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Many family members are thrown into the situation of care giving because of a medical health crisis of a loved one. It is important to know what condition your loved one is in while they are in the hospital and the progress they are making. It is just as important to know your family member’s condition before they ever need to go to a hospital because of a medical health accident.

We usually know about our close family members or friends general condition if we are in close and frequent contact. But if we are away from our family member over a period of time or distance, we may not know very much about their condition.

I would like you to take this opportunity and think about what is your family network is like. Do those that you care about have someone looking out for them or are they capable of looking out for themselves? Widowed or divorced spouses and the single elderly may be more at risk for a medical health care crisis. Do your elderly family members care for their old elderly parents, relatives or friends? If so, their risk increases.

Many elderly individuals will not ask for help, not even the ones we love. Their pride and their fears keep them from asking. Their biggest fear is the loss of control just like you and I.

Consider contacting your elderly family members in the near future and ask how they are doing. Then plan a visit soon and see how they are really doing. What they say and what is really happening may not be the same. The only way to find out if they are still capable of getting their needs met is in person. Do they have a plan in place for potential events that may occur? Are they leaving it up to chance? Do they have advance directives in place? Do they have a plan just in case they have a medical health accident?

Maybe you are thinking why this should even matter to me at all? Why, because in the long run it may effect you. If they have a crisis, will someone contact you to take care of their personal matters and expect you to make choices for them? What’s the real possibility? Or the worst case scenario that you read about in papers…someone falling at home and they can’t get up or reach the phone and days later they are found. You know. Dead. It happens. Then the people that could have done something live with some regrets.

Go visit just to check it out. Maybe they do have a plan and everything in place.

Here is a list of some signs to look for that may indicate that your family member or friend may not be coping well:

Appearance - Are they maintaining their usual appearance? Do they appear to have lost some significant weight over time an unreasonable amount of time? Are their clothes very loose? Are they using their eyeglasses or dentures? Layered clothing? Clean shaven? Make up? Clean clothing? Unreasonable body odor? Their hair?

Eating Habits - Have their eating habits changed? Are they still able to prepare food? Are they still safe while preparing food? Do they have adequate food in their home?

While eating are they coughing? While they eat does their nose run? Do they talk about difficulty swallowing?

Mobility - Is there a change in their posture? Are they having difficulty moving? Are they grabbing furniture to walk? If they have stairs or steps are they still able to use them?

Mood - Are they happy? Are they ejoying life? Are they still involved in hobbies or interest? Have they given up on any pursuits? Have they had any changes in social activity? Do they talk about fears or being lonely?

Memory - When you visit do they remember who you are? Do they talk about current events or the past? In the period of one hour are they repeating a story more than one time? Are they distractible? Do they change the subject? Are they able to make their needs known?

Home - Is the appearance of their living quarters in its usual state? Are there any foul smells? Has the trash been recently emptied? Is laundry excessively stacked up? Are their utilities still in service? Does the yard look different from its usual state?

Health Care - Have they been to their doctor? Are they on medication? Are they taking their medication as scheduled? Do they use a medication organizer? Can they afford their medication?

Public Safety - Are they still driving? Have they had any auto accidents? Are there unusual dents or scratches on their vehicle? Take a ride. Are they safe? Are they still able to get out and do errands? To they get lost? Do they forget where they are going?

If you recognize at least two or three significant changes, your family member may be having difficulty coping. It may be time to talk with them and see what kind of help they need. It is time to help them make a plan if they do not have one. Consider if they don’t have a plan they are at an even greater risk of a medical health accident that has the potential for crisis.

If you observe many of these changes and your family member is in denial your may have to enlist the help of other supportive family. And still, if that doesn’t work out for the best then you may have to provide what I call Tuff Love and contact your local family protective services. Family protective services will send out a social worker to assess for real problems and take the necessary steps to assure your family member or friends safety. Be sure to give them your name and phone number as a contact person if they may need your help.

You can find help at your State and Area Agency on Aging. To kind your click on this link: http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/How_To_Find/Agencies/Agencies.asp

It is harder to begin caregiving at the onset of a crisis. It is easier to help your family member or friend by collaboratively designing a plan in case the unexpected happens. It all begins with talking and appreciating each other’s value. Older family members and friends do not want to be a burden on anyone. Help them remain in control for as long as possible. Let’s keep our elderly safe!

