I just went on Amazon to place an order, and the nonfiction bestseller list caught my eye. This book is the Amazon #2 bestseller right now in nonfiction. I was intrigued, so I read the synopsis. It sounds like it is exactly as the title would lead you to believe, a 300-page book about the evil religion brings into the world.

As my friend Brandon's most recent post brings to light, there are so many people out there struggling with the idea of faith, whether there is a god or not. Many have chosen to believe that there is not, or else why would the world be in the shape it is. I hear the argument often that religion is the cause of almost all war, so how can it be a good thing.

Listen to the reviewers' thoughts:

I think Christopher Hitchens is a national - no, make that Global - treasure, and his newest book here only underscores this. To carry on with my baseball metaphor, when Hitchens stepped up to the plate with this book on religion the bases were already loaded: Vonnegut on third, Sam Harris [Letter to a Christian Nation] on second, and Richard Dawkins [The God Delusion] on first. Hitchens knocks 'em all in with one swing of the bat. He cuts through the BS of religion and "faith" better than anybody. His excellent writing style enlivens and enriches the soul at the same time. What more could a reader want?

I would add that perhaps what motivated Hitchens to write this book and so to "come out" more publicly with his critiques of religion and faith is what has also motivated me: the increasingly publicly-accepted insanity of religion in this, the 21st century. This insanity threatens to bring down all of civilization and, in the case of American fundamentalists in our government with their quivering fingers poised atop the launch buttons of our nuclear weapons, the end of Everything, which religious nut-jobs anticipate with unrestrained glee, so certain they are that they, at least, will be OK in the aftermath. This is just absolutely nuts, and Christopher Hitchens does us all a great service in pointing this out.
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Back in the 1990s, religion in America seemed to be on its last legs. I genuinely believed that the turning of the millennial clock would drive the final stake through its heart. How could anyone continue to believe after yet another postponement of the Second Coming?

Well, here we are almost ten years later, and religion is going stronger than it has in decades despite the advances of science which keep forcing god to hide in ever smaller gaps in our knowledge. Its revival reminds me of the Wizard of Oz story. After Dorothy & friends discover that the Wizard of Oz is really just an old man behind a curtain, they still expect him to work his magic. And so he does. The illusion persists. Which leads me to conclude that most people just want the illusion of an old man in the sky who will make everything right at some indeterminable point in the future.

I am halfway through Hitchens book and enjoying it immensely. One only need consider the past 7 years in the USA to see that Hitchens is right about religion poisoning everything. It's unfortunate that the people who need to read this book the most will flee from it. At least the Net has opened up a lively debate over the value of religion.
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Well, let's see, you either follow a bronze age myth made up over 2,000 years ago or you follow science and progress. The war against religion will continue as long as there are people with knowledge and science. Hitchens book takes us on a literary ride you will always cherish and enjoy makes the case against religion stronger and compliments Dawkins and Harris.

What's intriguing about the first review is the idea that it is becoming more and more acceptable to "come out" against the insanity of religion. I'd say that's an accurate statement. While at the same time, more and more people are turning to God for answers in a world full of fear and seemingly hopeless situations.

But I happen to think that everyone has a religion of one sort or the other. Mine is a belief in Almighty God, the Creator of the world, the Alpha and Omega, the one who has always been and always will be. I believe in a God who created us to be in fellowship with Him, but who doesn't force that fellowship. A God who loved His creation so much, that when they rebelled against Him and made eternity together an impossibility, was willing to sacrifice His most priceless possession, His son Jesus Christ, in order to bring reconciliation to a people who were otherwise doomed.

Everyone believes in something. Christopher Hitchens' religion may be self-worship. It may be the worship of money. Perhaps he has found faith in the ever-increasing religion of global warming. But he believes in something.

Again, this book is #2 on the Amazon bestseller list. There are SO many people out there who are missing it. We are to be the light to them. We are to live in truth, so they will recognize it when they see it. Live authentically. Love fully. Be ready.

Okay, this is hilarious. The thought pattern to get me to this place was completely random, but I had to share what I'd learned. Apparently Anthony and Jeff have been wiggling together for a long time. It seems the Cockroaches were quite the '80s band in Australia.

For those of you with no kids, the Asian guy on top and the guy in the red shirt are Jeff and Anthony from the extremely popular kids' group, The Wiggles (Bryant's personal favorite). I've just learned that they toured together for several years in this rock group. When the band broke up, Anthony enrolled in an early childhood education program, where he became friends with two of the programs' other male students (apparently a rarity, as you might imagine) who just happened to be Greg Page and Murray Cook (the other two Wiggles).

They originally got together to do a music project for school, but soon decided to record a children's album. Anthony called his old buddy Jeff to join them.

And for those of you who care, you now know... the rest of the story.

Who's Your Daddy?

It is now 12 minutes after 7, and GMA has already referenced the George Tenet "bombshell" three times. They've quoted the same two sentences from his book and repeatedly stressed that this is devastating to the administration.

What did Tenet say? “There was never a serious debate that I know of within the administration about the imminence of the Iraqi threat,” Mr. Tenet writes in a devastating judgment that is likely to be debated for many years. Nor, he adds, “was there ever a significant discussion” about the possibility of containing Iraq without an invasion.

What is new here? We've known from the beginning that they believed Iraq was a threat, but they actually made great pains to not use the word "imminent." If I remember correctly, the President's point was that to wait for the threat to be imminent would put our nation in extreme danger, something that still makes complete sense.

Why is it that the facts can so completely be ignored? The fact that it was not just American intelligence indicating that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. The fact that Bill Clinton made almost the exact same statements about Iraq and Saddam, as well as the Democratic members of Congress when Clinton was in power. Virtually everyone in the world believed that Iraq was a huge threat to international security. George W. Bush just happened to be the guy in charge when it was crucial to make a decision about what to do.

"No significant discussion" about containing Iraq without an invasion? What about the 14 UN Resolutions that were passed and summarily ignored by Saddam Hussein? What about the years of UN inspections leading up to the point when Saddam mysteriously kicked them out? The idea that we "rushed to war" is completely overstated.

If you look at the rest of what's in Mr. Tenet's book, it's actually not that devastating at all, which is why the media will focus on these two supposedly new revelations, a move from their playbook that gets rehearsed every single time someone close to the administration decides to unload some frustration. Because clearly George Tenet has reason to be frustrated. He did pretty much get thrown under the bus, but it was the MEDIA who demanded it. President Bush tried to hold on to him for quite a while. The truth of politics and media in this country is that scapegoats are demanded. Those playing the game are aware of this, and they all know that their number could be up any day, no matter what level they are playing on. George Tenet was media enemy #2 (after Bush) until he came out with these supposedly shocking revelations. All it takes to get on the good side of our esteemed news agencies is to slam President Bush, period. Need to regain your credibility, write a book about how terrible the Bush administration has been. It works every time.

