On many occasions, and in many posts, I have said a quick thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to read a post. One thing I have not done though is take the time to just use this space to tell you thank you in a more personal matter. True, I would still be writing this whether I had 1000 readers or just one. However, because of all of you, there is a community. There are friends, acquaintances, fellow bloggers, readers, and critics. All of whom make the community what it is, and make the whole experience worth while.
From me to you, I thank you for being a part of this experience. Through discussions here and elsewhere on the web, I have gotten to know a lot of you on a more personal level. We have shared what makes us proud and happy, and what brings us down, makes us scared, or makes us cry. It has really been an honor to get to know all of you and to be able to call you friends.
Blogging has become a strong passion for me. The ability to sign on, write whatever I am thinking about, publish it, and see a discussion start is quite an amazing thing. I thank you for all of the comments, the sharing of the posts, the discussions, praises and criticisms. To me, a blogger has nothing without a community surrounding them. I have to say, this community of dads, moms, grandparents, tech geeks, blogging professionals, marketing professionals, and more, is an eclectic, diverse community, that has opened my eyes to many things. Through the connections I have made with all of you I have a gained a wealth of knowledge on many subjects, and that wealth is irreplaceable.
So to all of you, this blog post is for you! A toast to all of you, my friends and colleagues: May all your troubles be little ones.May the most you ever wish for Be the least you ever receive. May the roof above us never fall in. And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.
Cheers!
The Dude
Showing posts with label Thanks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanks. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
On This Day, We Remember
Today is Veteran's Day. Today we honor those who have served in the military. Those who are still with us, those who are not, and those who paid the ultimate price in battle and laid down their lives for their country.
Today I would like to remember those in my family who have served. From the Army, to the Air Force, my family has seen quite a few members in active service from WWI to Iraq. Today I honor those. The pictures below are of my Granddaddy, Papa, and Grandpa. 3 great men and fathers with whom I have had the pleasure of having in my life before their passing. I have heard their stories both first hand, and passed down. The group picture is of my Great Grandfather Ray Hartsell, my great great Uncle Oscar Hartsell, and my Great Great Uncle Belton Hartsell. All three saw combat in WWI and all three returned home. My mom and dad have also contributed today with the pictures, list of family members who have served, and a few words about them. Thank you mom and dad for helping in remembering these fine men today. We will never forget!
To all veterans:
Today we remember you. Those who have served and those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We honor you with our thanks and our praise. You have shown us what bravery is in the face of undeniable hardship. You have laid the foundation of heroism for those who will come after you. We thank you for your will and for your strength to stand up and fight for your country and the people it represents. To you we owe a great debt of gratitude. Without you, the freedoms we take for granted would no longer be free. On this day, we remember. And we thank you!
The Following list was written up by my dad detailing the service of numerous family members who have served in the military.
My Grandfather Ray Hartsell, United States Army Allied Expeditionary Forces, World War I, suffered permanent lung damage in a Mustard Gas attack in France.
My Grandfather Jim Taylor, United States Navy, drove a landing ship that helped retake the Philippine Islands. His craft came under machine gun fire, killing a crewman at the front of the craft. Pop swung the boat around, using the bow as a shield, so Marines could shoot the enemy gunner who was on a buoy. On the way back the ship was hit by kamikaze attacks.
My father in law Herman Scroggs, US Army Air Corp, watched his friends go down in a B17 crash in North Africa.
My Uncle Jim Bailey, US Army, crossed the Rhine into Germany.
My Uncle Lewis Taylor, United States Army, suffered serious injuries in France when the tank he was walking behind was struck by a shell.
My Uncle Bobby Park, United States Marines, made it to the Yalu River in the Korean War, then barely escaped with his life when four million Chinese came across the border.
My Uncle John Butler had the B24 his was piloting shot down by Japanese. He held the burning plane in the air while his crew got out, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Before he retired as a colonel he flew jets in Korea, and spy flights over Russia, and crash landed three planes.
Today I would like to remember those in my family who have served. From the Army, to the Air Force, my family has seen quite a few members in active service from WWI to Iraq. Today I honor those. The pictures below are of my Granddaddy, Papa, and Grandpa. 3 great men and fathers with whom I have had the pleasure of having in my life before their passing. I have heard their stories both first hand, and passed down. The group picture is of my Great Grandfather Ray Hartsell, my great great Uncle Oscar Hartsell, and my Great Great Uncle Belton Hartsell. All three saw combat in WWI and all three returned home. My mom and dad have also contributed today with the pictures, list of family members who have served, and a few words about them. Thank you mom and dad for helping in remembering these fine men today. We will never forget!
To all veterans:
Today we remember you. Those who have served and those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We honor you with our thanks and our praise. You have shown us what bravery is in the face of undeniable hardship. You have laid the foundation of heroism for those who will come after you. We thank you for your will and for your strength to stand up and fight for your country and the people it represents. To you we owe a great debt of gratitude. Without you, the freedoms we take for granted would no longer be free. On this day, we remember. And we thank you!
The Following list was written up by my dad detailing the service of numerous family members who have served in the military.
