Dad, you would have turned 71 today and we [your kids and grandkids] would have planned a little surprise celebration with a candle-lit cake like we did last year and the years before. You would have acted to be surprised but genuinely showed appreciation. Making you happy was easy. All you wished to have was us around you on your special day or any given day. I just wish that I had spent more times with you. I just wish I could make you happier...

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THE HISTORY On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania...

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I love getting lost in the woods where there is no cellular signal detected, only me, my husband, trees and creek around me. The hell with civilization out there. ***...

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Jakarta, the capital of the Republic of Indonesia, is the only city that also holds the status as a Province. Located on the northwest of Java Island, Jakarta was also previously known as Sunda Kelapa (prior to 1527), Jayakarta (1527-1619), Batavia (1619-1942) and Djakarta (1942-1972). Present day Jakarta’s land area is 664.01 km2 wide and inhabited by 9.988.495 people.(1) THE HISTORY Starting out as a little harbor and military outpost...

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During the late 1800s, labor leaders decided that hardworking Americans deserved a holiday of their own. After 1894’s monumental Pullman Railroad strike, Congress decided to federalize this holiday.The Pullman strike had such wide-ranging implications that less than a week after it ended, then-President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law. Considering that both U.S. soldiers and federal law enforcement officers killed a number of strikers,...

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There is peace, even in the storm ~ Vincent Van Go...

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      I might not have everything, but I have a loving husband for over 12 years who stands by me no matter what, a loving understanding family and crazy friends whom I love hanging out with, and that - to me - is EVERYTHING. I know I am LOVED. And for that, I am very thankful.Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!** The above photo was taken on my last thanksgiving celebrated in the U.S....

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Happy United States Marine Corps Birthday!!! I am proud to be a Marine's Wife!!!Semper Fi!!...

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There are still thousands of slides we keep from those days when digital has not yet been invented. These slides I used to use to learn my first photography lesson. Love them...

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Walking down the small paths among rice fields brought back all nice childhood memories. Although I was born and raised in the city, I spent most of my holidays in this small village in Garut, West Java, where my grandparents lived. The house they owned was modest, but large enough to have six grandchildren to stay for a week or two. They made us a swing made of a used tire on the backyard. They fed us with veggies, fishes and chicken meats from...

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          I "bribed" these baby squirrells with bagels to take some pictures of them... LOL... they can't be any cuter than these!! ...

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In days like this, 100.4 o F with 82% humidity here in Jakarta, all I've been wishing for is to dip in to the icy cold natural pool like this. ...

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