This weekend thousands of bloggers are remembering 9/11 in a very special way. I am one of them. I volunteered heartily and thankfully to honor one of our 9/11 fallen. Some were hero’s doing their jobs as policemen and firemen. Some were ordinary people who did heroic things to save others. Some were caught in the firestorm by being in the right place at the wrong time; such as just reporting to work that day or by being a innocent passenger on a plane.

My honoree was just such a person. She had gotten up that morning to head out on a vacation to Palm Springs, Florida with her long time boyfriend Donald DiTullio. It should have been a happy day for them both, but it turned out to be the worst because Janis and Donald were on Flight 11 that crashed into the WTC North Tower.

Janis was a caring and giving person. She had three dogs and she loved them as if they were her own children. She even went so far as to include them (Shiloh, Sasha and Jessie) and their care into her will. She had no children of her own.

Janis was was also a line dancer according to her friends. Dancing was something that she enjoyed at the local Moose Lodge in Salem, MA. In fact she met Donald at a country and western dance.

In her spare time, she volunteered in soup kitchens during the Holidays. Janis was also very creative and let her juices flow on such things as photography, collages, quilting, sewing and gardening. She was also very adept on the computer and helped others create web pages.

Janis got her schooling at University College, in Peabody, Massachusetts. First she earned a bachelor’s in information technology and then her MBA. She had worked for 28 years as a product testing team leader for General Electric at the Lynn Plant.

Janis was a person that I would have liked to have known. There is much in common with this beautiful soul that lived so far away from Georgia in Massachusetts. She left behind a much loved sister and niece that I know miss her very much.

Linda, I hope I did your sister proud on this tribute. It just seems that words are not enough.

Natalie Janis LasdenFor a complete list of participants and their honorees, please click the image below.

April 19, 1955 to September 11, 2001

When Thoreau was on his deathbed, a friend asked him, ‘Have you made peace with God?’ Thoreau looked up at him and said: ‘I wasn’t aware that God and I had quarreled.’

If only some bible thumpers would take a lesson from this…

To the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, students and friends of the victims at Virginia Tech, you have our condolences and prayers. May you find peace in your hearts and the courage to find the feeling of safety and well being again in this most difficult of times.

First and foremost: Please go by and wish our friend Vickie well wishes. She has not been doing well lately and we are starting another circle of prayer for her. She needs all the prayers she can get. Missy is taking its toll on her and she is too good of a person for this to happen to. We love you Vickie and we want you better!

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My cousins son had an accident with his go cart. He lost the end of a finger 2 days ago after getting it caught in the motor belt. It would have taken too many surgeries to repair it. 8 hours just to reattach and then two more surgeries to follow. He decided against it after talking it over with his parents and we all wish him a speedy recovery from this as well. He is only thirteen. I am just thankful he wasn’t hurt worse than he was.

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I am a free bird for a couple of days. The boys are headed to Florida early in the morning on Saturday to spend a few days with my BIL and his wife. My BIL has 4th stage cancer and is not doing well. They are afraid he might be giving in to it and he can use some boosting from family. His birthday is in a couple of days as well. He is another that we need to add to the prayer list. He is a good soul and a great BIL.

I will be staying here and relaxing (‘cept for laundry) with the house guest. I go back to work on Monday and then I am off again on Friday. It is the end of my vacation days until I can earn some more. The youngin’ is on spring break this week so I am not sure when they will get back. It could be any where from Wednesday on.

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I have been trying out my green thumb this week. The old man spread some grass seed a few weeks ago and it is only coming in in sparse patches. Today when I got home I went out and spread some more seed and some fertilizer. Wish me luck… I am hoping to show off a greener lawn soon!

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I have been helping the house guest hunt for a new car. He finally got some money in from the sale of his house. This project has not been easy. He is so damn picky! It has to be a certain make and model and they don’t make this vehicle any longer. I think he has been worse about this than he has been about everything else. He is a picky eater too. It drives me nuts!

The youngin’ told me yesterday that he has also been talking about us behind our backs. Talk about ungrateful! I am so ready for this guy to move on out. He has been calling us bad parents AND telling the boy that the old man and I “are just lazy”. WTF? If he does it again he will be getting an earful AND the boot. The bitching at the boy has not stopped either. He acts like a third parent, and I know this is wrong, but we have both given the boy permission to fuss back. Enough is enough!