From The New York Times: Mr. Tenet takes blame for the flawed 2002 National Intelligence Estimate about Iraq’s weapons programs, calling the episode “one of the lowest moments of my seven-year tenure.” He expresses regret that the document was not more nuanced, but says there was no doubt in his mind at the time that Saddam Hussein possessed unconventional weapons. “In retrospect, we got it wrong partly because the truth was so implausible,” he writes.

Would that be the truth that Saddam didn't actually possess weapons of mass destruction, even though quite a few defected scientists have said that he did? Even though there is evidence that they were moved out of Iraq into Syria before the invasion? Even though he actually used chemical weapons against his own people? Just because we didn't find them doesn't mean that they weren't there. Anyone even slightly familiar with the madness of Saddam Hussein has to consciously make an effort to conclude that he wouldn't have been seeking these weapons, and that he wouldn't have used them at the first possible opportunity. Or are we supposed to have faith that he actually was just a misunderstood nice guy, and he really didn't mean us any harm? Give me a break.

What's interesting about Tenet's book is that he expresses surprise that Al Qaeda hasn't sent suicide bombers into American malls on any given day. He says, "I do know one thing in my gut. Al Qaeda is here and waiting." And yet that is less newsworthy than the fact that President Bush found Iraq to be a serious threat that needed to be dealt with swiftly and harshly. You're right, Diane, that's just shocking.

My daughter has a passion... about bugs. She loves them all. Roly polies and ladybugs are her special favorites. Every chance she gets, she's turning over rocks and bricks looking for her treasures.

I can choose to be grossed out by this, or celebrate her passion for life and her unique interest. Of course it's really no choice. If she wants to be a bug scientist, then I hope she's the greatest one this world has ever seen. Because I have a passion... for her.

But I do make her wash her hands a lot.

I've not been blogging the past few days out of fear that it would just be bad. I haven't really had anything to say. Last week was overwhelmingly defined by sadness and pain. From the national news to the international news to those people all around me, it seemed like everything I heard was unbearably sad. So it made me go inward instead of wanting to be open with my thoughts, which was probably not a bad thing. Even now I'm struggling with what to share, so I think it's best that I keep it close to the vest. Maybe things will lighten up a bit soon.

I have gotten serious amusement from the whole Sheryl Crow one-square-of-toilet-paper-per-bathroom-visit-will-save-the-planet thing. (Which, by the way, she claims was written as a joke. That's probably true, but when it coincides so beautifully with the rest of her message, it's kind of hard to tell.) It was funny to begin with, but then to hear about Rosie O'Donnell's comments on The View, I actually laughed out loud at something Rosie said for its hilarity rather than its absurdity for the first time in years. It was totally unexpected. I'd link you there, but I just don't have the energy. Google is a beautiful thing.

So, good night for now. Hope to be back soon. After all, in the words of my favorite heroine, tomorrow is... another day.

ABC News has posted a link to the interview with Dr. Welner this morning. Interestingly enough, most of their website coverage is now devoted to whether or not the media should have released the tape. Pretty fascinating. Maybe this backlash will teach them something for the future. Should we dare to hope?

I just witnessed the most amazing interview on GMA.

Those of you that are news junkies know that Cho Seung-Hui mailed a video of himself to NBC news on Monday in between his killing sprees. It is full of rage, hatred, profanity and utterly disturbing images. When I heard last night that he had done this, I immediately flipped over to the news channels to see if they were actually running the footage. Of course, they were. This is so sick.

Sadly, I know that there were executives at NBC who were ecstatic to have been the chosen network. Because every other news channel is showing the video with a big "NBC News" logo in the corner. Reportedly they copied the contents and then handed it over to law forces. They began releasing the footage during last night's evening newscast with Brian Williams.

Okay, I'm not an idiot. I know that it would be ridiculous for me to assume that news organizations would show some restraint and compassion for the victims of this horrible episode and not plaster the image of their child's killer all over the television. In one of the pictures, the observer is actually looking straight into the barrel of the gun, much like the victims did before they died.

If I was in one of those rooms that day and survived only by jumping out of a window or playing dead, those images are going to be burned into my brain forever. Can you even imagine the nightmares that these people will live with for the rest of their lives? And now the man who did this to him is being allowed to dominate American society with not only news about him, but images and video of him. It is so twisted. Is this not what inspires other sociopaths to want to go out and do the same thing? Why reward him with fame for one of the most evil acts in American history?

So, back to the interview. Robin Roberts just interviewed a forensic psychiatrist named Dr. Michael Welner. She thought he was going to give insight into the mind of this madman. Instead, he was appealing to ABC and all the other networks to take the video off the air NOW. He was practically begging. Robin was completely thrown off balance, and admitted that they had had a very "heated debate" in their newsroom that morning about what to show. Dr. Welner said that it is delusional ramblings that we can learn absolutely nothing from. It is pure voyeurism to watch and listen to what he had to say and it is glamorizing what he did and making it seem appealing to all the other crazies out there. It was utterly amazing that this doctor didn't kowtow to what he knew were the expectations of the network, but instead appealed that they would be the first to pull the footage. I'm sure the interview will show up on You Tube at some point, and it would be worth the time it takes to look for it.

Robin also admitted that the message boards were lit up with people demanding that the footage be pulled. This is very encouraging to me, that there are a lot of people out there more concerned with the victims than trying to "figure" this guy out.

Because, can we just agree that we will never be able to understand why he did this? There is no mystery here. The guy was evil. There is absolutely nothing that could have been done to prevent his actions, outside of him being locked up. In our country, we don't lock people up for being suicidal or strange. If he was intent on killing a bunch of people, he would have done it one way or the other.

Now, are there implications here about privacy laws in healthcare? Perhaps. Cho's parents were not informed of his erratic behavior because it was not legal for anyone to alert them. Could they have done anything? There's no way to know. What about the antidepressant medication that he was on? It's not the first red flag that some of those medicines cause suicidal and violent tendencies when the recipient withdraws or stops taking them cold turkey. I think a very serious look is needed at restrictions on prescribing these drugs.

But I hope the networks will seriously consider pulling this footage. I'm reminded of the days shortly after 9-11 when they made the decision to pull the footage of the airplanes and the towers crumbling out of "respect for the victims." The images were just too disturbing to show over and over again. The psychopathic ramblings of a deranged serial killer are pretty disturbing to me.

The best quote of the interview was when Dr. Welner said, "Listen, if you can take Imus off the air, you can certainly keep [Cho] from having his own morning show." That about sums it up.

Why is it when something so tragic and unexplainable happens we feel compelled to blame the innocent? I'm watching GMA this morning and I'm just astounded at the attacks on the president of Virginia Tech. Why didn't you lock the school down after the first shooting? Why didn't you let everyone know that this had happened? Are you going to resign? Don't you think if you had acted differently 30 people could have been spared?

This man is most likely in the midst of the biggest crisis he has ever faced, certainly in the professional realm. Doesn't he deserve support instead of suspicion? Clearly they believed that the dorm shooting was an isolated incident. They informed those in the general area of what had happened. They were investigating and believed that it was over. There was absolutely nothing to point to the rampage that was to occur. Why is it assumed that if they had immediately let everyone on campus know that anybody would have acted any differently? I guess they could have cancelled all classes, but who can say that the gunman wouldn't have just gone into another dorm or the student center or anywhere else that he found people?

