Fabulous Army Life

We were very excited to hear that some friends from Fort Hood would be visiting the Washington DC area this weekend. And even more excited when we were able to work out a time to see them!  We ended up meeting them at the Pentagon where we enjoyed a personalized tour by Nate. All the men in the group deployed together in 2010 and the ladies supported their Soldiers -- and each other -- from home. These two ladies are so very special to me, having served as FRG Leaders in our last battalion and surviving that stressful time right along with me. We fundraised and met and planned and decorated and welcomed home and did all we could to make the deployment as positive as possible for all the Soldiers and Families in the unit.  They are amazing women and I was very excited to see them again.

This is the rough-draft version of the speech I gave the night of my Farewell from the 3-82 Field Artillery Family. There was a lot of improvisation on my part as I tried to adequately thank each and every lady who attended. I was very emotional and honestly could not imagine a world without daily interaction with these fabulous ladies. At the end, I gave each attendee a magnet (pictured at the end of this blog post) that I made as a reminder of the amazing ways they had handled a multitude of stresses during our time together. I will forever treasure my time in this unit and with these Families. Best wishes always to the Red Dragons of 3-82 Field Artillery! A good friend once shared a quote with me that I have loved ever since: Stress is when your gut says ‘no’ but you’re mouth says, “Sure! I’d be glad to!” As Army spouses, we endure a multitude of stresses.  Enduring long separations, worrying about the safety of our Soldiers, learning single parenting skills, taki...

Tracey greets me with a sharp pin ... and a corsage. My mother-in-law, Linda, is honored with a corsage. The planning crew ... Ever want world peace? Assemble these ladies and it's done. Amazing table decorations by wonderfully talented ladies. Flowers and color and jewels, oh, my! Beautiful cake by Muffy Patterson, the Cake Diva! Generous gifts from big hearts. Ladies write notes for a farewell photo album. Cannot adequately describe how much these ladies mean to me. It's sunny and bright on the patio of the Dead Fish Grill! Arcy and Sarah say some really sweet things, some of which are true. :) I get through my speech with a few laughs and a few more tears. Red flowers and a red boa ... I am Artillieried up! Black Jack Babes (Missy, Angie, Suzie, Cindy, me, Trish, and Molly) My fabulous family, Rachel and Linda  Missy, Georgia, Beverly, Sarah, Kim, Angie, me, Christine, Arcy, Val, Lani, Chari, Am...

The Red Dragon Ball was an amazing night of great friends, good fun, and fond memories.  Nate and I have been so very proud to be a part of this group and enjoyed this celebration as one of the last events with our 3-82 FA Family.  Army Strong! CAV Tough! Black Jack! Red Dragons! Love these beautiful ladies! We were so excited that Nate's local family members could join us! With Christine. With Leslie. Nate provides his remarks and some entertainment to Red Dragon Soldiers and Families. Leading the way on the dance floor! Nate and his XO, Brian.

 Bev and Tracey steam table runners. Kim irons dozens of table runners. Ethel is handy with an iron, too!

Black Jack ladies attend the Farewell for 1st CAV's First Lady, Debbie Allyn. Trish and Cindy show off their Texas Casual!

Attendees were encouraged to wear tea hats ... what a lovely photo of the ladies! Personal touches were ever-present and Lisa's personality was highlighted throughout.  A truly lovely farewell for a truly lovely lady. Photos highlighting Lisa's time with 1-5 CAV serve as decorations. Each guest left with a party favor, including a cute silver flower charm.  Guests were encouraged to write notes to Lisa to be added to her farewell gift. A displayed schedule was decorative and kept everyone informed of the evening's events. Food was covered by the venue, Ambrosia's Tea Room in Salado, Texas. Shelley presents her comments, farewelling Lisa from the 1-5 CAV Family. Sharon shows Lisa's farewell gift, a hand-made quilt from the ladies of the battalion. Black Jack ladies attend Lisa's Farewell.

Dancing at Wild West Night This Veteran was the hit of the night.  He and his wife danced the slow songs, but he didn't want to rest when she did ... instead, he danced with all the ladies on the dance floor.  He was so much fun to watch and clearly had a great time. My fabulous friend, Cristy, joined us for the evening. Black Jack Soldiers manned the Black Jack room.  Nate was a particularly handsome dealer.

The Cook Family Thanksgiving We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving on Fort Hood.  The Dining Facilities compete for honors in food service, decorations, and more so it's always a great meal and a fun atmosphere.  One of the amazing cakes on display Trey enjoyed the many options available at this Thanksgiving dinner!  Joshua was slightly more selective than Trey but just as happy!  We loved having Gram and Granddad with us this year!  After dinner, Nate helped serve Soldiers and Families.