KILLEEN, Texas — A Facebook page dedicated to “Prayers for Fort Hood” received hundreds of posts supporting family members of those affected by the mass shooting on the post.
One person wrote: “My heavy heart is with my fellow soldiers and their families this is our community and you are our families.”
Families turned to the social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to seek news about family members after post was locked down on Thursday.
The Fort Hood massacre, in which 12 people were killed and 31 others wounded, is believed to be the worst mass shooting in history at a U.S. military base.
On 9 April 2017 By GirlGriotIn family, love, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing2 Comments	
Today is a day off in the A-to-Z Challenge, but even if it was a day on, we’re too early in the month for today to be “T.” But today is T’s day all the same.
Today is T’s birthday. My beautiful, funny, intelligent, writer-thinker-singer-dancer niece turns 18 today. The fact that I didn’t write any poems last April means I missed a year in my collection of birthday verse for her, but certainly represented no falling down in my utter adoration of who she is.
Eventually, I will make her a chapbook of all my April 9th poems. For now, I’ll just post this year’s addition and wish my god daughter, my dearest, darlingest niece a happy 18th. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I have no real way of knowing if that poem is any good. I do know, however, that I teared up while typing that last bit, the envoi. That has to count for something … or, rather, something other than my general sappiness.
On 9 April 2015 By GirlGriotIn containing myself, love, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing3 Comments	
It’s the ninth of April. That means it’s time for another in the line of birthday poems I’ve written for my god daughter, my lovely, lovely niece. She is 16 today, a fact that fascinates me as much as it freaks me out.
Too old to call “baby.” In my heart, you’re always that two-year-old flirting with the mirror, who already knew what I have yet to fully learn: that she was everything, was enough. I mark this moment of your arrival. This sixteen-year love. There is only this wonder, this devotion, this all-I-have-is-yours. Sixteen years in love with your cleverness, your laughter, your imagination, your charm. Sixteen years. I watch you — taking notes, learning from your lead. Sixteen years. Every truth of you expanding my heart.
As I did last year, I’ll be following along with the Poem-A-Day challenge at Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides Blog. Today’s prompt is to write a work poem. Well, not today. Loving my niece is anything but work! You can post your daily poems on Brewer’s page. The top poem from each day will be included in an anthology later this year!
On 9 April 2014 By GirlGriotIn family, love, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing4 Comments	
It’s that time of year again, time for me to add another link in the daisy chain of love poems I write for my god daughter. My lovely and amazing niece turns 15 today. So hard to believe.
On 9 April 2013 By GirlGriotIn family, love, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing8 Comments	
Today my amazing and fabulous niece is 14. So crazy that she can already be 14. And yet. If I had any illusions about how grown she is, going to see her in her school musical last month took care of all that:
An Arun: a fifteen-line poem in three sets of five lines. Each set of five lines follows the same syllable structure: starting with one syllable and increasing by one (1/2/3/4/5 — 3x).
I was trying to remember where that “love like oxygen” idea came from when it suddenly surfaced from the back of my brain … and then I remembered:
Oh my. How did this song manage to stay in my memory? And really: did anyone ever find these guys attractive? Anyone?
On 15 April 2012 16 April 2012 By GirlGriotIn family, language, learning, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, out and about, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing11 Comments	
Great afternoon with my family after a really excellent Spanish lesson in which I was able to talk as if I actually speak Spanish. It’s so strange how up and down my ability is. Sometimes I have no words at all, can’t remember how to say more than hello. And then there are times like today when I’m talking about creating a longitudinal data system (no, really) and leadership development in the community and I’m just zipping along as if I chat about these things all the time. Crazy. What’s the secret door in my brain that opens in those moments? I wish I had the key to that door.