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The finger is healing OK I guess. I can at least type with it now and go for periods of time without a bandaid. It tingles constantly and it feels like dead skin to me. The swelling has not gone down much either. I bought some vitamin E to rub into the wound to help speed up the healing and to hopefully end up with a smaller scar. I can’t quite curl my finger all the way and that aggravates me… silly huh?

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Well I think that kinda catches you all up on my week and weekend. Hows your week gone?

It is time once again to thank all of you for your prayers for Raven, her mom Rose and for Kelli. They wanted me to thank you for all the prayers you have so freely given them in the last weeks while Raven has undergone radical radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I could say the words, but I truly believe that Kelli said it best herself:

Checked the site once I got here… I am absolutely overwhelmed! You know (I’m sure) how much I truly appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers. I am amazed at how far away they are coming from, too! PLEASE stress to everyone (if possible) that their sentiments have been a factor in my ability to cope with all of this; it reminds me just how blessed I truly am. I haven’t

really

been overwhelmed yet, but there have been quite a few times that everything has gotten to me a bit. The support that we have gotten from people that we don’t even know brings me to my knees. We’re gonna be okay!!! Hell, better than ever!!!!

Love You!!!!

Kelli

With that said I need to once again ask for your prayers for another young man going through his own radiation treatments. His name is Sean and he is a friend of Sophmom’s son. You can find her post here: Search, Hope and Sadness.

While we are adding folks to the circle, please let me add Miss Vickie who is always reaching out to folks for others and never for herself. She now is undergoing treatment for her own ailment: Missy, Vickie’s term for MLS. This loving person really could use the power of prayer to a quick recovery and an easy time during her treatments. We love you Vickie!

Prayers do work… All you have to do is try.

There seems to be a growing list these days of close friends and relatives to reach out to with a prayer. They are all very special people in their own rights… and they are thought about daily by me and many others.

Please drop by Miss Vickie’s and give her a cyber hug and say a prayer for her speedy recovery and for once some good news on her health.

Raven is another special person that can use our prayers. She is now receiving mega radiation treatments to nip this disease in the bud.

I just received news today that my Aunt (my mothers sister) has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer for the second time in her life. This scares me. She is the second Aunt that has had to deal with this devastating disease. This gene runs in my maternal family – nuff said.

I pray that this time she does not have to have as radical a procedure as she did the last time. She is a strong woman physically, mentally and her faith is unwavering. I have never met as gentle a soul as she. She is soft of heart and soft spoken. My love and prayers are with her, as always.

I just wonder sometimes why we humans have to suffer so. Why are the good ones always stricken this way? Are we being tested? I just don’t understand why we should be put through so much pain and anguish. No one deserves this… My Aunt and Vickie don’t, Raven doesn’t and neither do any of the other thousands who live with diseases of the mind and body. I just don’t understand. Are we doing this to ourselves? Is it what we are eating and drinking? Is it the pollution in the air? Or are we preselected by design before birth to be healthy or sick?

As some of you know – I believe in a higher power – be it male or female… I don’t know. I do not believe in Church and what it has shown me, personally, to stand for. Right now I am beginning to question my faith… and that really scares me. I can walk outside and see the beauty that power has given us and I am filled with wonder at it, and yet the list grows larger of undeserving souls of unquestionable light who suffer. Why?

This past Saturday I spent the day doing something that will stick in my mind for a long time to come. I went to a small elementary school on the outskirts of Cumming, Georgia to support a very special little girl.

Why is she so special? Well, let me tell you why.

She is my neice and she has an extremely rare form of cancer. This cancer is rare in more than one way… She has Ewings Sarcoma.

Click on images to enlarge.

The facts about Ewings per Wikipedia:

*Incidence rate averages less than 2 cases per 1,000,000 children
*Affects mostly male children between the ages of 10-15
*Is mostly a bone disease
*Occurs most often in the pelvis or long bone areas of the body.

Ewing’s sarcoma is more common in males and usually presents in childhood or early adulthood, with a peak between 10 and 20 years of age. It is found almost exclusively in caucasians. It can occur anywhere in the body, but most commonly in the pelvis and proximal long tubular bones. The diaphysis of the femur are the most common sites, followed by the tibia and the humerus. Thirty percent are overtly metastatic at presentation.

The most common clinical findings are pain and swelling.

