News article

Today I ran across a news article that was picked up by newspapers across the country. There was a very graphic article about a Marine that was KIA. This article included a pretty graphic picture of 2 Marines taking care of him during his last moments. Their justification of running the picture was to show the reality of war.

Defense secretary Gates, and the family members of the Marine asked the associated press not to run the photo. But the AP Editors decided it was necessary.


The caption of the photo reads as follows:

In this photo taken Friday, Aug. 14, Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard is tended to
by fellow U.S. Marines after being hit by a rocket propelled grenade during a
firefight against the Taliban in the village of Dahaneh in the Helmand province
of Afghanistan. Bernard was transported by helicopter to Camp Leatherneck where
he later died of his wounds.

My heart aches for the family. I know a journalist job is to take pictures and journal everything. But I think discretion needs to be used in what is published. I think it was incredibly disrespectful for them to run the photo.

I am not including a link, but if you want to see the article I am sure you can search it and find it.

In wars past photo journalism has played a role. There are pictures of us dropping the bomb on Hiroshima, Planting the flag at Iwo Jima, and pictures of the destruction at pearl harbor. So why is this one different to me?

I feel it is disrespectful to mass release a picture of such an intimate moment as this. Especially against the Families wishes, and against Secretary Gates wishes. I feel the picture maybe should have been archived if it was truly taken for historical documentation, but not necessarily released in such a public fashion.

I am very interested in other perspectives on this issue.

Dentist

I love my new dentist!!!

So I decided I was going to find a new dentist in town here in Jville. I LOVE my dentist in Virginia but it is time for me to take a big girl pill and be realistic about my time and find one in town. I asked around, called around, and got recommendations. I went into one dentist office in town Anderson and Slack. Everyone in town recommends this office, but I did not feel comfortable at all. I don't know why... But THEN I found :

Karen J. Armstrong, D.M.D.
Bethany K. Tant, D.D.S.
General Dentistry
(910) 346-5600

I have never been so impressed in my life!! First you drive up to this cute little house looking thing. At first I thought it was a little odd and I was slightly worried that it would be a dentist chair set up in someones living room. I was totally wrong but it is a very cute place :)

So then I walk in it is the largest most inviting, professional waiting room I have ever seen! When you walk in to the right is more of a traditional waiting area and then to the left was an area for children with video games, and a train table and movies. I loved it because I was actually ok with letting my kids play without annoying the adults in the other side of the waiting room. They had coffee and tea, and even a little table to sit at. All that in addition the the professional part of the waiting room.

The receptionist was incredibly friendly. She even called me at 8:15 because I thought my consultation was at 9:00, but it was really at 8am! They were still willing to fit me in at 9 for my consultation, which I was SO happy about.

So I had a fabulous consultation, they were very friendly and knowledgeable. I got to see before and after pictures of procedures in their waiting room. I definitely decided that I was ok with bringing my family here for their cleanings.

I know I am going on and on but I was really happy :) during my kids cleanings the hygienists were amazing. I wish I had gotten their names. The one who got Georgia was incredibly patient and actually got to clean her teeth. (She has been to 3 other dentists with no luck) Georgia was then so excited to get a prize from the little prize Machine they have.

Tommy did amazing as always. His hygienist was wonderful as well. He is starting to get his adult teeth in and is expected to start loosing teeth soon!


When I heard Tommy was getting his adult teeth I started to get very nostalgic. He is in kindergarten, loosing teeth... He is growing up so fast on me. It feels like he was just born... and now he is such a big boy! So much has changed in the last 5 years.

Georgia's revenge

Tommy started Kindergarten this last week, and Georgia does not seem to understand. She somehow got it in her head that Tommy gets to go to her favorite place in the world (the beach) while Georgia has to stay home with the baby. It really makes her mad, so she has been finding all new ways of having fun.

While I was doing the dishes I heard the wonderful sound of Georgia and Kat playing together, the cheerful giggles were all through the house. I was SCARED! But I was kind of thankful for the min. alone to actually get the dishes done, and they were obviously ok, so I went ahead and finished the dishes. I then decided to go to the girls room to check on them. This is what I saw...

Then to zoom in on it... Georgia put all her clothes, all the baby clothes, all the blankets and diapers she could find in the baby's crib!! Kat thought it was about the funniest thing she had ever seen, and Georgia was pretty proud of herself too. So then of course I had to refold everything! UGHHH

sign

This is a sign that has been at my work for the last week and a half. Usually I like to drive people nuts by editing the spelling and grammer on their signs. But I didn't even know where to begin with this one.... Why exactly is the must in quotations?? And why will Vicky be holding Debbie at the meeting?

Halo III

This is Tommy's cat Halo III --- He loves the kids, He sleeps with Tommy. And He spends the Day with Georgia. She loves to put him in her toy cars or carry him around in little baskets. And really he seems to like it.....

She even likes to take him to the bathroom with her....