A Long Night

The election in Afghanistan is quickly approaching, but not quickly enough. I just want it over. The Taliban is determined to use any tactics they can to scare the peopld so they won't come out and vote. Since Saturday, a suicide bomber blew up a car in a major city, killing 7 and injuring almost 100. Some were children selling gum to soldiers. Then just two days later, missiles were fired in to the city. THEN another Suicide bomber.
Then tonight, through other sources, the Army wives received word that an IED exploded outside the base and killed one soldier. No names given. So we are all waiting to hear from our husbands and now Dee is 45 mins late calling me. I am praying he is late because he is so busy working due to the violence; doing his job. But I don't know that until I hear from him.
How do you have faith so strong as to not worry? I try. I worry, cry a little, then try and toughen up and pray and pray and pray, then read bible verses and my book "Faith Deployed". God is my strength and as I sit here trying to occupy my mind, I know HE is in control and I take comfort that HE already knew what would happen before it ever happened. But this is still my husband and I am still human. The "Not knowing" is the hardest part.

These next few days are going to be long and sleepless for sure. I can't imagine what our soldiers go through every day. They are trained to do their jobs and go in to action when called. BUT are they afraid? Do they have fear? I'm sure, but in a different way.

Tonight, as I heard the report about the soldier, I started crying and praying outloud, obviously too loud. My oldest woke up and came in here and gave me a big hug. I try hard to shield them from the daily news, the daily worries of where the bombs are..........but tonight, I didn't do so well. But I needed that hug and she is such a mature young lady, she'll be fine. This year is going to make us all stronger. We'll all learn more how to depend on each other, but also how to stand strong in the face of adversity. AND most importantly, stand strong in our faith.

Please pray with me as this week unfolds.

August is Here

Well, Dee has been gone from the US for 6 wks now. Sure has gone by very very slowly! He has requested his R & R for the first two weeks of December and it looks like that will probably be granted. But nothing is ever written in stone.

Temporary Housing was supposed to be just a few weeks. There are 200 guys crammed in one long bunker/barrack. It's getting hotter there, and tempers are starting to flare. Recently, Dee has been working 8 hr shifts and that was nice for us to talk. I usually could talk to him before he went to bed, and he'd call us before we went to bed. We had gotten in to a routine and it was getting much easier. But now he is on a 12 hour shift at night. The time difference doesn't allow us much time for us to talk with school for the girls and earlier bed times. He literally just started that shift today so we don't know how it will work out but we'll make the best of it. I'm sure we'll only get one time a day but I'm thankful for that!

He also got word that his temporary housing is going to be probably another 6 wks. He can't wait to get in his own housing area. Right now, trying to sleep in the daytime, with so many others that don't respect those sleeping, the flies are horrible, the temperature is very hot to sleep in.....so he's not sure he'll be able to sleep. I am looking for a clip on type fan he can plug in to use on his bed. Hopefully the noise and the breeze will help. So far, no luck finding one.

Probably one of the things that is difficult is alot of the guys are single so it's hard to have things in common. And many that are married, don't value their marriage and think of this time as a vacation from their family, time to let rules go out the window. Dee does have a few friends there with the same values and beliefs so I'm praying they will all find time for each other.

Dee said they started a Southern Baptist church service Sunday but he wasn't able to go because of work. He is hoping to make it this Sunday.

He has been enjoying shopping from locals, buying his family presents. He says they have beautiful scarves and jewelry. I get a package in the mail soon, this week. Can't wait to see the goodies!

Dee has said that if anyone wants to do something, please do it for the local kids there. He doesn't need anything really but the kids and teens there don't even have soap to take a bath. The medic goes out and has contact with these children, so I will be collecting shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, etc....especially in travel sizes so we can make up some zip lock bags as a set. So I will have a box in the S.S. room for those that go to FBC. When it's full, I'll ship it.

Those close by, but not at our church, just let me know and I'll meet you somewhere. My Mom's S.S. class is calling this Operation Dee! How cute. They have really taken him under their wing.
Beverly, thank you for adopting Dee and taking care of the personal items he has needed, along with snacks. You're the best!

Love to you all. Thank you for the prayers!

Lori

Getting Settled

Dee left Indiana on June 22nd and it took them 6 days to arrive on base. That was a long week for sure. They stopped in several countries and stayed in Krygyzstan for a few days. Since then, he has gotten set up in temporary housing amongst 200 soldiers piled in there. He can't unpack because there isn't any room so for a month and 1/2 or so, he's living out of his bags. They started out only working 4 hrs, but now they are on 8 hour shifts until the other unit transfers command some time in August. At that point, Dee will be working a 12 hour shift. When Dee first arrived, the only communication was a military phone for the soldiers to use that cuts off after 15 mins. Usually he'd have to stand in line to use it. Then they had military computers set up for personal use that you could log in for 30 mins....and there was always a line there. Even when we did talk, most times, we got disconnected after 6-8 mins. It was frustrating but good to hear from him. Finally, they put wireless internet in the temporary housing and Dee paid for the internet use ($100 a month). But it is so worth it! Just this past weekend, we finally got Skype Video chat and Yahoo chat set up. I got to see him for the first time in a month, via video. He looks so good and is so handsome!! I absolutely loved seeing his beautiful smile and hearing his contagious laugh! I just felt such a relief to have made this kind of connection with him.
Dee and I have talked via video chat several times now and since they have alot of down time right now (until the other unit leaves) we just chat. Last night (morning for him) we just played Chinese checkers online with each other! What a wonderful thing to be able to connect in this way. We both felt so much better and we feel like we can get through this year. It won't be as hard now. There will be lots of changes and depending on when his 12 hour shift is, might effect our ability to talk...but we are praying for a shift that will allow the girls to see him and talk to him. I can stay up late and get little sleep but they can't.

Dee and I have been talking about how blessed we are. We know that so many soldiers end up divorced after a seperation like this. But we have chosen to dig deep and stay positive through it all. God is our stronghold and has guided us along the way. We prayed that God would bless our marriage and he has. This past month, we feel like newlyweds all over again. After 14 yrs of marriage, I can say I love him more than ever. Because we spend quality time talking about our lives together and planning for the future. Things we might have taken for granted before, we cherish now. I know this is the silver lining in all this. As well as God using this time to bring each of us closer to HIM!
Dee sees many men cheating on their wives and just being stupid! But we know we have to best marriage on the planet and can't wait to celebrate that together when he returns. I foresee a renewal of vows when he returns! I am very proud of Dee and all he is doing there. He is an amazing man and very smart! God has blessed me so much with such a wonderful, Godly husband.

We went to the beach last week and stayed with another Army family in a very nice condo right on the beach. I felt better than I have in a very long time. The beach and the atmosphere helps my fibro tremendously. My prayer now is for God to open an opportunity for Dee near the beach, when Dee returns. We are so ready to move!

We have been keeping busy. Two wks ago, another Army family came down here from New York and we met in Atlanta and stayed at a hotel and then went to the aquarium. It was so much fun.
Then last week at Ormond Beach, Fl, near Daytona.
We came home, washed clothes, repacked and got Jessie ready for camp. She left this morning for a camp with the church in Tennessee. She'll be back Friday then we have Jolie's bday party Saturday at a local gymnastics place. FUN!

School starts for us on Aug. 10th. We are homeschooling again this year and using a new curriculum. We are very excited about that!

Dee has been blessed with several boxes of things and has enjoyed reading some new books. Right now, he doesn't have any items he needs but once he gets in permanent housing, he may need to restock some personal items.

Thank you for praying for Dee and for our family. It is very obvious that the prayers are heard and being answered.

Love,
Lori

Dee is on his way

Well, We were truly blessed to have Dee home for a total of 11 days before he had to return. We didn't do anything "special" but to me, just being together is special. We went out to eat at his favorite restaurants so he could get his "fix" before being without for a year. This past week has been Music camp and I am a Co-director of the play portion and help out as much as possible. Dee was more than happy to come and help out and just be by my side. We worked every day together and both enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the performance is Sunday night and he will miss it. (tonight)

I think Music Camp kept my mind focused on other things most of the day on Friday. But once we left the church around 3 pm, I just couldn't deny it any more. He was leaving in a few hours. I broke down and cried all the way to my parent's house. I was trying to hide it from the girls but just started sobbing and couldn't. We made it to my folks to say goodbye and pick up a goody bag. I broked down again hugging them! Geez! Is there no end? Then we got home and quickly packed up his one backpack he was able to take back. We headed to Milano's, Dee's favorite restaurant, to meet him Mom and nephew for an early dinner. While waiting, I gave Dee a huge bear hug and just started sobbing again. MAN! The waitress asked if he was just returning from war (he was in uniform). I said he was just leaving tonight and lost it again.
But, once in the car, we talked to his mom most of the way and I was able to compose myself. I even put on some makeup and tried to look presentable! We got to the airport and after jumping through some hoops, we are all able to get a security pass to go to the gate with Dee. But of course, we arrived at the gate and then they changed the gate, to another one on another concourse. So most of our visit time was spent walking around the airport. We literally just had minutes to visit before he loaded up the plane. His Mom and I really started crying and I just couldn't stop hugging Dee. I didn't want to let go. Dee teared up a little and the girls looked so dejected with tears in their eyes. He gave them two big hugs and was on the plane. The girls watched and waited for the plane to taxi as they waved their American flags. Some sweet lady, saw the tears and brought me some napkins. It was a sweet gesture. After a while, I was able to dry up my tears and we headed back to the car. I'm glad Dee's mom was with us. I know it would have been difficult by myself coming home. We talked and shared memories. We then took the kids to Steak and Shake for a milkshake. We wanted this time to be a good memory or at least something good about it. I finally got something to eat. Wasn't very hungry at Milano's!