About The Author

Tammy Gonzales of RevitaLife Coaching and Consulting, LLC provides coaching, consulting, message board, free assessments and free sessions to get you on your way to learn how and to be able to stand up for rights as an aging indivudual or caregiver. Get empowered visit www.revitalifecoaching.com; [mailto:tammy@revitalifecoaching.com]tammy@revitalifecoaching.com

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My name is Barbara and I am a proud Marine Corps wife. I am the granddaughter of a Korean War Veteran and the daughter of a military brat. Long before meeting my Marine Corps husband I had gypsy feet from my childhood spent with a father who, after growing up in the Navy, could never remain in one place too long. I coveted the stories of my father’s youth, growing up on military bases and seeing the world.

Perhaps then it was no surprise to anyone when some years later, I was again charmed by the stories of adventure and ideals of patriotism another man in uniform brought into my life. But despite my initial fascination with the military, when a marriage license and a Budget Truck found me halfway across the country as a new bride of Uncle Sam, I was less than charmed. Oh, my husband still looked just as handsome in his high and tight and Dress Blues, and I was still feeling blissful about being a newlywed, however it did not take long until I decided the Marine Corps and I were just not going to get along.

It was the little things at first. Having grown up in the country on acres of land, it was a surprise to me that families in base housing were herded together in duplexes, triplexes and worse. You could hear the neighbor’s television set and their toilet flush! I also soon found my identity was not really Barbara anymore, but the dependent of LCpl Bates. So, dutifully as all military wives do, I memorized my husband’s social security number and carried my identification card religiously.

I thought surely my husband was joking when he first explained he would have to routinely stand 24-hour duties away from home. “All night long?!” I asked incredulously. And as if all that were not enough, then came deployments. About a year and a half into our marriage, my husband and I became the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy. A boy, I thought, who needed two parents around to raise him. The Marine Corps however, assured me I could do just fine on my own by sending my husband off on deployments. “Not fair!” I protested. “Can’t they see I need him here?” But the Marine Corps needed him more, and off he went.

So it went for almost four years of my life: duty, deployments and the inevitable sick child and mechanical malfunctions that always accompanied them. When my husband’s end of active service date approached and talks turned toward the idea of reenlistment, I did not give it a second thought. The Marine Corps was no place to raise a family. It was time to go home.

So, once again, we loaded up our (this time much larger) Budget Truck and headed back to Civilian Town, USA. But, after pulling off the interstate exit to our hometown, instead of the exuberance expected, my husband and I both felt strangely empty.

In the days and weeks that would follow, I reasoned with myself we had simply been so excited about our move back home that the reality of it was destined to pale in comparison.

We rented a house in the country with a big yard and no neighbors nearby. Instead of enjoying the newfound peace and quiet, I woke up in the mornings missing the sound of the children whose delighted screams always echoed from the playground behind our base housing duplex. I missed the comforting sounds of another family living next door, who could always be counted on to lend a cup of milk or good cheer. Shopping trips were no longer to the commissary or the exchange, and the checkout girl at the local Food Lion did not care a thing about seeing my identification card.

My husband and I went to work in civilian jobs and tried to get on with life, but no matter what we did, something just did not feel right. We constantly talked about all our friends and past adventures, and how all the men in our hometown needed haircuts. It did not take long to realize that, although we had taken ourselves out of the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps was not easily going to be taken out of us.

In becoming civilians again, we finally understood what it meant to be military. What we had thought of as only a job ran much deeper. It had become our life. The endless deployments and duty assignments, the nights spent apart, the well worn and unpapered walls of base housing, these were our calling.

As a young military family, we had seen these things as sacrifices to be made. But they were not sacrifices. As a civilian family, we went to work each day wondering if the jobs we were devoting so much of our time to even mattered in the grand scheme of things. In the Marine Corps, we knew we were a part of something that mattered not only to us, but also to the entire world. Instead of a sacrifice, it was an honor to know we set the standard for others by living the core values set forth by our republic long ago in its infancy: honesty, courage, respect, loyalty, dependability and a sense of devotion to God, community and family. As members of the military family, we made a difference; the lives touched by our own, immeasurable. Civilian life just could not compare to that. With a new understanding and sense of humility for our place in life, my husband and I finally knew for certain where we belonged. Shortly thereafter, he reenlisted and we found our way home to the Corps, back to deployments and duty and the utmost sense of pride we had ever found.

