Sparkle to Paratrooper

That little girl right there -- she used to call herself Sparkle.

My name is Sparkle she did declare

Back when she was young without a care.

I’ll give you a makeover, it will be fun.

Glitter everywhere when she was done.

Time marched on as it tends to do

Bringing with it challenges new.

The Army life was calling her

Now she is an Infantry Paratrooper.

Miles from home she answered the call

To protect our country one and all

No more Sparkle but still the same

She just goes by a different name.

Katherine to most but to me she will be

A girl called Sparkle when she was three.

Written for :  Katherine

By: Kathie Marrs

November 25, 2019

Christmas Memories

I love Christmas!  That probably comes as no surprise to any of you that know me. 

I love everything about it. Lights, snow, decorating, trees, carols, memories, ornaments, family - yep everything.  It makes me happy.

My mom loved Christmas.  That might explain why my brothers and I all seem to love it as well.  Yes, even my brothers.  Two of them are bachelors -- but they decorate. 

Our parents died when they were young. I was 19 when Mom died and 25 when Dad died.  We closed up the house, sorted things out.  I already had some of Mom's stuff that Dad had given me. I took some of Dad's stuff.  Some old irons, that's how I refer to them - Dad's irons  - an old pair of handcuffs, wire whisk, small electric plate - nothing major just things that were Dad's. 

Dad had a lot of tools. He used them all.  The boys took them - I had no use for them.  I don't do any 'handy' stuff or at least very little.  I did, however, take my dad's handsaw.  It has travelled with me to three different states, and if I counted correctly 13 houses and moves.  I finally found a use for it.

I'm adding to my Christmas collection!  I took my dad's saw and added another saw to it to make myself a new Christmas tree!  And I LOVE it!



I've always had a little bit of my mom with me at Christmas as I had these old ceramic bells of hers.

and Santa cups (not all are hers - I've added a few).

Now at Christmas time I can have a little bit of both Mom and Dad with me ::)

CRANK IT UPS!

                                               

                                                                      CRANK IT UP!!   

I like to listen to music. 

I grew up listening to music.  My brothers and I used to play our records and use a tape player and pretend we were radio dj's.

I like most music.  Probably my favorite would be country and oldies.  I like the old country songs too.  That's what I grew up on.  My mom had quite a collection of Marty Robbins records and my dad was kinda partial to Roy Acuff and Farron Young.

I always have the radio on in the car.  If I'm home alone, I will most likely have my phonograph player running listening to my old records.  I have a collection of LP's and 45's.  And no, 45's does not refer to the number of records I have. 

I have my favorite songs. You know, songs that once you hear the opening strands of music you know what's coming and you reach for the dial to CRANK IT UP!! 

Doesn't matter if I'm at home, in the car, or listening to Pandora at work.  Some songs just require you to CRANK IT UP!

That means I'm going to turn that sound up as loud as it will let me and I'm going to be singing along! 

I love when a CRANK IT UP! comes on the radio.  I feel the beat of the music in my soul I have it cranked so loud. 

Usually when I'm in the car and pull up to a stop sign I'll lower the volume so it doesn't bother anyone who might be in the lanes next to me.  Dont' want to be rude, you know.  Doesn't count though if it's a CRANK IT UP song. 

The Lion Sleeps Tonight is my all-time favorite song and always one that is a CRANK IT UP!  Others can vary, but it's usually the music itself that defines it for me as a CRANK IT UP!

So this morning at 6:50 am when that CRANK IT UP  Knocking Boots came on - I did.

 I CRANKED IT UP!

And I left it cranked while I sang along.  To anyone at the stop sign - my apologies but you have to admit it's a good song. 

And hearing a CRANK IT UP that early in the morning on the way to work makes going to work a whole lot easier to handle.

So tell me, what is your CRANK IT UP song? 

Potatoes Say Love

When you look at this picture you probably see a bowl of potatoes.  Not a big deal you're thinking. 

I look at this bowl and see love. 

You're thinking What?  You love potatoes?

Well, yes I do love potatoes -- raw, fried, boiled, baked, broiled -- they're all good. 


If you know our family you know that my husband is the main cook.  He loves to cook and enjoys it.  I cooked for enough years that when he came along and wanted to take it over I did not object.  LOL 

There are however, a few things that he thinks I make better than him and if we are having them I'm responsible.  One of those items is scalloped potatoes and ham.  Yummy - cheesy goodness with potatoes. 

