Fabulous Army Life

It was a BIG deal to perform on the Harker Heights High School stage! My very handsome violinist! A very cute Fan Club awaits their cousin, Trey! Ever have one of those moments where you look at your firstborn child and think, WHERE has time gone?  This night was one of those moments for me. Lizzie congratulations Trey on his concert. Trey's entire Fan Club With Gram and Granddad My firstborn and me. Trey with his Cook girls.

Our brigade has the unique leadership team of a COL who is our brigade commander and his wife, who is a MAJ in a sister brigade in our division.  They were deployed at the same time, but were off-set by several months, with Trish leaving first and subsequently, returning first!  We were happy to welcome home our brigade senior spouse from her deployment to Iraq!  Welcome home, Trish! Trish greets her welcome home fans! Hugs for Trish! Marne and Trish The Black Jack Babes welcome back their Senior Spouse!

In the short time since this deployment got started, We've oft rued the day that our Soldier departed. It seems that Murphy knocks, then moves right on in, Slinging distress, like some unwelcome kin. It's all in a day of this Army life, Here is a taste of our most current strife ... My bedroom TV, which once lulled me to sleep, Now won't turn on nor make even a peep. A ceiling fan stopped, refusing to rotate the air, My son is put-off and whines, "This heat I can't bear!" My laptop crashed quickly.  A virus?  A hitch? Gone!  No documents or notes and none of my pics. The printer stopped printing and errors were flashing; So through the manual I go, a'hunting and hashing. Our washing machine, which has ne'er been much trouble, Now leaks streams of water with an occasional bubble. The back fence fell over, ten feet in a row, Now tethered by ropes, in the breeze, swaying slow...

Sweet baby Jacob at home in November 2001 Me with Jacob in November 2001 Ten years ago today, my Family was in turmoil.  We had just learned that my baby brother had been killed in a car accident, only weeks before his 21st birthday.  After receiving this horrific news, my husband and I immediately boarded a plane in Georgia with our infant son, bound for Texas to be with my mom and sister.  Just as the shock of his death was beginning to sink in, my baby sister went into premature labor at 29 weeks pregnant.  A little over 24 hours after my brother died, my sister gave birth to a tiny new baby boy.  He didn't have a name yet; that was still to be decided.  He was the teeniest thing, at 2.9 lbs. and 15 inches long.  He was rushed into the NICU upon birth and spent the next three months there, growing and getting stronger each day.  The day of his birth was monumental for us.  We were all still in shock over the loss o...

Randal Brant Paclik ~ October 22, 1980 - August 24, 2001 My baby brother, Randal

So my kids both survived the first day of school and are off for Day 2. Trey is thrilled with Middle School and seems to be born for such a time as this.  He loves changing classes and looks forward to a new teacher and subject every hour.  He enjoys having a locker all to himself and the responsibility of taking care of his own things.  He has declared Science as his favorite class so far (primarily based on the lab tables and the jars of floating dead animals and body parts in the room).  He likes all of classes and says all of his teachers are very nice. He cannot wait for Advisory periods where they get to read "for 50 solid minutes on Mondays!!"  He already knows the layout of the school and has his schedule memorized.  He says that the halls are very crowded in between classes; his friend Clayton adds, "If you're claustrophobic, middle school is not for you!"  So, middle school is a huge success, one day in. Joshua is much more reserved wit...

There are moments in parenting that simply make your heart swell with love and pride.  You just can't believe that these amazing little creatures are all yours ... created by you ... raised by you ... and an instant reflection of you and your love.  I have these moments often and this morning was just another one of them.  As I was walking with my kids toward school in the early morning, I just couldn't help but smile with pure joy at the two strong, healthy, intelligent, handsome boys that I call my own.  I pray that they have a wonderful first day of school and look forward to the fun adventures of the year ahead. Two cute boys ready for school! Off to Mountain View! Joshua is ready for 3rd Grade! A small, subtle reminder that Mountain View Elementary School is an EXEMPLARY campus!  Woo-Hoo! Standing tall in Mrs. Cameron's 3rd Grade class! Joshua is all done with photos for the day.  Okay, okay, Mom gets the m...