May is the month when Mother Earth springs to life.  When flowers bloom and the grass turns to a beautiful shade of green.

A quote from a poem written in the 1800's by William Ross Wallace states, "For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world."  Mother's have had a tremendous effect on the world, simply by influencing one life at a time.  Moms can influence future generations either as positive role models or as negative examples.  A lot of people have fond memories of their mothers. For this reason, they purchase cards and gifts from a heart of gratitude.  They honor their mom and spend time with them on this special day.

There are a lot of varied emotions connected with Memorial Day, which dates back to official establishment on May 5, 1868.  This day is set aside to remember those who have died in wars across US history.  Since September 11, 2001, the United States has been involved in a War on Terror.  As of April 24, 2007, 3,332 US soldiers have sacrificed their lives in Iraq.  Many US families have been touched by conflicts such as one of the World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm or the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Take some time out during the BBQ on this Memorial Day and remember these brave men and women.

Elvis Presley was brought back from the dead virtual style on the April 25th, American Idol "Idol Gives Back" episode.  Many were left in awe, wondering how American Idol pulled off such a realistic performance of Elvis as he appeared to sing a duet with Celine Dion. American Idol is down to the final six.  No one was eliminated on the charity show, but two will be eliminated on May 2nd as the votes from both weeks are added together to determine who will be in the final four. The anticipation will be over after a two night finale which will take place May 22nd and May 23rd.

Boxing fans will be looking forward to one of most anticipated match ups in boxing history on May 5th. "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather and "Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya will battle it out for the junior middleweight championship.  This fight will be aired on HBO Pay Per View.

Whether Mother's Day, Memorial Day or events involving sports and entertainment, history continues to be made and memories prevail in the minds of those who care.

Additional information for May 2007:

• The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the World - Read the poem by William Ross Wallace.
• Iraq Coalition Casualty Count - Provides statistics on US and coalition casualties.
• Antiwar.com: Fatalities since May 1, 2003 - Find the names of those who have died and the situations that led to their deaths.
• US Department of Defense - Official site of the Department of Defense, dispensing news and information about related US global affairs.
• ABC News - Elvis on 'Idol': How Was it Done - Read this article to find out the secret to Elvis' life-like appearance on the American Idol "Idol Gives Back" episode.
• ESPN.com: Boxing - Read about the anticipated boxing match between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather.