I'm proud of my military family!

It has been a great week.  Only a few minor illnesses this week so still not many calls from missionaries.  Even though they can get out of their flats a little more, they are still staying well.  Also we only have 57 missionaries in the mission right now, down from 190, give or take, so there are fewer people to need my help.  I have focused this week on getting the influenza vaccinations arranged and scheduled.  Hopefully, next week I can report that all are completed.

I went to the Mission office to pick up some mail that needed my attention.  I hadn’t been to the office since mid-March so it was almost like an “outing.”  (With the lock down the office has been closed until this last week.)

I walked through the reserve that lies between me and the office.  That was a treat.  I was surprised at how brown the grasses and mangrove have become.  I guess that is what is to be expected at the end of summer.  It seems to me that it was greener last year.  Perhaps the drought is the cause or my memory is poor.

Cabbage trees in the reserve.  They resemble a palm but the leaves stick almost
straight up. Plants grow right out of the trunk.  

Lichen grows also on the trunks.

Flowers along my walk to the office.

Thursday morning just after 2:00 A.M. I was awakened from a sound sleep to the evacuation siren/alarm.  I still don’t know the cause but there were some sleepy residents of Shoalhaven standing in the street for 40 minutes in the middle of the night.

I have loved my beach walks.  We have watched the sunrise 5 days out of this week.

I cast a long shadow at 7:00 in the morning.

Saturday morning, I was invited to go with Sister Lucas on a walk with her friends, Neil and Lynne Hutchison.  We walked along the cliffs and hillside above the beach at Long Bay Regional Park.  I had been there early in my mission with some sister missionaries.  I got to revisit my bay.

We saw much beautiful scenery.  The tide was in so we couldn’t walk on the beach/coast line.

Neil Hutchison told us that the large brownish-grey ridged round in the grass is the top of a
bunker placed there to fight of enemy invaders during the war.     If we could see it from the
other side we would be able to see the gun holes.

The manukau trees are beginning to bloom.  It make the air smell like the manukau honey that I buy.

Saturday afternoon I enjoyed a concert in our pool room.  Fun!

Sunday after Sacrament/discussion, we walked in the wind and rain to Takapuna Beach.  There were not many walkers but there were tons of kite surfers.

   

Last year I didn’t walk much through the rainy fall/winter season but this year I intend to keep up the daily walk so I purchased a rain jacket and a ball cap to keep the rain off my glasses.  Now I’m prepared!

There are birds everywhere but one of my favorites is the Tui.  It has a diverse repertoire of songs that I so enjoy.  Every day as we walk to the beach, we hear Tui wish us a “good morning” from the tree tops.

I have tried to capture the song he sings but I can never get it quite right.  It seems as soon as I begin to record, the bird goes quiet.  I resorted to YouTube so you could hear some of his music.

Wish you all a happy Memorial Day.  I honor my father, Rex Terry, who fought in WWII and landed on Normandy Beach.  He never spoke much of his experience to me but I know that the war had a profound effect on him.   In 2018, Jim took me to France and I was able to go to Normandy Beach and to the cemetery there.  It was a moving experience for me and one I will never forget.

Rex Terry served in the 111th Naval Construction Battalion.  He began his service in Rhode Island.
From there he was sent to England where he helped build barges that landed on Normandy Beach.

After his service in France, he served in the Philippines
where he did construction but also worked as a cook. 

My father joined the Navy the day he was married and was shipped out just 2 weeks later.

I honor my family members who are currently in the military.

My youngest son, David, is a lieutenant in the Army. He is a battalion leader deployed
just a few days ago. I'm very proud of the work he is doing.

I honor Brianna and my grandchildren, Zolee and Reed, as they support David.

My oldest granddaughter is in the Navy. She is a CTI (cryptologic technician - interpreter)
She translates Russian to English and visa versa at the NSA in Fort Meade Maryland.

I am proud of my military family and honor all military people who have served and currently serve our great country.

My talented cousin, Steve Bailey, sent me a poem that he wrote in honor of Memorial Day.  He has given me permission to share it in my blog.

The Stars and Stripes (C)

A Seamstress known as Betsy Ross, envisioned

our national flag, that has honored our nation since the

Continental Congress approved it on June 14, 1777.

The red white and blue flag of the United States of America,

leads most parades and is unfurled at sporting events across

the country and as it does, we as citizens stand and place

our right hand over our heart in respect as it passes by.

It is lowered at half staff to honor many notable citizens who

devote much of their lives in service to our nation and

community or have died in tragedies.

Old Glory, proudly honors those in the military service, who gave

so much to preserve the freedoms of those they left behind.

The Nation’s Ensign drapes the casket of the remains of

the soldiers who gave his or her all, and is folded with respect

with thirteen folds and given to the family for their sacrifice.

First fold, the symbol of life;  Second, belief in eternal life;

Third, honor of the departing Veteran;  Fourth, trust in God;

Fifth, trust in our country, be it right or wrong;  Sixth, with our heart,

we pledge allegiance to the flag;  Seventh, a tribute to our armed forces;

Eighth, to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day;

Ninth, an honor to womanhood; Tenth, is a tribute to father;

Eleventh, represents the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

Twelfth, represents God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost;

Thirteenth, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our

national motto, “In God We Trust.”

No other flag has a more noble history and has been through so much. It

has led us into battles of war, has been trampled on, spit upon, burned

and dishonored, sadly by some of it’s own citizens and by other countries.

But with all that, it fills the heart with pride of all those who

honor and respect the symbol of our great nation, it is known as

The Stars And Stripes.

Steve Bailey

I love our United States of America and the freedoms that I enjoy because of the men and women through the years that have fought for and defended our liberties.

I wish you health and safety throughout this week.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.