Vacation

My family went on vacation in May to Florida. First, we stopped to be at a cousin's wedding, then went on to Disney World. So, without further ado, here are some pics:

On our way from the wedding to Disney, we stopped at my Great-Grandad's. From left to right are: my Great Aunt Betty, Megan, me, Dad, Karissa, Jess, Grandpop, & Emma

And here are my sisters and I in their yard.

Here's Karissa holding a Gecco she'd caught.

We were at Disney for 5 days. The first day, we went to Magic Kingdom.

Megan - the Birthday girl - getting a B-day call from... Goofy, I think it was. Happy 7 B-day,

Meggie!

Some cute elephants towards the front of the park.

Emma and Meg, up on decorative rocks.

The steamship Liberty Belle, (at least I think that's its name) circling Tom Sawyer Island.

All of us (except for Mom) on Big Thunder Mountain. This was Emma's & Megan's

1st time on a rollercoaster, and my 2nd.

I think this is an Egret. These birds were all over in all 5 Disney parks, sneaking

food (and napkins :) when they could.

Karissa in front of Cinderella's Castle.



Mom, Jess, me, Karissa, Emma, and Megan in front of the Crystal Palace, Pooh Bear's

favorite restuarant.



The second day, we went to Epcot.

Us girls

AHH!!! My little sisters are being eaten by the shark, Bruce!

Whew! They escaped his clutches, and we are now standing in front of the Mexican Temple =)

I believe this was at China. It's amazing how you could hop from country to country at Epcot...

Hm... This might've been France. Emma is holding out an umbrella we got from China

Our third day, we arrived at Animal Kingdom.

My sisters and I with Goofy and Pluto at Dinoland, Animal Kingdom

(exluding Karissa, as she DOES NOT in the least enjoy dressed-up characters)

Us girls in front of a mural on our walk through the jungle. (Jess was somewhere else.)

Here's a real good pic of a yawning lion, taken from the jeep on the Kilamanjaro Saffari.

Us having fun with a tiger :)

This was our 4th day, bag at Magic Kingdom. These guys entertained those waiting in line

for the Snow White ride.

We are in the 2-4th cars. Emma is terrified, while Dad and Karissa hold their arms way

up in the sky :D

Us in Minnie's house.

All of us in a carriage passing the time before the parade, and then fireworks.

Here's Mom, on our last day at Disney (at Hollywood Studios) Trying to act like her FAVORITE (hehehehe... actually LEAST FAVORITE) actor Jonny Depp, who plays her FAVORITE (Again, LEAST FAVORITE character), the Mad Hatter. heheheheheheheheheheheheheh

D-Day

This is a poem, written by a WWII vet (who was there on D-Day), about D-Day. My grandmother found it in last Sunday's paper.


The invasion had finally started.
We were off on a cruise of doom,
A mask of a smile on lips parted,
But a heart beneath full of gloom.

We knew it a big undertaking -
We all understood our job.
A beachhead was in the making,
A showdown on Hitler's mob.

Sam was thinking of England.
Johnnie, his wife at home.
A joker put on a swing band;
My thoughts began to roam.

Our boat cut thru the gray mist
And sped us on our way.
Many who looked at the watch on their wrist
Knelt down and began to pray.

Out of the mist loomed a murky wall -
It was Hitler's western defense.
Here was our goal and it had to fall
Was the flash to our inner sense.

The cry, "Saddle up," was the go sign.
The deck suddenly filled with men.
We were headed straight for the coastline;
God! Don't let this happen again.

Thru smoke we saw many sunken ships,
Proud in their ghost-like hue.
For they had scored their winning hits -
What more could you ask them to do?

The air reeked of death all over,
The water a blood-dyed red.
For a minute our heads seemed to lower,
A silent prayer for the dead.

Our craft didn't make it the first go.
She maneuvered to try it again.
The minutes seemed like ages, though,
Ere the prow of the boat hit the sand.

So into the icy water we jumped
As the shells whizzed overhead.
Many a pack and rifle dumped;
It was either that or be dead.

The beach was a literal graveyard.
The Jerries had taken their toll.
For the lads before us the road had been hard,
But they had continued to roll.

A deadly barrage from his 88s,
And the Boche had us eating sand.
It was there that some of our boys kept dates
With the Boss of the Promised Land.

John took the count - God save his soul!
War is terrible, I know,
But maybe it's best, he's reached his goal -
he's gone where the brave men go.

Sam, he got it below the knee.
A million-dollar wound, I guess.
And thus my partner was taken from me,
At least for a while he'll rest.

Joe and Robbie were caught there too,
And Sergeant Doe in the legs.
So onward, boys, it's for me and you
To grind these Nazis to dregs.

Yes, the beach was won at a terrible cost,
But they didn't die in vain.
If it wasn't for them, the day'd been lost
And we'd had to start once again.

So raise the Stars and Striped on high,
Ring praises thru our land -
For the valiant fightin' men who die
On a Flanders field of sand.

We're marching forward, the Fightin' First.
We're out for some Nazi blood.
And we won't stop till we stop this curse,
This nation ruled by a dud.

Yes, we're driving onward, this mighty team,
To meet a beaten foe.
And the valorous boys we left on the beach
Are with us wherever we go.

This story, though not completed,
Leaves a message in its wake;
We have never been defeated,
And w can give more than we take.

~ E. Duncan Cameron of Company C, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.



In Christ Alone,