Honoring our Fallen

Something that being in our lifestyle we do way to often.  Some of you may know that my Troop lost 6 amazing Soldiers right after Thanksgiving.  It was a day I care not to relive ever again.  I had my grief time but then I had to pick myself up and be strong for the other spouses in the troop.  There were lots of questions and lots of grief that we all had to get through.  When Wayne came home for R&R last month we talked about that day.  And I again broke down, the wounds and emotions still so fresh.  And I think it really opened his eyes.  He didn't have a clue how a loss effected the home front. It is for lack of a better word, life changing.  The what-ifs are endless.  Yesterday we honored 5 of the 6 lost that November morning.  It was a wonderful, sad, emotional day.  I was in awe of the family members that came to represent their Soldier.  We had over 60 family members attend.  And I am honored to have been able to sit and chat with them.  I pray daily for them and the Soldiers still gone and wish we will NEVER have to do this again.  But even me, the optimistic gal that I am, know that is not an option.  So for now we will put on our smiles and drive forward and live and survive because that is what Army Wives do best.  HOOAH!

2 for tuesday

the plaque of 2011 has swept through my house.  I hope I never see it again.  Luckily it started after my DH left from R&R, oh that's right he was home for the Holidays!  HOORAY!  it was a great surprise for the kiddos!!  He came in Christmas Day and was able to stay for 14 + days due to the weather!  JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED!  But he has since left and we are here tryign to get back to "our normal"  which means meetings for me, and playdates for the kids.



now we are down another month in our year long deployment!  So that is great news!!!  February is a month filled with parties!  Our Squadron will celebrate it's "half-way" through the deployment!!  We are gonna party hardy!  I also get the honor to meet Former President George W. Bush tomorrow!  I am super excited!!!!!!  I hope to have pictures to share!  REPUBLICANS UNITE!

Today is a Good day!

And after the past 2 week's I 've endured I needed one!  I had my bi-annual (is that right?) Kidney Doc Appointment, things are going great!  But anytime I go see him and they don't use the word transplant is a good visit for me, LOL but this was even better because my Doc downgraded my Renal Disease from Stage 3 (booo) to Stage 2 (yaya!!!!)  Very excited about that, and my labs look fantastic.  But why wouldn't they?  I'm sure I have the most fabulous blood of anyone around?  RIGHT???  So ya  for me and my "hanging in there" Kidney's. 

Now onto some somber stuff, as many of you may know my Squadron 1-61 CAV lost 6 amazing Soldiers on November 29th.  It was a hard smack in the face and seeing and hearing what these surviving families are going through just breaks my heart.  But it also lifts me up so see how us as Spouses can come together to provide support.  And to see how "big Army" as well and the Currahee (that is 4 brigade combat team) come together to take on the task of taking care of everyone.  There was a great article in our Post news paper today in regards to how our AMAZING Rear D is handling these tasks LINK

What are YOU Thankful for?

• chocolate
• pepsi
• great amazing friends
• my rotten, patience trying, loving, snuggling kiddos
• phone calls from far away places
• supportive leadership
• facebook
• christmas music
• musicals
• kareoke
• beer pong

there are many more things to be Thankful for but these are just a small amount of items that I can think of.  I hope after the busy day of preparing a feast and then a day of crazy shopping we all take time out to think, I mean REALLY think about what we are thankful for.  Wayne and I were interviewed earlier this week about spending the Holiday's apart.  And I am Thankful that he is in the Army, allowing us to live this proud life that not to many people will ever get to experience.  Our sacrifice is also a blessing.  In what other lifestyle would you be able to travel around and meet people from all walks of life.  And the pride and patriotism swelling in our hearts is unimaginable.  In closing I'd like to THANK all of you that have come into my life.  

Rusty Old Poket Knife...

do you ever get that "not so fresh feeling"  ha ha nah just kidding!  This is one of my favorite times of the year!  I love the leaves changing color and the cool, crisp air rolling in.  I have said many times how much I love my house and my neighborhood I live in.  The tress all around and my awesome back porch where I often sit and just think.  We are almost 3 months into our deployment and I think we are doing well.  It was a rocky start but we are finally setting into a routine and doing well.  I was sad and happy to have Football and Cheer leading end but I  love not having to rush off to practice and think of a quick dinner for the kids.  We have been spending lots of time outside playing with neighbors, there is nothing I like more than hearing the kiddos running around and playing.  It makes me think back to when I was a kid and would run the neighborhood playing games and climbing trees.  If I tried to climb a tree now I would probably get stuck and they would have to call out the fire department to get me down, hmmm that might be almost worth it to see some "eye candy" ha ha.  With my luck they would send out a dusty ole retired fireman, ha. 

Pumpkin Patches and Dairy Barns!

these 5 days off started with a BANG!  But it was a long weekend full of fun outings, good friends and GREAT times!  Thursday after my kids teacher conferences we jumped in the van with some friends and hit up Cheny's Dairy Barn in Bowling Green.  What a great time!  We did a corn maze, played on a play ground, got some free ice cream, and as an added bonus, as I was chatting up the manager he told us to drive down the road to where the cows are and see the baby calves that were just born.  So we did, and one of the farmhands came out and let the kids bottle feed the calves!  It was truly an amazing experience for them.  The the next day we went to a local pumpkin patch and got our pumpkins and had some more run petting animals and watching a pig race.  Then Friday afternoon I got some surprise visitors at my front door!  My good friend from Fort Jackson, SC came to say hello and spend the weekend here! 

Pink eye, smink eye

UGH.  I have PINK EYE!  it's horrible and I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy.  Ok maybe that is not true but still it sucks.  I feel like a social periaha, ha!  I try to stay away from public best I can, but c'mon I can only be a hermite for so long.  don't worry I have my handy dandy purel with me at all times to make sure I do not pass on my illness.  When I first thought I had pink eye I thought to myself... "who farted on my pillow"?  but alas a couple people I asked this question to thought I was CRAZY.  But after further research, YES you can get pink eye from fecal matter, so great.  I have poop in my eye.  Seriously?  At this point I am not surprised, ha!  It actually makes sense with the direction my life has headed over this past month, at least I can laugh about it.  so yah.  Pink eye is gross, nasty and painful.  I hope if you've never had it you never get it.