A cracked diamond....

Please note: Objects in picture are much smaller in person! Just sayin'

Friday August 17, 2012 ~ While I was out and about in town I decided to stop and have my ring inspected and cleaned. Something I try to do every other month as I wear my rings all the time. Upon inspection she asked me what the heck had I done to my diamond. I laughed and said "If I own something it better hold up good as I am pretty rough on anything I own!" (Brandon says I beat him in the middle of the night because he wakes up sore and stoved up like a little old man!) She said I have cracked my diamond from "6 o'clock almost up to the 3 o'clock". Really? She let me look at it under the microscope and I tried to take a few pictures through the lens. I couldn't believe I had done this and she said in her 25 years she had only seen this happen about 3 times on a round stone as they are pretty durable. She said it's common for the princess cut diamonds to crack/break as they are thin around the edges. 

Here's a little better picture of the crack as you can see it's pretty good from the "6 o'clock to the 4 o'clock and faint up to the 3 o'clock". So the next question.... what happens now? Thank goodness I purchased the POM (Peace of Mind) Insurance and it will be replaced free of charge! Shew! I have an additional policy on it however I don't want to have to use it! So ladies, take this as a warning! Go get your rings inspected often (especially if you wear them pretty much everywhere you go) and inquire about insurance! It was well worth it and not one penny comes out of my pocket!

Jaxon and his animal sounds!

August 12, 2012 ~ I can't believe how big my nephew Jaxon is getting! He is 18 months old and so much fun! He is weighing in at 35 lbs and is 3' tall. He is wearing 4T tops and 3T bottoms. (Yes, his momma and daddy have fed him muscle milk to get him this big!)  He has been learning what sounds animals make and I can't believe I got him to sit still long enough to record him! He loves to swing and had me laughing... my favorite is how he says "Goat" which comes out "Goak"! I should have asked him what a rooster says then he would have done the "doodle doodle". My favorite part... his cheesy little smile at the end. Gosh I love that kid!

Jaxon James Adams 18 months old!

Eugene Pottinger is on his way home!

August 13, 2012 ~ Today was a good day. I was thankful that Eugene had a warm bed to sleep in last night because a storm was headed our way. I don't think we got much in Midway as the storm broke up before it hit but there was lighting. (I couldn't imagine being all alone in this crazy world and trying to find shelter at night) I called his room at 7:45 am and asked him to meet me at the Midway Family Restaurant at 8:15 am. I couldn't expect a man to travel without a good meal first so I bought him whatever he wanted. He ordered steak and eggs with Texas toast and strawberry jelly. I knew he was hungry and it's probably been awhile since he had a good meal.

I needed to talk to Michelle at the Columbia Greyhound. Since he only had a social security card for identification I would need to beg for an exception to be made.

We started making small talk and I started asking him a few more questions as I really wanted to know more about him. He said that he was born and raised in Chicago, IL and has a twin brother, George who he hasn't seen in many years. His mother passed away in 1989 and his father was never really around. He joined the military and served primarily in Vietnam from age 18-38. In those 20 years his title would be Commander Navy Seal. Things began to get emotional for me as he talked. I could see the hurt in his eyes and that made me sad. He said that he spent 5 years in the states and the first 8 months training to become a seal. His mission was to seek and destroy. He was a POW (Prisoner of War) for almost 4 years. Upon being released he came back to the states and spent 18 months in Maryland to try and get back to a regular state of mind. I didn't push him to talk about what happened as I knew he had been through so much. He also had been exposed to Agent Orange. At that point he had a decision to get out of the military or volunteer to help get other people out of being a POW. He said at that point it was like a suicide mission for him. He said he really didn't have much to live for and if he were to get killed while serving it was ok but if he could get our men back then he got back at those people that hurt him.  He said that he found one of our men and got him back home. I asked where he had served and he said Siagon, Vitnam mostly but also Taiwan, Aboud & Hanowi.

I could tell that it was not something easy for him to talk about so after a long pause I started asking him about his family. He said that once he got back to San Diego, CA (specifically Linda Vista, CA) that his wife would pick him up. He doesn't have any kids and they have been married for 19 years. Her name is Robin (aka "The Boss") and she works for a hotel as a host. Once he got back home he would have a home and be able to find work pretty easy. He said that he has worked in the steel / construction industry and wasn't afraid to work. He said he went to work for a company in North Carolina but after 18 months they were shut down because of back taxes. So he made it to Kentucky and helped out on a horse ranch. He said he didn't have a clue about horses but did whatever needed to be done. His focus was on getting back home.

