















The processional.















Here's the family that put up with, er, took care of Jeff for those looong 11 months while he was in training. Thanks Aquillas!















The whole gang of Jeff's cheering section:-)

Paddington goes to the Fire Academy

Jeff's nephew, Kuiper, was assigned to carry the class bear, Paddington, everywhere he went this weekend. This included his trip to Family Night for Gwinnett's almost graduated fire cadets (class 2007-3).

Here we have Jeff with Jacob, Kuiper, and Paddington, posing in posing with Jeff's fire gear in front of a reserve fire engine.














And, here, well, I guess Paddington wanted a ride in Uncle Jeff's pocket.


















I was thankful that Jeff was not selected to do this demonstration while I was there.


















And this photo of Jeff's neice was just too cute to pass up.


















And this Friday at 4:00. . . GRADUATION! Anyone who wants to come, we'll see you at the Gwinnett County Courthouse. Thanks for your prayers and support through this loooooong 11 month!

7 day wait!

After seven years of waiting, Jeff only has 7 more days to wait until it is official:

Jeff's second fire

Gwinnett County decided to send Jeff's class on another overhaul yesterday. This was an apartment fire that was caused by someone disposing of cigarettes inappropriately (the only good way to dispose of those stupid things is to never make them). It was really sad to see the footage of the apartment building and realize that one person's careless made so many people homeless last night.

Here is the news report:
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=7A29AC1B735C7BEF562634DE2531DE48?contentId=5144904&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

My Fireman

Jeff was involved in his first fire ever on Thursday. Well, his first fire professionally, that is. (He was a Walker County volunteer, after all). It wasn't staged as part of their training. They got to the academy on Thursday morning and the instructors said, "suit up and let's go."

The lumber yard had been burning all night, and by the time they got there, they were really just helping with the clean up. But I am sure it was a great adventure for him anyway.

Here are some photos from the news. I don't think that Jeff is in any of them, but these are his classmates. They are the ones that are standing all around the school bus in photo #10.
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/gwinnett/1107norcrossfire/