Though our time as civilians was short, the lessons it taught were unforgettable. We do not live the military life; it lives in us. It grows in the heart day by day as we share our lives together as military families. It happens as we shop at the commissaries and exchanges, and iron uniforms, sew patches and shine boots. It is a shared sense of pride that bonds us together as family, a family where each and every service member is one of our own, and all of us matter.

As for me, I took the long way around, but I can now say without a doubt, I am a Marine Corps wife, and I am proud. Now would someone please tell my neighbors to turn down their television set?

About The Author

Barbara Eastom Bates is the author of the upcoming release, “Basic Training for Brides-to-Be,” and the editor-in-chief of Operation Military Spouse, http://www.operationmilitary.spouse.com. Email: [mailto:bbates74@comcast.net]bbates74@comcast.net

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When we think of giving gifts, we usually think of things to buy for people. Yet if you think back on gifts you’ve been given, it might not be the material gifts you received that are foremost in your mind - it might be the kind of gifts that deeply touched your heart and soul. It might be various ways, other than material things, that people expressed their love to you.

There are five gifts of love that we can give to our families that can make a huge difference in their lives.

THE GIFT OF CARING AND COMPASSION

We all yearn to feel cared for, yet many of us withhold caring and compassion for others. A profound gift we can give to our loved ones is to listen with our heart, to understand and accept rather than to judge, and to stay open to learning rather than to protect against being hurt.

Think about the last time someone actually listened to you and gave you understanding and acceptance. The feeling of being understood and accepted with caring and compassion is one of the best feelings in the world. Instead of focusing on getting this from others, why not focus on giving it to others? You might be surprised at how wonderful you feel in giving this gift to your family.

THE GIFT OF COURAGE

One of the best gifts we can give our loved ones is our own courage. This means being having the courage to stand in our truth, to be honest about what we want and don’t want, what we will do and won’t do, what is and what is not acceptable to us. It means having the courage to take good care of ourselves, even if others don’t like it. It means not succumbing to our controlling behaviors that come from fear: anger, withdrawal, compliance, resistance, but instead being honest and above-board about ourselves. It means being willing to face conflict rather than give ourselves up to avoid it.

When we have the courage to face conflict and tell the truth, we not only provide our family with a role model for courage, but we provide opportunities for our loved ones to step up to the plate in the face of our truth and learn to be courageous too.

THE GIFT OF SERVICE

We are on this planet to learn to love ourselves and each other, and to help each other. One of the best gifts we can give our family is to role model this by doing service. Helping others fills the heart and soul in ways that nothing else can. If children do not see their parents doing service and helping others, they may never learn the great joy and fulfillment that comes from giving. One of the best gifts we can give to our family is to provide ways of doing service.

THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY

All of us are born with various ways of expressing our creativity. Expressing creativity is a profound way of connecting with Spirit, since expressed creativity is a direct expression of Spirit. Providing your family with many ways of expressing their creativity is a great gift. Creativity can be expressed in so many ways - cooking, crafts, building things, music, art, movement, telling stories, writing, humor, photography and video - the possibilities are endless! Creative family projects are especially wonderful in creating family closeness.

THE GIFT OF LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Lightness of being - fun, joy, laughter, playfulness - is a great gift to give to others. Lightness of being is infectious - our laughter and playfulness can help others take life less seriously and “lighten up.”

Lightness of being is one the results of all the other gifts - of caring, courage, service and creativity. When we give these gifts, we feel a wonderful lightness within, the lightness that is the result of fully giving from the heart. Our own lightness of being can bring lightness into our whole family. Children love it when their parents are playful, funloving and joyful. Laughing together as a family is one of the most precious experiences in life.

We need to focus of giving these gifts each day, not just during a holiday season or special occasions. These gifts are far more important than any material thing we can buy for someone. In fact, we might not be so focused on material gifts if we frequently give the gift of love - of caring, compassion, courage, service, creativity, and lightness of being.

