Our Gracie.

She really is the grace of God.  When she was a baby she wanted to dance, and it took her so long to learn how to just walk.  But she was never ungrateful.  And she loved to see other people dance. 

She loves to see other people running fast.  She loves to see some other girl in a beautiful dress.  She loves to watch someone else getting a hug. 

Tonight at bed time, one of her other sisters was having a hard time, and when I went to sing Gracie a goodnight song, she said, "Sing to Sam.  She's sad." 

Yeah, and when she dances around the kitchen, she's no ballerina, but it takes your breath away.

If you don't have time to read the whole thing, go read the last section!

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North sees the war in Iraq firsthand, often on a daily basis.  Many of us know him as a correspondent for Fox News.  He spends much of his time over in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And he tells the truth about what is happening over there. 

Here are some quotes and notes from his book, American Heroes. 

GOOD STRATEGY

North says the “strategy in Iraq is working.”  I heard him speak, and one thing he said is that the re-enlistment rate is still high—higher since 9/11.  That is not surprising, but consider this, that re-enlistment is maybe the greatest sign that we are winning the war, because, as North says, “no one can be paid enough to re-enlist in a losing cause.”

“Ridding neighborhoods of thugs and murderers so children can go to school;  reconnecting homes and businesses to electricity, water, and sewage;  and providing jobs for millions of unemployed men—all these things are now feasible. Though it may take longer than anyone prefers, the country now has a future.”

The American soldiers have made an important investment: befriending Iraqi children.  North has seen our troops giving gifts (like soccer balls) to the youngsters or sometimes even giving a hungry Iraqi child their last bit of food.  I would think these children are less likely to grow up hating America as the radical Islam taught them to. 

The Iraqi army is growing, and has been learning combat proficiency from the U.S.  When the U. S. surge troops return home, the Iraqi troops will be there to protect their people.

To the military over there, things are going “in the right direction.” 

Pulling out now will show everyone—including terrorist groups and Iraq’s undemocratic neighbors—a crumbling of American resolve, and Oliver North says the repercussions would be truly bad for Iraq and America.

IRAQI WOMEN

“The number one target of radical Islam is Muslim women.…

“Little has been said [by the mainstream media] about the innumerable ways that U.S. soldiers, sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen, and Marines have become the principle protectors of Muslim women.

“Thanks to young Americans wearing flak jackets and helmets, hundreds of schools have been built for Muslim girls, scores of female health care clinics have been opened, and hundreds of thousands of women now work, have their own bank accounts, and use cell phones.  Millions of women have the right to vote and serve in elected office.”

One awesome thing about Iraqi women voting is that, as Mamoun Rashid, governor of Al Anbar province, said, “Women don’t vote to have their sons become suicide bombers.” 

OTHER WAYS

“Wounded enemy combatants are routinely sent to the same hospitals where they receive the same outstanding medical care as wounded American troops….

“In battle, I have seen Marines and soldiers risk their lives to rescue Iraqi civilians and care for injured and wounded…

“U.S. military personnel play soccer with kids, befriend the people, and build schools.  I’ve seen soldiers and Marines give their last MREs to hungry children and take up collections among their peers to pay for sending disable children to the U.S. for advanced surgery and rehabilitation…

“For the members of the U.S. military, compassion is not only a virtue—it’s policy.  For radical Islamists, compassion is weakness....”

“…a U.S. Army chaplain in Mosul put it best: ‘That’s the difference between the terrorists and us.  Don’t you understand?  That’s the difference!’”

THE TRUTH IS

 “Americans ought not be ashamed of who we are.  We have brought freedom and opportunity to hundreds of millions around the globe.  We send young countrymen around the world not for gold or oil or colonial conquest but to offer others the same freedom we enjoy.  Neither individual liberty nor Christianity are threats to Islam. Theses are threats only to the power of the radical Islamists.  Informing people in predominantly Muslim countries about concepts like private property, personal choice, respect for the sanctity of life, and the freedom to make decisions in a system governed by rule of law isn’t extreme pride;  it’s essential to their understanding of who we are.

“As we prepared to head back to Iraq for our ninth trip in four years, President Bush awarded the Medal of Honor to Michael Murphy for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty.” But because Murphy had been killed in action, his parents had to receive the gold medal awarded to their son. 

“LT Michael Murphy, a U.S. Navy Seal, didn’t die in Konar province, Afghanistan, fighting to expand American influence over others.  He was fighting to give others the hope of freedom because he believed this would help give his countrymen a safer future. He was right.  We ought to remind enemies and allies alike that we have a whole nation full of people such as Michael Murphy—men and women who will put themselves at risk for the love of liberty.”

All quotes are from LT/COL Oliver North’s American Heroes.  Every American should read that book. 

Now the wind picks up. 

Look at that wind blowing Sean in the tree! He's learning to tie a bowline. 

Watching the sky get pink...  

It's starting to really storm.  I will enjoy it.

The wind blows the screen door wide open.

Safe inside before the electricity left--watching the news, then Pirates of the Caribbean.

My brothers out in the storm.  I went out, too, but did not take a picture of myself. And certainly did not take the camera out in the rain.

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Early morning.

  Trembling trees, and the pine that almost hit Dad's car (We had untied it after all, because the only thing to stake it to was a car, which wasn't strong enough).

Ice cream for breakfast.  Can't let it go to waste.

The convoy from San Antonio, headed for Galveston with rescue boats, bottled water, etc....

such open roads...

Note: the pictures maybe confusing. The story is, after the storm, we wimped out and went to stay with family up north, where they had electricity and clean water.