I know if I was a parent of a slain student, I would be second-guessing everything that happened. I would be searching for someone to blame. Obviously the shooter is to blame, but he's dead, so there's no satisfaction there.

But shouldn't the media be more responsible than that? Hindsight is always 20/20, but it doesn't change what happened. It just sickens me that this university president may end up run out of his job to satisfy the hunger of the media monster. The power of the media to destroy lives is a huge problem in this country. Just ask the Duke lacrosse coach, who resigned in disgrace over a crime that never happened. Or the players, themselves, who just spent the past year living in fear of serving life sentences for something they didn't do. This is just one situation that shows how the media can get out of control when they smell blood in the water, but there are thousands more.

Please, take a breath. Blame the one who is responsible, the man who pulled the trigger. Not the gun. Not those who were struggling to contain a situation based on the information available. Not the NRA. Not George W. Bush. (Trust me, they will find a way.)

We live in a fallen world. There are messed up people living among us. Things like this will happen. We pray for the victims and their families. We pray for those who will be faced with a serious spiritual crisis in the face of death, that they will find the Truth. And mostly, we pray come quickly, Jesus. We need you so.

First of all, this press conference yesterday was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. I was STUNNED by the frank candor of the attorney general, and just shocked that he actually declared these guys innocent. I figured the best they could hope for was a dropping of charges based on there not being enough conclusive evidence to prove their guilt. The fact that the North Carolina AG said there was no evidence, and never had been any evidence, was totally unexpected, but the fact that he so unequivocally threw Nifong under the bus was just a jaw-dropper. If you haven't read the transcript, you should.

The obvious question then becomes, will Jesse Jackson rush down to North Carolina now to defend these boys' honor? Will he recant his article from last year, "Duke: Horror and Truth"? Strangely, all we're hearing from the Sharpton/Jackson camp are some pretty loud crickets.

I'm sure that they are just annoyed that this bombshell came at such a time that it would distract observers from their lynching of Don Imus. Surely Jesse was a little disappointed that Imus has already been pulled from MSNBC before he could get his boycott going. He didn't really want this to be over too quickly, because his phone had just started ringing again.

If only those boys could have hired Johnny Cochran long ago. Can't you just hear him from the grave... "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!"

Al, Jesse, your transparency has never been more obvious. Can I dare hope your irrelevance is not far behind?

Bryant's Mohawk

Who needs mousse when you've got bananas and time on your hands?

Question: Prior to the events of the past week, how many of you were even aware of Don Imus? If you happen to live in listening range of one of the 70 stations that carry his show, you might have heard him. (In comparison, nationally-syndicated talk show host Glenn Beck is heard on over 230 stations, Sean Hannity on over 500, and Rush Limbaugh on over 650 nationwide.) If you have ever been channel-surfing past MSNBC in the morning, you've seen an old geezer in a cowboy hat kind of mumbling into the microphone. Most likely you either became quickly bored or got tired of not being able to understand what he was saying and surfed on past.

I'm going to take a guess and say that the ladies of the Rutger's women's basketball team are probably not frequent listeners, although admittedly I have no way of knowing that. But I seriously doubt that they were offended by Imus' remarks last Wednesday, because I seriously doubt that they heard them. But things obviously changed.

Now the idiotic ramblings of Don Imus are being shoved down all of our throats. Now, I imagine, the Rutgers players are humiliated. Because, thanks to the nationwide media frenzy, the entire country and beyond have heard them called, "nappy-headed ho's."

If Al Sharpton actually cared about their feelings, then he could have handled this so much differently. But obviously Al Sharpton doesn't care about these players. All he cares about is his newest racist soundbite that he will now fully exploit as proof that racism exists in America. Well, of course racism exists in America. Racism exists everywhere around the world. It's part of life. It's not right, and I'm not defending it. But what I find incredible is that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are allowed to act the part of the self-appointed judge, jury and executioner to those that they deem racist.

I've said it before and I will say it over and over, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are two of the most racist men in America. They thrive on it because it keeps them in the public eye. Where would they be without it? Because, honestly, isn't this the only time anybody ever gives them a voice, when something comes up in the race category? How many people would have known that Al Sharpton has a radio show if it hadn't been such a spectacle yesterday?

Let's just pretend that Don Imus had said something racially derogatory towards the white players on either team. I know some wouldn't accept this hypothetical, but just work with me. If he had, would Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson be demanding his head on a platter? I don't think this will require much brain power to think through.

If Al Sharpton is serious about putting out the fires of racism in this country rather than fanning them, then the most effective thing he could have done would have been to dismiss Don Imus's comments as ignorant and unworthy of response. He could have suggested that the women of Rutgers were strong, confident women who would not find it necessary to dignify the remarks of a radio has-been, and express confidence that the people of this great country would see the remarks for what they were, stupid and insulting, and move on.

We live in a society based on capitalism. The most successful way to fight something is to cut it off financially. If Don Imus wants to have a radio show, then more power to him. We still have freedom of speech in this country, despite the many attacks it comes under. If you don't like what someone has to say, don't listen to them. If his ratings go down, the stations will drop him. If he doesn't have listeners, then he becomes irrelevant. I have serious qualms with people demanding he be fired for what he said. Because many things might be considered offensive to many different people. Just because you disagree with what I have to say doesn't mean that I don't have the right to say it.

Don Imus is learning what it feels like to be a Dixie Chick in the South, Mel Gibson or Michael Richards. This, too, shall pass. Then maybe our attention can turn back to the Middle East and those who are seeking our annhilation. But maybe not, because that's just racist.

10 Things I Learned Three Years Ago Today...

1. Good Friday can be good... or not so much.
2. When your 2-yr-old daughter sees you on a ladder and sternly reprimands, "No, Mommy! Get down!" you might be wise to listen.
3. When you get to the place on the ladder that says, "Warning! Not a step," do not go any further.
4. It is possible to fall seven feet without losing your grip on a solo cup full of paint.
5. When in shock, you can make completely irrational demands, and people will agree to them through vicarious shock, which explains why my sweet husband did, indeed, roll in the paint I splattered all over the wall on my way down.
6. Pain and shock can make your teeth chatter worse than those poor people at yesterday's sunrise services.
7. ER triage nurses who say, "If you want my opinion, I think it's broke," don't seem especially helpful in a moment of crisis.
8. It is completely possible to shatter a bone into hundreds of tiny, indistinguishable pieces, and you should just take my word for it.
9. Morphine, while potentially dangerous stuff, can be a very, very good friend.
10. One should be careful of what one says and/or shows while under the influence of morphine, or at least surround oneself with friends who won't bring it up later.

When I woke up this morning, the first story I heard on the news was a gleeful report that President Bush's approval rating is under 40% for the seventh straight month. My first thought, of course, was "bless his heart!" because I do live in the South. I can't help it.