About The Author

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including “Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?” She is the co-creator of a powerful healing process called Inner Bonding. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or [mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com ]mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

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“The flag stands for all that we hold dear — freedom, democracy, government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
–Henry Cabot Lodge, 1915

No matter what political party one belongs to, or what one’s particular view is concerning the events in Iraq and the Middle East, the fact remains that our American soldiers are there.

A good many of them are National Guard troops and reservists from the various states, who have been activated and are being deployed overseas to a war zone.

These are soldiers who are taking time out from their lives and families to serve — the call has come and they are responding readily and whole-heartedly.

Let’s all show our support for them and all our military personnel by flying our national flag every day.

Remember, our flag should always be treated with the utmost care and respect. The flag represents a living country and, as such, is considered a living thing.

Always display the flag with the blue union field up.

Always hold the flag carefully — never let it touch anything beneath it.

Always keep the flag aloft and free — never carry it flat or horizontally.

Always keep the flag clean and safe — never let it become torn, soiled or damaged.

Did you know: the U.S. flag was adopted on June 14, 1777, and is the fourth oldest national flag in the world.

Join me in flying our national flag on the next flag holiday: Labor Day, September 6.

The Soldier author unknown

It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves under the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to disrespect the flag.

About The Author

Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another” bi-weekly newsletter and founder of the website of the same name. Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to find creative tips, articles, and a free e-cooking book. Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course “Taming the Monster Grocery Bill”.

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This week I celebrate another birthday, which brings me to that auspicious milestone where I am right between 52 and 54. A person only comes to this stage of life once, so I am going to make the most of it.

This year I plan celebrating my 29th birthday. I figure it’s my birthday, so I should be able to celebrate whichever one I please. Twenty-nine is the perfect age; this is the third time for me to celebrate it and it probably will not be the last.

At 29, you are not over the hill and yet you are far enough from those turbulent teenage years not to be mistaken by anyone for a teenager. Everybody knows that 30 is over the hill and it is all down hill from there. However, it can be a pleasant slide into those golden years, so they tell me.

I have come to this conclusion. When a person reaches 30, they should celebrate their birthday every other year, then, after 50 only celebrate their birthday whenever they remember it. It will cut down on the fire hazard some birthday cakes pose. A person should only be as old as the birthdays they can remember.

Lying about one’s age has become an acceptable practice for many. Women, in particular, have mastered the finesse in this area. After all, what man in his right mind (if you can find one in his right mind) would ever accuse a woman, especially his wife, of fibbing here?

As long as there are stretch marks, people will stretch the truth about their nativity. Beware of the person who does not lie about their age. They are trying to throw you off guard for something.

Men can lie about their golf game, or how big the fish that got away was but when it comes to their age, women have them beat, hands down. Men have never mastered the technique crucial to lying about how many candles should go on that annual cake.

Men have a ridiculous notion that getting older is good. “I’m 65 and still can do the work of any 25-year-old,” is the boast you often hear from the male populous. Most women will never admit to being 65, let alone comparing themselves to some 25-year-old.

This brings me to a very important inquiry: How to tell you’re getting old. After all, old is relative - only your relatives are getting old.

The first telltale sign of getting older is that you begin to notice certain changes around you. For example, when I first began reading this newspaper they printed it in nice bold type. Now they are using much smaller print.

I think the change relates to some economical concern the publisher has. After all, smaller type means they can print more words per page. If the trend continues, they will be able to print the entire newspaper on one page.

Another sign I have recently noticed is that stairs have become steeper. A couple of years ago I barely noticed them. However, a conspiracy is in the wind. Not only are they steeper but some unscrupulous person has added steps to all the stairs in my vicinity.

We must put together a special task force immediately before any more steps are added. A danger here, and I don’t want to be an alarmist, is that eventually staircases will never end and they will go absolutely nowhere.

Is it me or are people playing music much louder than they used to? I’m not sure of the reason for this annoying change, but I believe someone has been slowly increasing the volume, thinking nobody will notice. But I have noticed, so please stop it, whoever you are.

To compound this problem many people are talking much faster then they used to, especially the under 20 group. That may explain why I never get what I order at a drive-thru restaurant.

Then, the week seems to go by so much faster. I can remember when I was in school the week just dragged on and on. I thought it would never end.

Now, I no sooner get adjusted to Monday and its Friday already. Whatever happens to Tuesday through Thursday? Where do those days go?

