The Freeper Foxhole - Christmas 2006 - December 25th, 2006

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

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If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

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Merry Christmas Everyone



As we celebrate another Christmas in the United States, please take a moment to remember those that gave up spending Christmas with their family and friends so that we may enjoy our Christmas in peace.


********

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"





For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

---

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[alfa6]

Hi SAM & manna

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[snippy_about_it]

You'll put your eye out!!: SamWolf

[snippy_about_it]

Snippy and I used to "wish we was in the Land of Cotton" and now we is!! Hurrah!! Hurrah!!

[stand watie]

once more, WELCOME to GOD's Country===> DIXIE!

NOW, join the battle between Blue & Gray, which continues, absent gunfire!

free dixie,sw

[The Mayor]

Merry Christmas to you and Sam..

[snippy_about_it]

Great game!!

Bounces: 283
Lost eyes: 16
Score: 3,072,869

SamWolf :-)

[Soaring Feather]

LOL, I shot my eye out three times.

[radu]

To all our military men and women past and present, military family members,
and to all who visit the Foxhole,

[snippy_about_it]

Merry Christmas radu!

[Professional Engineer]

[Soaring Feather]

Pretty COOL!

[Soaring Feather]

Howdy, Du, Merry Christmas to you!

[Professional Engineer]

Bittygirl received a Sam I Am and a new purse from a cousin.

[Soaring Feather]

Make an Elf Of Yourself


http://www.elfyourself.com/



Morning PE! Have you seen game, Bittygirl would be an adorable elf.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks, Snippy! Merry Christmas to you and Sam too!

[Professional Engineer]

"I lost my depth perception"

[Soaring Feather]

Shoot yerself in the eye did ya??

[Professional Engineer]

Multiple times...Until I found the sweet spot on the rock.

[Soaring Feather]

ROTFLOL!


Man those BBS really ricochet don't they?


I'm damned near blind. Hey, one time I got a Bonus of 1000 points, don't know how that happened, must have been shooting with me good eye. ;)

[alfa6]

Greetings All. Home from work and a little shopping finally. We had a really nice day here at the alfa6 household yesterday. Lots of toys and presents and plenty of good food to go aroundand around, and around

The grandson got a nerf dart gun game so of course after dinner we had to go and play nerf darts in the dark. I think we found all of them :-) The grandbaby who is about 18 months was hoot unwrapping her presents. She would pull of a piece of paper and have to turn and hand it to her mom, I think it took about 5 minutes to get the first present unwrapped.

A quick note on the house fire. I can't claim to know much about the folks in the house. According to the news last night the landlord, that should be slumlord, had the electricity turned off on Chriatmas Eve. Because they were 6 months behind in the rent. Ths guy is your basic idiot as he has lived here as long as I have and does just the bare minimum to get by with the city. According to my next door neighbor some of the people in the house had left about 4am.

Here is where it gets kinda weird. Going back to the news last night another neighbors 12 year old kids saw the fire about 5am. The one girl called 911 and the other girl got a ladder that was in the yard and put it up for the 11 year old boy that was left in the house to escape by. Now neither Mrs alfa6 or I recall seeing any kids living in this house especially for the last 6 months? One final note the folks who left have not returned and no seems to know where they went??? The 11 year old is staying with some relatives IIRC. It is all very strange.

The house was split into a duplex, 1st floor and basement quaters. The fire was in the upstairs rear of the house and from what I could see it looks like the back of the first floor was pretty well burned up. Of course the folks who are downstairs will come home to find most everything there either waterlogged or smoke damaged.

Anyways here is a pic of the alfa6 grandkids/pigeonpad testers in thier Christmas finery, sort of.

The red haired girl is my sons daughter and the other three belong to the #2 daughter and her husband.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}