He said that he had been clean for 3 years now. No alcohol or drugs just cigarettes and coffee. He said that he realizes that he put his wife through hell but when he got back from the war the first thing he did was burned his uniforms/fatigues. He said that when he got off the plane people would spit on him and call him really bad names and he hurt. After serving his country and yet to be treated less than a human was hard to handle. You could see so much emotion in his eyes as he talked, opening up to a total stranger yet I think it was good for both of us to hear this information. For him, living through all of this and having someone who wouldn't judge him was good. For me, one can never really understand what war does to a person. I could tell it forever changed him.

At 9:05 am I made the phone call to Michelle at the Greyhound station. She listened as I explained our situation and was willing to make sure we got him on the bus! I immediately called Taxi Terry's and had them come pick him up. He was excited. I know he probably thought this wasn't for real, how could his life start to get better in the 3 days he had met me.He quickly ran over to the hotel and I waited until the taxi got there. Pretty sad when all the things you have fit in a duffel bag and a backpack but it didn't matter... he was going home!

At 9:40 am Taxi Terry arrived.... the bus would be leaving at 9:50 am and I was getting nervous. I told him that the taxi driver would be driving like a crazy man but we were going to get to the bus station quickly! He was loaded up and I was following behind. I called Michelle again at the bus station and told her what was going on. She said the bus would not wait however there was another bus behind it and it would leave in 30 minutes! (Thank goodness!) We arrive at the bus station at 9:48 am and we ran inside to get a ticket. He was really getting happy now! We got his ticket and walked outside. I gave him a full new tablet of writing paper as he said he was almost out, some cash and a self addressed stamped envelope and told him that when he got home I wanted a letter from him. He said he would send a letter and a picture of California! I gave him a quick hug and headed out the door. By 10:30 am he would be on his journey home.

Today was a very emotional day for me. To hear him talk about things that he had experienced, where he has come from and choosing to be "clean" for 3 years made this all worth while. I knew there was something special about this guy and all of his life he has been judged, mistreated or put down. Today that wasn't going to happen. I wish him safe travels as he makes his 2 day trek and I look forward to receiving his letter. Until then know that he is in good hands and soon enough he will be reunited with his wife.

On my way back to the shop I couldn't help but look over. This spot at the top of exit 121 seemed so sad and lonely but the thought of him being so completely happy makes me smile. It's been a great day......

A Hero’s Hero

So Many Soldiers
Living on the Street
Their Spirits Broken
With Defeat.

What Must They Think
When They Look Around
Eyes Passing By
Staring at the Ground.

Does Anger Fill Them
When We Turn Away,
From the Debts We Owe
That Should Be Repaid ?

What If A That Moment,
Just Once, Instead
We Saluted in Honor,
Right Hand to Head?

To Let Them Know
They are Not Ghosts,
Thanking Them for
Being Braver Than Most.

If Everyone Would
Show Them Grace
We Just Might Find
Their Pain Erased.

For All the Heroes,
Still Fighting To Live
And For Heroes Like You
Who Continue to Give.

If You See Someone
Who Is Really Lost
Please Stop and Remember
What Our Freedoms Cost.

A good night's sleep.....

August 12, 2012 ~ An update to our homeless veteran, Eugene Pottinger. So this afternoon I stopped to ask a few additional questions. Primarily to find out if he had identification on him so that we can move forward with getting him home to San Diego, CA. I found out that he has his social security card and that's all. This could be a little of a challenge as most places want a picture id and I am not sure that we can get him an ID card without a birth certificate. I told him that I am working to get him back home and how does he prefer to go... by plane or bus. He didn't want to go by plane and said a bus would be great. It would be a 2 day travel with 3 transfers. I then asked him if he had someone who could pick him up and he said his wife would pick him up. I asked him how he specifically got to Columbia, MO (or rather Midway) and he said he was working in North Carolina and got laid off and caught a ride here.  I told him I would check into everything tomorrow morning and meet him to give him the information I find out.

I decided that he needed to have a good night's rest before traveling as he probably hasn't had a good night's rest in awhile. I purchased a room at Midway's Budget Inn and for $35.67 and now he has a room for the night. The gentleman and woman that were running the front desk were super nice and said that he sits in the restaurant every night and doesn't bother anyone but is very friendly. I went back and told Eugene that I paid for a room for the night and I put it under his first name since I didn't know his last name. He then told me his last name was Pottinger. He was very happy and shook my hand and was headed to the hotel just now.

