Phase 1

Phase 1 out "Get David Out of Iraq" is over. Right now I am currently sitting in a cot that will be my bed for the next few days till we can move on to Phase 2. Like I was telling JL and JB, carrying around 226 lbs of gear left me sore as hell. I woke up this morning after an actual 10-hour sleep (thats after having been up for 20 hours) and I could barely move. Arms and chest are sore, shoulders are shot, have jell-o for walking legs(if stumbling around aimlessly is walking). Neck doesnt feel too bad, but is definitely stiff. Right now we are just kind of relaxed waiting for others to get up so we can go to chow. I do have internet in the tent so I can easily talk to people when they are online. Anywho, I think people are ready to go to chow so I need to get going. Talk to everyone later

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

The turkey is in the oven. The potatoes are peeled. The sweet potato and apple casserole is ready as is the green bean casserole to go in the oven along with the extra stuffing when the turkey comes out!! Jess will be making carrot puff when she gets here and she is bringing a corn dish! No one should go away hungry today!!

Again this year I am tempted to call the Butterball Turkey Hotline and complain!! Why the #%*! do they have to put the extra turkey stuff in plastic bags INSIDE to turkey and then freeze it harder than a rock??? Every year I feel as though I should be on World Wrestling as I am trying to get the turkey to give up it's giblets, etc. again! Why couldn't the wizards at Butterball put the bag of stuff on the OUTSIDE????
I'm convinced that the genius who came up with this idea has never had to fight with a frozen turkey Thanksgiving or Christmas morning!! 'nuf said.

Today we will be celebrating out first Thanksgiving with our precious granddaughter/niece! I can hardly wait to welcome her to Grandma and Grandpa's house!
Today will be the first of many happy celebrations with her. How blessed we are!!

Last night, DA called. He wanted to wish us all a very Happy Thanksgiving! He is packed and ready for the flights that will bring him back to the good old USA.
We are ready to welcome him back and celebrate with him at Ft Stewart on Thursday - one week from today!!

So, to family and friends, Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!

mom

Happy Birthday, DA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE DAVID!

Hope you have a very special day. Congratulations on being a brand new uncle, too.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. Will they be serving you a huge turkey dinner this week - with all the fixings?

Have a safe flight back to the States, and in the meantime - KYHD!

Love,
"Great" Aunt Sher

Phone Calls

I've heard from DA more in the last month than I heard from him all year long! It's been nice though to talk with him. I'm so excited to see him when he gets back stateside. I know I won't get to see him until sometime in the new year, but by then his niece will be almost 3 months old, so she'll be a lot more fun to be around.

I've been doing more around the house today. Now that my doctor is back in town, I'm not afraid to put myself into labor by doing laundry and cleaning things up a little.

In fact, I'm now ready for her to come anytime. I'm so excited to see what she looks like and to not have her kicking under my ribs anytime I make the mistake of leaning too far forward. Being pregnant has been an adventure, but I'm ready for the next phase, mommyhood!

Happy Anniversary!

Today would have been G'ma and G'pa's 62nd anniversary! Though they are not with us today, we can learn alot from them by remembering how they spent 59 wonderful years together! Dad and I are well on our way to that milestone: our 34th anniversary will be here soon! I hope and pray that each of our children has found (or will find)the love of their life and that they will have many happy years together!

DA - It was good to talk with you again last night. It is less than 2 weeks now and you will be making your way back to the good old USA and we couldn't be happier! We all wish you and your buddies safe travels and look forward to seeing you in early December.

Love you lots & KYHD!!
mom

Two calls in three days!!

Wow - I've talked with DA twice in 3 days. He called while I was at work on Friday and we talked for about an hour and then he called this morning to wish me a Happy Birthday. Needless to say I was surprised and very happy. He sounds well on the phone; upbeat and looking forward to getting back to the states. He has started packing and going through his "stuff". Deciding what to bring back and what to leave there or sell to someone staying there.

Today will be a quiet one. Dave is working and I will watch some football, do laundry and read until it is time to go to Jess and Craig's house for dinner. I think we are having chili, corn bread and apple pie...yum-mo! I know it will be delicious and I don't have to cook!! YEAH! I may even have some wine....

The nursery here is just about done. Ben and Craig came over yesterday and put the crib and changing table together and I washed sheets and blankets, etc. I still have some things to wash and some decorations to put on the walls and then we will be ready for baby Becca! I'll take some pics and see if I can get them on the blog perhaps tomorrow or Tuesday.

Thanks for the calls DA - it was GREAT to talk with you.

See you soon....KYHD

Love you,
mom

Redeployment Part 1

So, I know a lot of you have been wondering about when I am coming home, what the plans are for the holidays, how the deployment has been overall through my experiences, and just how things are. While I cannot unfortunately say here when I am leaving or when to expect to see me at stewart, know that I will be at Stewart within 4 days of leaving my FOB. The plan is to leave from here to BIAP, then take a plane to Kuwait. Once there, I will be processed as coming out of deployment status, and will then fly to Hunter AAF. Once the hugging grandmas and war veterans get done hugging us and thanking us for our service and welcoming us home, we will then bus to stewart in which we will have a Welcome home ceremony that will last approximately 10-20 minutes. Now mind you that the ceremony WILL commence the moment we get to stewart. So it could be at 1400 (2pm for the civilians), or 2am(just a heads up). Once the Commanding General (CG) is done with his speech welcoming us home and how we did an outstanding job accomplishing our mission, we will then be released to the more important hugs and kisses and tears from the families and friends and general loved ones. We will then receive sometime between a 24-48 hour pass to spend with the family. We will then go through a grueling, long and boring re-integration phase. Unfortunately, the Division has felt that in order for everyone to get get equal time, they will not be allowing people to go on block leave until after the first of the new year. This not only allows for everyone to get home, but to also get the re-integration training that they (the powers the be) feel is necessary for soldiers to receive since we are considered a high-risk after this drawn-out deployment (prone to drinking, reckless behavior, marital/relationships problems, and coping with post-deployment issues that arise). So unfortunately for us, you will not be able to see me after the welcome home ceremony and the time there until after news years day (they are preventing people from leaving new years day so that soldiers are not out on the road when people in the area have been drinking and driving (nothing good happens outside the house after 10pm, right?) So, that is that part.

Will tell more in my part II about my experiences (good and bad) in my next blog which will be closer to the end of the month.