Now, as you read before this event was for a little girl. She is 9 years old and the cancer has manifested itself in her sinus cavity. This is why this case is rarer than most. The doctors think she has had this cancer since birth. It almost sufficated her before it was discovered. She is taking hard core radiation treatments in an attempt to stop it. She has lost all her hair and has to spend more time at the hospital than at home. She has to wear a trach in case she suddenly can’t breathe. She has tubes for the radiation treatments.

Has she let it get her down? None-what-so-ever!!! She goes to school when she can and is a very spunky little girl!

Yesterday her school held a “Run for Raven” event to help out her and her family. They had a 3k run (3.5 laps around the school). There were specially designed T-Shirts for the event with the proceeds going to her fund.

There was a silent auction for about 30 items with one going for over 200.00!! There was also about 30 raffles that brought in a good chunk of cash.

Click on images to enlarge.

She designed her own candle (Craven Raven) at Juls Candle Shop. She calls it a “Pumpkin Latte”. It is a mixture of brownie and pumpkin spice and it is purple (her favorite color). The candles were a huge hit with 50% of the sales going to Raven’s fund.

A local fast food burger shop was there as well with 50% of the 8.00 plate as a donation. They also had a moonwalk with a donation bucket outside. We still don’t have a final count but I know they raised several thousand from the amount of people that walked and ran. I know personally of one company, that a family member works for, that donated 1,000.00 just because she and her plight touched their heart. Raven’s smile and spunk can do that to you.

Click on images to enlarge.

Raven and her family have lost their home due to the amount of time spent at the childrens hospital. They are now staying with my neice. Raven’s grandmother is driving up in an RV two weeks out of the month to help with the care of Raven. Her brother is not yet in daycare and he needs watching as well. Work is sporadic for her parents as well. They are young and struggling as it is without Raven’s illness.

Despite the days excitement, Raven still had plenty enough energy for us to take her to see the Happy Feet movie after the run. She is such a special little girl and her smile is very catching.

If you would like to donate to Raven’s fund you can do so by contacting me personally and I will give you the bank and fund name. Please add them to your prayers. Raven needs as much support as she can get.

Thank you.

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I am sorry this is so late in coming… I was very busy at work and my internet has been sporadic today. I want to thank each and every one of you that took the time out of their day to send up their prayers. Raven has brought me a new outlook on life. Her smile and bravery at this junction of her life, under the most dire of circumstances, makes everything else small beans in the pot.

To Karen, Vickie and most especially Monica: Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU for caring and spreading the word on Raven. You are the bestest of people in my book.

A special someone (She knows who she is) reminded me today that I really am not alone in the feelings that I have been going through as of late. There is a higher power out there that speaks to us daily… but so many times in our busy lives we can’t or won’t see it.

There are people out there who are willing to listen to my woes and they do not judge me, right or wrong. Carlo is one of those special few. There are others of you that I have met over my time in here in the blogosphere that have listened and lent me their sage advice along the way. I want to thank you as well.

It seems that I got caught up in my thoughts and I let them, on occassion, get away from me. I know I am loved… by probably more than even I know about. It is just when the pain of separation or feeling lost overwhelms me… I tend to forget. Call it what you may… me – I prefer to call it old-timers syndrome. At least that way I can get a chuckle or two out of it.

This evening after my little cry upon reading some sage advice and a great attempt to make me laugh, I drove home. I was thoughtful as always when driving and when I came out of my reverie, I looked up. There was that higher power speaking to me. He (or she) was practically shouting his (or her) love for us. Maybe it was just mother nature nudging me a little, but either way… it got my attention enough to share it with you.

Mind you – these were taken in a moving vehicle… I was on a side road and hardly any traffic… so I dared to snap a few pictures with my camera phone. Enjoy the view as I did and remember who placed it there for us.

Click on images to enlarge.

Iran denies inspectors access to site. (AP)
VIENNA, Austria – Iran has turned away U.N. inspectors wanting to examine its underground nuclear site in an apparent violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty, diplomats and U.N. officials said Monday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the information, told The Associated Press that Iran’s unprecedented refusal to allow access to the facility at Natanz could seriously hamper international efforts to ensure that Tehran is not trying to make nuclear weapons.

Just to remind you (not that you need reminding), here is a time line of our conflict with Iran.