We finally got home around 11 pm and I was totally exhausted: mentally, physically and emotionally. I thought I'd have a difficult time sleeping but the exhaustion kicked in and I was out!

Dee emailed me from the Indianapolis airport and said he was safely there and sitting in the USO lounge, waiting for the Army van to pick them up at midnight! So he just sent me an email to let me know he arrived.

I talked to him via Facebook tonight and he said he got to nap a lot today. So that's good. Tomorrow, he will work on packing. We don't know his exact schedule yet, and even if we did, I couldn't share it with you. But he leaves in a few days to head over "the pond", as they call it. At that point, I don't know when he'll be able to get in touch. It may be a week before I hear from him.

The most difficult part of today was not being able to pick up the phone to call him or text him. He left his cellphone at home because the cost is so high to use it over there. The cost is 3.99 a minute and .50 cents per text. So he has set up a Skype phone number so hopefully he'll be able to use that soon.

I feel like the next two weeks will be the toughest. Not knowing what is going on, worrying about IED's and his safe arrival into the fenced Camp area, etc. Once he's in the fence, I'll feel much better. I hope he'll be able to stay put, once he's there. Who knows!?

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I sure can feel them and I'm so thankful to have a praying family and praying church family and friends. God will see all of us through and will surround Dee with His Angels!

Phase 1 almost over!

It's been three weeks since I last posted on my blog. I guess that means things have been going pretty smoothly. We have gotten in to a routine and are doing fine. Dee has been sick with an upper respiratory infection but went to the doctor and got an antibiotic so he's almost better. Just a lingering cough. They had to work Memorial Day which I thought was just wrong, but I guess the military keeps working to keep us safe and allow us to be able to celebrate Memorial Day. They have been working 14 hour days for the past week and they are tired, but doing well.

We had Jolie tested to see if ADHD was the only diagnosis or if there were other issues. She did test ADHD prodominantly with Hyperactivity and Impulsivity. Both doctors that saw her said she was upset about her Daddy being gone and that she is worried about him. So they suggested counseling to get her through this so we will follow their recommendations. It breaks my heart that she is struggling with it, but we do what we have to do, pray for her, and before we know it, the year will be just a distant memory.

We are counting down the days. Dee will be home in 8 days! We will have 11 days with him before he heads back to Indiana. Then at some point, they will be flying to Aghanistan. I can not share with you a specific date for security reasons, but just be praying for him.

We are very excited about the time he has at home before going off again. I do worry that the feelings we struggled through before will resurface. BUT I pray it will be easier this time, since we know how to function day to day now. I call his time in training Phase 1. Phase 2 is the time in Afghanistan until his R&R, probably in November or December. We will get two weeks with him then.

Once he gets situated in Afghanistan, I will post his address and whatever items he may need.

We are hoping to get my laptop fixed while he is home so I can have the video cam to communicate with him. My laptop got a virus and it's not working! I miss having my "in-home" computer tech to fix the computers. He tries to talk me through things on the phone, but so far, no luck with the laptop.

Life goes on and we are truly blessed. Dee and I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary this week, on the 27th. This is the first time we've been apart, but we will celebrate when he gets home. I just feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, and terrific dad for our girls! Every day, I wake up so full of life and know that I have someone that loves me back, just as much as I love him!

This past week, Jolie lost her first tooth and the tooth fairy came to visit will in the mountains on vacation! There we were, in a house of 10 family members, and all of us willing to pull it. She goes to my niece's boyfriend, the only non-blood relative there, and he pulls it. That is so funny to me. But she is so in love with him anyway! She told my niece she couldn't marry him because she loved him!
Then Jolie learned to really ride her 2 wheel bike! She had learned a few months ago, to ride a few feet. But now, she can ride, turn, ride in the grass, etc. She just took off! So her birthday is in July and guess what she wants? A new bike!

Jessie is growing up too fast. She is turning in to a beautiful young lady. She and I joined the fitness center in town and it's been a great thing for just the two of us to enjoy together. She feels so grown up and it is a special time for us. We trying to eat better and work out several times a week. I pray this sets her up for a good life skills, she can use the rest of her life.

I am still struggling with my wrist, from overuse on the computer. Imagine that! LOL I have started PT on it and with the water aerobics, I think it'll be better soon! We also joined the pool where my Mother In Law lives so we will be doing a lot of swimming which will help.

8 more days! I can' wait. We decided to not spend time traveling but just to allow Dee to be home and visit friends and family. We will not only celebrate our anniversary, but will celebrate Jolie's bday and Dee's bday. So lots of celebrating going on!

Wonder if Milano's will let us celebrate Dee's bday early? Usually they check your driver's license. Maybe if I explain, they will.

Thank you all for the prayers for Dee and our family. It really means so much and has helped us get through Phase 1. Keep praying as Phase 2 is fast approaching.

Three weeks down

Well, Monday will be three weeks since Dee left for MOB training. It seems like much longer than that, but we are finally finding a groove and functioning more normally. I think a big part is that the Army hasn't been pulling the rug out so often. That really throws us, as a family, for a loop.

I have been doing very well this week. Last week, God really touched my heart and helped me see things more in a positive light. I know God is going to use this time of seperation to really grow us as individuals.

I had lunch with my mentor and friend this week and she confirmed the same thing. She felt God had amazing things in store for our family this year. One of those things was that she remembers as a child, those children from a divorced home, the siblings were very close. She figured it was because they had each other and had to pull together. In contrast, she and her sister were not close until they grew up, and their parents never divorced. So in our situation, the girls are seperated from their Daddy, in a tough situation. So they will pull together and bond together. I pray this is true. It's been a rough year with all the fighting. But then Daddy gets to come home in a year, not gone forever.
She also said that God would use this time to help Dee grow stronger in the Lord and become more dependent on HIM, as he would for me too.
I know God puts us through things to make us stronger, so I know this year will truly be a challenge but we will gain strength from it. Our family will learn to cherish the time we have with each other every day, not take any for granted. Dee and I talk more because we can't vegg out on the sofa and watch TV. We talk every night and it's been nice. I know that might not continue once he deploys, but I do know the internet is pretty good over there. So we'll at least have Instant Message.
We found out Dee's dates to come home and it's for 9 days the first part of June! I am so happy it's longer than 4 days. PLUS they are letting him come home instead of all of us having to fly to Indiana. THEN I ordered his plan tickets and there was a big sale! So we got the roundtrip ticket very cheap! That is a blessing all the way around!
Dee got his two boxes of goodies and supplies we sent him. He was very surprised to have three boxes at the post office on Tuesday. The third box was a folding chair that has the design of the American Flag on it. He doesn't like to sit on his bunk bed to read and put on his shoes. So now he has a chair.
The girls and Dee have been scheming all week for my Mother's Day presents. Dee told me to give the girls his credit card so they could buy what he wanted to get me. Then Jessie used her own money to buy we some gifts! They wanted me to open them tonight because one I would need for tomorrow. So I opened them and got a beautiful green necklace and earrings, that I will wear tomorrow. Just happens I am wearing green tomorrow! Then Jessie also gave me a Starbuck's gift card. YEAH!
Then Dee gave me a gift certicate to receive a facial at the local beauty School. We've heard the facials are amazing so I can't wait!
I also recieved the most beautiful, precious letter from him today in the mail. He said the base didn't have Mother's Day cards so he just wrote me a letter. I love that! I told him I'd much rather have his words than someone elses! It was a letter I will cherish forever. So special. He really poured his heart out.

Last night, the girls and I had a Mother/Daughter day. We went to Chick Fil A first and the girls played at the indoor playground. Then we went and had our nails done. The girls got pedicures too. They had a little kid's chair that Jolie got to use. Too precious. Then I surprised them and took them to see Hannah Montana the Movie. We had a great time.

