Luxury Office Suite

written by SAD — These are some pictures that S sent via email.  They will give you a better perspective of his life for the next 14 months (yes, we are one month down!).  Keep in mind these pictures are from his office area which is considered “nice”.  He said that he spends a lot of time here because his room is not quite so nice.  It’s a metal shipping container that is about 6′ X 15′ shared with another officer.

Chaplain Row

The office from the front door…S’s desk is against the wall to the right.  The desk to the left of the door is his chaplain assistant’s. 

S’s desk

 

S’s office tent is divided into 2 areas…the front area is his office and the back area is a “lounge”  that was already set up when he arrived. 

S and Sgt Martin travelled by Blackhawk to another area “outside the wire” a couple of weeks ago. 

S on the Blackhawk ready for take-off

A final picture….although it is very beautiful…S said it is deceiving as these are the only trees or vegetation of any kind that he can see anywhere around….also the rings are around the sun are the sand.

Happy Thanksgiving

written by SAD — Those of you who know me even a little bit understand that I cry at the silliest of things…Hallmark commercials, someone winning the car on the Price Is Right, or even for smaller reasons than that (if there are any).  You also know that I have always been fairly sentimental about the Star Spangled Banner at baseball games or even about a flyby over a small town airport by the hometown hero.  That being said, I have not done much tear shedding since this new adventure began.   S said that he thinks I substitute crying over the Price Is Right for crying over what really matters, but that’s the counselor/husband talking.  Anyway, I have done really well.  I have kept my tears in the watershed, and I have dealt very well with all the emotions that have been tossed my way.  I have not been dreading the coming holidays but instead have been very excited about this Thanksgiving …my sister and niece are coming to visit!!  We are all anxiously awaiting their arrival this Wednesday.  We have planned menus, researched recipes, made grocery lists, cleaned house, etc.  All is well…or it was until our friend sent me this Thanksgiving message .  This particular message touches a different part of my heart this year, the part of my heart that is away.   Mind you, the floodgates were not thrown open wide, but the reality hit home. 

Even so, there is much for which to be thankful!  The Lord is faithful to us still.  He has loved us with an everlasting love.  He has said to us, “This is the way, walk in it.”  He has provided the peace that transcends all understanding.  We are not afraid and not discouraged because the Lord is with us.  We are not consumed.  He has renewed our strength.  The King of kings, the Lords of lords,  the Creator of the universe is taking care of me, and I AM THANKFUL!   Are you?

Army Families

 Here is the video I mentioned in my last post:  Army Families…Army Strong  Enjoy!

Main Post Chapel

written by SAD — Last week, the kids and I attended the Chapel Dedication Service and Army Family Covenant Signing here at Ft. Stewart.   The new chapel is beautiful and a very important turning point for the chapel ministry in the Army.  According to the information given at the service, the Main Post Chapel is the first of its kind on army installations throughout the United States.  It seats 600 in the sanctuary with a 400 -seat overflow section.  It has 17 educational rooms and office space as well.   When we walked into the sanctuary, I was awed.  It is really beautiful!  But more important than its beauty is its purpose — a place where our chaplains are “bringing soldiers to God and God to soldiers.” 

After the ribbon-cutting, we moved inside for the Army Family Covenant  signing.  General Campbell, commanding general of U.S. Forces Command, was here for the ceremony and gave a very inspirational speech.  Among other things, he noted these numbers:  1, 000,000 soldiers on active/guard/reserve duty in the U.S. Army…1/2 of those are married….and 700,000 children are a part of those Army families…all sacrificing to protect the freedoms of 300,000,000 people (along with the “sister” services, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc).  WOW!  This covenant, in short, is the U.S. Army recognizing the sacrifices of the spouses and children of the dedicated men and women who serve in the Army and being committed to providing and improving quality of life for those families.  After the ribbon-cutting and this signing, I was humbled to be able to count myself and our family among these others.  There was a short video presentation about the Army Family Covenant and the last tag line read “Families are Strong…Army Families are Army Strong”.  I think I stood a little straighter and held my head a little higher after that because that’s my family!  And although we sang the 3ID Song (The Dog-Faced Soldier) and the U.S. Army Song (The Army Goes Rolling Along), I couldn’t help but sing to myself “I’m in the Lord’s Army!”  

On a lighter note, we took  Daddy with us to the Chapel Dedication.   I mean, really, shouldn’t the chaplain be at the Chapel service?  Here are a couple of pictures of S attending the service with us…and you thought he was already gone!