Then I started thinking, "Maybe if you would start sticking up for yourself more, people might come back around." I mean, the man is attacked each and every day of the year, and never responds. This is completely frustrating to those of us who still love and support him, despite the mistakes he's made or the times I may disagree with him on a particular issue. It makes me angry and I want to tell him to fight back a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, it makes me begin to perceive him as weak.

Then I came upon these verses from 1 Peter 2:19-24:

19For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

I immediately thought of our President. Knowing that he is a man of faith who strives to pattern his life after that of Christ, my perspective began to change a little. Because if he takes this teaching to heart, his behavior suddenly appears perfectly consistent with pursuing a godly lifestyle.

Now, if you are a man and you pattern your life after Christ, what is that going to look like? Were the teachings of Jesus what we would consider "manly"? Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. If you want to quote Jesus, you're going to have a hard time finding encouragement to stick up for yourself and demand that people give you the proper respect. In fact, He taught that you are to humble yourself, so that He can lift you up.

President Bush is no wimp. Consider the price he has paid for sticking to his pursuit of battling terror around the world. When it comes to his role as President and Commander in Chief, he fights for what he believes in. When he's doing that, he gets labeled as an arrogant and out-of-control cowboy. But I'm so glad that he puts the good of the country above his personal approval. We know what happens when the opposite is true. (And speaking of that, Bill Clinton pursued his own version of manliness while in office, and we all know where that got him.)

So, which would you rather have, a man who pursues manliness, or a man who pursues godliness? While the latter terrifies those who do not believe and therefore fear, to me the choice is obvious. So maybe next time I start wishing that he would defend himself, I'll remember that this is not what is important to him, and instead pray that he will continue to pursue the best interests of the country, while personally striving to live a life patterned after Christ. I don't think we can ask for more than that.

My friend Debo told me this morning that I am an expert in my own opinion. I think that's one of the truest, most profound things I've heard in a long time.

Happy Easter, everyone. Congratulations, Zach Johnson. That was awesome.

My head is literally about to explode. I would tell Speaker Pelosi to shut up and get her butt back home, but I don't want her here either. So how about just shut up.

However, if she keeps this up we won't have to keep pointing out her complete incompetency. She's doing a fabulous job on her own.

As a continuation of yesterday's rant, there's one more thing I failed to mention. Did you know that the Democrats in Congress are demanding that the phrase "global war on terror" be removed from future legislation in favor of more specific terms, such as "the war in Iraq" or "the conflict in the Horn of Africa"? The memo states that "global war on terror," or GWOT, is a colloquialism that is no longer acceptable, as well as any mention of a "long war."

I used to shy away from saying that the Democrats actually want to lose the war. (Keep in mind, I'm talking about elected, liberal Democrats when I use the general term. I know that there are many Americans who call themselves Democrats who do not agree with what's going on in Washington. This is why I'm imploring you who fit in this category to seriously think through next year's vote!) I can no longer hold to my optimism in this area. I think they actually do want to lose the war.

How can it be interpreted any other way? They want to cut funding. They want to set a deadline for getting our troops out of Iraq. Is there any other message for the terrorists to read into "we'll be leaving next March" than "let's hang on until March and then we can do whatever we want?" The entire idea is baffling to me if you have any intentions of actually winning the war.

But right now they are trying to deny the need for a war in the first place. They want to go back to the delusional mentality most of us were under before 9/11, where there aren't groups of people daily seeking to find ways to harm this country as much as they possibly can, who are seeking weapons of mass destruction and have absolutely no moral compass to keep them from pulling the proverbial trigger when it comes time. In fact, they follow a religion that they believe teaches them that this is the most honorable thing they can do for their god. There is no reasoning with people like this.

I would have laughed out loud at Rosie O'Donnell's comments last week if I hadn't been screaming at her through the television. On The View, she said, "They're terrorists. They have two choices, faith or fear. Faith or fear. That's your choice. You can walk through life believing in the goodness of the world or walk through life afraid of anyone who thinks differently than you and try to convert them to your way of thinking…Don't fear the terrorists. They're mothers and fathers."

Rosie, do you think that if given the chance these people wouldn't cut off your head or blow you up because you don't fear them? I would just feel sorry for you if I wasn't afraid of how many people out there agree with your mind-numbing ignorance. It's pathetic. What a slap in the face to your fellow New Yorkers.

I know that there are millions of Americans out there who are also angry. They are angry at George Bush because they think this whole thing is his fault. They blame the war on terrorism (oops, it just slipped out) on our President rather than the actual terrorists. It is so screwed up. On Tuesday, there was a story from Reuter's that seemed to suggest that because President Bush has been so successful at protecting our country from attack, we are actually more vulnerable to attack in the future. Where is the logic??

I believe we are extremely vulnerable to attack in the future. But I believe the chances of us being attacked will go up immeasurably if we follow the course the Democrats are prescribing and give up. Did we learn nothing from Vietnam? The ONLY reason that America has ever lost a war is because Congress and the media did exactly the same thing back then that they are doing now. And they have no shame. They are proud of what they did back then. And they are smug and arrogant now. It's almost more than I can stand.

I apologize for the profanity in my earlier post. I was somewhat overcome by emotion at the time. I'm feeling much better now.

Chocolate. Chocolate is the key.

To all of you who voted the Democrats into Congress in the last election, are you pleased with what you got? Are you proud that your Speaker of the House, who was elected to represent the 8th District of California, specifically San Francisco, now thinks that she is the Secretary of State and has basically flipped our President the bird? Are you proud that she took it upon herself to visit the president of a country which sponsors terrorism, a country that our President refuses to deal with in the hopes of putting pressure on them to change their terror-driven ways? What exactly defines being a traitor in this country anymore? Is it not treacherous to give aid and comfort to the enemy? Who exactly does she think she is? I am so angry today that I want to physically inflict pain upon these people. They make me sick. She makes me sick.

Are you proud when you see Speaker Pelosi stand before the country and tell President Bush in the bitchiest, most condescending tone imaginable to "calm down" as if she was his mother? How dare she insult not only our President, but the integrity of the highest office of the land this way? When I heard her smug comments I wanted to reach inside the TV and just slap some sense into her. Again I ask you, is this what you were voting for?

Are you happy to hear Hillary Clinton warn the President that his veto against Congress' efforts to cut funding for our troops was not vetoing an obscenely left-wing, wacked-out bill, but that he was vetoing the will of the American people? Like hell. I still believe that if they had come out with all of this before the election and let people know what they were voting for that they would have lost in a landslide. Instead, they hid these polarizing figures in those last few weeks, trying their hardest to make America believe they were going to get change for the better. Well, we are getting change all right, and it may do us in. If you voted for these people, are you waking up? Or do you still believe that this is what we needed?

