A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-10-03...."Kissed by a President"

Dutchess and Billie

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 5A: TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68. MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797. BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack.

GROUP 6A: TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett. MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick, Leroy S Mort, Mark17. BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

GROUP 7A: TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam, dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony.BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang.

GROUP 8A: TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx. MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law. BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

Kissed by a President

Moments before the infamous kiss!
OhioWFan

Here is the only person I know who has never doubted her conservative values; pioneered women's intercollegiate basketball; observed the beauty of Walker Point and the devastation of Ground Zero; been hugged and kissed by her President; and worshipped the Lord with her husband and four children in six- part harmony in front of her entire congregation;

OhioWFan Came by Her Conservatism Naturally

No one should ever accuse OhioWFan of being a neo-conservative. There is NOTHING neo about her conservatism.

My upbringing was conservative and patriotic. Both my interest in politics and my love of country came early and runs deep. I can remember staying up later than my bedtime in the fall of 1960, hiding so that my parents wouldn't know I was listening to the election results. When I found out that Nixon lost to JFK, I cried.

At 14, Ohio's Dad took her to a Barry Goldwater rally, and she proudly wore her "If I were 21 I'd vote for Barry"- button. She watched both the Republican and Democratic conventions that summer just for the fun of it. That was when the candidates were actually selected at the conventions, and she remembers wanting William Scranton to win because she thought he was cuter. That was the last time she based her political opinions on the candidate's appearance. After Goldwater was chosen as the candidate, she read with great interest "A Choice, Not an Echo" by Phyllis Schlafly, and discovered, for the first time, how corrupt Democrats like LBJ could be.

I grew up in Youngstown, where machine politics and the mafia ruled the Democratic party. I came to believe my Dad was right when he said he didn't know how you could be a Christian and be a Democrat. In spite of my history teachers' and professors' attempts to make a liberal out of me, I co-chaired the Young Republican club in college, and door to door campaigned for Richard Nixon in 1968, right in the heart of Hubert Humphrey country. I was thrilled at a rally when I got to shake his hand.

The Family Years

Having given birth to four children during the eighties, OWFAN was politically inactive during the Reagan and Bush 41 administrations. During, what she racalls, the nightmare from 1992-2000, she "buried my head in the proverbial sand to avoid its explosion all the while dedicating myself to being a good wife, raising solid Christian kids, and helping my husband inculcate conservatism into their minds both by heredity and environment". As a family, they traveled extensively to all 48 contiguous states, Canada and Mexico. They also ventured as a family to Ukraine on a mission trip.

I kept myself professionally alive through part time musical involvement in church and schools, and continue on a part time basis as an adjunct professor of music.

The Birth of Her Admiration for our President and Discovery of FR

In the spring and summer of 2000, I observed with interest the Republican primary and the candidacy of George W. Bush. As I watched W's candidacy emerge, I began to sense that God's hand was on him. When he spoke at the convention in August, I wept because I sensed that there was hope that America was not going to continue swirling down the moral and ethical drain. As a result, I signed up . . . somewhat boldly for me . . .to be an e-champion and try to help elect him as President. I didn't know about Free Republic at the time, and how I wish I had had the moral support of the wonderful people here during that election fiasco. All I had was Rush, Fox News, and my family to commiserate with. I was also able to turn to the Lord, of course, to beg for justice to be done and His will to be done. I still praise Him every day for having mercy on a very undeserving nation, and allowing us to have this Godly servant of HIS to be our President. I found out about Free Republic on Fox and Friends, lurked for a little over a month, and signed up in early March of 2001, venturing first on the Pray for President Bush thread and, of course, on the Dose.

If you ever want to find OhioWFan at night...simply head to THE DOSE where she also will post the thread in Rintense's absence (and sometimes when Rintense is there and has already done the thread) She is also a gifted writer who will often share on FR her travels including this past year to Kennibunkport and Ground Zero.

The Infamous Kiss

I can't believe that there is anyone in FR who has not heard about the infamous kiss...but it is worth repeating!

All of my friends, and most of the women I've ever had contact with are filled with jealousy about my "close encounter" with President Bush. It was at the invitation of WVNan that my son, Eric and I got to go to Charleston to hear the President speak last October. Little did we know that, with a little persistence, and a lot of standing and waiting, we would get to see him "up close and personal." When he got to me on the rope line I managed to say what I planned on saying to him "I pray for you and Laura every day." He leaned forward, gave me a hug, kissed me on the cheek and then looked me right in the eye and said, "that's the kindest thing you can do for me." Then he shook Eric's hand, who is currently serving in our armed forces. Eric smiled at him and, later said in amazement, "I just shook hands with my Commander-in-Chief." I personally have not recovered yet.

And Now A Military Mom

Eric enlisted in the army shortly after graduating from high school last spring. Many of us followed with interest and pride Ohio's reports of his progress and his graduation was featured on FR'S FINEST this fallErics graduation He is on his way to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky with the 79th Quartermaster Co. in a water supply unit in which he is a petroleum specialist. It is expected that he will be there one or two weeks before deployment overseas.

My "mother's heart" is filled with pride and fear at the same time as he serves the country we all love, and I continue to ask for prayers for him, and for all those who so bravely serve America in our military.

