Oh How I Will Miss the Antics of These Two!

These two little miniature horses provide so much pleasure for me at the ranch.

We will both miss them...

I Am Going To Miss Some Things

I started looking at photos of the time which I have live here at the ranch...

I am truly going to miss some things about life at the ranch...

One thing is tea parties!

Well, We Are Changing Our Moving Plans!

The State Department has informed us that we are now headed to Germany where my husband will serve in the same position he is presently serving in!  This is a disappointment to us, as we were pumped and ready to move to the Middle East together.  I guess we will have to put our dreams of living in the Middle East on hold for awhile...

Guess I will pack some snow boots!

I Grew Two Roses That Were Especially Beautiful

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!!!

There are just too many beautiful photos to share!

I still haven't even had time to capture the Japanese Iris which grow wild in our woods!

Very Old Song, Still Loved in Texas!

Everybody likes this song and I certainly do! 
My husband sings it to me all the time!

I Love the Beach!

I love going to the beach.  Where we live in Texas, it is about two hours to Galveston Island, and lots of beach, fishing, sailing boats, and plenty of sea gulls and sea shells.  

I wonder what the beaches will be like in Kuwait?

Washington, Do You Hear My Voice?

One of my dearest friends in this world is the widow of General Mohammad Daud Daud.  I have come through her eyes to know what an honorable and courageous man he was.  I have come to know as well the leadership which he not only exhibited every day on the job, but lived behind closed doors at home.  True character really is what you do when no one is watching.  Afghanistan lost one of her finest sons on May 28, 2011.  We are leaving Afghanistan soon, this country must have those sons and daughters supported who are willing to rise up in the same honor and devoted service to Afghanistan that my dear friend's husband lived and died in.

 Belquis and I visiting the White House

I Found an Excellent You Tube Video on Kuwait!

You will enjoy this high quality video on Kuwait!

   

It Keeps Raining and Raining Here

It makes the woods and pond so beautiful in the evening... the green of the woods is so deep.

These Little Lizards Are Everywhere at the Ranch

This is a common lizard with little sticky feet which I see eating bugs every Spring and Summer on my kitchen window.  One year at Christmas my grand-son Tristen caught one of these little fellows and he received a glass aquarium to keep him in.  He lived for about two years in the aquarium, which was quite remarkable I thought. I wonder what king of lizards I will see at my new home in Kuwait?  I think I will do some research, and I promise I will post pictures of the lizards I find in my yard when I arrive in Kuwait.  Does anyone know what kind of lizards are found in Kuwait?

The Colors are Stunning!

A Family With Ties to Kuwait Visited the Ranch

I recently made a new friend, and her daughter had a birthday recently, so we arranged for the family and friends of the daughter visit the ranch for a "Barbie Doll Birthday Party."  They came out Saturday evening, and we enjoyed good food, good company, and a fun time for the "birthday girl," Carla who turned twelve last week.

Her dad, Michael, had worked at BAE Systems where the MRAP vehicle was built and made here in Sealy, Texas.   This heavy armament vehicle was used in the conflict in Afghanistan to save many lives of our American Service Members.  Michael also lived and worked as a contracted employee in Kuwait maintaining these vehicles during the conflict in Iraq.

He spoke of how nice the country and people are, and of how he had enjoyed his time living in Kuwait.  He also tried his hand at fishing at the ranch, but the after hooking a big catfish, it broke his line and got away.  His daughter Carla and friends enjoyed petting the baby rabbits, and seeing all the animals in the petting zoo here at the ranch, but by far the favorite activity at the ranch proved to be playing with the "My Size Barbies" which all little little girls love!

 

A Life Well Lived

Some time back, I had the chance privilege of meeting and coming to love as dear friends the widow and children of one of Afghanistan's finest sons, Mohammed Daud Daud.  He was assassinated by vile men on May 28, 2011, but when a man of this statue is killed by his enemies, the enemies are the ones who fail.  For those among us who live in the knowledge of the honor and courage of the man who stood firmly until the end for those he loved and the highest ideals of humanity, he only shines brighter, his words are remembered even more vividly, and what he stood for is lifted higher, when the enemy destroys.

 So it is with General Daud, whose life and ideals live on, only being etched in the minds and hearts of the people of Afghanistan and the world more deeply.  His life calls more clearly to those left behind, especially the youth of Afghanistan, urging that they live above the common man.  His life calls to all and urges significant living, devotion to honor, and bravery to face evil, never flinching.

In a world so hungry for the examples of lives spent in such meaningful living, that their light shines on, even in death and beyond, Mohammed Daud Daud remains a light on a hill.  The truth of his life remains to inspire, make hearts brave, and strengthen the resolve of those who would follow his example.

As I woke this morning, my mind was on his widow and children, and I considered how much they mean to me, and how fortunate I am to have come to know them and of the life of Mohammed Daud Daud.  With this consideration, came a sense of my own responsibility concerning this blessing.  It is not right that I know what I have learned from the lives of he and his family, without doing my best to share the light in which he lived, and they do still.  So I am recording and sharing his story for those in my own sphere of influence, and I trust it will further the influence of such a life so well lived.  This day, the life of Mohammed Daud Daud will spur me to higher living, to greater commitment, and to more diligence toward the things which are really important at the end of the day.  I am going to record stories of his life, as told to me by the woman he so deeply loved and cherished, in the days ahead in this blog, knowing that whoever finds them will be inspired to greater living.  As always, in my prayers I will ask for the strengthening and care of the family he left behind.  

