And I taped myself, but because I am technically uninclined, it didn't work. So glad I got to talk to him so I could give him my Christmas greeting "in person."
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Missing Missing Him Monday
So, things have been crazy! I have missed a couple of Missing Him Mondays. Shame on me! Hopefully I will get back to it next Monday, when he'll be missing the fun that I'll be having with my sister and her girlfriend here! They arrive Thursday or Friday and I am SO excited! The boys are too, though with Christmas around the corner, there isn't much that they aren't excited about!
I pray that everyone has a blessed Christmas spent with loved ones, remembering the Savior who's birth we celebrate that day. For those, like my husband who can't be with their loved ones, I pray you are kept safe, have some good food and good company, and are warmed by the memories of past Christmases and the thoughts of those to come with those you love!
I pray that everyone has a blessed Christmas spent with loved ones, remembering the Savior who's birth we celebrate that day. For those, like my husband who can't be with their loved ones, I pray you are kept safe, have some good food and good company, and are warmed by the memories of past Christmases and the thoughts of those to come with those you love!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Eleven Care Packages
He said:
I received eleven care packages in the mail today.
Last night I was chatting with my wife on Facebook. She'd just gone through several very stressful and hectic days, and she commented that she wished I were there (not deployed to Afghanistan) to give her hug. I wished that too---first because I sympathized with what she'd been through and wanted to provide comfort to her; second, because I personally was craving a hug. It occurred to me that the last time I had any physical contact with another human being other than perhaps a handshake was 144 days before when I said goodbye to my wife and our three boys, gave them hugs, and boarded a plane to begin my travel to Afghanistan.
Thinking on this made me realize just how wonderful it is to receive a hug from someone special. A hug can communicate so many things. I love you. I'll miss you. I have missed you. It is good to see you again. I'm sorry. It'll be okay. On and on.
So I posted on my Facebook status the fact that it had been 144 days since I last received a hug.
Then today when I went in to work, I was amazed to see that mail had come in and that I received ELEVEN, yes ELEVEN, care packages.
This is proof that God has a sense of humor.
I received a box of baked goodies from a friend. I received nine boxes from a friend's company, with help from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, full of a myriad of snacks and sweets and magazines and notepads and pens and sundry. I also received a live (Charlie Brown-sized) Christmas tree from a 2nd grade class in New York working with a local tree farm. I'm quite certain I don't know any 2nd graders in New York. Quite certain of that. I was also completely unaware that one could get a live pine tree through Customs from America to Afghanistan. I am completely perplexed as to how an elementary school in New York obtained my name and my deployment address.
On top of that, my boss also received five huge boxes of snacks and toiletries from our deployment office in Maryland. I commented to one of my team members that between the five of us, we don't have enough teeth to use all the toothpaste we received during our final month here.
We put all the boxes on a big table. My team and a group of Soldiers we are here to support had lots of fun going through all the boxes, laying claim to this flavor of fruit snack, that magazine...oh hey! Tabasco Slim Jim! It was like...well, it was like Christmas!
Several of the Soldiers were absolutely delighted by the live Christmas tree! It didn't come with a stand, but no problem. Within 15 minutes, we'd nailed two boards together, filled a big coffee can with rocks, cut the top off a water bottle, stuck the tree in the water bottle, stuck the water bottle in the coffee can, duct taped the coffee can to the boards, and wired the tree down to the boards for further stability. And five minutes after that the tree was covered in garland and ornaments.
The care packages were also full of nice letters from all the kids and the adults, thanking us for our service and our contributions to the freedom and security Americans enjoy, praying for our safe return, wishing us joy for the upcoming holidays. One card in particular struck my attention, from one of the second graders: "Thank you for saving our country."
Having served 19 years in the Navy, I've grown quite accustomed to being approached by random people thanking me for my service. I am glad the time of my service is now...so much has changed from the Vietnam era to the post-Gulf War and post-9/11 eras.