OhioWFan "In Her Own Words"

I had the great pleasure of meeting OHIO last month and the following statement is, indeed, the essence of who she is

It is the desire of my heart to serve the Lord with my life. I serve as an elder in our Church, on the worship committee, in the choir and as a soloist, pianist, and organist as needed. I love music as an avocation, as well as a vocation, and the greatest fun I've ever had as a musician is singing six-part harmony with my husband and kids in Church. I love sports, both as a fan (Browns, Indians and, of course, OHIO State), and as a participant. I was fortunate to be a sort of "pioneer" in women's sports when I was one of 1500 women nationwide who participated on an intercollegiate basketball team in the late '60s. We have had a family tradition of playing 3 on 3 basketball games, boys against girls. But when the boys grew to be over 6 feet, we mercifully stopped keeping score. Mostly I am just deeply thankful for the abundance of good and perfect gifts that God has blessed me with: for family and friends; for health and comfort; and for a free and glorious land in which to live."

A Woman oF Great Faith, A Gifted Musician, A Loving Wife and Mother, an Athlete with a Keen Sense of Humor, That s Our Very Own OhioWFan




OhioWFan, You ARE one of FR's Finest!

THIS WEEKEND'S THREAD

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[dutchess]

[dutchess]

Good Monday Morning...please stop by and say hello to our very special OhioWFan

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Dutchess.

[dutchess]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. Thanks to all who have contributed.

If you have someone you would like to add, please let us know, and we would love to add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

OhioWfan .... son Eric
mystery-ak ..... son Jonathan and husband
Gogrammy ..... grandson
Inspectorette ..... son Eric
LBGA ..... son is deployed
Slip18 ..... nephew active duty USN
anniegetyourgun ..... nephew Josh
Himyar ..... son Robert
Doug from Upland ....son in law
severa .... husband
G'nad .... active duty Marine
LongCut .... active duty Navy
Trish .... active duty Marine
Maigrey ... cousin Sgt.C. Cole
ladtx .... 2 of his sons
Mama_Bear .... nephew
gator girl .... husband
Blessed American .... nephew
Pippin ... a niece and a nephew
SK1 Thurman .... active duty
David Osborne .... active duty
boxerblues'....Son (101st)
thpiper....son(502nd)
sheeza....husband
kemathen7....husband
DiverDave....niece US Army
weldgophardline...brotherinlaw


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[dutchess]

You always bring a smile to my face Aeronaut....I remembered the ping list this time LOL! Hope someone brings coffee soon!

[nicmarlo]

Morning y'all.....hope you have a good day.

Congratulations, OWF, on being one of FR's Finest!!!

[dutchess]

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !! Happy Monday !

And a very special G'mornin' to the FReeper of the day: OhioWFan !!

39 degreee here as I post this...

Have a cup while you FReep !

For those who prefer hot chocolate.....

[MeekOneGOP]

Here is the shuttle article this morning, just and update, fyi...

Mystery object draws interest - Shuttle Columbia;
future US 'shift changes' on ISS via Russian Soyuz

Excerpt:

HOUSTON - A mysterious object - possibly a softball-size chunk of ice - that fell off Columbia gained NASA's interest Sunday, but investigators said again that virtually nothing has been ruled out.

As the search for clues for what went wrong entered its second week in the shuttle disaster, the agency is considering a big change for the astronauts left in space.

NASA and its Russian counterpart may swap the three explorers now aboard the International Space Station for two to be launched in April aboard a Russian Soyuz vehicle.

Supplies of water, used for drinking and for producing oxygen, are running low, and the proposed crew transfer could be the best approach to get the astronauts down while the shuttle program remains on hold.

On Sunday, officials provided new details in their search for why the shuttle disintegrated, including a closer examination of parts found in Texas.

They were trying to identify the unknown object that was spotted near the shuttle one day after its Jan. 16 launch. A Department of Defense radar at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida detected a small object moving away from Columbia at around 11 mph.

NASA officials were quick to point out that the object could have been something deliberately released from the shuttle, such as discarded wastewater. But they have not ruled out that it may have been a more critical part coming loose.

"Nothing is off the table," NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said.

Click here for entire article

[MeekOneGOP]

Rest in peace, shuttle heroes...

[SpookBrat]

OhioWFan, I always enjoy reading about your life. It's nice to see you on this thread today. I hope you enjoy your day in the spotlight. You deserve it, my dear.

Good morning Sir Meekness. Much love to you this fine Monday. Thanks for the ping.

[dutchess]

Ping to "the Dosers". Look whose being spotlighted today!!!

[SpookBrat]

Hi FRiend. Are you staying warm?

[dutchess]

Hi meekie. Good to see you so bright and early. Thanks for keeping the Columbia story alive....

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks, Miss Spookie. Have a LOVELY day !!

[dutchess]

Hey Ohio....hope you get a chance to stop by before work...if not we'll see you this afternoon...

SpookBrat...thanks for stopping by...Ohio is fun isn't she?

[MeekOneGOP]

Good to see you. My pleasure...

[Molly Pitcher]

dutchess and Billie , beautifully done!! Thanks so much for featuring ohio.

And ((((ohio))))....Love the pics of such a wonderful family, and your profile. Very, very special, indeed!!

[SpookBrat]

Yes Ohio is fun and she's a very, very good person. One of the best I've seen around here. It's always nice to befriend good people and keep them in your life.

[Molly Pitcher]

Louie, I found that post of yours about my being here more often. :-) You are so kind, and appreciate that very much, you flatterer you.

So much to do...so much at FR to keep track of, but I'll try...