Well, that was what was on the menu last night so I was responsible for supper. 

I have arthritis in my hands.  I have a couple of fingers on my right hand that are swollen constantly and it makes it difficult for me to hold things.  Especially small things like a paring knife.  Knowing this, before he went to work yesterday he peeled this bowl of potatoes for supper and put them in the fridge for me. 

I didn't ask him to do this.  I planned on peeling the potatoes myself when I got home just knowing it would take me a little while and I might have to stop and rest my hand some while doing so.  Instead, knowing my limitations, he took the time, because he loves me, to do this for me. 

May not seem like much to you but it sure means a lot to me. So in this case - Potatoes say love. 

Numbers

19     41     42     48     90


Looks like a set of random numbers doesn't it? 

Well, they each represent something to me.


19 .....

    That's how old I was when I received the phone call telling me my mom had passed away. 


41......

     That's the number of years my children have been without a grandma.


42.......

     That's the number of years my mom has been gone.


48......

     That's how old my mom was when she died.


90......

    That's how old my mom would have been today if she had lived. 


Random numbers - yes - but each one represents something. 

These do not include:

      the number of hugs not able to be given
      the number of phone calls not able to be made
      the number of family birthdays not able to be attended
      the number of family dinners not able to be attended
      the number of I Love You's not able to be said
      the number of laughs not shared
      the number  of tears shed
      the number of school plays and programs not attended
      the number of graduations missed
      the number of grandchildren, great and great great grandchildren not held in her arms 
      the number of whispered confidences of those grandchildren
      the number of books not read


The list could go on and on.  Every year on her birthday I remember her - I remember what she is missing and I remember what I have missed by not having her here.  I also remember what my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have missed by not having her here. 

I remember her at other times throughout the year. Christmas - which she loved and probably why my brothers and I all love Christmas.  Memorial Day - when I take flowers to her and Dad's grave site. March 5th - the day she died.  March 8th - the day we buried her.

These are just a few of the times I remember her and think of some of those random numbers.

Salad Equals Love

This is my lunch.  I've had one of these Italian Pasta Salads every day this week. 

It's really good!  Pasta, artichokes, peppers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, salami.  All mixed up together. 

I'm not showing you this to make you hungry, although it should.  I'm showing you this picture to show you a picture of love. 

That's right - I said love.

I take my lunch to work every day.  Every Sunday my husband prepares my lunches for me.  This week happened to be Italian Pasta Salad.  Some weeks it's soup, some weeks sandwiches. 

Whatever my lunch is for the week, Gary prepares it on Sunday.  He then portions it out into containers and puts it in the fridge for me.  Then all I have to do is put the container and any snacks I want in my thermal along with a bottle of water in the morning.  Presto - lunch is ready to go in no time! 

He doesn't do this because he has to.  He doesn't do this because I have asked him to.  He does it because he wants to.  It's something he does because he loves me.



 

4th of July Goosebumps

I've talked before about my granddaughter.  She enlisted in the Army a couple of years ago.  I wrote a blog about that.  I'm used to service to my country.  I explained how I was the only one in my family who didn't serve in the Armed Forces. 

I'm used to sending letters, care packages, etc. to friends and brothers in service.  I thought I was ready but man it's much different when it's your granddaughter. 

Then when she chooses Infantry/Paratrooper as her choice of service.  The feelings are strong that's for sure. 

I've known for several months that she was scheduled for deployment.  I even made arrangements to be able to spend some time with her while she was on leave before deployments.  We have our flag flying at home, for our country, our veterans, and our deployed granddaughter.

Yesterday was the 4th of July. We were at the ball game.  We have a minor league baseball team here and it just seemed like the perfect way to spend the holiday.  What's more American than a baseball game, right? 

So our favorite paratrooper has been on her way for deployment, plane rides, waits in airports, I think this is probably typical for anyone on deployment but I'm not sure. Anyway, she has been underway for a few days.

We are at the ballgame.  We are standing for the National Anthem as any good American citizen will do. 

I get a message that our granddaughter has landed at her destination.  Wow!  Talk about goosebumps!  We got 'em!
 

We are enjoying our Freedom and celebrating with fireworks while she is defending our right to do so!  We don't take this lightly. 

The next few months may be a little emotional for us but we will be showing our support for her and all deployed service members.  Our flag will be flying, we will be wearing our red on Fridays (Remember Everyone Deployed).