My original intentions in joining the Navy were for college money. I stayed with it because I enjoyed it. I don't think most of us, joining right out of high school, truly understand what the oath means when we take it. But it sinks in, deep down, after a few years. "I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."
It means that we love America, whether we agree with everything or not. We love the freedom Americans have. We love our way of life. We love knowing Americans can rest safely within our borders. We will aggressively pursue anyone and anything that threatens that freedom and that safety. We will sacrifice our time, endure hardships, endure separation from our loved ones, sacrifice our very lives because we know the collective sacrifice of our fellow Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen --- past, present, and future --- helps to ensure the continuance of our great country and our way of life.
Yes, those are often vague and lofty ideals, perhaps a bit esoteric even. But those are the ideals we hold deep down in our hearts, giving us the honor, courage, and commitment to face each new challenge.
Those ideals remind me every day of why I serve.
And when some random stranger stops me in a bar to buy me a beer, or approaches me in a store or the airport to say "thank you for your service"....or better yet, when some random 2nd grader from a New York city I've never even heard of takes time out of his life to help raise money to buy a Christmas tree and to send a card saying "thank you for saving our country" to a random Sailor half the world away in a city in Afghansitan he's never heard of...well that reminds me just who I'm serving for.
I received eleven care packages in the mail today.
I received eleven care packages in the mail today.
Last night I was chatting with my wife on Facebook. She'd just gone through several very stressful and hectic days, and she commented that she wished I were there (not deployed to Afghanistan) to give her hug. I wished that too---first because I sympathized with what she'd been through and wanted to provide comfort to her; second, because I personally was craving a hug. It occurred to me that the last time I had any physical contact with another human being other than perhaps a handshake was 144 days before when I said goodbye to my wife and our three boys, gave them hugs, and boarded a plane to begin my travel to Afghanistan.
Thinking on this made me realize just how wonderful it is to receive a hug from someone special. A hug can communicate so many things. I love you. I'll miss you. I have missed you. It is good to see you again. I'm sorry. It'll be okay. On and on.
So I posted on my Facebook status the fact that it had been 144 days since I last received a hug.
Then today when I went in to work, I was amazed to see that mail had come in and that I received ELEVEN, yes ELEVEN, care packages.
This is proof that God has a sense of humor.
I received a box of baked goodies from a friend. I received nine boxes from a friend's company, with help from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, full of a myriad of snacks and sweets and magazines and notepads and pens and sundry. I also received a live (Charlie Brown-sized) Christmas tree from a 2nd grade class in New York working with a local tree farm. I'm quite certain I don't know any 2nd graders in New York. Quite certain of that. I was also completely unaware that one could get a live pine tree through Customs from America to Afghanistan. I am completely perplexed as to how an elementary school in New York obtained my name and my deployment address.
On top of that, my boss also received five huge boxes of snacks and toiletries from our deployment office in Maryland. I commented to one of my team members that between the five of us, we don't have enough teeth to use all the toothpaste we received during our final month here.
We put all the boxes on a big table. My team and a group of Soldiers we are here to support had lots of fun going through all the boxes, laying claim to this flavor of fruit snack, that magazine...oh hey! Tabasco Slim Jim! It was like...well, it was like Christmas!
Several of the Soldiers were absolutely delighted by the live Christmas tree! It didn't come with a stand, but no problem. Within 15 minutes, we'd nailed two boards together, filled a big coffee can with rocks, cut the top off a water bottle, stuck the tree in the water bottle, stuck the water bottle in the coffee can, duct taped the coffee can to the boards, and wired the tree down to the boards for further stability. And five minutes after that the tree was covered in garland and ornaments.
The care packages were also full of nice letters from all the kids and the adults, thanking us for our service and our contributions to the freedom and security Americans enjoy, praying for our safe return, wishing us joy for the upcoming holidays. One card in particular struck my attention, from one of the second graders: "Thank you for saving our country."
Having served 19 years in the Navy, I've grown quite accustomed to being approached by random people thanking me for my service. I am glad the time of my service is now...so much has changed from the Vietnam era to the post-Gulf War and post-9/11 eras.
