From Those Of Us You Never Knew, Thank You For All You Gave To Us

Today, Monday, May 29, 2006, is Memorial Day. I would like to take the time to thank the families of all of our fallen heroes. You and they made the ultimate sacrifice so we might be free. They never knew me, or I them, but they died for my freedom and for the freedom of every American citizen.

I have visited Normandy. I have seen what remains of the horrors of Dachau. I will never be able to understand what the soldiers experienced, but I do know this; they were brave and the true embodiment of what it means to be an American. Their deaths were not in vain. And I will not forget them, nor will I ever stop thanking them for their courage and for their sacrifice.

Grandma Meets Ruby and Ford and All Auntie Christine Got Are These Awesome Pictures!

Ruby Lee and Ford Patrick’s Grandma, my Mom, just got back from her visit to meet her twin grandchildren for the first time. I don’t think she thinks her visit was long enough; very much like Astrid, the twins have firmly established themselves in their Grandma’s heart, that is for certain! Ruby and Ford are both such beautiful, chubby babies (the best kind)! I guess this comes as no surprise considering their parents! Okay, not the chubby part, the beautiful part!

They took Ruby and Ford for a picnic…

And for a walk…

And Mommy, Ruby, and Ford got some sleep…

Ruby Lee has turned into a cheerful, happy baby after being diagnosed with acid reflux and put on medication for baby heartburn. Her cousin, Astrid, had the same problem, which brings Auntie Christine to the conclusion, based on her entirely non-existent scientific background, that what used to be referred to as a colicky baby was actually acid reflux. I have decided, again, because of my invisible PhD, that colic was a made up term for what doctors didn’t understand in the past. Ruby originally had what her Nana Stimmler described as “abandoned baby syndrome”, meaning she would scream at the top of her lungs as if to suggest that no one loved her, even though the twins have pretty much not been put down since birth! These two are not even two months old and they already have groupies!

As you can see from the picture, Ruby is a perfectly beautiful baby girl! She almost seems like a porcelain doll!

She sure takes her sleep seriously! Maybe she gets that from her Daddy, who in a famous Johnson Family event fell into a sound sleep and fell out of bed between the wall and the bed (he was about 5 at the time). When Mom and Poppy couldn't find him, they awoke Eddy and me to join the search. Bobby never heard us calling for him, Mom or Dad eventually just found him.

Ford Patrick is so handsome!

Even at the tender age of less than two months, he looks like a strapping little boy!

Ford continues to be a happy, healthy baby boy!

By all accounts he is an absolute joy. He has his Daddy’s cleft chin and his Daddy’s laid-back personality, which should serve him well in life as all Harker/Johnson Women are notoriously outspoken, opinionated and, perhaps, a little bossy. I know the same to be true of Stimmler/Johnson Women, and that is not an insult, it is a badge we wear with pride!

If Auntie Christine can serve as any indication, Ruby will be the boss of Ford until the day that Ford gets married to a girl who will take over boss duties!

Perhaps Ruby is already bossing Ford around!

It looks like two little babies should be sleeping, but Ruby may be telling Ford how it is going to be from now on! That’s my girl, laying down the ground rules early; you can never start too soon, Ruby, take it from someone who knows!

Anyway, it was high time for an update on the twins! I have been neglecting my blog of late, but am trying to do better since I have such important things going on in my family life that I would like to keep documenting. You can always find more pictures and updates on the twins at www.annandbobby.com

My only complaint is I am running out of room for all of the pictures I have framed of Astrid, Ruby, and Ford (and their parents, of course!). That and my biggest complaint of all; I have yet to meet the twins myself! Soon, but not soon enough for me!

Love, hugs, and kisses to all,
Auntie Christine Lee

My Viking Princess

My sister, Christine, emailed me this picture of my Viking Princess Niece, Astrid. How cute is this picture?!?! Check it out, she is already keeping up with Hollywood gossip just like her Mommy and Auntie Christine love to do! Her Mommy tells me Astrid loves jewelry, shoes, hats, and clothes, just like her Mommy and Auntie Christine, so the Glossies are the perfect reading material for this Viking Princess.

I wonder if she has taken a side; Team Aniston or Team Jolie?! Mommy says: Team Jolie. Auntie Christine says: Team Aniston all the way! Or maybe she is just wondering, like the rest of us, why Brit hasn’t left K-Fed yet?! Hmm...deep thoughts to ponder!

Either way, we will obviously have to bow to the decision of the Viking Princess as she seems to be commanding us to in this picture!

I miss her so much, and can’t wait to see her at this year’s Harker/Johnson/Mandala-Inn/Smith Family Reunion!

This year’s trip also marks the first family vacation for Ruby and Ford! We are going to have a wonderful time with all of our gorgeous babies. Beware Christine Caroline, Eddy, Ann, and Bobby; Auntie Christine, Grandma, and Gigi are not going to let you get your hands on your babies the whole week! Okay, maybe Ann can have visitation with the twins due to the whole they need nourishment thing that newborns are so particular to, but THAT IS IT!

Love, Kisses, & Hugs,
Auntie Christine Lee

Addendum

In a rather timely event, I was faced with the exact situation I last posted about after my Mom sent me an email describing ways for Women to stay safe.

This past Thursday, a day after Mom had sent me the email, I was the opening supervisor at work and a woman asked her cashier to call over her manager. When I arrived, she described a middle aged white man, about 6’ tall, who had circled her in his car (an off-white PT Cruiser, for those of you who live in the Norman area) in the parking lot when she arrived, then proceeded to follow her into the store and tailed her at a distance as she shopped.

I immediately called our security exec, who has trained with the Secret Service, FBI, CIA, etc…and actually has one of those cards in his wallet that you always hear about that exempts him from prosecution if he kills you with his bare hands because they are legally registered lethal weapons. So cool, but I digress…

He escorted her to her car, where he witnessed the man circling the parking lot yet again. He called all available team members outside where we made sure we got his license plate number and as detailed of a description as we could through his tinted windows.

Long story made shorter, the police were called out and a report has been filed and hopefully this creep will be caught as the police are going to notify all retail establishments and news organizations that a stalker is in the area.

My point is, this woman was very observant of her surroundings and noticed what many women, especially teens or young adults, might never notice; a predator clearly stalking her.

After she spoke with the police and her husband was about to take her home, I stopped her to thank her and tell her how brave and calm she had been. Her remark to me was, “I just can’t stop thinking about if it had been a young girl not paying attention instead of me and we could have an abducted girl or young woman in Norman.”

She was absolutely correct. She clearly avoided a horrible situation. Who knows what this creep had in mind for her, but if she had not been so aware of her surroundings, this surely would have had a very tragic ending. So please, always make sure you know who and what is around you.

Oh, and as an afterthought, this was in BROAD DAYLIGHT, not at night when we always expect this kind of thing to happen.

You Are Never Too Old to Listen to Your Mother

My mom recently forwarded this to me in an email, and I felt it was crucial enough to add to my blog. Any and all women, especially the ones I personally love and care about, please take note:

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) [This is so true, I did this once and was surprised at the response, attacks had been happening there and they were on alert, but didn't catch the guy following me]

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zigzag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door."

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.