So all in all, we've had a good week. Dee is busy doing his "job" on the base every day and pretty much in a routine. Now that the changes have settled down, I think it's easier for everyone. Doesn't mean it over though. The leave dates could change 5 times between now and then. I'm praying they don't since we have ordered plane tickets, but we'll see.

Thank you all for your prayers these past few weeks. Hard to believe we have barely gotten started. We just take it one week at a time. Now just counting down days until Dee comes home in June. According to Jolie, "30 more days!"

Rough time on Day 9

First, let me say how heartbroken I am over the loss of Sam's baby. I can't imagine the pain they must be going through. I am praying for them all day, every day.

The last two days have really been tough on Dee. He's starting to feel his age, as he tries to keep up with the younger guys. They had to hike 3 or 4 miles, in a thunderstorm, out in to the woods. His Ruck sack had too much in it, but they said "Bring everything!" so he did. He literally almost collapsed, not able to breathe. That is when they discovered his ruck was too heavy. Then sleeping on a cot in a tent.....his back wasn't feeling so good after all that. He didn't sleep well again.
Then he went to bed with a headache and woke up with a headache (probably dehydration). It eventually got better during the day but they are out doing field drills/exercises in full combat gear, body armor etc. I know he's in the Army, but for a computer analyst type, this is difficult.

He started getting home sick yesterday, really questioning why he had ever signed up. He knows we have suffered through no pay, no respect from the National Guard. And knows that we are always on hold with our lives, waiting on the Army to make up it's mind. He texted me yesterday several times how he missed holding me, falling asleep with my hand on his head, (silly things that we've grown accustom to), etc.

Today, he sounded worse. It seems like most of the family guys were having a rough day today. I think the fatigue is a factor, plus it's been 9 days now. They are used to coming home on the weekends.

When Dee left, he showed no emotion outwardly. Prior to him leaving, when I was crying so hard, all night long. NO sign of emotion. It worried me. I knew he was feeling it, but not showing it. So I think he's bottled it all up and now with the fatigue, its all coming out.

Tonight, driving to church, Jolie helped Jessie with something and said, "I'm your Huckleberry, right Jessie?" Well, that saying is from the movie TOMBSTONE. We use it all the time when you help someone. It's really special between the girls and Dee. He is their Huckleberry. Jolie is very protective of that title between her and her daddy. I said, "Well, since Daddy isn't here, we can all be each other's Huckleberry until he returns." She said, "Daddy is here Mommy!" I said, "Really? What do you mean?" Jolie said, "He's right here in my heart. Just like Jesus is!" Well I teared up and thought that was the sweetest! When Dee calld me when I got to church, I told him about that and it really touched him. He started crying. I felt bad for telling him at that moment. Then he talked to Jolie about something she had done in choir. They were talking about prayer requests. He told her she could ask for prayer for herself since she missed her Daddy. They both were crying. Man! When I talked to him, he was still crying and hung up upset. I did good to stay strong on the phone, but as soon as I hung up, I just lost it. I got it out of my system and a friend from church and my nephew were there to console me. And of course, Jolie was there to hug me too. She always does that when she sees me missing Daddy.

I talked to him later, before bed. He was still struggling. But he said most of the family guys were. He said that a lot of guys are in to sports, or cars, or just hanging out with other guys. But he is different. His family is his life. And because we do everything together, it causes him to miss us even more. We are soul mates and best friends. I miss him terribly.

I can't believe it's only been 9 days! Truly feels like a month already. Everyone says the first month is the hardest, although many wives say the first two months. So we'll see how it goes. We'll be seeing each other in June so it will be close to 2 months when he gets his 4 day pass. Just hope it doesn't start all over again and take another month or two to adjust.

I know it will for him because he'll be in Afghanistan, in a totally different place. But I think once he gets settled, the routine of his job there, and us being in a routine will help.

I am so thankful for my family and friends that know just what to say and how to lift me up. I've got another friend that is an Army wife and it's been a blessing that we've become friends. It helps to have someone that understands exactly how you feel. Her husband is with Dee. I've also met other Army wives on Facebook through a Christian Military Wives site. We all seem to have a difficult time sleeping so you'll usually find us up chatting with each other at 2 am or so! LOL

I am asking for your prayers for Dee. Pray he has an uplifting day. That God will renew his spirit and carry him tomorrow. Pray he will rest tonight, best he can. (They are doing sleep deprivation training with Flashbangs! FUN! NOT!)

He will be in the woods until Saturday. We decided to lift our spirits, we went shopping for Dee's Care package items. It helped. I went crazy and bought everything I could think of that he might want. I think he'll be well stocked for a while. He said the water is horrible and he's been very thirsty so I bought Crystal light packets and gatorade. I ended up having two boxes full that we'll ship tomorrow. That will give him something to look forward to. The girls are going to draw him a picture or two and put some notes in there. If you want to send a note, send it to my email loriluluburd@gmail.com and I will print it and send it in the boxes.

Thanks for reading. Remember to pray for Don and Sam Swaney and all the family.

Love
Lori

Time has come

Well, today we said goodbye to Dee. He is headed to Camp Atterbury in Indiana. We are praying for a 4 day leave in June. We'll see. This weekend has been tough. We came home Saturday night from our mini vacation and the tears started then. I really felt like I was having a nervous breakdown, couldn't stop crying, couldn't catch my breath. Felt like I was going crazy. We didn't go to church because I was such a mess. Today, I met First Sgt's wife, Dianne. This is their 4th deployment. I figured she must have the strength of steel. But after talking to her, she's had the same kind of weekend. She says it doesn't get any better. We all cried at the base. We told Dee goodbye, prayed and hugged until we couldn't anymore. The girls were really sad. Jolie asked Dee to quit the Army so he wouldn't have to go. She doesn't understand.
Then we had to come straight to CRCT testing for Jessie. I am praying she can concentrate. Right now, I am much better than I was. Feels like a regular Monday when he leaves for Ft. Stewart. When the weekend rolls around and he isn't coming home, reality will set in.

Thank to all the friends that have been praying for us. Dee and I will have been married 14 years this May. We've never been apart more than 2 wks, until he went to Louisiana with the ARMY recently, for 3 wks. It was miserable. I guess we'll figure it out as we go.

It was difficult to watch him pack so much stuff, knowing he wouldn't be back holding me in our bed for a very long time. I didn't sleep last night so when Jessie is done, and we are finished with Conyers Kids, off to bed early tonight.

I am very thankful that my time to endure a war is now, not during previous wars, such as Vietnam. Those wives would go weeks without ever hearing from their husbands. They didn't have cell phones or internet. For that, I am thankful.

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband and I guess thats what makes it so difficult. I feel like I've lost my best friend and my insides feel empty. But God is my strength and I will lean on him. On the difficult days, I will let you pray for me, when I can seem to even pray for myself.

Countdown

Well, a week from today, Dee will be leaving for a year. So far, we are doing OK. I know it will be tough once he is gone. Jessie has CRCT's all next week, so I hope she can focus. The first part of his trip is to Camp Atterbury, Indiana for 50 days. We are hoping for at least a 4 day leave for us to go see him. I have a very faint hope that it may be more than that, but I'm not counting on it. I only say that because I know someone else in the Army that got 2 wks at HOME before deploying overseas. Of course, we won't know until last minute. We don't even know where and what time he leaves on Monday!

We had a wonderful Easter. We took off Friday headed to Newnan. We went shopping for Easter clothes and then stayed in a hotel with an indoor pool. The girls loved swimming, their favorite pasttime! We had a scare when a tornado warning was issued just a few miles from the hotel and lots of hail rained down! But we were just fine. We went out to eat at an amazing Mexican restaurant and had a wonderful evening. We asked the Easter Bunny if he could come see the girls on Saturday, instead of Sunday. We just felt that it's always so hectic on Sunday, trying to get ready for church. The girls never have a chance to really enjoy their Easter baskets. Plus, we thought we could do Easter Bunny on Saturday, and make Sunday all about Jesus. It worked out great! The girls enjoyed their candy and toys all morning at the hotel, we checked out at 11 am, went shopping for shoes, then headed to Moreland, GA.
Dee's grandmothers siblings (there are 9 total...or were at one time)had a Easter Family Party with lots of food and a huge Easter Egg hunt. There are lots of little cousins so the girls loved it. They hit 675 easter eggs! Jessie found the most and won $40! (family took up money to give 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes) We thoroughly enjoyed visiting with all the family. This also freed us up from having to travel between families on Sunday. Later in the afternoon, we drove to Fayetteville to Dixieland Fun Park. The four of us had such a blast riding rides, laughing and just enjoying being together. Jolie is so much like me......NO FEAR. And Jessie is more like her Daddy. More cautious. But both girls rode the zip line and screamed but loved it!

