“In this fascinating book, you will learn about a part of our country’s history that has not been thoroughly documented. I guarantee you will be proud of what these ‘grandmas’ did to serve America in a time of great need. In so doing, they carved a path that other women for many generations have since benefitted from. I include myself in that very grateful group of women who today stand on the shoulders of these awe-inspiring pioneers.” —Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger, USAF (ret), first female four-star general in the Air Force, chairperson of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services “A wonderful and heartwarming account that highlights the often untold stories of our female World War II veterans. This book ensures that their important legacy of service will be shared with future generations.” —Sen. Bob Dole Contributors to this unique memorial include the family of military women and those who preserve their history. They are Dr. Francoise Bonnell (director of the US Army Women’s Museum), Curt Dalton (visual resource manager at Dayton History), Terry Lee Harmon (daughter of Women Airforce Service Pilot Elaine Danforth Harmon), Earl Morse (founder of the Honor Flight Network, Inc.), Dr. Janet Butler Munch (professor and special collections librarian at Lehman College of the City of New York), and Dean and Anne Whiteford (son-in-law and daughter of US Army nurse Martha Miller). A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Honor Flight Dayton, an Ohio chapter of the Honor Flight Network, Inc. The cover art is by aviation artist Craig Kodera and features (clockwise) Elaine Danforth Harmon, Martha Miller, Dorothy Mae Wise, and Pauline Norfleet Hill.

Every woman has that group of friends in her life ~ her "go to girls" The friends that she can turn to who "get it." The ones who are there for you no matter what. The ones who laugh with you and cry with you. The ones that will always be there. These are the women of Napa Valley. Jamie is the editor-in-chief of Wine Lover's Magazine, a single mother and caretaker to her senile mother-in-law ~ a woman who thinks her daily caregiver is Dean Martin. Jamie is still recovering, financially and emotionally from the death of her husband several years earlier. And when she finds what could be the key to happiness, can she open the door and let it in? Or will her feelings of guilt and betrayal hold her back? Danielle is a vintner and the divorced mom of two. She's basking in what she knows is going to be a successful launch of her new wines. Wines she created on her own after her divorce. But what she doesn't expect is for her daughter to come home with news that will shock her to her core. Will an old flame help her accept the changes that are coming and find the love she's been missing in her life for so long? Or will a tragedy that no one sees coming change their lives forever? Kat is a sommelier, co-owner of a magnificent restaurant with her chef husband, and mother of a blended family. But is being deeply in love with your husband enough to get them through the teenage years, step-children and exes? And what happens when old faces return and she's faced with the knowledge that not everything is what you thought it was. What happens when she finds she was mad at the wrong person and finds out the "right one" was in the wrong? Can she forgive and move on? Can love overcome everything and truly bring a family together? Alyssa is an artist and gallery owner with a secret of her own. One she was hoping would stay buried deep in her closet. But the time has come for her to put someone else first, to face the past and to deal with her demons. What she never expected to find was love and her "home." No matter what is going on in their own lives, no matter the heartache or joy they're experiencing these four women are always there to love, support and encourage each other.

Grandma took a trip back to her childhood home in 1954. She took copious notes and photos on her travels, so she could revisit her adventure time and time again. Years later, I found the journal and felt as if I were traveling alongside her.

Writing a book is an exciting project especially when the topic is so close to home. My life story, how exciting can that be? I found it very appealing. But was there something about my story that would appeal to anyone else? Born a twin in Honolulu, Hawaii, just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, I experienced a truly loving family. My dad and mom, John, and Ella Mendiola loved each other, and it rubbed off on all of us. We all went to Catholic schools, and Star of the Sea became the focal point of our lives. The Marist Fathers and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were part of our family. So it was that I became a Sister of Notre Dame, went off to serve God in California and back in Hawaii, and finally, across the world at the equator in Kenya. Then the whole world changed again for me. I exchanged the nun's veil for the bride's veil! God had decided to reward me for my twenty years of faithful service. He gave me Gilbert Gicaru Githere. And I said, "Thank You, God. Mahalo nui loa."

On this pleasant day in 1947, my dad and my mom were wed. Their mutual Love united with their parental agreement as well as all the good wishes of relatives and friends led their close relationship of seven annual anniversaries of friendship to share this secret openly. My mom was born during the last week of August 1922 and my dad during the first week of October 1914. They met a few weeks before my Dad attended the piano recital where my mom at the age of 18 years old played the Blue Danube.

People are naturally worried about transitions at any stage of their lives, and retirement transitioning presents unique challenges because you realize that your life clock is ticking faster with each passing year. Beyond financial concerns, your true wealth is determined by how you spend your time and how you care for your health. Retirement represents a rich psychological growth time, and successful aging is characterized by cultivating a growth mindset alongside a healthy dose of grit, or passion plus persistence. This book shares insights from a survey of 125 participants, all of whom are 55 or older, on retirement beliefs and time management. The author encourages retirees to embrace the concept of rewiring their brains in a psychological reboot applying to both work and non-work scenarios. Each chapter presents rewiring exercises that prepare space for new possibilities to germinate immediately, and "possibility time" exercises that foster digging deeper into legacy roots for shaping days where you can flourish. Seasoned citizen years have the possibility of becoming your greatest life plots when you rewire your personality and ability skillset.