Wreaths For Warriors Walk

written by SAD –  I posted an article about Warriors Walk a couple of months ago and thought this might be of interest to some of you as well.  This year an organization called Wreaths for Warriors Walk has a goal to lay a Christmas wreath at each tree on Warriors Walk.  If you are interested in purchasing one of these wreaths, please visit Wreaths for Warriors Walk . 

Is Today Really Sunday?

I’ve only been here for a week and already I am losing track of the days.  Everyday here looks almost exactly like the other, so one of my jobs is to remind people that it is Sunday.  There are Bible studies and worship opportunities throughout the week but usually more of them occur on Sunday than any other day.  I attended chapel this morning.  I am not leading any chapel while we are in Kuwait.  There are chaplains specifically deployed to Kuwait and they serve an ever changing population of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines throughout there time here.

Being here has already confirmed to me God’s call to serve soldiers.  I really enjoy the work I am doing.  Don’t get me wrong…I miss my family more than I can say, but this ministry really fits me.  I hope this same thought continues and helps me endure the marathon.

I finished a great book yesterday.  Heroes at Home is written by an air force wife and describes military life very well.  It is written to both military spouses as well as anyone wanting to understand the lives of friends or family in the military.  I recommend it to anyone who would like to support someone serving in the military. 

I do not have my APO address, but I think I should get it soon.  I will not be putting it online.  If you would like to have it you may contact S to get it.

Thanks for keeping up with our lives by watching and reading this blog.  I know many of our friends check it faithfully.  Know that we appreciate all of the support and well wishes you have sent our way.  Please don’t stop praying for us during this time.

S

In Kuwait

Hello all! I don’t have time right now to put much info, just wanted to let you know all is well in Kuwait and I am busy. Hopefully in a few days my training schedule will slow down a little and I can give better information. My unit is busily preparing to enter into our theater of operations (army speak for where we will be and operate for the next 15 months). My schedule will be quite full and not routine for the next several weeks.

I am doing well other than my adjustment to the time change. Anyone who knows me will agree that my not going to sleep until 2:00 in the morning is an indication that something is wrong. Last night I even read three chapters in a book (one chapter usually knocks me out) and still had to choose to close my eyes and try to nod off.

Please pray for my unit as we go through the handoff process with the unit we are replacing. Pray for me to get on the right schedule and to be well rested. Gotta go, my internet time is up.

Christmas Packages

written by SAD — Although I do not yet have an address for S, I do have the recommended mailing dates for Christmas packages to military personnel.

1) Nov. 13 for surface mail (mail going by truck or ship)
2) Nov. 27 for space-available mail
3) Dec. 4 for parcel airlift mail
4) Dec. 11 for priority mail and first-class letter and cards, and
5) Dec. 18 for express mail.

As soon as S gets his APO address, we will let you know. We are having a pretty good week but the days seem long when you’re waiting by the phone. I have spoken to S twice…Tuesday morning at 2:00 (yes, I typed morning)…and Wednesday morning around 11:00. It was wonderful to hear his voice…sounding strong and rested. Yesterday we received a postcard that he had written and mailed from Hunter Army Airfield before he even left. You cannot imagine how wonderful it was just to see his handwriting on the top stack of mail in the mailbox! The kids and I jumped around like we had struck gold.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers this week! You have done what Paul asked in Romans 15:30 “I urge you…to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” Because of your willingness and faithfulness to lift our family in prayer, we are experiencing the peace that transcends understanding (Phil 4:7).

Taking Out the Trash

(written by SAD) – That is not a significant event on an ordinary Tuesday. My husband always takes out the trash on Tuesday morning.  But today, I took out the trash.  My wonderful, faithful, godly husband is gone.  He left 2 days ago headed for the other side of the world.  He is taking the light into the dark.  He is exchanging trash for truth.   And that realization –that God has found him faithful and has trusted him to take His light into the darkest parts of the world — is the only thing that is getting us through.  