We didn't leave there until close to 10 pm! The girls slept in the car and went right to bed when we got home. I had to make a congealed salad, but quickly got to bed as well.
We got up and got ready for church. We were dragging but we made it! We had an incredible morning at church, came home, took Easter Pictures, then I finished cooking. Then we headed to my brother's house for Easter, at 4 pm. The girls enjoy being with my neice Callie, who is 22 yrs old. And then my great nephews were there, who are 3 and 4. So they did another Easter Egg hunt and then rode bumper cars. (the boys brought them) We had a wonderful time with family.

Last night, we had dinner with my Mom and Dad, Josh and his girlfriend, and the four of us. We played Wii and had fun.

Tonight, we ordered pizza and watched Bolt! Just enjoyed being at home and being lazy. Dee had to work today with the Army and tomorrow, but was home by 4 pm.

This week, we have a lot planned. Thursday, we are going to Noah's Ark to see all the animals. That should be a wonderful experience. We might go bowling later.

Friday, we are going to Stone Mountain later in the day to stay at the Evergreen hotel. They also have an indoor pool so the girls can swim. The hotel has a package deal so we can stay and get breakfast and 4 tickets to the park for a really good deal! All day Saturday will be Stone Mtn park, then the laser show that night. The decision is....do we stay Saturday night at the park and drive to church Sunday or do we go home Saturday night? Verdict is still out!

We are trying to use our time to build memories for the girls, take pictures and just enjoy our time left.

Just when we thought.....

Just when we thought things were finally leveling out for us, the Army delivers another blow today.
Last week, they (a Lt.) came to Dee and asked him if he would consider leaving 5 days early for his MOB training in Indiana. That would put him leaving on the 20th, instead of the 25th. I was against it until he told me they would give him extra days off. So in the long run, we'd be together more. So we agreed. This was supposed to give him 10 days off in a row! So we planned our vacation. I spent two days calling condos, trying to find a place to go. Then got in touch with my dear cousin who is the consierge at a Resort in St. Pete. Because we are family, she could get us a "Sweet" deal. So we made the plans to go on Monday 13th and return on Friday the 17th, giving Dee the weekend to relax at home and get ready to leave. The girls looked online at all the activities the resort has for children and then we also planned to visit Busch Gardens. (Free for military families) They were so excited.
Well, in typical Army fashion, they advised Dee today that he could not take off Tuesday and Wednesday. So right in the middle of our vacation days, he was going to have to be on base! So he went back and asked if he could take 2 vacation days but they said no. (something to do with leave days and vacation in the middle.)
All they said was they were sorry he was given wrong information. That was that.
So I had to cancel all our plans and tell our girls that the vacation was cancelled. It broke my heart.
Dee was so upset about it. But what can we do? Nothing when it comes to the longer vacation, but we are going to make good use of our time together. He gets this Friday and Monday off, so we are going to do some things around town like Six Flags, then go to Newnan and stay in a hotel, then go to the Family Easter Egg hunt a few miles from there on Saturday. Next week, we are going to do Stone Mtn/stay in a hotel, do the laser show, Bowling, and Noah's Ark. This will be a fun time and the places we are staying have indoor pools so the girls can swim. I am determined to try and have a positive outlook and make good use of our time. I do admit it's been tough and I've had my share of pity parties today. But I'm not going to let the Army still my joy with my family. Our time together is short and very precious.
I just feel like I walk on eggshells, waiting for the next "bomb" to drop. For the Army to deliver some other news to ruin something else. Nothing is set in stone and I know that. I should have been prepared, but they came to him with the deal. I am angry that they get what they wanted; for Dee to deploy early. And we get nothing.

Surprise Deployment Party....SUCCESS!

Well, I have been planning a deployment party for Dee now for at least a month. It's been tough to keep the secret and I thought for sure he had some ideas and almost just gave up Friday night and confessed. But Jessie begged me to continue as planned.
We had the party at Zion Baptist, my parent's church, so I told Dee that my folks wanted us to serve at a Senior of the Year banquet. (which we have done before) and he was most gracious and agreed to help. So when Saturday rolled around, I was so glad to finally get the secret out.
We drove up in the parking lot full of familiar vehicles, but Dee wasn't paying attention. There was even a family member in the P/L and I managed to distract Dee until they got inside. We walked in, and everyone started clapping and cheering. It took a second to register, but the look on his face was priceless. It was worth all the planning and stress of keeping it secret. There were two banners hanging up wishing him well and everything was decorated USA/RED/WHITE/BLUE.
Family and Friends, some he hasn't seen in years, were there. His grandparents that are in a nursing home, were there. It was very special.
My parents cooked all the pork and chicken BBQ to feed 75 people! Thank you! So we ate a good meal and once finished, showed a Slide presentation of Dee's "Year in Review", set to our favorite song, "HOME" by Michael Buble.
Then Jessie had prepared a song, and changed to words somewhat. The original song is Hannah Montana called "I Miss You". But the song was written for the TV Show and when her Mom died. Jessie changed the words to say "I'll Miss you" and included him serving for our country. There were many people crying as she sang this to him. It was very touching. Jolie was supposed to sing too, but got shy, as usual. We tried to video it prior so both could do it, but the sound quality wasn't good.

Then we gave him a few presents later that afternoon. One was a new Canon Camera to take with him to Afghanistan. The other was two dog tags. One says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and the other says, "Keep me close to your heart. I love you. Always and Forever, Lori"

Now the time is drawing near. Dee's deployment date has been moved up, but I'm hoping we can spend more time together now. He is getting more time off because he volunteered to go early. So we will find out tomorrow if he will have 10 straight days off, starting Friday. If so, we will leave Monday for a vacation. Haven't booked anywhere yet.

We will come back Saturday and that gives us the weekend to get the rest of his stuff packed and ready to go. Then Monday, he leaves for Indiana. He will be there for 50 days then go to Afghanistan. We will supposedly be able to go out there to visit for 4 days before he leaves.

Thank you to all that could attend the party. You truly made that day special for all of us.

Love,
Lori

Amazing how God just HANDLES everything!

Ok....so I was worried about being able to go to South Georgia for Dee's reunion because of money. Well, someone took care of that, then.....drum roll please.....on Wednesday last week, my car's transmission went out! YES..when it rains, it pours! It would not change gears. I had it towed on Thursday to find out for sure if it needed a new transmission or just some work. Nope...new trans that would cost $2500! The van is a 2002 with 130,000 miles on it! No way! The van isn't worth that much running! So what seemed like a bad situation turned out to be fantastic.
Dee's mom works for Courtesy Ford, so she arranged for me to meet with Mr. Morris (owner) and I was able to talk to Dee via cellphone. We found a Hyundai Entourage (minivan/SUV)2007 with all the bells and whistles on it! And got it for $100 over dealer investment. They really respect Lou so they treated me great! Then I was able to get a line of credit with only 3.75% interest! So our payments only went up $30 from the other van! And the insurance is only $12 more a month! God is so good! (and that includes paying off the other van too!) So now Dee can leave for a year with peace of mind that we have a decent vehicle that isn't going to give me problems!
THEN I had this "crapped out" van needing a new transmission. Courtesy gave me a name of a used car guy in Covington they deal with. Very honest. He came over to look at it at the transmission place. I was going to be happy if he offered me $500 for it. That Friday morning, I got up early and went to where my van was at Aamco in Covington. I needed to clean it out, get the military sticker off, and get the tag. The guys there were so nice. They gave me boxes, pulled the van around for me, helped me clean up the van, and even scraped off the military ID sticker for me and put it on the new van! They were awesome! And they were getting nothing out of the deal! The owner said he might be interested in buying it, so for me to call him when the other guy gave me a price. So the used car guy called and to my surprise, offered us $850! NO WAY! I called the Aamco guy back and he said, "That's a great deal. You better take it!" So I did. So we were able to go to Brewton Parker and enjoy our weekend! Then Sunday, after church, we drove to Savannah and found a great little apartment/motel on the base at Hunter! Two bedroom apartment for just $63 a night!
We had a great weekend. Monday, before taking Dee back, we packed a lunch and went to Tybee Island so the girls could see the beach. Didn't go last year to any beach. So they walked in the water a little and we fed the birds. Didn't stay long, but at least they saw the beach. It was kind of cold and windy anyway. We WILL RETURN! Can't beat that deal! The room is actually $48, then $5 for each extra person.
We dropped Dee off about 1:30 pm at Ft. Stewart and told him goodbye..........AGAIN.
On our way home, the girls took a nap. While it was quiet, I started thinking about how much time we had left with Dee. I know I shouldn't, but figured out we only have 8 days left. That hit me hard...so I'm driving down I-16 crying my eyes out while the girls slept! I know that's crazy, but we had such a wonderful time. Dee is my best friend and I enjoy being together. It seemed so lonely.