1990-1991 Persian Gulf War (Desert Storm/Desert Shield) US Invades Iran

# Iraq invades Kuwait, Aug. 2, 1990.

# Operation Desert Shield begins, Aug. 7.

# First U.S. forces (F-15 Eagle fighters from Langley Air Force Base, Va.) arrive in Saudi Arabia, Aug. 7.

# First Operation Desert Shield-related U.S. death, Aug. 12.

# President George Bush authorizes first call-up of Selected Reservists to active duty for 90 days, by executive order, Aug. 22. (Call-up widened in subsequent authorizations; period of service extended to 180 days on Nov. 12 by executive order.)

# Operation Desert Storm and air war phase begins, 3 a.m., Jan. 17, 1991 (Jan. 16, 7 p.m. Eastern time).

# Iraq attacks Israel with seven Scud missiles, Jan. 17.

# U.S. Patriot missile successfully intercepts first Scud, over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 17.

# President Bush authorizes the call-up of up to 1 million National Guardsmen and Reservist for up to two years, Jan. 18.

# DoD announces deployment of Europe-based Patriot missiles and crews to Israel, Jan. 19.

# Iraq creates massive oil slick in gulf, Jan. 25.

# Iraqis attack Khafji, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 29.

# Iraq captures first U.S. female prisoner of war, Jan. 31.

# Award of the National Defense Service Medal authorized, Feb. 21.

# Iraqis ignite estimate 700 oil wells in Kuwait, Feb. 23.

# Allied ground assault begins, 4 a.m., Feb 24 (Feb. 23, 8 p.m. Eastern time).

# Iraqi Scud destroys U.S. barracks in Dhahran, killing 28 U.S. soldiers, Feb. 25.

# Cessation of hostilities declared, 8:01 a.m., Feb. 28 (12:01 a.m. Eastern).

# Cease-fire terms negotiated in Safwan, Iraq, March 1.

# DoD announces first troop redeployment home, March l7 (24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.)

# Award of the Southwest Asia Service medal authorized, March 13.

# President Bush announces U.S. relief supply airdrops to Kurdish refugees in Turkey and northern Iraq, April 5.

# Iraq officially accepts cease-fire terms, April 6.

# Task Force Provide Comfort forms and deploys, April 6.

# U.S. transports deliver 72,000 pounds of supplies in first six Operation Provide Comfort missions, April 7.

# Cease-fire takes effect, April 11.
Information courtesy of The Defense Department

Do we really want this unstable country to have nuclear reactors and to be capable of creating nuclear weapons? I think not.

I am not a proponent of war. I wish there were other ways to bring about peace. I personally believe we have been in Iraq far too long. I have personal reasons for disliking this current conflict we are in. My best friend leaves for a year long tour of duty in Iraq in just a few short weeks.

The thought that a former enemy such as Iran with nuclear capabilities goes beyond my peaceful tendencies. I realise there will always be conflicts between countries. It is a basic fact of human nature. The world revolves around a distinct set of self beliefs: Love and Hate.

Think about it. We procreate for love and kill for hate. You can pretty much apply these two words as the basis for everything we do, say and think. Religion tends to make some go too far. A misinterpretation can either bring peace or war.

The Bible and the Koran both promote peace… “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” – “And Allah invites to the abode of peace and guides whom He pleases into the right path.(Koran)”.

Paul said “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end… And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (NRSV, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13)

The Prophet Mohammed promotes love:

Islam is a message for the salvation of humanity. It is to save not to destroy people. Islam is not terrorism. It is not for self revenge. It is not hate, it is love. Law of Islam is based on The Holy Quran and Sunnah. It is not what others do. There is a strict code of Law even in wars. Those Muslims who commit crimes against the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) have to face Allah T’ala one day and answer to the Almighty. We all do! There is a Day of Judgment for all mankind! Let us be true followers of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)

I believe that if Iran is allowed to continue with their nuclear program (beyond what has been approved) then we will end up in a nuclear war. There are already “unstable” countries with this capability. Enough is enough. I want a safe world for my son and and my grandchildren to live in, not a world of fear and hate.

There is a wonderful project going on in the blogosphere and they need your help! 2996 is a website who’s goal is to honor each of the victims of 9/11. One blog – one victim. They are short volunteers and need you to go sign up!

It doesn’t hurt and it will make you feel good! So get your behinds over to 2996 and volunteer a post on 9/11!