Strength, Peace, Love, Hope, Wisdom...

Please continue to pray for Lilliana and her family.  If you are interested in following her progress visit the following website: 

Lillianna's CaringBridge Website
    Website Name: lilliannashull
    Web Address: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilliannashull/en

Her parents have given us permission to share this information as they want the prayers and positive energy to continue as little Lilli has only just begun this fight! 

Keep "showing those muscles" Lil!

Crazy Girl!

Where does Darby get this stuff???  She cracks me up on a daily basis...that's a fact. 

Prayer Request

This is Lilliana Shull...a little angel baby.  18 months old. 

Mike, Jen, Jack and Lilly are a part of our Military Ohana...great friends. 

What started out as a family post deployment vacation turned into a parent's worst nightmare. 

Please pray for this family and the doctors who are caring for Lilly as she fights an aggressive type of brain cancer.  As I understand it,  yesterday she underwent an all day surgery where part of the large tumor was removed...biopsy was positive.  I believe they will continue her care with chemotherapy.

Stay strong little peanut!

The Mighty Sea Stallion

I finally got around to scrounging up a few photos from Tony's deployment...all of the helicopter I might add.  Hopefully, Tony will send me some of human beings sometime soon :) 

 Many hours are spent making sure these birds remain in tiptop shape!  It ultimately comes down to the skill of the pilot and the condition of the aircraft...life or death.  These are the men and women who keep Tone safe.  THANK YOU!

 Tone's home for the past 4+ Months

 Desert Bird

 A far cry from Paradise

 The Pegasus, CH53D - Gettin' er DONE!

STAY SAFE! 

A New Tradition?

I foresee a new tradition for Darby, Tone and myself...and Saiders too.  Hmmmm???
Check out this Summer List courtesy of Whatever featured on Odeedhoh. 

Handbook for 2011

Is it really June already?  I'm glad time is flying because that just means I'm one month closer to seeing Tone, but still...where does the time go? I was cleaning out my inbox while Darb's was in school and came across this forward from my good friend Phuong Dinh - Fin Dog :)  This was written in January for the new year, but thought it fitting to share as we've now entered the half year mark. 

Me likey:)

The 2011 Handbook
by D. Mckinney

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the three E’s --- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2010.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for seven hours.
10. Take a 30-minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
    
    Personality:
    
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Eliminate negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive and in the present moment.
13. Don’t overdo. Know your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are part of the curriculum; they appear and fade away but the lessons you learn last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have time to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
    
    Society:
    
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day do something good for others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. For a learning experience spend some time with people older than 70 and younger 8.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
    
    Life:
    
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is; it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. BE HAPPY EACH DAY!

Summer FUN!

It's just too much fun toting Darby to all of her summer activities.  She's evolving right in front of my eyes as I sit at a distance watching her blow kisses under water or do a soccer stop with helicopter arms out of nowhere...tongue out and all.  I LOVE it when she looks back at me with that proud grin after her underwater dunk - making sure I saw what she just did.  I LOVE when she puts her arms out towards her coach when it's her turn to do a skill.  And I LOVE watching her scream with excitement as she kicks her soccer ball all around the gym...with her left foot.  That's MY baby!  I love every minute of this and I'm one proud mama.

My Soccer Tot...a lefty???

How am I doing mom?  Or...mom, you still there?

 Future Rancher?  Helping Auntie Court and once again wearing a jersey.  She's obsessed with "shirty's" and has to pick out her own every morning - Not too into the dresses at the moment.

Going to feed the horsies.

Awww....SUMMER!!!  

Desert in Bloom

There is something special about the desert in bloom.  It's as if the unforgiving environment shines it's colors for a few months to show those who don't already see the beauty that is desert.  The smells and the sunsets cast their glory throughout the year, but the flowers last only a few months. 
Darbs and I enjoy our afternoon bike rides pointing out the many colors that literally shine against the rock, sand and dirt.  We've taken a few snapshots along the way not doing the blooms much justice...but they will still be a reminder of spring in the desert as we approach the triple digits and watch those flowers wilt away.