He has had a good week at Ft. Stewart. Been kind of quiet there. Not a lot of classes. His good friend Sean, was trying out for another personal Security detail, so everyone was waiting for the outcome. He made it! That's great for him, and three others with the unit. BUT that means they will move to another unit. Sean and Dee won't even drill together anymore. That makes me sad. Lisa and I have become friends and I hope we all four can continue to be friends. Sean was supposed to leave on March 30th, but now, he has more schools to go to. SO no idea when he'll deploy! CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE...that's the hardest part for the wives. (beside missing their husbands!)
The army messed up our insurance and taxes taken out on his pay. He caught both! YAY! He has already been to the financial office to try and straighten it out, so we'll see. And went to insurance yesterday and got it fixed. All this before he even told me about it. That was a relief. They have messed up so much, that I panic when something happens now. It's such a headache to fix anything with the Army. Thanks Dee for taking care of us! I love you!

This weekend will be short. Not sure when he'll actually get home on Friday night, but he has to be back on base at 6 pm Sunday night. So he'll have to leave around 4 pm. At least Dee is singing a solo this week in church! That will be such a blessing to me and the girls to hear him sing one more time before he leaves! Can't wait.

Been in Prayer....God is GOOD!

Ok...I can not even explain to you how humbled I am...and how good God has been! It's been a tough year already, since the summer when Dee was out of work for 4 months. But God showed up and took care of us in a mighty way. Since then, the Army has been a blessing in some ways (by giving Dee a job on the base) but has been very stressful in many ways(changing plans every time the wind blows and not paying him on time). The pay situation has really put us in a difficult place the past two months. Being out of work for 4 months this summer put us behind on many bills but we were working on getting them all caught up. We were scheduled to make a house payment to get caught up last month, then we didn't get paid...so this month, we had to make two house payments, and a car payment and other payments...thinking we'd get a check on the 15th. Well, the 15th came and went and then we thought we'd get paid on the 20th...nope. But we are finally getting paid on the 25th. BUT because of the unit not submitting the orders on time, we had to cancel our vacation to Savannah and our attendance to Dee's college reunion. Our house phone has been turned off for over a month because of the pay....and planned on paying it on the 15th. As of the 19th, if it wasn't paid, I'd lose the number that I've had for 20 years. Then I find out they are moving Dee to work with another unit over in Afghanistan, so he won't know many people and I will know none of the wives. So to say the least, we've been stressed. It's humbling to be brought down to the basics, with no money! WOW!
Last night, I mentioned to a friend that works for Delta..about a Buddy Pass. Instantly he said, "Sure...no problem!" So now I can go visit Dee in Indiana before he deploys! Then my son decided to pay my phone bill so we could keep phone number....and I'll pay him back 1/2. Then Dee's college friend was so upset that he wasn't coming to the reunion, that he figured out a place for us to stay free! So we are headed to South Georgia after all. The Savannah trip is cancelled (nice hotel and indoor pool....lots to do in Savannah with family) but that's OK. We'll still be together as a family and enjoying Dee's college friends. THEN this week, I recieved an anonyomous letter in the mail from someone in my Sunday School class, and within was a Money Order with a large Love Offering! This was a true blessing to us! We can now pay a few bills and have gas money to travel this weekend.

What can I say? I don't know how people survive the rough spots without GOD! And without a wonderful church family to support them. I am so blessed to have wonderful friends and family that surround us in prayer and love. God is GOOD!

AND I can see Dee's check posted on the Army site and I know for sure we'll be paid on the 25th! YEAH! What a tough spot it's been but we've remained faithful and in prayer and it's all working out!

No Mon, No Fun

Well...I intentionally didn't write on this blog over the weekend because I was too angry. First it was anger, then sadness. But I knew better than to blast all of you with my extreme emotions.

Ok, well, the Army has done it again. Unbelievable. Thursday, Dee finds out that the Army (State level) changed a code and failed to advise everyone, so when orders were processed, it kicked it out with the wrong code. That was corrected and approved and sent to the unit for pay. The unit failed to submit the paperwork for pay on time Thursday. They were late. So because of that, payroll will not even be submitted until this coming Tuesday! Then it takes 8 days to receive the direct deposit. SO.....what does that mean? It means that last month, it took a month to receive a check and this month, it will end up being 25 days into the month before we receive a check. There are a number of personal problems this creates for us, but the one that really upsets me is that we had to cancel our little vacation we had planned. Dee's college Alumni weekend was Friday night and Saturday. We were going to stay in a motel Friday night, then Saturday night drive to Savannah to spend two nights. The girls were so excited! We found a place just outside Savannah that has an indoor swimming pool. Right down the road is a putt putt/go carts/games type place. We were really looking forward to making some great memories with the girls. But, no mon, no fun. So Saturday night, I sat down and cancelled our reservations. I sat at my laptop, looking through my tears as I cancelled them. But, this too shall pass. We will use our time next weekend to watch movies, eat popcorn and just hang out together. We will make the most of it.

Dee continues to go to Fort Stewart every Monday and return on Friday's. He will be leaving at 5 am today. Because he is the only one with a bus license, he must drive both ways. This makes him getting home later than I'd like on Friday nights, but there isn't an option. Others take their personal vehicles and are probably home by 4 pm. But I'm just thankful to have him home at all, even if it was 8 pm.

According to others that have gone before him to Iraq, this is a real treat to have the weekends off. When they were training, they were on lockdown for 6 months before going for a year. I think I'd go nuts if that was the case! So I am very thankful for our time together. We have 5 more weekends to enjoy before he leaves.

I'm looking for someone that could give me a buddy pass on an airlines. When Dee leaves, he'll be going to Indiana for 45 days, then going straight to Afghanistan from there. He will get a 4 day pass before he leaves, but can't go more than 100 miles from the base in Indiana. So I'd like to fly out and visit with him before he leaves. If you know of anyone, please let me know.

Thank you for your prayers everyone!

Round 15...army is winning!

Ok....Dee came home for a 4 day weekend last Wednesday night. It was nice to have him home. We had a wonderful time together as a family. We went to see the girls play AWANA games, then went to a friend's wedding before he deploys, then went to another friend's deployment party. The reality that Dee is actually leaving hit me after going to these events. It was a tough night, but I finally realized I had to enjoy the time we had together and not stress over what is happening in a month.
So Dee repacked and headed back to Ft. Stewart really early Monday morning. He will leave there at 2 pm on Friday, hopefully home by 7 pm.
I found out that the IG did their part in making sure he got paid, but left it up to someone else how to fix it. So instead of being put back on Fulltime orders, he is on Unit Orders...submitted whenever someone feels like it I guess. So here I was thinking we'd get paid on the 15th as usual....and now, we have no idea, AGAIN, when the pay will come. Without a paycheck for a month....many bills were due...so almost all the money was spent on bills, anticipating another check on the 15th. So here we sit, waiting again. No sign of the check in the works on My Pay. (Once it shows up there, it takes 7-10 days to hit the bank) So Dee is going to ask some more tough questions tomorrow and see what we can find out. Some are getting paid Friday. That makes no sense how some are, and some arent'. But it's the ARMY...they don't make sense.

Another friend, her unit's FRG (Family Readiness Group) is on top of things, making phone calls to wives, planning events. Our FRG hasn't even called once. Not while they were in Arizona, not while he was in Louisiana, not since being in Ft. Stewart. I am supposed to help with the FRG but the other lady is part of the National Guard and obviously doesn't want my help.

I find out through another unit that there is a briefing coming up for families, for the entire state (National Guard families). Has Dee's unit mentioned it? no....he didn't even know about it. UGH!

I think I could handle the deployment better if I felt his unit was on top of things. They want wives to feel comfortable with their husband in the unit's hands...but if they can't take care of them stateside, how in the world can they do it over there? The communication is horrible! I know they won't take care of the wives. I'll have to rely on wives in other units to get info. And getting info on his unit and their condition? I doubt that will happen.

I'm trying to be positive, but the unit doesn't make it easy. I know God is in control and I'll find out what I need to know, one way or the other. I just wish the unit made it easier. It's stressful for sure.

Just keep praying that it all works out before they leave. End of April is the latest I've heard.

