there's no place like home

i've been home for a whole six days and it's been absolutely amazing. the weather has been gorgeous, despite the tornadoes that we had friday (except that i really like bad weather, so i even enjoyed those, too... minus all the damage that was done). i've been able to spend time with my mama and my daddy and my awesome friends.

and as much as i hate that the opportunity arose, i got to witness one of the most heart-warming, patriotic events i've ever seen. ssgt. jason rogers, a marine from brandon, ms, was killed in action a week and a half ago in afghanistan. westboro "baptist church" had posted on its website that they were going to show up and picket the funeral. within twenty-four hours of their announcement, the news had spread like wildfire on facebook and hundreds of people had pledged to show up and, along with the patriot guard riders, stand between the family and the westboro hate group (because that's really all they are). it made my heart so happy yesterday to see all of those people out there paying their final respects to a hometown hero.

and it makes me even happier to say that westboro didn't even show up. i've heard it's because they don't show up to funerals where they're not going to get media coverage. and our news stations didn't mention westboro one bit. if this is the case, and they didn't show up because they were told that they wouldn't get any coverage, then it infuriates me to think of all the funerals that they *do* show up to because that probably means they were guaranteed media coverage. if you don't give these people the attention that they ask for, they will stop! i'm just glad that the family didn't have to deal with them yesterday. no one should have to deal with them.

so perhaps i'll hit the road tomorrow. that's the plan, anyways. my daddy's gonna take me to georgia and then i reckon he'll drop me off at springer tuesday morning. i'm gonna skip the approach trail (all the super-purists out there just had a heart attack) and i told my daddy to bring his hikin' shoes if he wanted to do the first little bit with me. it'll only be two miles. he's still young enough to make it. ;)