Our neighbor left several days before S, and his family came to my house to cry and grieve.  Another visitor came by to check on them and said that he couldn’t do this if he had a family…he couldn’t understand how S and our neighbor could leave their families …  My response to that comment is (and always has been)  ”you could do it if God asked you to do it.”  This other person responded, “I think I’d  go find a whale instead.”    Yes, that might be the easy thing…and there are times when my selfishness rears its ugly head and demands that…but then I step back and realize that if S had chosen the whale, he wouldn’t be the man I married in the first place.  As hard as obedience may be, our willingness to obey (or not to obey) defines who we are.  And who S is…is a man who follows the Lord no matter the cost.  If he didn’t obey in this…all the things he has stood for in the past would be swallowed into the belly of the whale right along with him.  I am hurt that he is gone, but I am so proud of him! 

Many of you have said over and over that you are praying for us.  Here are some specifics:

… that S will have good, usable facilities when he gets set up, including a private area for counseling as well as an office area for study and preparation. 

… that he will be able to get rest when possible and that he would not have problems with allergies, etc

…that the kids and I will settle back into a good, focused routine with school. 

…that 7 weeks will come quickly (we are headed home for Christmas!)

…that somehow S will be able to perform the wedding ceremony for our dear, dear friends in Perryton LIVE from Iraq on January 5  (this is a biggie!)

Thanks again for all the love, support, and encouragement!  Be watching for a link to my own new blog…I’m trying to get that set up this week.  S said that he is planning to get back to this blog himself, hopefully updating about once a week. 

The Countdown

written by SAD — I know it has been awhile since we’ve added anything to the blog, but things have been fairly busy around here.  We are settling into the homeschooling routine, and the countdown is on.  There are very few days left before S leaves for 15 months.  I have spent the last several weeks trying to wrap my brain around that reality, and it is upon us.  I titled this blog “The Countdown”, but now that I’m trying to put into words all that my heart is feeling, I cannot.  So…I will update our regular family life stuff with pictures, and I will try to give you a glimpse into the other later. 

 Since the last post, we have started school, Tae Kwon Do, ballet/tap, and AWANA.  The kids are enjoying all of it!  J looks great in his uniform and is eligible for yellow stripe (one step above white belt) testing in the next couple of weeks.  M, of course, loves dance and looks beautiful doing it.  We have been going to FBC Hinesville for AWANA and have even visited Sunday school a couple of times.  With S still responsible for chapel duty, it is difficult to plug in just yet.  The kids and I will most likely get more involved after he leaves. 

 S’s battalion has had family leave time every Friday for the past couple of weeks to give everyone extra time at home before leaving.  We took advantage of that time this past weekend coupled with the Columbus Day holiday and went on a 4 day camping trip to South Carolina.  We hiked, biked, and did all the great things you do while camping.  Because I can’t seem to get away from the “we-must-do-school-everyday” mentality, we had mini-lessons on planning and organizing for a camping trip.  The kids had to brainstorm all the things you must do for a campout.  They said, “Pack clothes and food.”  I expanded…”how do I know what clothes to pack?”  They then checked the weather for the area, etc.  After we got there, we went geo-caching which again turned into a lesson.  “How do I read a map?  What does it mean that we’re going north?  If I didn’t have the GPS, how would I know what direction we are going?” and on and on and on.  Overall a fun (and educational )adventure! 

What’s on the horizon?  Besides the D-word (deployment), we are taking a field trip next week to Poppell Farms to a pumpkin patch and corn maze.  The website has pictures of the maze.  It is really cool!  We are also anticipating a Thanksgiving visit from my sister and  niece.  After that, we will head to Texas for a long Christmas vacation, wrapping it up with a much-anticipated wedding in Perryton.  All of us, (including S by video or satellite) are in the wedding and cannot wait for the groom to kiss the bride!!  J says that it will be okay for him to kiss her then because they will be married!  Then he adds, “But I don’t want to watch.”

 As many of you know, S has come up with a Deployment Wish List.  If you are interested in participating, please let me know.  If you did not receive the email about his list, I can forward it to you privately.  Also, he created an Amazon Wish List if you would like to send him personal items, books, etc.   Please contact me prior to actually purchasing items so that duplicates are avoided.  Thank you so much to all those who have already signed up, organized, and purchased items for his ministry in Iraq. 

There are so many thoughts and ideas floating around in my head, insights that I want to share with you all, but I just can’t seem to narrow them down into a cohesive pattern.  Please be patient with me.  I will try to do some real sharing soon.  In the meantime….enjoy the pictures!

First Day of School

M’s book report — 3-D scene from a favorite book this month

 

J’s Apple Art

Camping at Sesquicentennial State Park, South Carolina

 Breaking in the new mattress