Are you impressed that John Murtha, the man whom Pelosi wanted as her second in command, has come out with a brilliant plan to reinstate the draft by lottery? Isn't this what they claimed Republicans had a secret plan to do? For a man who has made his distaste for our military known over and over again, it's no surprise to me that he would propose changing a system that puts forth the greatest Armed Forces in the entire world. It's just not fair that we should have a military that's so much better, is it? And yet, in case of attack, you'll be more than happy to allow them to protect you, will you not, Senator?

Are you hoping that we will slip so far down the global warming slope that we will follow in the footsteps of those in Wallonia, Belgium, who will now have to purchase a permit any time they want to grill out in their backyard or face a heavy fine? It sounds absurd, doesn't it? But if we keep swallowing the load of trash Al Gore is trying to feed us, it's not that many years away.

Yes, I am angry. I've been watching this go on for the past few weeks and it has grown up within me like a tumor. I hope you who voted for these people are paying attention to how they are systematically trying to destroy our military and our country. I hope it bothers you that the terrorist news network, Al-Jazeera, is praising Mrs. Pelosi for the message her trip is sending to the world. Al-Jazeera is as anti-American as you can get. What does that tell you?

Please, please don't make this mistake next year. If Democrats get control of the White House in '08 and keep Congress, God help us all.

As of this minute, Drudge's headline reads "America Loves Hillary, Top Fundraiser for Round One: $36 million."

Gag me. All that money really helped Howard Dean last time around, didn't it?

We celebrated Bryant's first birthday on Friday night. He thoroughly enjoyed his first chocolate cake, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching him eat it. This kid is just too adorable!

Someone asked me this week what I had been thinking about. I guess my blog has been much more familial lately than geopolitical. Frankly, everything that is going on is just making me tired. I am totally unimpressed by our "Decision 2008" lineup. I've decided to just not spend much time thinking about it at this ridiculously early date, because I don't wish to develop an ulcer. Yes, I would love to see Senator Thompson jump in, although I can't clearly articulate the reasons why. I know he has a pretty strong conservative voting record. He's from the South (Yee-haw!), and he seems to be a guy who shoots from the hip. Some worry about having an actor in the White House, because how can you ever know when to trust what he's saying? But really, how is that different from any other politician? I think that a background in theater can only help you when dealing day in and out with the players on the world stage.

It is amazing to me that Rudy is the current Republican frontrunner. Yes, he impressed us all with his crisis management skills post 9-11. But what else does he have to offer? It wasn't that long ago that being on your third marraige to a woman who's on her third marraige when you began your relationship when you were both married to other people would have had a negative impact on one's marketability. Guess we have Bill "personal life doesn't matter" Clinton to thank for this one. I don't mean to sound judgmental. It's just that I still believe ethics are important to the all-around character of a president. Mr. Guliani's ethics have been somewhat less than impressive, not to mention his liberal leanings on most social and moral issues.

It has been kind of fun to watch the Clinton campaign try to deal with her less than stellar poll numbers. For a candidate who supposedly had the nomination in the bag, her spin machine must be in high gear. As unbelievable as I would have once thought, Edwards could emerge as the Democratic nominee. Could we see an Edwards/Obama ticket? That would just be weird. Not as weird as Algore trying to make a comeback, but still weird.

On the world news front, I've just been trying to digest. It seems to me that Iran is testing the waters. I really believe that Ahmadinejad wants nothing more than to pick a nuclear fight with either us or Israel. If he can get us to strike first, then they can claim self-defense when they try to retaliate. I think it's interesting that they kidnapped British soldiers instead of Americans. Was it a mistake? Did they get the wrong guys? Or were they simply afraid to go after the big giant, and instead testing to see just how strong the coalition really is?

My thoughts on the months ahead: I think Iran will eventually go too far and will either attack or provoke a strike against them. In the aftermath of this war, I think it's highly possible that the 12th imam or Mahdi (the Muslim messiah) will emerge as a voice of peace and will set up a treaty with Israel that will allow them to rebuild Solomon's temple. The Mahdi will be the antichrist. Muslims believe that Jesus will appear shortly after the Mahdi to renounce Christianity and defer to his authority, enforcing Muslim rule over the world. I believe this is the False Prophet. Then I think we will be faced with 3 1/2 years of persecution, otherwise known as the tribulation. Yes, I am coming out of the closet. I am no longer a pre-tribber. I have every Left Behind book ever written, and I no longer believe in its basic premise.

This is what I've been studying the past several weeks. I was challenged as to why I believed in the pre-trib theory, and realized that I believed it because that's what I had always been taught. I began to study, and I have come to a different conclusion about what the Scripture has to say. I think this is a tricky issue, because there are so many brilliant Bible scholars who totally disagree about this. I don't think that it is supposed to be a divisive issue. But I also don't believe that we are supposed to blindly accept any theory without studying God's word for ourselves. So I encourage you to do that. Not just about the end times, but any and everything. What worthier use for your time?

So, there you have my thoughts in a nutshell. I believe that once Christians have endured the wrath of Satan via the Antichrist in the first half of the tribulation that the rapture will occur and THEN God will take care of some serious business here on earth. Perhaps not a popular theory among my Southern Baptist peers, but there it is. Look it up and study it. God's word never returns void, so I can assure you, your time will not be wasted.

Like Fred?

Here's an online petition to get him to run. Sign up and let's get this thing going!

Is it just me, or does spring seem exceptionally beautiful this year? Everything is in bloom, the bradford pears, the dogwoods, and especially the beautiful cherry trees. I have always been a fall lover, but spring is really starting to grow on me.

I think it's because spring truly represents new life coming from that which was "dead." Obviously the power of Christ can only bring what is truly dead back to life, but I think nature allows us a glimpse into that power. For instance, last fall I planted pansies in my front flower bed. This February when it got down in the single digits, I thought they were lost forever. They were completely crippled and shriveled up. But once the sun started shining again and the temperature stayed consistently warm, suddenly I had fresh blooms and the front of my house looked alive again. It was an amazing thing to watch.

When Jesus was killed, He did not just appear dead. He was, in the great words of the munchkin coroner on the Wizard of Oz, really, most sincerely dead. I recently read a book that made me think about for the first time that Christ experienced hell on my behalf. He actually went there in my place. I've always thought about his suffering on the cross, but never about his suffering after death. He went to hell for me. And, praise God, He fought death and won the victory. He has defeated death. He has defeated the powers of Hell. I am forgiven because He was forsaken. I'm accepted because He was condemned. I'm alive and well, His spirit lives within me, because He died and rose again.

Thank you, Jesus. You are my king, now and forever. Happy Easter everyone!

I'm struggling with how to write about this, because I have no way of putting myself into the place of the Edwards. My husband has never run for president. I have never had breast cancer. I've certainly never had it return with such a scary prognosis. So I honestly can't say how I would react in such a situation, as my good friend pointed out last night. Perhaps I would want him to go ahead and run in defiance of the disease. Personally, I think I might be too selfish for that. I would want my man home with me, helping me through the agony of chemo or whatever option we chose for treatment without the insane life of the campaign trail. But that's me.

