Fabulous Army Life

Our first stop on our summer road trip to New Mexico was Carlsbad Caverns! The fun begins before we even make it to the caves. Our speelunkers are ready to see the caves! We all created a handmade post card to send to our Soldier. The kids also worked together on some puzzles and other fun things before we headed into the caverns. Finally!  We're headed into the cave! The kids are loving the caverns, but are amazed at how deep we're going underground. My little spelunker Jacob, the Bottomless Pit Love these little cave-dwellers! Joshua points out another fascinating part of the cave.  We loved this place!

So I'm feeling a little blue tonight.  In the past week, I have attended the Memorial Service for a 2/1 CAV Soldier who was killed in a motorcycle accident, attended a funeral for a former Red Dragon battalion commander, received news of two Soldiers from our brigade who were killed in action in Iraq, and said goodbye to my neighbor and wonderful friend as they jet off across the pond to a new assignment.  All were emotional in their own right and have me feeling a bit drained.  I am missing my Soldier, hearbroken for Army Families who received the worst possible news about their loved one, and saddened thinking about my friend who is moving from being about 6 yards away to another continent away. Ugh. The sun will come out tomorrow ...

Our church family praying for us before Nate's deployment began. I received the nicest note from a friend this morning.  She said she was praying for my husband and my family and asked what specific prayers she could lift up for us.  It was such a wonderful way to start my day and started me thinking of all the many prayers I have for my husband and our sons, and for our Soldiers and their Families. Safety and protection from harm are always first on my list for our Soldiers.  Patience and peace are top for our Families.  And for our children, I pray that they will have the resilient ability to find joy in all things.  It's not easy to wait for your Soldier to return, and even more difficult to find joy in that situation.  My sincere hope and prayer is that each Family is able to find the strength and faith to thrive in their current situation and find joy in the honor and courage that service to our country demands. How to do this?  I can ...

Any deployed Soldier can testify to the amount of dust and dirt that accumulates during their time away. Here are some ways to help your Soldier keep clean while he is away. A hanging toiletry bag is a convenient way to organize personal items when sharing showers. This "Sea to Summit Dry Lite Towel" is extra-large and extra-absorbent yet packs easily. This is the SM102BK New Balance SM102 Shower/After Sport Sandal, important for keeping your Soldier's feet off of the shared shower floor.  A Fogless Shower Mirror could prove useful for getting that Soldier-close shave. Bar soap is another way to make sure your Soldier gets nice and clean. Don't forget a travel soap dish! Shower soap and "shower tool" will help scrub away caked-on desert dust. Any 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner combination is great for guys on the go. Be sure to include your Soldier's favorite anti-perspirant/deodorant in your care package kit...

How can you describe the perfect dad? You'd have to start with the man before he was a dad, before he was a husband, even back to when he was a kid himself.  What kind of child would he have been?  He would have been smart, adventurous, and fun, getting into all the messy trouble that young boys do.  He would love sports and the outdoors.  He would grow up with skinned knees, traveling by bicycle, and loving a game of backyard ball.  He would be a good student, a happy son, and a fun kid to be around.  He would have parents who loved him and brought him up to be independent, confident, and wise. The perfect dad would grow up from a charming child into a terrific teenager ... popular, smart, and handsome.  He would have been a great date in high school and have had a long line of admirers.  He would be a school athlete and a great student.  He would study hard, set goals then achieve them, and be active in a variety of activities.  H...

My mother spent 26 years dedicating her life to the education and fulfillment of students in public schools.  She loved them and cared for them, and she taught them, too.  Her motivation was finding the best in each individual child and ensuring that each student reached their fullest potential.  Her classroom was a bright, happy, safe place to learn and her students flourished under her care.  I grew up admiring her constant energy and devotion and love for children.  These are a couple of poems written by this marvelous woman, amazing mother, and exception educator.  Enjoy! Make My Day No two children are exactly the same, No two children have exactly the same name. No two children learn in the same way, But every child can make your day. ~ Gilda Leigh Warlick Look at the Heart Look past the problem and into his heart. Look to his feelings to start doing your part. How do you know what he's been through that morning? Maybe it's your ca...

We started the day at the Harker Heights Medical Center ~ LOVE this place!! It's like they collected the very best of all medical professionals and put them all in this one building.  They are simply fabulous!  In this photo, my boys bond with another DSi-loving child in the waiting room.  I finished up blood work for my annual exam and Trey completed his Boy Scout physical and is ready to go to First-Year Camp next week! Trey and I dropped Joshua off at his friend's house for a birthday party then made a quick stop at Hobby Lobby for yellow ribbon, stickers, and this Plaster-of-Paris imposter.  We hope it will be able to hold our tree branches in place for our "Wishing Tree" crafts for battalion kids tomorrow night.  Trey and I both adore Hobby Lobby and miraculously bought only what we came to buy!  (You're welcome, Honey!) After we finished at Hobby Lobby, Trey and returned to the birthday party.  I really enjoyed visiting with thre...

I remember watching this baby sleep, His eyes are closed, With baby-fine lashes fanned across his sweet soft face ... Sweet baby breaths coming soft and slow, Chest rising and falling with my own. He dreams his baby dreams, Lips pucker then smile, And I take a long deep breath, Taking in his sweet powdery scent. My baby. My boy. My son. Tiny fingers curl around my hand, Eyelids flutter then rest, completely at peace. He trusts me completely. He knows no pain, no regret. I am in love with him. I cannot help it. His fluttering heartbeat is like oxygen to me, A lifeline to my soul. I thank God for him, For his life, his love, his trust. I pray that I can raise him well, And guide him along life's bumpy roads. He is my baby. My boy. My son. And I love him.

When deployed far away, Soldiers can really miss all of the comforts of home. Sending a few items to make your Soldier more comfortable in his 'home away from home' is one way to show your support. Here are some ideas for enhancing their living space. This is a "Dorm" Bedding in a Bag set, complete with Twin XL comforter, sheet set, mattress pad, pillow, and towel set.  Most Soldiers can utilize bedding provide for them, but finding a neutral bedding set to send is an easy way to boost morale and make sleeping a little more comfortable. This "Sleep Better Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow" adjusts to body temperature and will help keep your Soldier cool at night.  A good pillow can go a long way to ensuring your Soldier gets the quality sleep he needs. This Cool Mist Humidifier by Crane provides moisture for dry cough, sinus irritation, and dry skin.  It can also relieve congestion from allergy and asthmatic type symptoms. An area rug can catch (s...

For Soldiers serving in the oft-oppressive heat of Iraq or Afghanistan, one fun idea for a care package is a "Beat the Heat" collection.  Start with tucking tissue paper or cellophane in various colors of blue, silver, or white into your care package box.  Feel free to decorate with 'cold' themed stickers, too (snow flakes, ice cubes, water drops, etc.).  If you have children, they can add paper snowflakes to the box. Next, look for some of these items to complete your "Beat the Heat" box.  Unscented, non-greasy Sport sunscreen Sport lip balm with SPF     Water flavors like Propel or MIO   Dentyne ICE or Ice Breakers Ice Cubes gum USB or battery-operated personal fan Personal mister like this one from MISTYMATE Disposable "Cool Off" towlettes Rubik's Ice Cube game Hockey Ice Dice game Supersoaker Arctic Blast Water Blaster  Movies like: 2012 Ice Age, Cool Runnings, Cool Hand Luke, Ice Castles, The Ice St...