Magical Moment 268, "A Year Ago..."

Eddie and I on our first visit to the Statue of Liberty 11/09

One year ago, Eddie and I pulled into a northern New Jersey town with a U-haul truck of our belongings. We were exhausted from packing, loading, and driving 12 hours and had un-loading and un-packing to look forward to (thankfully we ended up having amazing neighbors who helped immensely). My old, faithful dog, Duchess, was in the back seat, and Emily the cat was cuddled on Eddie’s lap. We were unemployed, knew no one in the area, and had absolutely zero clue what would be in store for us. We were brand new civilians, just out of the Army, and both beginning new careers. I hoped I would be a musician. And Eddie hoped he would be a Park Ranger.

In these 12 months, I struggled with finding work, getting rejections, and learning about the business. I played for free, played for tips, and played for idiots. I spent 3 months alone here while Eddie completed his Park Ranger training in North Carolina, and learned through trial and error how to navigate the streets of New York City and mass transportation. The loneliness and frustration were nearly more than I could handle and that’s why I started this blog in February. I needed to force myself to focus on something positive everyday. And amazingly, it has led to unexpected publications and opportunities I never planned on even attempting.

It’s amazing to look back and see how blind and naïve we were, stumbling our way through this learning process. And now after one full year, exactly, what do we have to show for it? Eddie is a Park Ranger, and nearly finished with his Bachelor’s degree. I am a musician. I’ve played at New York City landmarks such as The Broadway Comedy Club and Lincoln Center. I work at a ballet school and company. And I’m recording an EP with a respected, professional New York City music label. We’ve been to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and all 5 boroughs. We don’t even need a subway map anymore (that’s quite a feat!).

I never would have imagined that we’d come this far in only a year. What amazing and bountiful blessings that have been poured on us! If we’ve come this far in a year, I can’t wait to see where we are next year. We’ve only just begun!

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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