Tomorrow hopefully (after talking to the supervisor at Greyhound here in Columbia) we can successfully get him on the road.... one step closer to home!

Thank you all for the private messages willing to help out with getting Eugene home. There have been so many from people I don't even know to my close friends asking what we can do. You all have willing hearts and helping hands that make our community so unique. I truly can't express how happy my heart is knowing we are a step closer to helping this man get back home to be reunited with his family. Keep your fingers crossed the supervisor figures out a way to get him on the bus with just a social security card!

A homeless vet named Eugene....

August 11, 2012 ~ I have lived in Midway almost my entire life. We moved into a home mom and dad built on my 3rd birthday. For the past 33 years I have rode or drove past this site everyday and often times several times a day. This is the 121 exit for Midway and is also known as the Fayette exit. If you are traveling from Stadium exit towards Kansas City and take the Fayette (Midway) exit and look over to your left this is what I have seen for nearly 4-5 weeks.

This man has endured extreme temperatures with no shelter, no shade every single day for over a month. He does not bother anyone and really is the wrong place to be panhandling or looking for a ride. I have rarely ever seen him stand but rather sit upon his duffel bag and looking down at the ground. Upon many occasions I have seen him  writing on a pad of paper or in a journal. He always made me wonder what his story was and not until yesterday did I find out.

I decided to stop, roll down my window and ask him a few questions. (I did give him $11.00 which was all the cash I had on me as he approached my window) I told him that for many weeks I have seen him sitting out here never bothering anyone and yet wondered why he was here. He said his name was Eugene and that he was a homeless Veteran. He had served in Vietnam and he was looking for work to try to get back home. I asked him where home was and he said San Diego, CA. He said that he tries not to be a bother to anyone and all of the homeless shelters are completely full since we have had such high temperatures and he had inquired about the Veterans Hospital and they had nothing either. He said that doesn't leave him much of a choice but to stay there which is probably the best place because we have the truck stop close by.  I promised him that I would make a few phone calls and I would stop back by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. He was very kind, respectful and always looked me in the eyes while talking. You could tell that he truly was really trying not to be a bother and was determined to make it back home one day. He said that he found employment for about a week helping to mow lawns but as many of you know everything is burnt up and there isn't any yards to really be mowed. I told him I think things are going to get cooler which will be nice and he said "please don't say that, I'm ok with the warm weather ma'am" I realized that he didn't have a lot of blankets for cool nights. I had to ask one more question before pulling away.... I wanted to know what he was writing? He said that he writes stories about people he meets, poems, songs and things about life. I bet if you were to set and read some of these we would all realize that our life isn't as bad as we sometimes think it is.... that we are fortunate to have a roof over our head and food on the table where this man who has fought for our country has nothing. He did not smell of alcohol. Rather he was very weathered from being out in 105+ degree weather for the last 5-7 weeks all day long each and every day.

As I pulled away I couldn't help but think about him. I normally would never pull my car over to a total stranger like that however I wasn't scared. I wanted to know more about this man. This isn't the end of the story. This is just the beginning. I will post more when I talk to him again tomorrow or Tuesday. Until then, I don't promote stopping to hitchhikers, panhandlers, etc. but rather to just take a moment to think about others.... you don't know their story but rather often times just "assume" or judge others by their looks, color of their skin, or their disabilities.

I ask anyone that reads this that will be traveling through Midway and see his man sitting quietly at the exit to please give two honks of your horn to let him know you care. I told him as I was leaving that I have a blog and wanted to write about him. In return I would ask everyone that read this to give 2 little honks of their horn....No need to stop and give him anything.... just a little sign to let him know you care. Thanks!



Through My Eyes
By Brian Chenier
You don’t know me or what I’ve done
You don’t care where I’m from
So I have a question for you
Why do you judge me the way you do?

I wonder what it is you see
Every day as you pass by me
What’s on your mind, and in you head
Looking at me on my cardboard bed
All I have left in this world is here.

But all you see are the cans of beer
You try not to look or stare
But I see your eyes, I see the glare
The disgust I see it in your face
As if it’s me that’s a disgrace.

But if you knew what I’d done
That look might be a different one
You go to work all clean and shaved
On a street of gold that’s nicely paved
But you have sent me off to fight
Without a care for my future plight.

The drugs and beer, the homelessness
The disheveled look and the tiredness
None of that is a choice I’ve made
I was a soldier of the highest grade
You don’t see that, you don’t care
Why should you, life isn’t fair
I don’t want pity, especially yours
But spare a thought for those that fight your wars.