I almost forgot (my memory is not what it used to be), I would like to say something nice about losing your memory. My grandmother always said that if you could not say something nice about someone you should not say anything at all.

So, let me say something nice about the marvelous phenomena of forgetfulness. Ah … I’m sorry. I forgot what I was going to say.

Age does have its advantages: free checking, 10 percent off at most restaurants, and not remembering what you had for dinner last night which enables you to have desert two days in a row without feeling guilty.

Everybody grows old but not many people grow up. This is a major problem not only in general but also in the church. Some Christians are not growing up.

The Apostle Peter was concerned about this. He writes, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:5 KJV.)

Each day brings with it opportunities to grow. Take advantage of it today and enjoy getting older.

About The Author

James L. Snyder is an award winning author and popular columnist living in Ocala, FL with his wife Martha. [mailto:jamessnyder2@att.net]jamessnyder2@att.net

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When you think of incense burners, you probably think of the most common ash catcher style, a flat piece of wood with simple drilled holes to hold the incense. These simple incense burners are classic, and a great way to hold your incense, but there’s a whole world of beautiful and unusual incense burners to choose from.

Incense burners come in every shape, style, and color imaginable. There are incense burners for stick incense, coil incense, and resin incense. You needn’t store incense burners away or hide them in a corner. The burners themselves can be great focal points in your decor. There are incense burner boxes, bowls, statues, bottles, carvings, and hangings. From intricately detailed, to sleek and simple, there’s an incense burner to match your decor and set the perfect mood.

Of course, the most beautiful incense burner is one you can make yourself. Simply choose a heat-resistant bowl in whatever material and design appeals to you most. It can be a simple terra cotta bowl or a detailed carved bowl. Fill the bowl with enough sand to hold up an incense stick. Then decorate by placing any non-flammable material on top of the sand. Seashells, river rocks, and sea glass are all great choices for decorating your incense bowl.

Use the incense burner and the incense together to set the mood. Want a calm, soothing effect to relieve stress? Choose sandalwood incense in a lotus flower-shaped burner. Need a pick-me-up for your mind? Use a lavender or rosemary scented incense in a burner box which releases the smoke in unique patterns through the top. Feeling irritable? Try ocean or spring scented incense in a burner shaped like your favorite animal.

So when you want to set a mood with incense, don’t forget the visual delight added by a great incense burner.

About The Author

Johann Erickson is the owner of Online Discount Mart ( http://www.onlinediscountmart.com). Please email the author and include an active link to this website if you’d like to use this article.

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If someone you know and love is in the hospital there are a few things you need to know especially if you are the Heath Care Agent or the surrogate that will be acting and making decisions for the patient.

Keep a notebook and a pen available with you at all times. You will have many things going through your mind that you may need to keep track of and the notebook will be helpful. Much of this information will be exchanged in the days to come with physicians, other family members and friends, and the discharge planner. Family or friends may be asking you questions and offering to do things for you. You do not have to do all of the writing, assign whoever is with you to do some of the writing for you.

Be sure to use the opportunities that family and friends will be offering you now. Select someone you trust who is supportive to be your helper. Let that individual know what it is that you need for them to do. Several others will be offering to help as well, but for the next few days you need a support person. There will be those that offer to do specific things for you, allow them to do those things as long as you trust them. Then, there will be other individuals that will ask if there is anything that they can do for you that is non-specific, if know what these individuals can do for you, go ahead and ask them to do it. Make the most out of this opportunity to allow others to give to you when they offer. (They may not later).

Find out who the discharge planner is and schedule a meeting as soon as possible. Discharge planning is a process and it begins at admission. The discharge planner will help you arrange the care needed for your loved one or friend when it is time for them to go home. They must notify you of their plans before the discharge occurs. The discharge planner can also be your liaison to get needed information from physician and the different specialists who are following your loved one or friend.

Ask the nurse when the physician will be doing his rounds. Most physicians do daily rounds or have rounds assigned. Be there during rounds. Make the most of these daily opportunities. This will be the time that you can ask the physician questions and set up a meeting to talk about your loved ones condition, progress, diagnostics, treatments, medication and what may happen in the future.