Whirlwind week

Well....Sunday night, I find out that Dee is on a flight roster with another unit to leave on March 30th! All along, we've been mentally preparing for April 23rd. So at first I was upset, then after praying and with the help of a few friends, realized, the sooner he goes, the sooner he gets back. I tried to see the silver lining. The waiting is the hardest part I think. So I finally got myself prepared for March 30th, and was actually looking forward to it coming sooner. THEN yesterday, Dee calls. He's found out that now his name has been taken off the flight roster for the other unit and he is now flying out with his unit in April. UGH! So I had to switch my thinking again. It's truly an emotional roller coaster. What I've decided is this.............I am saying that as of Monday, Dee is gone. I won't see him anymore. No weekends, no time together. I'm not telling the girls that he'll be home on the weekends anymore. THEN I told Dee that when he is pulling out of the base, headed home, to call me and then we'll believe it. If I don't expect anything from the Army, then they can't disappoint us. This is a way to see things in a positive way, keep Dee from being stressed about telling me, and keep the girls from the emotional roller coaster. Changes come quickly in the Army. To them, it's just paperwork....to me...it's my heart.
God is preparing me for this and I feel stronger each day. Each day I get between now and April 23rd will just be a precious gift. He is supposed to come home on the weekends, but like I said, I'm not expecting it.

That said, he is supposed to leave at 2 pm today headed home for a 4 day weekend. (Not holding my breath) It would be nice to be able to get some paperwork done that needs to be done before he leaves.

Just keep his unit in your prayers as they prepare for deployment. They are having briefings, qualifying, etc. I know it's difficult for them to be away from home too. At least this time, they have real beds to sleep in and better food. Louisiana was tough. Dee's only word was "tolerable".

Here we go again.....

Well...I'm sitting here, watching Dee finish packing so he can leave again. They are headed for Ft. Stewart. We were hoping that the snow and frozen roadways would cause the unit to be delayed in leaving, but no phone call. So he is headed out in a few minutes. This week is only three days, so they are returning home on Wednesday night. They get a four day weekend so I'm very thankful for that, BUT....and that's a big BUT......I am not counting my chickens until they hatch! Army's plans change with the wind. It's almost similar to how the weather changes in Georgia. If you don't like the weather, hang around a day or so and it'll change.

I found out last night that there is a possibility that Dee could be deploying March 30th, instead of April 23rd. This was really a punch to my gut! I guess if they leave early, then they get back early...but I'm mentally prepared for him to leave in April...and have our weekends planned to spend some quality time with each other and the girls. What is so difficult is the indecision. Dee doesn't even know which unit he will be deploying with. We hope to have answers this week. I'd prefer he not deploy until April 23rd, but my opinion doesn't count. I had a rough night processing that new information last night. I'm trying to get thick-skinned with these decisions/indecisions...but it's my husband they are taking away, so it's difficult.

But I do know that God knows the date and will be our Comforter and Sustainer. It's going to be painful no matter when it is. It is definitely an emotional roller coaster. Part of me wishes they'd just go ahead and leave so we don't have to anticipate and wait. Then we can get on with trying to get into a routine at home, learning how to function without him. But the other side is...I want him here as long as possible! I want to really use this time making some amazing memories...like playing in the snow yesterday! What a wonderful time. Jolie had never been able to really play in the snow, so for her to get to spend her first time with her Daddy, was awesome.

Please pray for the unit's safe travels today as they head out to Savannah.

Status

Well, today is the day! Dee is coming home! YOOHOO! It's been a long three weeks, especially because of all the crap the Army has put us through. But it looks like all those problems are being straightened out. It's a shame he had to go to the Inspector General, but even his Captain suggested it. He couldn't find out any information from Louisiana. They had no phones or internet connections. Ridiculous. We still have to wait a few more days for his paycheck, but we know it'll hit on 3/4...Praise God! And its a nice check since it's basically for the entire month.
Dee leaves the base at 11:30 am (Louisiana Time) and then their flight takes off (charter) at 4 pm. (5pm our time) I am dropping the girls off at church for AWANA GAME practice and hope to be on the base by 7 pm to pick him up!

I literally didn't sleep any last night. I think I cat napped between 6 pm and 8 pm, off and on. Think it was a combination of pure excitement and that I had a steroid shot early in the day yesterday. I didn't know it would keep me awake. I hope I can get a nap. I don't want to be sleepy tonight.

Dee will be home this weekend then his unit leaves Monday morning early, headed for Savannah/Ft. Stewart. At least there, they are sleeping on cots, in a common room. E-5 and up get either private rooms or max 2 people. And they have wi-fi most of the time during the week, so we can communicate. I think that's been the hardest part about LA. No communications. Dee would have to go sit on the burm for 20 minutes sometimes to "catch" a cell signal. He was very faithful in at least trying. I think only a few days went by that I didn't get at least a text or talk to him. Thank you Baby!

The girls are very excited too. They painted the driveway to welcome Daddy home. You can see the pictures on my Facebook. Dee has requested Meat Loaf, squash and onions, blackeyed peas, and mashed potatoes. So I'm planning that meal tomorrow night. It'll be too late tonight. And maybe we can all have a lazy morning tomorrow. Dee has been getting up at 4:30 am or 5 am every morning since he's been gone, and most nights, working until at least 9, but sometimes until 11 pm. His feet are literally cracked up and bleeding. So he needs some R&R this weekend. We will pamper him for sure!

Update since the weekend

Yesterday was an amazing day. I felt that God really had a word for me during the sermon, but I was scheduled to work in the preschool. A sweet friend from Sunday school offered to work for me. That was the beginning of the blessings. Then the girls got up on time and got ready, and we made it to church on time! Doesn't sound like much, but that's a big accomplishment! Then another friend came out of the choir to come sit with me and pray! I am so blessed! The sermon was about Faith in God, studying Abraham. Wow...what faith. I felt so inadequate, but God showed me that he is teaching me patience and faith. Then I get to S.S. and the love I felt from everyone was amazing. Then my S.S. teacher and dear friend Rhonda, stopped class just to pray for Dee and I, and the girls. Praying for the meeting with the Inspector General. Dee was supposed to meet with him/her yesterday. The prayer really blessed me too! I felt such a peace.
Then John and Rhonda took us out for lunch and I enjoyed time with them. So last night, I was so at peace about things. I know God is going to take care of things. I just have to wait on HIS timing!
I spoke to Dee last night and they had been on the range all day, and he had not even seen his 1st Sgt. to see if he could schedule a meeting. So he met with him this morning and the 1st Sgt. confirmed that the Capt. was totally behind this decision to see the IG. This is huge. It's like tattling on the Army. But we have no choice. It's not like we haven't done everything we could.
So this afternoon when I talked to Dee, he said the 1st Sgt. couldnt even get in to get an appointment with her. (The IG) She had been in meetings all day today and yesterday. So we are still stuck! NO way to even talk to the IG right now. We just have to wait. So I was really frustrated.
I was blessed yesterday when someone gave me some grocery money, but I was torn on how I should use it. I had 1/16 of a tank of gas, and we had no groceries. Then today, someone else blessed me with bags of groceries and three cooked meals! So I didn't even have to come home and cook tonight. God is so good and my friends are amazing!
THEN I gave Dee the mortgage company's phone number and he made a call. I don't know what he told them, except he explained the situation. I guess God blessed us with a Customer Service agent that was understanding. She agreed to take the partial payment, which we were told they wouldn't. So I was able to Western Union and wire the money to keep the house out of collections! Praise God.

For those that don't know, Dee was out of work for 4 months this past summer. The Army took him on fulltime in October. The Army messed up his pay then too. We finally got it straightened out in November. We were able to use the money to catch up the utilities, the car, and other bills. We've been saving up some money for the mortgage to pay the entire amount that they required. This check was the check we were going to be able to pay the total amount. THEN no check! So..........the mortgage company took the partial payment! So that's awesome.

Then today, Dee was on the base which allowed him to have a phone signal. SO I've been able to text him and talk to him several times today. He got to talk to both girls as well.
So God heard my prayers of frustration and allowed blessings to flow through, in spite of the other mess. Having friends that text me, email me, call me...telling me they are praying is so amazing. God is so good to provide these ladies to me in my life.
I am so glad I was obedient months ago. I was in a couples S.S. class, but when I knew Dee was going to leaving, I felt I needed to be in a Ladie's class. PLUS, I felt God wanted me to be a mentor to other young ladies. SO I gave up alot......friendships, Sunday school class, changed services....in response to God's tug on my heart to do so. So for being obedient, I am reaping more benefits than I could ever give! WOW!

So if you are one of those ladies, know you bless me every day!

Army up to it's tricks again!

Dee called last night and the time we thought we had this weekend, they changed it...of course! He was supposed to come in Friday night and have the weekend off, then work Monday and Tuesday on the base to give families a few more nights together. But now, they leave early Monday morning, headed to Ft. Stewart.

Still no orders in sight, still no paycheck. They haven't gotten anything right and I've never heard Dee so mad. He's tried to be patient but he's furious.

Keep praying that the pay situation gets fixed soon.

So IF, and that's a big IF, the plan remains the same, we'll have a total of 16 days with Dee before he deploys. That scares me. Sometimes I find it hard to even take a breath when I think about that. But I keep leaning on the Lord and He keeps reminding me I have to be strong for the girls.

