Random Thoughts...

Recently Reed and I have had some amazing discussions and the recent news stories have sparked something in my mind and I must get out what's inside. I don't care if anyone reads it, I just have to get it out.

Lets start with Muslims and people of Arab descent. Right now my husband is over fighting a war and risking his life because of the actions of a group of radical Muslims. We have had many discussions recently about how people treat Muslims and Arabs in this country. It's awful. Just because of a group of radicals Americans have decided that all Middle Easterners are bad people and don't deserve to live. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say that we need to just bring all the soldiers home and nuke both countries. How naive is that? First of all , not everyone over there is bad. Saying that all Middle-Easterners are bad because of this group of people is like saying that all Americans are bad because of one of the many gangs or saying all Christians are bad because of Westboro Baptist Church. Secondly, nuking those countries are not going to get rid of the evil we are fighting. In fact many believe that the radical groups have moved out of the two countries that we are currently fighting in. Plus killing evil with evil will never solve anything. We have seen this over and over again in the history of the world. Also, do we so easily forget the other evils of the world, like the shoe bomber. He was from England and was African American; he was a radical Muslim and didn't fit the "typical profile." Does that mean that we now have to hate anyone that's not "American" and who isn't white? Don't get me wrong, I want nothing more than to have my husband and all the other soldiers home. I have felt the pain the worse causes, the sadness of losing a close friend to the war and the fear of someone knocking on the door to tell me I'm now a widow. Last I checked America was a place where people were welcomed and allowed a freedom of religion. As long as they are not breaking any of the laws of the country I don't see what the problem is.

My next thoughts center around the video that was released this week of the Texas judge beating his daughter. I watched the video and it broke my heart. How can a person do that to their own flesh and blood? I know that I'm not a parent yet and so many people say that I have no right to say anything about disciplining children. I, however, have been a child, and I also have been around many different children and have seen many different types of discipline. Reed and I have discussed disciplining our children especially now that we are ready to start having our own kids. I must say I an totally against spanking children. As their mother I am supposed to be the person that loves, nurtures, and encourages them. I'm not supposed to be the person that causes them pain, in face I'm supposed to protect them from pain. However, if I spank them am I not doing the opposite? When I brought this though up before people have compared us spanking our kids to our kids touching a hot stove. I do not see that as the same thing. When a kid touches the hot stove they connect the two events and their actions directly cause the stove and every time they touch it they get the same results. When we spank the kids their actions do not directly cause the pain of spanking. Instead they do something, we get upset and then cause them pain. We have discussed this and both feel like some sort of constructive discipline is better for our kids. Constructive discipline simply means that the discipline somehow teaches the children why what they did was wrong. For example if they disrespect their elders then their punishment would somehow teach them why respecting their elders are so important. I also believe that calmly talking to children works better than yelling or threatening them every time. Anyways, back to the video. I can't imagine how that girls parents thought they were showing her their love by beating her with a belt. Also what could she possibly have learned from that experience except fear? There is such a fine line in my opinion between spanking and abuse. How do you know where that line is? How do you make sure that you don't cross it?

So it's been a while

I just realized how long it's been since I actually posted anything here. Honestly not much has happened in our lives. We are over halfway through the year long deployment. I can't wait to have Reed back home and I know that he cant wait to come home. Mid-tour leave is coming up soon. We are both so excited and can't wait to finally be together again. For those who don't know we will be back in Texas. Neither one of us have made any real plans, except that we are flying into Lubbock. Reed will be home for two weeks and I will get there a few days before he gets there and leave a few days later. Alaska is beautiful. The snow has started and we have several inches covering the ground. Everyday I wake up, look outside and am constantly amazed by the beauty that surrounds me. Its amazing to me how much the deployment has strengthened our relationship. We have had lots of struggles and arguments, and I know that we will have more, but overall I feel like we are stronger. In our relationship we have overcome/endured so much, yet right now I feel closer to him than ever. That doesn't make sense, he's on the other side of the world, but it's true. Recently our conversations have taken on a much deeper level than just simple I love you and miss you. Anyways, I seem to be rambling so I'll be done for now and try to post on here more frequently.