Weekend Retreat

Well the family got a wonderful treat this past weekend.  An all expenses paid weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado at the Beaver Run Resort. Skip's unit was hosting a marriage retreat and we got booked off the waiting list.  Totally awesome.

The drive up there is simply beautiful.  All the fall colors are starting to show and 3 hours of that was totally worth it! We got there and pretty much expected a room with a couple beds, but boy were we surprised when we walked into this:

700 square feet of total amazing!! We had a living room, dining area, fully equipped kitchen, full bath and a room with a queen and twin bed.  Also a wood burning fireplace and balcony.   Seriously, this room was bigger than my first apartment!   The view was great!

We did have to spend some time going to a marriage class that used The Five Love Languages as it's base, but it really wasn't bad.  Skip and I scored exactly the same as far as how we speak love, which I expected anyways, but it was really the other people that made me realize how good we are.  I think we were the only ones that didn't sign up for individual counseling with the Chaplin. The amount of hate and discontent I heard coming from the women was out of this world.  The amount of complaining about a totally free trip was just sad. 

Skip and I also realized that while having kids is certainly a lot of work and it does take time from one on one activities, we have built them into our marriage.  While Fiona did not spend any time in the provided day care services, Aiden did want to go play with the other kids and we reluctantly let him go. I was almost sad for the kids who's parents were all to happy to get rid of them. I am thankful we have found ways to stay close to each other with the demands of children 24/7.  I feel like that is nothing short of a huge accomplishment in today's world of disliking children.  

The weekend was fab.  We watched some TV(a luxury we do not pay for at home), cooked for each other and just enjoyed the time away and the time to really see what we actually have with each other.  We came home a new found appreciation for the times we do argue knowing its rare.  We love our kids, we love how included they are and we love that we are satisfied with the time we get together.  Nothing is really worth complaining about or hating your spouse over.  

9/11. United We Stand?

Two thousand, nine hundred ninety six(2,996) people were killed on September 11th, 2001. That number includes the supposed 19 that plotted the event.  Since then six thousand, five hundred sixty-eight(6,568) of our service members have died in the two wars that followed for the next ten years. Over one hundred thousand(>100,000) Iraqi civilians have been killed(that's innocent men, women and children).  Approximately twelve thousand five hundred(12,500)Afghan civilians have died(innocent men, women and children).  Since 9/11 there has been death, a lot of it. These numbers will not stop growing

Of the 2,977 Americans killed that day in the towers, how many do you think would have wanted to see near 7,000 more Americans killed for their justice?  Is that justice?  To lose more men and women than the original event?  Of those 2,977 Americans killed that day, how many do you think would have wanted to see well over 100,000 civilians killed for their justice? What person do you know that would stand up and call for more death?  For more destruction? For more pain and sorrow?

Matthew 5:39, But I am saying to you, you shall not rise up against an evil person, but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him also the other

In a country founded on Christian beliefs, a country where our money is stamped, "In God we trust" we sure do everything we can to not spread the message of love and peace we are supposed to live and breathe by.  Our elected officials can always be quoted saying "God Bless America", but what empty words they are.  What work are we doing that is God's work?  What message is this country sending it's people, its youth?  What message are we sending the world?  The message is horrific to me.  A message of death, of no compassion, messages of hate. I have to grow old in this world.  My kids have to grow up in this world.

9/11 is a date.  A day everyone thinks they are coming together.  A day people think about putting a flag out.  A day everyone sends messages of "love" and "support" to the people that died in the towers and the planes.  We think that we have done our American duty with this support and we truck on with our everyday lives.  But today really effects the people who are left behind without their loved ones.  A day they have to remember year after year.  It effects all the people who have lost loved ones during the 10 years of war that have followed.  They have to remember that their loss was caused by this day year after year.  It effects people like me, I have a husband that has served 18 years in the Armed Forces, two deployments with a third pending. I have to remember that this date is why we have the hardships we have, why my heart sinks with fear that he will never return and why he struggles to be normal after 2 deployments.

The problem with 9/11 is not only has it killed scores of people AFTER the fact, it has physically maimed people and mentally ruined others.  But is it really 9/11 that did that or is it the people of this country that allowed it to become what it has? If we had stood up and marched for the values this country is supposed to stand for, what would the death toll look like?  If we had stood up and removed Bush, Congress and the Senate from office for going against the best interest of this country, what would we look like 11 years later?  I cannot imagine it would be anything like it is today.  What would today look like if we had in fact STOOD UNITED?

In a way I suppose the country did stand together to do nothing about it.   I guess we are okay with being a war machine intent on killing everything in our path.  We are okay with being controlled by this date because it gives us something to come together on, being terrorized on our own soil for the sake of perceived safety from other countries that want to do us in.  So yes, I guess you can say as a country we stand united, just not in the way we are tricking ourselves into thinking.


United We Stand behind our TV's, behind the dollar bill, behind our own deceptions and lies.  United We Stand behind the things we own, the things we buy and the things we want.  United We Stand while divided behind religion, race, creed, sexual orientation, net worth, and so many others.  United We Stand in thinking we are all actually united in this whole mess we put ourselves in.

When America truly becomes united we will see changes that no one ever thought was possible.  I would like to hope that I see that in my lifetime, but I fear it's not to be.