I can think of no better place to start than with these words:

 
"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly."

I Keep Wondering What My New Home Will Look Like

I love my humble little home on Soldier's Heart Ranch.  We certainly don't live in splendor, or even in high style, but the things we have done to our little 2700 square feet, and the things we have arranged there please me.  I wonder often now what my new temporary home in Kuwait will look like, and I look so forward to decorating it.  The work and art of furnishing a home so that it is a comfort to those who live there as well as those who visit is something I greatly enjoy.  Here are a few pictures to share what my home in Texas is like.  I spend time day dreaming now of how I will arrange my home in Kuwait to provide comfort to guests, and invite them to stay awhile and visit.

These are just a few of the rooms of our present home, I will post more later.

I Live 92 miles From the Gulf Coast, We Had an Ice Storm March 3rd

For a short period of time I10 was closed due to icy conditions... 

amazing for March on the Gulf Coast!

  You will notice that the grass had already turned 

green... because it is Spring in Texas!

 It is softly raining as I am taking these photos, you can see the drops hitting the water.

My new/old tractor is getting wet!

Icicles are hanging from the hanging basket hooks on the porch.

Frozen grass and the tree limbs that are breaking and 

falling to the ground from the added weight.

I managed to catch a rain drop slightly to the center of this photo.

Powerful News From Our Dear Friend!

As my husband has served in the American Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, it has been our great privilege to come to know and call dearest of friends Canon Andrew White.  The story of his life is amazing and compelling.  Above all else he loves and serves God, and after that his heart and life are a sacrifice for the people of Iraq, where his heart resides.  He has been this past 10 days in meetings bringing together the religious leaders of Iraq, all of the religious leaders of Iraq,.. in the same place... in the same mission... in the same endeavor, and loving your neighbor as yourself has prevailed in the meetings of these great committed men.  God has prevailed in these meetings.  The Bible says, "if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me."

God loves the people of the Middle East with a passion we cannot fathom.  His desire is for peace for their people, the peace that the world cannot give, and cannot take away, no matter what rages around them.  His Word goes out, His love goes out, His mercy and grace, and it does not return void.

Pray for the people of the Middle East, they have suffered so long, buried their dead daily, and God desires for their hearts to know and be comforted by Him.  Peace gives the opportunity for His Word to go out.

This is the message going out from Brother Andrew with this photo on his Facebook page.  You should follow him, he is changing the world.


"FEAR IS CANCELLED
An incredible meeting of the Iraqi religious leaders. Shia, Sunni, Christians and others declaring we are one. We arrived in fear and the result of our meeting is that "Fear Is Cancelled".

Chance is Defiitely Going to Kuwait!

I have an adorable addition to the household, and he is the other pet which will go to Kuwait with us. His name is Chance, and he has a personality that won't quit!   He is almost perfectly mannered, and is as charming as he can be.  Who couldn't love a face like this! 

However, he does have one little bad habit...

He wants out this door, really badly every morning, well really all day long!

In and of itself, that is not a point of contention...

There is a lot of little details however which serve
 to make it a little problematic...

First there is the fact I like to get up at 5A.M.  I do that because I like to start my morning slowly.  I like to make my eggs, bacon, and coffee with International Delight's Sugar Free Caramel Macchiato Gourmet Coffee Creamer, and set a pretty table in the kitchen. I watch the sun rise through the french doors and windows which the table sits in front of as I enjoy my breakfast.  (I am trying to stay off the sweets, and truly that concoction from International Delight in my coffee is an adequate sugar fix for the whole day, and I don't get a bit of sugar!)  I check my email, work on my blog, and read books as I eat slowly, and sip my coffee. The eagerness with which Chance approaches every day isn't slow in any way, hence the conflict in our two morning routines.

Chance just  cannot wait to go outside... and before the first ray of daylight, along about 4:30, he begins begging to go outside. First he paces... going to the window and using his nose to push the curtain aside, and peeking out.   He jumps around, "noses" me, and seems to be able to whine in several different languages. If that doesn't get me up, he puts both paws up on the bed, completely forgetting his limp from the night before from racing around chasing the horses, and does something akin to singing.  With his head thrown back, making vocals such as I have never heard from man nor beast, he sings of his desire to "live free."  In his favor, he is such a little gentleman, as when I tell him no, he is quiet for about 5 minutes. Then it starts all over again until I get up and let him out. (I guess persistence is a virtue... in some cases...)  It was so chilly this morning, about 42, and I have to stay out with him before the sun comes up, because there are huge packs of coyotes that come through the property during the night.  They would have him in less than thirty seconds.

So a brief time for morning routines, then we go back inside and it is now time to get up... sigh...  I start my own routine... but it isn't quiet and peaceful any longer.  The next round of desiring the outdoors begins just about the time I set down to breakfast, and the rounds end when he naps, or we go to bed at night.  Who cares, he is a wonderful little companion, dashing through his days in complete joy at having found a home at the ranch!

When he saw the cat go by when I let him in for breakfast, he immediately deduced there could be amusing things going on inside the house too! I can't wait to watch him explore Kuwait, I know he will love it!