Fabulous Army Life

Joshua has had a wonderful 2nd grade year. He adores his teacher, Mrs. Jones, and has learned so much. I cannot help but be so proud of my baby boy for such a successful school year.  Great job, Joshua! Joshua receives a certificate for all As for the schoolyear! He manages to avoid eye contact with me all the way to his seat.  =) So proud of this handsome boy! Yes, honey, you have to take a picture with your mom.

Memorial Day 2011 We need him to be there right now, We know this in our hearts. But watching him go fight for us, It's bitter from the start. Our minds can grip the case for peace, the importance of the cause. But the mind cannot convince the heart when all we wish for is what was. We honor and remember those who have fought this fight before us, And mourn for every last lost child, Sons and daughters who implore us ... Never forget the sacrifice Of your Nation's daughters and sons. Honor those who fought for you, And remember them, one by one. So while we wait for our Soldier's return, We wait with love and expectation, That all he does will be for good And be honored by our great Nation. Happy Memorial Day 2011

I was surprised and grateful to have received this award from a fabulous fellow blogger. HUGS and a big thanks to Sarah, who authors the blog, 'Tis the Life of the Army Wife . Thank you, Sarah! The Rules for this Award: You must pass this award on to ONE person. You must tell the world of three ways you and your members silently salute our troops! So on to following the rules ... I follow quite a few of truly fabulous blogs and would be happy to pass this along to any one of them. The blogger that came to mind, first, though is a fabulous lady that I met (in person!) several years ago at Fort Hood. She was active in supporting the FRG then and has gone on to be incredibly helpful to many military spouses across the globe. Her talents seem limitless as she has published work in the area of early childhood education as well. So this Silent Salute Award goes to my fabulous blogger friend, Candace, and her fantastic blog, Army Wives' Lives ! Three ways you silently sup...

It is true that I am an emotional person by nature, and the onset of a deployment takes even my highly emotional self up a notch or two.  I don't think I'm entirely alone in this ... or at least that's what I tell myself to preserve some sense of pride.  The first days of a deployment find me in a haze of sorts as I sort through my new situation in life.  Emotions run amok and the most innocent of comments can cause my eyelids to sting as the tears form.  It's really quite embarrassing which is why I typically avoid public places for a few days.  This highly emotional state creates some interesting moments for me.  I find myself doing things that would otherwise make no sense at all ... and perhaps don't make a lot of sense no matter what.  So here's the question for military spouses the world over ... Have you ever ... saved a load of laundry just to see something of his in the basket? stretched a pot of coffee over three days or more because ...

We've been around this deployment block a time or two, and my honey has done a great job of answering my endless pestering questions letting me know what he really likes to receive in care packages.  He is not a center-of-attention kind of guy and doesn't enjoy listing his preferences for others, but I insist ... and he obliges.  Here are the top 10 basics that are always stocked for care packages we send: Cobalt 5 sugar-free gum is an all-time favorite. Senseo coffee pods are always a hit with his beloved Senseo coffee maker! Liquid creamers are a must with round-the-clock coffee. Shelled and salted, pistachios are a favorite. Soft dried fruit ... not the crunchy kind ... and never, ever dried bananas (well, that's just for my hubby!). Deluxe and salted mixed nuts provide a quick protein-filled snack. Unscented with SPF helps counter the hot sun. Carmex in a tube is needed to fight wind-chapped lips. Mini hand sanitizers fit gre...

My article in the Fort Hood Herald I'm published! Well, in a local paper ... and as a one-time thing ... but, still! I was excited to see my words in print. After I posted about my husband leaving for Iraq in What It's Like When He Leaves , I got a message on Twitter from one of the editors at the Killeen Daily Herald. She asked if they could run my post as an article in the Opinion section of the upcoming issue of the Fort Hood Herald. I was thrilled, of course, and was happy to share. She told me she'd just said goodbye to a Soldier, too, and the post really hit home with her.  I hope it is helpful in some way to others who are experiencing goodbyes as well.  Here's to sharing this deployment adventure!