Contact your insurance company to find out what is covered or not covered in your policy. Get the name of a contact person and their assistant’s name for future questions that you will have for them about rehabilitation, home care, nursing home care, etc. If, you have Medicare, the discharge planner or admissions office will be able to help with Medicare coverage while your patient is in the hospital.

You are the advocate now. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Every question you ask and receive answers to will help you make better decisions about the care your loved one will need. No matter what it is that you do not know or understand about the care that your loved one is receiving, ask. Some professionals forget to break down their knowledge in to terms that are easy to understand. Ask them to simplify or use layman’s terms.

Take care of yourself. Make sure that you are drinking adequate fluids including water. Be sure to have your regular meals and don’t rely on snacks to keep you going. You need rest. Try to take small naps when your loved one is napping even if it is at bedside. Use a Do Not Disturb sign if you need to. Remind others when you need privacy. You may require emotional support. The hospital has a Chaplin and social workers available that can offer you support and counseling.

Take some time to think about how you may or may not be able to care for your loved one. Think about the treatments your loved one is receiving and if the treatment is one that you can learn to do. How will you help your loved one with tasks of activities of daily living? Will you be able to help them walk, transfer, toilet, dress, bath, and eat if that is the help they need? You may not be able to some of these tasks, you may require help, training or maybe a caregiver. You may have to work. Your loved one may require more treatment or rehabilitation to be able to come home. In any case, you should carefully evaluate your circumstances and meet with the discharge planner and let him/her know what help you may need and find out what alternatives are available.

Following are resources links to additional information:

Your Medicare Coverage http://www.medicare.gov/Coverage/Home.asp

National Alliance for Caregiving http://www.caregiving.org/Family Discharge Planning.pdf

About The Author

RevitaLife Coaching and Consulting provides coaching, consulting, message board, free assessments and free sessions to get you on your way. For additional information please visit RevitaLife on the web at: http://www.revitalifecoaching.com; [mailto:tammygcoach@msn.com]tammygcoach@msn.com

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The air was crisp that bright autumn day, not unlike the uniforms of the hundreds of Marines who had gathered to mark the passage of a sacred occasion. A sea of faces filled the outdoor stadium under the blue Carolina sky as Marines and their families were regaled with tales of their beloved Corps. A portrait of the past came alive as, one by one, battles were remembered, tales of heroism were retold and a legacy of honor and bravery were unveiled. As the ceremony drew to a close, the Colors were marched across the field. The stadium fell silent.

It was a day of beginnings. The occasion marked the 220th anniversary of the formation of the United States Marine Corps by the Second Continental Congress on November 10, 1775. For me, it was the dawn of a new life, the day I would be asked to marry a Marine and become a military wife.

Several months and a marriage license later found my new husband and I oceans apart. He was deployed on an imminent danger mission to a place that had no name. Communications were scarce and I wondered if he’d come home alive. I wondered if I could bear the months of waiting.

Through it all, were the careless and often heartbreaking remarks of well-meaning civilian friends and co-workers who questioned how I could stand being married to someone with a job like his. In my darkest hours, I did not know if I could.

Yet hours gave way to days, and days became weeks and eventually months. My husband came home, and I came to a realization: I had gotten through each day of our separation because I had to. There was simply no other choice. The man I chose to spend the rest of my life with chose the Marine Corps before he married me. Life as a military wife was not always going to be easy. Yet the months apart had sparked an epiphany for me. I was stronger than I realized. The deployment had pushed me to the edge of my limits, but I discovered untapped reserves. I had always been proud of my Marine husband, but had now found reason to be proud of myself. I had found the proverbial rose amid the thorns of military life.

As military spouses, we wear no rank on our collars nor earn any medals for a job well done. Yet along with our military husbands and wives, we also serve the nation; the lives touched by our own, immeasurable. From the first Continental Army during the Revolutionary War to our present day, military spouses have shared in a legacy as rich and proud as that of the service men and women they have supported. We are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines without the uniform.

Had I not married my Marine husband, I would likely never have known I was strong enough to leave my family and the little hometown where I was raised. Were it not for deployments, I would not have known my marriage had the strength to face months of separation and still come out better than before, nor would I know the purest joy of being reunited with my husband after long periods apart.

I would not have a collection of love letters from every corner of the world to testify to the bond my husband and I share and to leave the grandchildren we hope to have one day. Most certainly, I would have missed the places I have seen, the things I have done and some of the best friends I have ever known.

