Today is September 11, 17 years ago life changed for all of us. I don't talk much about how devastating that day was but it changed my families life! During that time, my husband was active duty in the Air Force and we had just moved to Maxwell AFB. We were living in Temporary Living Facility on base. My older children were going to school on base and I had just dropped them off, when I turned on the radio, to hear about the first tower being hit. I hurried out of the car, got my little ones that weren't in school yet out and got in just in time to turn on the T.V as the second tower was hit!! I fell to the floor and just started sobbing! I knew this was the start of a war that my husband would be a part of!! He had been in for the Gulf war but had just finished school and with in a month it had ended. 

      We lost so many things that day! We lost the lives of soo many loved ones! We lost freedoms that we enjoyed and now are a memory! We lost our innocence and our ability to feel safe in crowds. We have traded freedoms for security...not that we shouldn't but how sad it has come to this. My children will never know the freedom of being walked to an airplane terminal or met at one. They will never know or see Soldiers flagging you through a gate doing fancy hand moves for fun to let you on base if you have a sticker on your car. They will never know what it's like to not watch people carefully if they look suspicious because if they have a backpack, it may have a bomb. We now live like many other countries, extra security and caution for our safety! I'm not saying it's not necessary, just sad the things that changed because of 9/11. I will never forget that day or the weeks after, the tears, the prayers and being glued to watching the rescue effort. My heart was forever changed, I think for the better. I try to be more understanding of others, I have more gratitude for what I have and for those I love. I have a great respect and love for those who put others first! I will forever be in awe of, our military and their families, our first responders and so many medical personal, who sacrifice for others! 

         Today we remember and I hope we try to remember all that we have as a Nation because of ALL who have sacrificed in soo many capacities! Thank you to all who make my life better and help me to have the freedoms I do have!

 

  This is something new for me. I'm going out of my comfort zone with this blog but have felt the Lord pushing me that this is what's next in my life. I have felt that this is a talent he now wants me to share with the world! I'm nervous, apprehensive and excited about the thought of reaching those seeking a place that will help lift them and maybe bring hope to someone who is down or struggling. I wish for this blog to be as the title states, a place of hope and refuge. This title came to me as I was seeking guidance from the Lord on what he wanted me to write about. I was told my gift of seeing the glass half full and my own struggles that I have over come and am going through may bring just as I wish, hope and refuge. Hope that you will see life a little or even a lot brighter and refuge as a way to retreat from the storms of life even for a few minutes, or that you may share your heart and know it's a safe place for you to do so. My desire is that we may share our hearts and deepest dreams and others just may give us the courage to pursue them. So please as you comment or share do so in a way that others may feel uplifted, lighter, and the resolve to take on the world!! We all get beat up in the crazy world we live in and sometimes we may feel alone but this isn't a place to tear others down or argue, we can have different views but we need to remember we can still be kind. 

 

  I would like to share a little about myself, I'm a wife of a retired Air Force soldier. We served in the Air Force for 21 years. I say we because our family sacrificed and endured just as my husband did, of course in a different way but still we all served. I hope that some that will read this will be military and will know that I understand where you are.  We have 10 children, 7 girls and 3 boys, yes they are all ours and no, no twins. Yes we wanted them and are truly thankful that the Lord asked us to have them. I understand others may not understand, agree with or even think children are a blessing. I also know that we are all asked to follow paths that our Father in Heaven has asked us to and as we willingly pursue the path He has for us we will be the happier for it but I will not judge you for how many children you do or don't have and hope you will do the same for me. My children are between the ages of 26-7, I also am a grandma to 2 very adorable little boys and (a beautiful granddaughter that one of our daughters placed in a loving, awesome family as we stood by her side. )I'm working on getting my cottage license in my state so that I might sell my Grandmothers awesome rolls, another gift I was given, bread making. I will share myself more in the future just an over view of who I am and where I hope to journey with you with this blog!! Happy writing!!