A little fender bender!

August 9, 2012 ~ Well I was on my way to have lunch with some of our awesome Greater Missouri Leadership gals when I was detoured. As I was traveling down Providence Road toward Broadway  I felt a huge bump and saw black flying all around. I was hit by a little Nissan Altima. I pulled over (I was at the part where you get in the left turn lane to turn onto Broadway) and walked over to the parking lot where he and his daughter parked. I asked him where he came from.... as in where did your car come from because you came from out of no where. He said "I am from Malaysia and I just got here today". I thought "Oh my goodness.... here we go!" So before we went much further I wanted to get his statement to see what happened in his eyes. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong as I had been in the same lane since crossing over Business Loop.  He just kept saying "I'm sorry about your car" then he really threw me for a loop.... he said "Ma'am can I have my mirror back" I had to fight back the laughter .... Of course that is your mirror wedged in between my hood and fender!

 

So after I called Joint Communications and dispatched them (no one was hurt but I wanted a police report) I start making small talk. Found out a few interesting things in this conversation.....

1. He just flew into Columbia Regional Airport from Malaysia and was dropped off at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
2. He had just left Enterprise and hit me within the first block.
3.His daughter told him to drive it around in a nearby parking lot to make sure he was familiar with the care before heading out on the road.
4. His GPS said to turn here. So he did.
5. He was enrolling/dropping off his daughter to MU.
6. He was leaving town on Monday.
7. He took out insurance on the car he was driving to cover damage to that car but did not take out the liability coverage to cover anyone elses car.  (Let's see how this pans out)
8. He couldn't figure out how to start the car and the police officer started it for him (push button start).
9. When he got back to Enterprise he asked for a smaller car to drive.
10. He was super nice and easy to understand. (Thank goodness!)

When he went to talk to the policeman his daughter was asking me about the locals here (that sounded funny.... the locals) and what they do. I explained that luckily she wouldn't have to drive anywhere near campus as our downtown area was vibrant and a fun atmosphere with live music at many of the bars/restaurants. I also told her there was lots of art stuff in the district and fun shops. Her eyes lit up when I talked about the bars.... Oh goodness.... this girl is gonna have fun in Columbia, MO while daddy is away!

This was my favorite part... he was worried about getting his mirror back and finally he went to take it off. I was so hard not to laugh... bless his heart! Through this whole deal I couldn't be mad. I thought this poor guy was trying to get his daughter enrolled in school and just didn't have a clue. He was so nice and kept apologizing to me. I guess as I am getting older I realize that "it" happens and we need to worry about the big stuff not the small stuff. This is a material thing that can be fixed and no one was injured in the process. I sure hope he travels safe during the rest of his time here..... and I hope to stay far far away!

A little trip to Illinois!

August 5, 2012 ~ Some of our good friends, Josh & Roni Spicer, own a restaurant in Huntsville, MO called Don's Family Style Restaurant and this is somewhere we frequent on the weekends to spend time with them. Josh recently sold his old truck and the new owner wanted to meet him in Mount Vernon, Illinois. So after they closed their restaurant for the day we met them in Columbia and headed out on the road around 6:30 pm. The trip there seemed to go pretty fast as us girls were chatting about life, work, etc. while we followed the boys. We met at a gas station and he signed his truck over! I think he was a little sad (he loved that truck) but when someone wanted to buy it well, he sold it!

On the way back we were starving so we stopped by a little place called, 54th Street Grill & Bar. We were worried they might be closed as it was 11:00 pm and everything else was closing but they were open! It reminded me of a TGI Friday's with all the memorabilia and the food was really good! The boys got a hamburger with a fried egg on it! For whatever reason our waiter asked what brought us here (my first thought was my momma) but I said that we just jumped in the car and wanted to try something new and different. (Really Michele??) He looked at me as if to think is this girl for real or is she just kidding.... Then while we were waiting for our food another waitress comes around inspecting the tables with a flash light. Weird. So while Inspector Clue-so was working over the tables (which I will say this place had some clean tables) our food came! Shew.... I was getting hungry and the No Gringo chips and dip wasn't cutting it anymore! After we ate our waiter asked if we wanted to-go cups... I immediately pipe up and say "No, we don't have cup holders in our VW Bug" (Seriously.... we weren't in a VW Bug!) We made it back home by 1:30 am which was going to make Monday be super long! Oh well.... it was fun and we would probably do it again! It's always an adventure no matter where we go!