My Grandfather Ray Hartsell, United States Army Allied Expeditionary Forces, World War I, suffered permanent lung damage in a Mustard Gas attack in France.
My Grandfather Jim Taylor, United States Navy, drove a landing ship that helped retake the Philippine Islands. His craft came under machine gun fire, killing a crewman at the front of the craft. Pop swung the boat around, using the bow as a shield, so Marines could shoot the enemy gunner who was on a buoy. On the way back the ship was hit by kamikaze attacks.
My father in law Herman Scroggs, US Army Air Corp, watched his friends go down in a B17 crash in North Africa.
My Uncle Jim Bailey, US Army, crossed the Rhine into Germany.
My Uncle Lewis Taylor, United States Army, suffered serious injuries in France when the tank he was walking behind was struck by a shell.
My Uncle Bobby Park, United States Marines, made it to the Yalu River in the Korean War, then barely escaped with his life when four million Chinese came across the border.
My Uncle John Butler had the B24 his was piloting shot down by Japanese. He held the burning plane in the air while his crew got out, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Before he retired as a colonel he flew jets in Korea, and spy flights over Russia, and crash landed three planes.
The following words about "granddaddy" and the list of names were provided by my mom. This is a selection from a guest post you will find next week from my mom "Memories of My Dad"
World War II took Dad away from the mountains he loved, and offered him adventures in
faraway lands that he had previously only dreamed about. He married my mother while
he was home on leave from the war. It was never easy to get Daddy to talk about the war,
but he made at least one good friend with whom he corresponded until he died. I have
pictures of Daddy and his friends, and a dog they adopted, and a young African boy that
liked to hang around their camp. After the war, Daddy started looking for ways to support
his young family, which consisted at the time of my mom and two older sisters. Farming
was his love, but not a consistent source of income with which to raise a family. He tried
his hand at an auto manufacturer in Ohio, but none of the family was happy up north.
Finally, in the early 50s, representatives of the federal government came to the mountains
to recruit workers to help build the “bomb plant” that would later be known as Savannah
River Site. Dad moved the family to South Carolina, and I was born a few years later.
Great uncles in WW2 - Clarence Scroggs (Navy, San Francisco); Frank Atkins (Army, Alaska); Wayne Crawford, Silvie Crawford
Korea - Paul Scroggs
Misc - Denny Scroggs - (Army, Japan)
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| Belton, Oscar, and Ray Hartsell |
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| My Grandpa: James "Jim" Taylor |
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| My Papa: James "Bo" Taylor |
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| My Granddaddy: Herman Scroggs |
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thank God for Mommy
Obviously, I write mostly about being a dad. I mean, it's the only thing I know when it comes to parenting, right? But today, I just wanted to take some quick time to say: THANK GOD FOR MOMMY!!!
Having been sick the last two days with sinus problems and the worst headaches in my life, it is needless to say that I was quite useless around the house as I spent most of my time sleeping, or laying on the couch. It was quite pathetic really. But, there was a super force in the house that kept everything running as it should. MOMMY TO THE RESCUE!!!
My wife is great! I'll say it again: My wife is great! Always there to support me and help me when I am not feeling well. Taking care of the two kids, as well as the big baby on the couch. She kept the household running when I was unable to help out. I guess maybe she can do it all on her own. I have to admit I have not always been the biggest support for her, or praised her when she deserved it fully! So this post is for her!
Dear Wifey,
I am sorry for the times I have not given you the praise you deserve, and that I have not always shown the full extent of my love for you. I am sorry for the harsh words, and any words spoken out of anger without thinking. I praise you for the mommy that you are. For always being aware of all things related to our two kiddos. I thank you for always knowing how to take care of them, and to take care of me.
I thank you for being a great and faithful wife. Thank you fore sticking by me despite my many faults, and my many weaknesses. Thank you for taking care of me when I am sick (or just trying to be pitiful and cute) and for never leaving my side. Thank you for always being the light of my life.
Having been sick the last two days with sinus problems and the worst headaches in my life, it is needless to say that I was quite useless around the house as I spent most of my time sleeping, or laying on the couch. It was quite pathetic really. But, there was a super force in the house that kept everything running as it should. MOMMY TO THE RESCUE!!!
My wife is great! I'll say it again: My wife is great! Always there to support me and help me when I am not feeling well. Taking care of the two kids, as well as the big baby on the couch. She kept the household running when I was unable to help out. I guess maybe she can do it all on her own. I have to admit I have not always been the biggest support for her, or praised her when she deserved it fully! So this post is for her!
Dear Wifey,
I am sorry for the times I have not given you the praise you deserve, and that I have not always shown the full extent of my love for you. I am sorry for the harsh words, and any words spoken out of anger without thinking. I praise you for the mommy that you are. For always being aware of all things related to our two kiddos. I thank you for always knowing how to take care of them, and to take care of me.
I thank you for being a great and faithful wife. Thank you fore sticking by me despite my many faults, and my many weaknesses. Thank you for taking care of me when I am sick (or just trying to be pitiful and cute) and for never leaving my side. Thank you for always being the light of my life.
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