Fabulous Army Life

As we gear up for the reality of deployment *again*, we're often drawn into conversations about previous separations and stories.  In honor of Military Monday, here is one of our crazy experiences ... THE SETTING: It's the final day of our "Rest and Relaxation" or EML Leave during our first twelve-month deployment in 2006. My Hubby was scheduled to depart D/FW on the 4th of July (something is just wrong with that!) and we were all accompanying him to the airport -- His mom and dad, our two sons, and me. It was an emotional day, for sure. THE SITUATION: The flight was delayed several times, evoking a flood of emotions each time: relief, joy, stress, tension, impatience, curiosity ... Finally, we're informed that the flight has been cancelled and that we were to report again the next day at 1700! Joy! An entire extra day together!! We were thrilled. We left the airport, went out to dinner, and enjoyed watching fireworks in the distance on our trip back to Wa...

I saw this on a friend's Facebook status update and decided to give it a try.  I really needed the laugh; and this worked!  Do this: Go to Google maps online. Click "Get directions." Type "Japan" as the start location. Type "China" as the end location. Scroll to number 43 on the written directions. Laugh out loud then share with a friend! Another friend shared this similar laugh: Go to Google maps online. Click "Get directions." Type "Los Angeles, CA" as the start location. Type "Honolulu, HI" as the end location. Scroll to number 13 on the written directions! Enjoy! 

I know, I know ... everybody thinks their kids are the cutest ever ... me included!  I am just loving how precious they are and trying to absorb every moment as they seem to grow by leaps and bounds each day.  One of the things I love most about being their mom is the way they can make me laugh out loud when I'm totally not expecting it. For example, this morning, we're rushing out the door at 7:15 (our crazy school starts at 7:35 ... ugh) when I turn back to lock the front door.  My 1st grader is standing next to me and scans the skies for hints about today's weather.  He takes one look at the gray clouds overhead and says, "Well, it looks like a slight chance of recess today!" Isn't that great?  LOVE how these kids think.  They bring such a sweet, innocent perspective to life and I am so happy to be a part of that.  This is a short, totally random post, but that little comment has kept me smiling all day today. 

A little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee. He made it himself and was so proud. He anxiously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee. As she reached the bottom, she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup. She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?" Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it’s like on TV...’The best part of waking up is Soldiers in your cup!’"

So I had this hilarious conversation with my six-year-old recently as we were decorating for Halloween and putting together a PVC pipe skeleton ... Him: Mommy, did you know that you can't really tell if skeletons are boys or girls? Me: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that. Him: Yeah, because you can't tell if it's a boy because it doesn't have a weenie. Me (suppressing a smile): That's true. Him: You know, there is no bone in your weenie if you're a boy so it's not on a skeleton. Me (trying harder not to smile): Yes, I think I knew that. Him: But, Mommy, sometimes your weenie feels like it's a bone, even if there is no bone there. Me (choking down laughter): Is that right? Him: Yep, that's right! But then it goes away and it doesn't feel like a bone anymore. Me (turning my head to "cough"): Good to know!