2 weeks down, just 1 to go!

Well, today is Friday. One week from today, Dee will be home! I am starting to get excited instead of being sad. It's been tough but I know this is just a taste of what is to come. If it's this tough for 3 wks, what will it be like for a year? God is my rock and I can only lean on him to make it through. I just pray they have internet access and phone access in Afghanistan. That's what has been so difficult...being so out of touch. Having to wait for him to find a signal to call. When he was in Arizona, we could chat at night on Facebook or google. That hasn't been so while he's been in Louisiana.

We still have not received Dee's pay from the Army. No word on when and if he'll get his money. I was going to call the Pay services at Ft. Gillem today and ask some questions but I've been feeling pretty lousy. I was on new medicine and it really messed me up. I guess I'm allergic to it or something. My pulse has been racing at 124 bpm. Dizzy, weak, just miserable. I didn't take it yesterday and still slept 10 hours and woke up feeling horrible all day. FINALLY, this evening, I think it's finally out of my system. So I didn't make any phone calls.

Dee is working on his end the best he can, to get some info. He is working a shift from 8 pm to 8 am, then he has a class in the morning, then goes back to sleep a few hours. So he left someone a note to check on it today. Just pray we get answers.

I cooked Salmon patties tonight so that tells you we are at the bottom of the barrel as far as food goes. The kids complained but they need to be humbled some. They need to be grateful they have food at all! It was a good lesson.
We need groceries and I'm trusting God will see to it that the money gets here soon. I HAVE FAITH I HAVE FAITH I HAVE FAITH!

Dee is doing well. He's been working night shift with new equipment that he's been trained on. He got to actually train others on its use...and even trained a Major from his battalion. The major really was very complimentary and is in Dee's corner. He wants Dee to be on his "team" so to speak. (To spare you Army terminology of which I'm still learning!) SO Dee was pretty pumped about that. He is doing what he enjoys and excels at it. I'm proud of him.

Tomorrow he is running the range again, calling out commands to soldiers. That's very tiring...all day long, yelling, no breaks, no food.

I can not wait until Sundays. Seems like the weeks really drag on. Sundays I see my friends at church and get to be filled with God's word that gets me through. Wish it wasn't 7 days apart.

This coming Wed. is my last night of work for childcare. SO I will be able to start back in choir. Wednesday nights will once again be a time to see friends in choir and sing. I'm not a solo singer but it's something I enjoy. It is a stress reliever for sure! It helps me feel closer to God too! I love to worship!

Keep praying!

A good day

Yesterday, was busy. I was supposed to work extended session in the preschool but swapped because I had a visitor come to the church. Dee's good friend Sean...has a good friend from a previous church and he recently moved to Covington. SO I made contact with him and he visited the church yesterday and loved it. So I had a date with a 65 yr old man at church! LOL
Then after I got him situated, I ran upstairs to meet with a young lady from S.S. class that was getting baptized. She didn't have any family here....so I wanted to be there to support her. Then ran back down to be in church with my guest.
After church, Sara Mercer and I ...with the kids...went to IHOP. We all had a good time. Came home for a short time, then had to be back at church at 4:30 for childcare. Sara called and said she'd come get the girls and take them to Chuck E Cheese while I worked. So they loved that...but it was soooo crowded. I met them and we decided to move the "party" to McDonald's on Salem Road so the kids could continue to play. I got home at 8:30 last night. I never had much time to be lonely. Yesterday at church....everyone in S.S. was so sweet in offering their hugs and support....offering to go out and keep me busy! I just love you all for that! I felt like a million bucks after church.....Jesus filled me up and my friends filled me up...then my kids filled me up!
Then for once, I actually got the kids in bed and asleep on time. I had some time by myself to relax and then I was in bed before midnight. HOORAY!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well...this is the first time in 14 years that Dee and I have ever been apart on Valentine's Day. He called last night and his "care package" arrived. The girls each sent him a card, and I sent him two...plus a little hedgehog that says "MISS U". In the package was snacks, such as oreos, pringles, french onion dip, homemade trail mix, bottle of water and energy drink mix packets. We also put in 20 Glow Sticks so the "guys" can act like "kids" out in the middle of nowhere...in the dark. It's our Valentine gift to all his unit. Kinda cheesy...but I thought they'd still have fun.
I thought Dee would be bored but he is either in class, on the range, or in meetings until around 8 or 9 pm...and starts at 5:30 am most days. So they haven't even watched a movie. They don't get the weekend off either. Still going wide open every day.
I am trying to look at today as just another day.....a "commercial" day...created by stores to make money. We don't need a special day to say "I LOVE YOU". Every day should be Valentine's Day if you have someone special in our life. It's not about a grand presentation of love that matters once a year....what matters is the daily little things you do for each other. When Dee gets up early to give me my medicine...he's saying "I love you". When he helps do laundry, he is saying "I love you!" When he goes to pick up the girls from practices because I don't feel good, he's saying "I love you." I am blessed to have him in my life. I hope I show him love on a daily basis as well.

Happy Valentine's Day sweetheart. Wherever you are at the moment...know I'm thinking about you and sending my prayers for your safe return. I love you.

Hope the rest of you enjoy the day. If you are single, rejoice in where you are right now. Don't be depressed. You are where God wants you right now. If he wanted you in a relationship, he would have lead you to that person. Just live for HIM and let Jesus be your Valentine. It's not about us...it's about HIM!

Army messed up again! Go figure!

Ok...I just need to vent. I feel like I take one step forward, and then the Army punches me in the gut and I take several steps back. I had a great week....God talked to me and showed me how I should have my focus. I was doing so well...supportive of Dee....strong for the girls....THEN....Dee's paycheck gets deposited and guess what? Once again, they have messed up his pay! UGH! And this time, it's not any extra money from travel. It's his actual paycheck. He got 1/5 of his normal size check. ONE FIFTH! How are we supposed to live on that? That doesn't even pay a car payment...much less buy groceries and gas. I've heard every excuse in the world from the Army, but bottom line is....they haven't gotten ONE SINGLE THING RIGHT since Dee's been in. We've had the pay messed up several times...had his orders messed up....had his Security clearance submitted wrong on 4 occasions! We should all be scared that we have an Army that can't even take care of it's own.
They want me to trust and be happy. Well...kind of hard to do that when they are taking food out of the mouths of your babies! I know alot of Army wives and NONE of them have had the problems we are having. And no one will confess to being the one that messes up the paperwork. It's supposedly at the Batallion level, but who knows!?
It truly is depressing. I keep trying to fight back and have faith and trust God. But they sure don't make it any easier.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I was really OK with it until tonight. I was already down about this financial situation...then I walk in to Kroger and two friends of mine were in the store buying their wives flowers. It made me sad.
I did talk to Dee tonight and believe it or not...they did get something right. He actually got his mail today! The girls and I mailed him a Valentine's Box two days ago....via UPS 2 day ground. But I thought it would sit in the Army office for days before Dee would get it. But he did receive it! So all our treats, cards, stuffed animal, etc...made it.
Dee made me a CD the night before he left of songs that have meaning to us.....either older songs or new ones that remind him of me. I guess I'll listen to that tomorrow and just be thankful to have a wonderful husband, even though he is away. I have two bags of things for the girls tomorrow, so this will be special for them anyway.

My Handsome Soldier WITH A BIG GUN!

Time is standing still

WOW...could it really only be 5 days since Dee left? Seems like two weeks already. Why is it that time flies by in some things, but when you are waiting and watching the clock, it stands still?

Yesterday I was a little emotional. I'm not quite sure why because I've been doing so well. I think it's because I got a picture from Dee and put it as my wallpaper on my cellphone. So every time I took out my phone or just saw my phone, there he was. It was a constant reminder. The picture is incredible. He is in full uniform, holding some machine gun! WOW! I LOVE IT! And has that wonderful smile to top it off. He is so handsome!

I sure miss having him hold me. I know it's not even a week, but I do miss him.
The good news is......hopefully......IF the ARMY doesn't change it's mind again....he will have an additional day of leave before heading to Savannah. They return on Friday, Feb 27th and have the weekend off. Then instead of heading for Savannah on Monday, they are leaving Tuesday. It's possible he may have to work on the base Monday, but would still be home that evening. Dee seems to think that the Captain wants to spend time with his family too, so they will have the day off. It's good that his leaders are family men too!

His 1st Sgt. is so nice and he and Dee really get along. 1st Sgt. Marchert really thinks alot of Dee. Dee has done an excellent job being NCO while in Arizona, so for this trip, Dee was assigned NCO again. "Top", as they call him, has really been singing Dee's praises. I know that helps to feel appreciated.