What really bothers me about the whole thing is the way it has all come out. I find it very suspicious that a story leaked the morning of his big announcement to say that they were getting out of the race, like anyone would have expected him to do. It came from a "very reliable" source, "extremely close to the Edwards campaign." We know how leaks work. They meant for that to get out. If you weren't going to get out of the race, why call a press conference in the first place? Okay, so maybe they thought it would be better PR if they came out and admitted that he was going to keep campaigning while she was fighting death than for it to leak, which probably would have made him look like a sleazebag. I can see that. But the whole thing had a very contrived and exploitative feel to it. Maybe it's just because John Edwards feels contrived and exploitative.

I honestly wish Elizabeth Edwards the best. I hope that she is able to beat this cancer. I hope that she sincerely does want her husband to keep up the campaign pace throughout her suffering and she wasn't put up to it for the supposed good of the nation. As if we need that. How good can his judgement be if he tied his presidential hopes to John Kerry? And I can only stomach the geeky thumbs-up through the primary season. I really don't want to have to look at it for the next 18 months and, God forbid, four years after that. One presidential campaign was more than enough!

The cynical side of me thinks that perhaps he's just seen The American President one too many times. But I think this was exactly the kind of press he was hoping for. The super-cynical part of me wonders how long until Hillary comes up with some mysterious illness of her own, so as not to be upstaged. Ouch - did I just say that? Perhaps I'm up too early.

I'll reserve further comment until I see how it plays out. If this is the last we hear about the cancer from them until there is something major to report, then I'll take it back. But if they release each and every doctor's report, then I'm holding to my theory that they are allowing her disease to be exploited for political gain. I guess either way I am judging. I'll have to think about that.

Where has this been all my life?!

No birthday cakes for my baby. He tried his first hot Krispy Kreme doughnut tonight. At first he just took a bite or two. Then he started diving for the doughnut. I finally gave in and let him have it. He was shoving it into his mouth as fast as he could. Sugar was everywhere! I'm not sure, but I think he liked it...

Happy Birthday, Bryant!

I can't believe that a year has gone by since you came into our lives. What incredible joy you bring us each and every day. You are a gift from God and we love you beyond measure. Grow in wisdom and stature, sweet baby. We love you so much!

Have you heard of Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda?

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:4-8)

Last night we finished up Bradley's birthday week with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese and his best friend spending the night. Amazingly, it wasn't that crowded to start with, maybe because most of Nashville was apparently heading south for Spring Break. The kids had a blast, as usual, and Jeff and I actually got to eat somewhat in peace while they were off playing their games. It was Bryant's first visit where he actually could tell that crazy things were going on. He seemed impressed with Chuck E., but only from a distance. When he got too close, things went sour. I can't blame the kid; those things totally freak me out.

Afterwards we went to Maggie Moo's for dessert. Dylan kept his mouth nice and clean with an ice cream cupcake, but Brad and Bailey wanted to wear their flavors home!

This time we were able to corral Bryant with a high chair and booth. Next time we'll probably be chasing him around everywhere. Let the fun begin...

Warning: If you don't watch 24 or Lost, you will have no idea what I'm talking about in this post, so please don't waste your time. :)

I'm totally behind on tv shows, having been gone for ten days and otherwise just crazy busy. So I decided last night not to try and catch up on 24, but just jump into the most recent episode and see if I could figure out what had been happening. Fascinating episode to jump into. My thought for the show is: When did they start allowing people who have been institutionalized to have sharp objects such as a paring knife available to them? And although I knew something was coming, I still jumped out of my seat. Kudos, Jean Smart!

I also watched 3 Losts ago, "Tricia Tanaka is dead." What a fabulous episode! My favorite moment:
Hurley: Shut up, you red... neck... man.
Sawyer (looking impressed): Touché.

Hilarious!

My baby is 8 today. I guess he's not my baby anymore, but he'll always feel like that. I know everybody says it but I just can't believe how fast the time has gone. When I think about everything that has happened since that day, it definitely feels like it's been a bunch of years, but they flew by in such a blur. I try to think about him being Bryant's age and I can just barely remember bits and pieces.

I'm trying to cherish every moment, I really am. Those days that I'm so frustrated with him I want to scream, I always try to go in his room after he's asleep because I fall in love with him all over again just listening to him breathe. This is one amazing kid God has loaned me, and I am eternally grateful.

This is such a weird age. His teeth are all crooked or falling out. His pants are all ripped at the knees, each and every pair. He is starting to scold me for embarassing him in front of his friends. And yet there are times when I'm reading to him at night that he will throw his arms around me and tell me he loves me so much and I can hear the earnestness in his voice. It's like he's pushing me away with one hand and holding on for dear life with the other. I feel the part of his life that I have control over getting smaller and smaller and it scares me to death.

And yet I know that he has to be free to make mistakes, for learning how to deal with them are what shape us and mold our character. If I could teach him everything from my experience without him having to experience pain, then I would so want to. But would that allow him to grow? Fortunately the choice is not left to me. This is a new phase in trusting God. I know there are many more to come.

Happy birthday, sweet Bradley. Your momma loves you so.

Now THIS I can REALLY get excited about!!! :)

pretty please?

Now this I could get excited about...

March 11, 2007, 11:33 am
Fred Thompson Considers Running
By Kate Phillips
Former Senator Fred Thompson, who now plays a district attorney on “Law & Order,” told Fox News today that he’ll make a decision in the coming months about whether to jump into the field of Republican candidates vying for the 2008 presidential nomination.
“I’m going to wait and see what happens,” Mr. Thompson said. “I want to see my colleagues on the campaign trial, what they say, what they emphasize, whether they can carry the ball next November.”
“I think people are somewhat disillusioned. A lot of people are cynical out there. They’re looking for something different,” he said.
Mr. Thompson, who served as a senator from Tennessee from 1994 until 2003, said he was leaving the door open for a return to the political stage. Political writers in his home state have been reporting in recent days that former Senator Howard Baker has been testing whether there’s support among conservatives for a Thompson run.

written Saturday afternoon, somewhere in San Juan...

Yesterday, I was sailing on the Caribbean Sea all day long. Life was good. So good.

Today, I am sitting in an airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We got here at 7:45 a.m., thinking we were in plenty of time for our 9:50 a.m. flight. We realized something was up when we had been waiting in the check-in line for over an hour and were just now getting near the counter. About that time we learned that due to volcanic ash somewhere around Puerto Rico, no Delta flights had arrived, and therefore there were no Delta flights for us to leave on. Fortunately, we were here early enough that we managed to squeeze onto the 3:40 flight, which at last check of Jeff’s phone is supposed to be delayed until 4:15. If it leaves then we will feel fortunate. (As an update, our plane actually left at 5:00 p.m. We did make it onto our Atlanta-Nashville flight at the last possible minute, but our luggage didn't. It was delivered to us Sunday morning.)