My original intentions in joining the Navy were for college money. I stayed with it because I enjoyed it. I don't think most of us, joining right out of high school, truly understand what the oath means when we take it. But it sinks in, deep down, after a few years. "I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."
It means that we love America, whether we agree with everything or not. We love the freedom Americans have. We love our way of life. We love knowing Americans can rest safely within our borders. We will aggressively pursue anyone and anything that threatens that freedom and that safety. We will sacrifice our time, endure hardships, endure separation from our loved ones, sacrifice our very lives because we know the collective sacrifice of our fellow Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen --- past, present, and future --- helps to ensure the continuance of our great country and our way of life.
Yes, those are often vague and lofty ideals, perhaps a bit esoteric even. But those are the ideals we hold deep down in our hearts, giving us the honor, courage, and commitment to face each new challenge.
Those ideals remind me every day of why I serve.
And when some random stranger stops me in a bar to buy me a beer, or approaches me in a store or the airport to say "thank you for your service"....or better yet, when some random 2nd grader from a New York city I've never even heard of takes time out of his life to help raise money to buy a Christmas tree and to send a card saying "thank you for saving our country" to a random Sailor half the world away in a city in Afghansitan he's never heard of...well that reminds me just who I'm serving for.
I received eleven care packages in the mail today.
Friday, December 10, 2010
John Denver and the Muppets - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
For him...I can't wait until we are together again, once the fates allow! =) Love you soooo much!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A Day That Will Live In Infamy
He posted this on facebook and I thought it was important enough to repost here...
69 years ago today, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and awoke a "sleeping giant." Just over 9 years ago, terrorists supported by an extremist Afghan government made the same mistake. Please remember today the sacrifice of those Americans who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, and especially to remember those who answered the call to arms in the aftermath, to fight for American security and freedom.
As my mother-in-law said, thank you isn't always enough. We pray for them everyday!
69 years ago today, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and awoke a "sleeping giant." Just over 9 years ago, terrorists supported by an extremist Afghan government made the same mistake. Please remember today the sacrifice of those Americans who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, and especially to remember those who answered the call to arms in the aftermath, to fight for American security and freedom.
As my mother-in-law said, thank you isn't always enough. We pray for them everyday!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Missing Him Monday
Our oldest son is a Cub Scout - a Wolf Scout to be exact. This is the second year that he has participated and he likes it very much. Last year his dad took him to the meetings and it was a fun time for the two of them. This year I take him (at least until his dad gets home). It is fun, but it is also lots of work because I also bring my two other boys along. Sometimes it's hard to be in one place trying to focus on one thing (the meeting) and having my energy diverted by an enthusiastic 4 year old and his 2 year old mimic brother. =)
Anyway, the Scouts sell popcorn every year as a fundraiser. Both years our oldest sold quite a bit of popcorn, though I am sure by other gung-ho scouters standards, it is nothing to put on the record books. This year he sold enough to earn a marshmallow shooter. Sounds fun! My husband and I each made a purchase to help with the number of sales that our son makes. I have put quite a dent in the popcorn I purchased (along with two other eaters in this household). He, however, is going to wait to get home before he gets to enjoy his.
And so, missing him today is...
And yes, honey, I promise not to gobble it up (won't even open it) until you get home. I can make no promises about what the 7 and 2 year olds do (the 4 year old can't partake due to food allergies)! ;)
Anyway, the Scouts sell popcorn every year as a fundraiser. Both years our oldest sold quite a bit of popcorn, though I am sure by other gung-ho scouters standards, it is nothing to put on the record books. This year he sold enough to earn a marshmallow shooter. Sounds fun! My husband and I each made a purchase to help with the number of sales that our son makes. I have put quite a dent in the popcorn I purchased (along with two other eaters in this household). He, however, is going to wait to get home before he gets to enjoy his.
And so, missing him today is...
And yes, honey, I promise not to gobble it up (won't even open it) until you get home. I can make no promises about what the 7 and 2 year olds do (the 4 year old can't partake due to food allergies)! ;)
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