Whew! I spent the last two days at each of my boys' Field Day events at their schools and had a great time.  Mountain View has a fabulous P.E. program and I am always impressed with the coaches and all the fun things they plan.  This event is all about fun, but includes some crazy physical fitness challenges as well.  It is moderately competitive, in that the classes do split into teams to compete against each other, but there is no hardcore competition ... or awards to be won. Joshua's Field Day was held on Thursday and it was a beautiful day for it ... warm with a breeze.  Friday showed up with a little more heat, but still with a good breeze, and both days were full of fun. Joshua with his teacher and his best buddy, Jeffrey. Finishing strong in the hilarious Rubber Chicken Run! Joshua, Jack, and Jonathan playing Tip the Hat. Loving having his picture taken during lunch.  =) Trey and Judah on the field of competition Mrs. Griffith's Tug-O...

My eldest son is an avid reader ... a comment that is so understated, it's almost comical. Because of his crazy love for reading and the constant build-up of mountains of books in his room ... and the family room ... and the kitchen ... and everywhere else he spends any time, I have been thinking that an e-reader might be a good idea for him.  He has an earned reward coming up and I'm considering e-reader options. I really think the simpler  the better in this scenario ... something he can just read books on ... no WiFi, Internet browser capabilities or chatting functions needed (in my opinion, anyway).  Color is nice, but not entirely necessary either.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Do you have an e-reader you love?  Or don't love? Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble NOOK Borders KOBO Sony e-Reader

If your Soldier has ever deployed from the continental United States, it is likely that he stopped through an airport in Maine.  And if he stopped in Maine, it is also likely that he had his photo taken by one of the wonderful troop greeters there.  This is a group of highly patriotic and supportive Americans who volunteer to greet our troops as they move into and out of country.  From the Maine Troop Greeters website: Welcome to the official website of The Maine Troop Greeters of Bangor, Maine.We are a non-profit group of veterans and men and women supporting our armed forces serving overseas by greeting troops who arrive at Bangor International Airport. Day or night, rain or shine,it is our commitment to welcome each troop home from war and give a proper send off to each of the young men and women heading overseas. We accomplish this by being here to offer free cell phones to call a loved one, a snack to keep them going, and handshakes to let them know we care. ...

It seems we're getting back to "normal" in our home.  We're all adjusting to the "new normal" of Dad being gone, but today felt much less foreign to us.  I'm feeling good today ... both boys had great days at school yesterday, we enjoyed an early "Taco Tuesday" dinner with our neighbors and everyone slept well last night.  I checked off a few important items on my to-do list today and was even able to sneak in a quick lunch with my sweet friend, Jenn. Today was also my first medical appointment at the new Harker Heights Medical Center, which was infinitely more convenient for me than driving onto Fort Hood to the clinic there.  It's a nice, new building and the staff was super friendly.  The highlight of the appointment came when a young child of one of the patients there pulled the fire alarm in the waiting room.  Oops.  A required evacuation ensued and we waited in the muggy hot parking lot for the HHFD to come and clear the building...

Flowers from a friend brought a smile! I've long subscribed to the theory that it's often the little things in life that mean the most ... a handwritten note, a fresh bouquet of flowers, a piping hot cup of coffee ... these are the 'little' things that can make such a huge impact.  Getting a note in the mail ~ written for  me ... from a real person ~ is a nice surprise among the endless stacks of bills, catalogs, and credit card offers.  And, last night, opening my front door to find a friend on my doorstep with a fresh bouquet of flowers just to say "I'm here for you" ... it was one of the nicest things I could have imagined.  {Thank you, Debbie!} Which leads me to that piping hot cup of coffee ... I am so blessed and happy to have a husband who (a) shares my love of java and (b) gets up early each morning and makes a fresh pot of coffee for us both.  It's one of those 'little' things that makes my morning and warms my heart eac...

Saying goodbye to someone you love is never easy. Add to that the stress of preparing for deployment, planning the next months without the love of your life in the picture, and the uncertainty of military combat missions and you have a pretty taxing scene on your hands. In the days leading up to goodbye, there is a certain pressure to say and do and feel and think, well ... more . Say all the things you want him to know before he leaves, do everything you can to enjoy your time with him, feel his presence so you can have it with you even when he's gone, and think of all the things you'll miss about him so you can memorize it, cherish it, and hold it close for future reference.  It's an impossible task, but one military spouses take on time and time again. How do you plan events so special that they take the place of all the events he will miss over the next year?  How do you say "I love you" enough to cover all the "I love yous" you'll miss?...