This place is obviously packed, as five planes worth of people that were supposed to depart this morning are still sitting here waiting to cram onto the afternoon flights that were already pretty much full. And there is nothing here. No Chili’s, no Outback (yes, Orlando has an Outback), no nothing. Well, there is a random fried chicken restaurant that the line is backed up about two hours for. We went ahead and got ours about 10:25 because Jeff was afraid they were going to run out. I think he was right. We just saw a Jet Blue plane take off. If they can take off, then what the heck is up with Delta?!

Anyway, this day will not ruin the memory of our incredible vacation. After I last blogged, we went to Grenada. We were only there until about 2:00, and we sailed for the island of Bonaire.

Now, being somewhat of a geography geek, I’m ashamed to admit that I had never even heard of this island. But if you ever have an opportunity to go there, definitely take it. The island is absolutely gorgeous. There are only about 14,000 inhabitants, as compared to the 125,000 or so of Aruba. It is so pretty with all the red tin roofs, and just feels calm and relaxed. The beaches aren’t much, but because of that the water is crystal clear. It was amazingly beautiful.

We took an island tour up to the north part of the island. Bonaire is one of only four natural habitats for pink flamingos, and we were able to see a few. Our tour guide, Edgar, informed us that the reason they flock to Bonaire is for the abundance of little baby shrimp, and that it is because they eat these shrimp that their feathers get so pink. The more shrimp they eat, the pinker they get. That’s why the babies are so pale. I did not know that.

Wild donkeys also have the run of the island, which is incredibly desert-like in its vegetation to be an island surrounded by water. But they only get rainfall about three months out of the year, which makes agriculture difficult. The island imports virtually all of its food because hardly anything grows there. Being 60 miles north of Venezuela, it also serves as a repository for all that Hugo Chavez oil. Since the big tankers have a hard time with the shallow shoreline of Venezuela, they pull up to Bonaire and get it from the storage tanks instead. Fascinating stuff.

Our last port day was in Aruba. Since we hadn’t done hardly any shopping, we spent the morning looking for souvenirs to take back to the kids. We planned to take our stuff back to the boat and then head out to the beach, but once we got back on the boat the laziness kicked in and we decided to enjoy the coastline from our favorite spot on the top deck of the ship. We decided that our next cruise we will definitely take a shore excursion and go snorkeling somewhere. But for this trip we were totally content to just hang out and do nothing. There’s a lot to be said for a week of doing nothing. That night was formal night, so here we are all fixed up.

And then, as I said, yesterday was spent sailing north from Aruba to San Juan. I loved that our last day was a full day at sea because it is a 100% stress-free day. We literally laid out up on the top deck all day. The only thing we had to do was pack, but packing to go home from a trip isn’t nearly as hard as packing to go. You pretty much just stuff everything in your bags.

Since we had a 9:50 flight, we got to get off the ship this morning at 7:15, which was really cool until we entered the land of airport darkness. But it could be worse. I’m listening to a child who is as sick as all of us are of being here have a full-fledged screaming tantrum. While this is annoying, at least it’s not my problem. I feel bad for his mom though.

So if you are reading this, then I am home. Our trip was amazing. Since my mom-in-law was at the pediatrician four times and the ER once in her first five days of keeping the kids, I’m thinking it may be the last one we get to go on for quite some time, so I’m going to savor it as long as I can!

Thank you, Gale and Gene and Mom and Dad and Darlene and Brandon!! You made it possible for us to be here and we love you for it.

news from the cruise

I’m e-mailing this post to my blog, so forgive me if it looks weird.  I have no idea how it will show up once I’m done.  This seems the easiest option since I can write everything down and then just log on long enough to send my e-mail to Blogger.  The boat charges 50 cents a minute for Internet access, and it would take way too long and be way too expensive to try and blog the traditional way.  So, sadly, I can not post any pictures right now.  Those will have to wait until I get home.

 

We boarded the Crown Princess about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.  Our room is on the 10^th floor with a balcony big enough for two lounge chairs, so we have spent a lot of time by ourselves on our little private balcony.  Well, it’s private as long as you stay back close to the door under the 11^th floor balcony.  If we stand at our railing, the people above us can look right down on us and see if they like what we’re eating.  But at least we have the option of staying out of view or being seen, and that’s really nice. 

 

The boat didn’t leave Puerto Rico until almost midnight on Saturday, which was nice because it was a pretty view and it felt like as long as we weren’t moving, our vacation time wasn’t ticking down yet.  But it was also kind of weird to go to dinner and the show knowing that we were still sitting in the same place we’d been since boarding.  Since we were still had access, I found out that evening that whatever Bailey had had passed to Bryant, and he was now throwing up every 30 minutes.  Fortunately, since my mom-in-law knew exactly what it was and had something to fight it with, his was stopped after about 5 hours instead of being the all-day affair it was with Bailey, and didn’t involve a trip to the emergency room.  Thank God for grandmothers!!

 

Anyway, part of the reason we didn’t leave until so late on Saturday is because we were only going to St. Thomas, which is about 50 miles away from San Juan.  We were going so slow that it felt like we were just drifting along.  We were docked by 7:00 a.m.  Since it was our first day on the ship and Jeff and I have been to St. Thomas before, we decided to just stay on the ship.  It was a fabulously relaxing day.  Our view was amazing, because we like to lay out at the highest point of the ship.  We just moved from one side to the next depending on whether we were in the mood for the ocean view or the island view.  Very stressful choices we are making this week!  After getting enough sun, we came down to our cabin and spent the rest of the afternoon either on or balcony or watching a movie in our room.  We decided to try the traditional cruise dining experience this time, and our seating isn’t until 8:15.  We are loving this because it allows us to not feel like we have to rush back to our room and get ready.  Because we are doing the traditional dining, we have the same two servers every night.  Now they know that I want water in my lemon and we want decaf coffee with our dessert so we don’t have to tell them.  It’s just there when we get there.  I know those of you who are experienced cruisers don’t think this is a big deal, but our other two cruises we have done the anytime dining, which is just like showing up at a new restaurant every night, except for the obvious differences like just getting up when you are finished and leaving without receiving a bill. 

 

Yesterday we were in St. Kitts.  Since we’ve never been here, we did decide to walk around a little bit.  It turned out that the view of the island was much prettier from the ship than getting up close and personal, so we didn’t hang out too long.  What was so pretty about the island from the water was the very green meadow-like hillside.  It reminded me a lot of England, which was appropriate since it is a British island.  We walked around a park called Independence Square which used to be a slave market.  Very sobering thought.  We went inside this run-down Catholic church that is still operating, but felt so sad.  The time line of Catholicism on St. Kitts that we read on the wall said that only about 6% of the island is Catholic, which of course sent my mind wandering towards the inclination of the other 94%. 

 

The interesting thing about St. Kitts was that the locals pretty much left us alone to wander.  A lot of times you can’t go five feet without being approached to either buy something or just give them money.  The only person who spoke to me was offering me weed, and it was very much under his breath, much like walking past people in New York City with stolen watches.  I was a little surprised, but the paper the ship had given out said that this would very likely happen and to please not be tempted because there’s nothing they can do about it if the police catch you.  Amazing that people would be so stupid!