Well....I think sickness is beginning to hit our household. Josh is sick, running a 101.6 fever and I woke up with a bad sore throat, which means a cold is coming. I started on Zicam this morning so maybe I can stop it.

If I can figure out how to get my pictures off my phone, then I'll post them!

4 days down, and a bunch to go!

Well...I didn't post last week...and that was on purpose. I was having a horrible week, dealing with so much. Dee was supposed to take off for the entire week so we could have family time, but he felt there was too much work to be done at the base. So he worked Mon-Wed. We had Thursday and Friday and enjoyed being together. We went to see Josh play guitar at the local Coffee house Friday night for about 45 minutes, then finished getting him packed. He made me a CD for Valentine's....since he won't be home.
When we first started dating, Dee made me a "cassette" of love songs that meant something to him and to me. The cassette has always been special to me. So for Valentine's, he updated it. He made me a CD with new songs and even used some of my favorites off the old one. How sweet is that?

Well...I made him a Movie with pictures and music...BUT I made it on my laptop and then sent it to his laptop and I have a newer version of Movie Maker so it wouldn't play! UGH! I was so upset but he can see it when he gets home. I guess I'll have to make another one on PowerPoint or something.

So...Dee has been in Louisiana, in the middle of no man's land.....with no concrete, just dirt. They are staying in these small metal buildings, sleeping side by side on cots. Not very comfortable, but I think they are so tired by the end of the day, they fall in to "bed" and crash.

He will be coming home on February 27th and we may possibly have 3 days with him, but with the ARMY, I don't count on anything. If we get two days, that would be great...if it's three, that'd just be extra icing on the cake.

They are doing classes right now, but will be doing weapons qualification soon. He said the food is decent and they feed them three meals a day. So that's much better than last time. He had to buy his own food last time, in Arizona, so to save money, he went to the store and ended up eating cold Ravioli out of a can, or instant oatmeal in a coffee cup.

Seems like it's been alot longer than just 4 days. UGH! I wish he could come home on the weekends, but that's not going to happen. 17 more days. They sure do drag by when you are watching and waiting for the days to roll by. But I keep telling myself...it's just three weeks. Time to get used to be alone. Then for over two months, he'll only be home on the weekends....then "D DAY" will be here! God is preparing us.

I had a heart to heart with God Sunday and he set me straight on some things. Even though I'm miserable sometimes, it's not about me. It's about Dee. He's the one away from home, away from family. So I need to focus on him and his needs. I had a weak week, but now with God's help, I'm stronger.

I'm sure I'll have my moments. I know holidays will be the worst. But I keep telling myself...it's just a year. In the big scheme of things...that's just a drop in the bucket. And in God's eyes, just a blink.

Keep praying for Dee and the entire Batallion as they prepare to deploy.

Home Sweet Home

Dee flew in Saturday evening around 6:30 pm. The girls were so excited all day! We counted down the hours, then minutes. American Airlines called my cell phone with updates on the plane so we knew exactly when they landed!
It was so sweet when Jessie and Jolie saw their dad through the glass wall....as he was walking down the hall. Jolie jumped on him like a flea on a dog! Jessie wasn't far behind! And then it was my turn! I couldn't wait to get the biggest hug ever! It's funny, ok, maybe not funny...weird...how your body actually craves hugs! Jolie wouldn't let Dee put her down, even though he had so much to carry. We finally convinced her to hold hands with him as we departed the airport.
I am proud of Dee and the work he did while in Arizona with the Army. He had gotten so many compliments on the quality of his "work", within the ARMY.
I am frustrated with the ARMY and that's no secret. They have really messed us up in so many ways, and if I had my choice, Dee would get out tomorrow. But it's not my choice. This is something I know is important to him. Even though I'm miserable when he is gone, I know it's a worthwhile sacrifice on our end.
I know he will do a wonderful job in Afghanistan. His unit really respects him and I'm glad he feels needed.

Dee leaves Saturday, headed to Louisiana for three weeks. Another test of our faith I suppose.
I had a great week the first week he was gone. Last week, not so great. Today at church, I broke down in Sunday School. I guess what upsets me is I know how hard it was last week without him. The thought of not getting his hugs, his kisses, seeing his smile.....for a year......is overwhelming. Knowing we've got to figure all this out and function without him.....is overwhelming. But I will enjoy the 6 days we have. We'll celebrate Valentine's Day as well, sometime this week. I have a surprise for him!

bummed

Well...in conversation with Sean's wife, I find out that the weeks I thought we had with Dee, between the Louisiana 3 wks and the Savannah 6 wks....well....not happening! As usual, the Army has changed things! So he will come home Friday night, February 27th, he'll have to work on the base Saturday, 28th, then he will have Sunday off. Then they leave March 2nd for Savannah. That leaves us two weeks in April before he deploys.
I truly don't think I can do this. I don't have the physical strength to keep up with two kids, homeschool, household chores, finances, and trying to work part time....by myself for 15 months.....and all while trying to deal with my fibro, my stomach problems and my back problems. How will I cut the grass? How will I sleep? How will I be able to do all the things that Dee helps me do?

70 hours and 15 minutes!

It's now time for countdown of when the plane arrives with Dee on it! We are all excited and counting the minutes!
I chatted with Dee last night for two hours on Facebook, and that was nice...but I want him home!
I find I am having a difficult time getting any energy to do anything. I guess it's a touch of depression because my best friend is gone. None of us really feel like doing anything. I know it'll get better as time goes on....we'll see.
We only have 6 days with Dee, and hopefully he will be taking the week off. Then he leaves for 3 weeks. I think we will take off this week for our Spring break. Then the week of Spring break, we'll do school work.

I've really been hurting today physically...all the rain. Once we get our pay day, I'll get my new fibro medicine filled and so how that works. I'm excited to try that.

Tomorrow is Jake and Landen's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese....so I know for sure we'll get out of the house then! We are not wanting to do anything, but getting cabin fever. We are excited about the party!

I realized it's actually 11 days..because of travel

I was counting up the days and realized he will be back on the 11th day, that evening. Dee is having a good week. He is doing computer work with his intelligence job...doing mock drills and such. He is enjoying being with his friend Sean.
His back is bothering him some, so tonight, they are going to swim, then sit in the sauna. They have the weekend off, so they are going to head out in three different directions/3 vans. One is going to Tucson to a college basketball game...Another is going to a National Park to hike, and another is going to Tombstone, Arizona.
Dee and Sean are going to Tombstone. I contacted the Birds of Prey show to find out about a group rate or military discount. The owner said they just got in to town last week, and the show doesn't open until next Saturday....but he was gracious and offered for the soldiers to come and see the birds up close...and take pictures with them! Cool!
They will probably eat at the Crystal Palace....and see a gun fight!
If I can figure out how to post more pictures, I will when he sends them.
Jessie will be studying the Wild West later this year...so the pictures will be neat to have....and Jolie will be studying North America soon, so we can use the pix for that!

This time, the seperation has been a little easier. I think God is truly preparing us for the seperation by tempering us with shorter times of seperation. God has also put other military wives in my path...those that have been through it before. It's great to counsel with them as well. Thanks ladies.

Today is Jessie's bday party......so we are taking a few girls to see Hotel for Dogs! Then we'll walk to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream! YUM! I love that Jessie isn't a big birthday cake person...and would rather have ice cream. ME TOO!

So 7 more days and Dee will be home. He flies in around 7 pm next Saturday. The countdown continues..................

Day 3 of Dee's departure

Dee left on Wednesday, headed for Arizona. This is part of his training for his National Guard unit. He will be gone 10 days this time. It seems a little easier than the first time he was gone. We miss him very much, but at least he is with his unit and his friend, Sean. Knowing he is happier, makes it easier on me.
He found out last night that he has internet WiFi in his room on the base! So that allowed Jessie and I to chat with him.

I've been talking to Lisa, Sean's wife. He helps to know she and I can chat...and that we are feeling the same things...same worries, etc.

Yesterday was Jessie's 12th birthday! WOW! I can't believe it. She has really grown up into a beautiful young lady, with alot of talent! We didn't do anything special yesterday, except have our traditional homemade pancakes with sprinkles and candles!

We celebrated her birthday Tuesday with her Daddy before he left. We all went bowling and out to dinner. I am still sore from bowling! Who knew you used so many muscles bowling!

Tomorrow is her birthday party. We are taking 7 girls to see Hotel for Dogs, then get Ice Cream at Cold Stone. Should be a fun day!

Tonight is my Jamaican Cooking Party with my Sunday School class. We have several ladies from Jamaica, that have recently joined our class. Plus, Rhonda Link, Our S.S. teacher, her neighbor is from Jamaica and she is Rhonda's "Blue Chair" person. We are hoping she will come to this party, then eventually start coming to church.