This afternoon’s visit with my family was a quick fix, one I was jonesing for big time. Those few hours were full of a lot of laughter (and truly amazing ribs made by my sister-in-law!). My niece with her newly-minted thirteen year old self is gorgeous and wild, blowing my mind at every turn. My nephew was uncharacteristically chatty today, with his lacrosse-made, seven-stitches-worthy cut high on his cheek making him look tough. These two hold my heart. Funny, smart, beautiful. I see them and think of that French phrase, “bien dans sa peau,” to be well in your skin. They are so themselves, so comfortable with exactly who they are. It’s fabulous to watch.
We talked about The Hunger Games quite a bit. My niece had been wanting to see it and finally did this past week. I wanted to talk about some of the darker things that have come up around the movie, but decided to stick with talking about the story and encouraging her to read the books. I struggle with determining what is the conversation to have about race with either of them. I don’t have a sense of how much either of them has had to deal with racism, or of how much my brother and sister-in-law talk about race with them. With my nephew about to head to college in a few months (don’t get me started on how much that fact freaks me out!), I am feeling the pull toward this topic more and more. I don’t so much want to upset the apple cart of easy conversations, but I can feel myself moving closer and closer to that moment.
On 9 April 2012 12 April 2012 By GirlGriotIn family, love, NaPoMo, NaPoWriMo, people I love, poetry, the doting aunt, writing10 Comments	
Today my niece is 13. That shocks and amazes me. Isn’t she still two and a half? Isn’t she 30? I’ve written a poem for her birthday each of the last three years, each year that I’ve pushed myself to explore a form for the month of April. So now she has a tanka, a Rhyme Royale and a nove otto … and now she’ll have a Zeno. If I somehow manage to keep this up, one day I’ll be able to make her a book made entirely of my love poems to her!
*A $35.00 deposit is required when booking your party. A $25.00 deposit is required when booking a tea. Please be advised, the deposit is non refundable. The deposit will be deducted from your balance on the day of your party. If, for any reason, you need to cancel your party/tea, you will have 45 days to reschedule your party/tea, and the original deposit will be applied to the newly designated date. The 45 days will begin on the day of the original party date. The deposit can not be applied to pampering packages, merchandise or make your own spa products. It can only be used for a party of a minimum of 4 guests.
*Party package prices start with a group rate of a minimum 4 attending guests. If a party of four guests is booked and less than four guests attend, the package price is as listed. We do not discount the package rate due to guests that do not show. There is a maximum of 12 guests.
*A $5.00 deposit/ per girl is now required for any package of two or more. Please be advised, the deposit is non-refundable. This includes Pampering Packages, Girls Glitter W/Grandma, mani’s and pedi’s, and any other appointment of more than two guests. Deposits for teas are listed with the packages.
*We ask that prior to bringing girls in for any service or party that you make sure the girl’s hair has been washed and is suitable for styling (clean, tangle free, any previous braids etc. taken out). Additionally, removing any nail polish prior to a party or service allows us to spend more time with the girls and less waiting time. Please pass this information on to all your invited guests.
*Please respect our property. All merchandise in the store is for sale, unless otherwise specified. Store merchandise is not for use at your child’s party, unless you plan to purchase those items.
*We ask that you arrive on time for your scheduled party. A charge of 20% will be added to your party package if you arrive more than 15 minutes late.
*Upon arrival each guest is offered a choice of a party dress and accessories to wear for the duration of the party. Due to time restraints, we ask that the girls stick with one choice.
*Due to the costs involved in preparing your party, we require that you notify us within 48 hours of any changes to the number of guests attending the party. We reserve the right to charge a $10 fee for any guests that do not attend, if we have not been notified within the 48 hour time frame.
*An additional charge of $50 will be added to any party package scheduled and agreed upon after 5:30pm, Wednesday – Saturday.
*In order to allow all party participants to enjoy their experience at the store, we ask that you limit the number of adults attending.
The safety and well being of our guests is of utmost importance to all of us. Thank you in advance for all your cooperation.
Bold, beautiful, and long wearing colors that dry with a matte, highly pigmented finish. Nourishing ingredients like Vitamin E and Avocado oil keep lips hydrated and smooth.