Being a military wife is an experience like no other. We are united together in the common bond of service to our country and to our families. In doing our job, we allow our spouses to do theirs. As military families, we live together and work together; we rejoice together during times of victory and homecoming, and when tragedy strikes, it is together we mourn.

Our unique kinship grows in the heart day by day as we share our lives together. It happens as we shop at the commissaries and exchanges, iron uniforms, sew patches and shine boots. It is a shared sense of pride that bonds us together as family, a family where each and every service member is one of our own, and all of us matter.

Thinking back to that November of long ago, a lot of things have changed since I said “I do” to my fresh faced Lance Corporal. Yet, for all that has changed, there is one that never will. I am a Marine Corps wife, and I am proud.

About The Author

Barbara Eastom Bates is the author of the upcoming release, “Basic Training for Brides-to-Be,” and editor-in-chief of Operation Military Spouse, http://www.operationmilitaryspouse.com. [mailto:opmilspouse@yahoo.com]opmilspouse@yahoo.com

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Doll collecting is the second most popular hobby in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why. Porcelain Dolls transport us back to our childhood and evoke memories that no other toy can match. We remember our first doll, our favorite doll, the doll we loved to pieces and the beautiful doll we kept on a high shelf. We remember the comfort and love our dolls gave us and the first time we realized we were too old for our dolls. But were we really?

Consider porcelain dolls, they’re the perfect collectible doll. With delicate faces and hands, they remind us of why we loved dolls so much in the first place. There are tiny, precious newborn porcelain dolls, child-like porcelain dolls in fancy attire, and porcelain dolls based on favorite characters.

Porcelain doll collecting can be addictive, and the choices can be overwhelming. There are artist dolls, made by hand in limited numbers; antique porcelain dolls, which are scarce; limited edition dolls, which are mass-produced but only in limited numbers; reproductions, that often attempt to duplicate popular antique or rare dolls; and many, many other types of porcelain dolls.

If you want to start collecting porcelain dolls, the first thing to do is decide what type of porcelain doll you want to collect. Perhaps Victorian style porcelain dolls capture your heart, or you just fall in love when you see a porcelain ballerina doll. Whatever type of porcelain doll you can’t walk away from is the type for you.

Once you decide what type of porcelain doll you want to collect, (and the choice can be difficult!) you’ll want to thoroughly research it. Knowing what porcelain dolls are worth and how to tell an antique from a reproduction just may save your wallet. But, like fine art, purchase the porcelain dolls you love.

Once you start building a collection, it’ll be hard to stop. There are porcelain doll shows to attend, new friends to be made, and more and more porcelain dolls to be loved and admired. But every moment spent on porcelain dolls is like spending another moment in childhood.

About The Author

Johann Erickson is the owner of Online Discount Mart ( http://www.onlinediscountmart.com). Please email the author and include an active link to this website if you’d like to use this article.

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We all have our very busy times of the year. For accountants, it is tax season. For wedding planners, it is wedding season. For teachers it may be report card time.

During these incredibly busy times, it becomes hard to keep up with all household demands. The piles of laundry start to overflow, the mail pile takes over all flat surfaces, and the chores seem endless.

In order to prevent too much of a backlog, Organizedhome.com recommends implementing the Magic Minimum in your home.

Every family has different needs. However, for the most part, we all need to get to:

- the bills and deposits

- the laundry

- food, groceries, and dishes

- daily pickup

- bathroom and kitchen cleanup

To make your own Magic Minimum plan,”list the rock-bottom essential maintenance chores necessary to keep the household clean, fed and on time.” (Organizedhome.com)

Create a simple daily and weekly chart or plan. For example,

Every day:

Load and run dishwasher

Tidy kitchen

Run one load of laundry, fold and put away

Family pick-up time

Every week:

Review checkbook and pay bills

Shop for groceries

Clean bathrooms

Make sure to delegate tasks and post the chore lists in a central location so everyone knows what they need to do.

I hope it is a relief to know that there is indeed a way to “get away with” doing a minimum amount of housework. When you do finally get a break from the intensity of the busy time, you can get to the other chores! (I can hear your enthusiasm :)

Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com and subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips and downloads- free.

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