 

Yesterday afternoon we had a couples massage – yes, straight out of the Bachelor.  Except our faces were pushed down in the donuts the whole time and we were worked over pretty good by two little Phillipino ladies.  Mine was so cute.  She called me Ann because she said she couldn’t pronounce the Leigh.  I think if it had been spelled Lee or Li she wouldn’t have had a problem, but I didn’t want to push it.  I kept wincing at first until she finally said, “So, you really just want it light?”  I said, “Yes, please!”  After that it was much better.  I’m really such a wimp.

 

We left St. Kitts around 3:00 p.m. and started booking it towards Grenada, where we are this morning.  We had only gone about 7 or 8 knots the two previous nights, and last night we were kicking it at about 22!  There was no doubt that the boat was rocking.  I was amazed watching the servers in the dining room carrying so much food on these trays when I had had a hard time just walking to my seat without hanging on every now and then.  Of course, I was in high heels, which those of you that know me well will not be surprised that I was having trouble walking.

 

So this morning we have arrived in Grenada.  I’m curious about this island, because my youth minister in high school spent two years here as a journeyman missionary.  They call it the spice island, so I think we’re going to see what we can find for Jeff’s kitchen.  We are only here until 2:00, because we have another 450 miles or so to go to reach Bonaire.  Don’t forget to check us out on the web cam, www.princess.com/bridgecams/crown_bridge_cam.html

 

Hope everyone back home is having a fantastic week.  We are doing a whole lot of nothing, which is exactly what we had planned.  It amuses me that older folks still ask us if we are on our honeymoon.  When I tell them we have three kids they always look at us like we must have started really early.  I always feel compelled to tell them how old we are and how long we’ve been married.  The look of shock is hilarious.  But I told Jeff that one day in the not-too-distant future people will no longer think we are on our honeymoon and it will make us sad.  Time has a funny way of doing things to your body that you just can’t help.  But we are here to relax and rejuvenate and reconnect.  So far it’s going just as we planned.

Okay, now for some details. We arrived on this gorgeous island about 2:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday. It took us about an hour to get out of the airport, onto the shuttle, to the Thrifty rental place and finally get our black Jeep Wrangler and be on the road (it's so pretty!) Jeff had already downloaded the coordinates to the Westin Rio Mar in our TomTom, so we just punched it in and were off. We accidentally missed a turn, though, and ended up on a toll road. This would have been fine, but we pulled up to the express lane where you have to have exact change, which we didn't. The lady took Jeff's dollar and casually meandered over to make change. By the time she was back there were about a dozen ticked-off Puerto Ricans blaring their horns at us to move on. It was funny, because if that had happened in America Jeff would have been the one laying on the horn! But all we could do was laugh and drive on.

We arrived at our resort about 4:30 p.m. and our breath was taken away. The hotel we are staying at is located on a couple hundred acres of beach/jungle/mountain territory. There is a mile of private beach nestled back in a little cove. It is simply stunning. Our room is on the back side of the hotel, so we have this view.

Since I have been spending so much time reading Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers lately, I can't help but be reminded of Mt. Sinai and how the Isrealites saw God descend upon it in a pillar of cloud.

Not only is our view gorgeous, but we are right next to the rain forest, so the sounds of birds and all kinds of other creatures fill our room at night. It is amazing.

We were so tired on Wednesday night that we walked around a little bit, had supper, and were literally in bed by 8:30. Unfortunately we had some bizarre ghost in the walls of our room that would rattle the closet door every time someone opened and shut a door in the hall. So Thursday morning we kindly requested a room change and they were gracious enough to accommodate us.

We spent Thursday moving back and forth between the beach and one of the two pools. This was our view late in the afternoon. This pool actually has cushions for the chairs, so we were happy to get to lounge here for a couple of hours.

We had dinner at the main hotel resteraunt Thursday night, and when we got back to the room I called my mom-in-law to check on the kids. That's when I found out that due to a violent day of throwing up since about 9:00 a.m., my Bailey had been taken to the doctor and was now at the emergency room getting rehydrated and given anti-nausea medicine intraveneously. This doesn't sit well with a mommy thousands of miles away and unable to do anything. I'm so thankful for mine and Jeff's parents being able to take complete care of our children in our absence. It is worth its weight in gold to know that even though I'm not there, my baby is in good hands. But I can't wait to see her nonetheless.

Yesterday we decided to hop in the jeep and do a little sightseeing. We drove down to Old San Juan, which is where our ship will be docked today. There is an old, and I do mean old, fort located right at the tip of the cliffs, and we spent an hour or so touring it. The original structure is from the late 1500's, but has been updated over the centuries. The last battle the fort saw was in 1898 during the Spanish-American war. One of the rooms even had cannon fragments in the wall from an American battleship.

The scariest part were all of the tiny little staircases and alcoves where the soldiers would shield themselves from outside attack. This little tunnel was a place where a soldier with a musket would stand at the end and fire out on the sea. For a quasi-claustrophobic like me, I had to do a whole lot of convincing myself to walk down to the end and look out. If the wind hadn't of been blowing so hard, I don't know if I would have been able to do it. But the view was worth a look, even if it was quick!

We ate lunch at Popeye's chicken (don't ask) and stopped by Belz Factory Outlet mall on the way back so Jeff could get another swimsuit. The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging on the beach and by the pool again. We ate dinner at a resteraunt in the hotel called Palio's, wonderful Italian food. But every time we have eaten we have had visions of the food that is to come beginning tonight!

So I need to wrap this up, because Jeff is busy in the room packing up our stuff to head over to the port. We will board our ship around lunchtime, but we won't actually leave port until about 11:00 tonight. We are only going to St. Thomas tomorrow, which is less than 50 miles from here. We are going to be poking through the water tonight!

I don't know if I'll be able to have access to wireless via my laptop on the boat or not, so I may not get to blog about the cruise until after we get back. If not, I hope you enjoy your week. I know I will! :)

Hola from Puerto Rico! After a crazy day of travel, we are finally here. This is the view out back from the hotel lobby. Not planning on blogging very long, because the beach is calling me.

Observations of Puerto Rico from our drive over from the airport - feels like Miami; looks a lot like Nolensville Road. Except for knowing you are a couple of miles from the ocean, and yet seeing these gorgeous mountains on the other side, which is truly a beautiful sight. But we drove past every American fast food resteraunt imaginable, Walgreens, Sam's Club, Office Max. There is even a Belz Factory outlet mall between our hotel and the airport. It was hilarious!

But now we are tucked away in our island resort, and the views are amazing. Jeff is drooling over the three golf courses. I told him he could go try and hook up with a group, but I think he's going to come to the beach with me instead. It's currently 76 degrees at 9:00 a.m., with a forecast of 86.

Hope all of you back at home are surviving the storms. Looks pretty bad on my radar. Thanks to all of you who are pitching in to help the grandparents take care of our children. You are making this vacation a possibility, and we are totally in your debt.

Love and best wishes!