Small updates from abroad...

Taken from several emails, Erik has been sending some pictures into his time in Kuwait and Iraq thus far...

Here are 4 pictures. The first is of my bags in the army lodging facility in Alaska prior to leaving. I took 4 duffle bags, an assault bag, my computer bag, and a rucksack for my deployment. The other 2 are of the pie/cake area at the DFAC at Camp Beurhing in Kuwait. Right next to this which I don't have a picture of is the Baskin Robbins ice cream area. 31 flavors weren't available, but we were able to choose from about 6. The last is of me on my first day in Kuwait just after we got off the buses which took us from the airport to Camp Beuhring. Calling this area a theatre and seeing that decorated concrete barrier made me realize that I was entering a warzone.

One photo is of the Hooter's aid station sign that one of the medics from West Palm Beach, FL got and threw in one of the connexes. It is up with the PA and 4 other male medics. Would've been nice to have here, but given the sole female medic remained at Caldwell thought it would be better served up north. The other is of the non-alcoholic beer selection at one of the PXs in Kuwait at Camp Beuhring.


Here is a picture of me and the PA in front of a mosque in Balad, Iraq. You can see my pistol in it, so I hope this satisfies your request of a picture of me with my pistol.

Attached you will find a picture of a donkey that I saw on my way from our FOB to the nearby Iraqi Army Medical Clinic, a couple of frogs sunbathing on a nice day in the drainage ditch, SPC Petty and his buckets catching some rainwater as it drips through our porous roof, and a face that was carved out of a watermelon by the Indian workers. They dressed up in witches' hats and decorated the DFAC for Halloween. It was very nice of them to celebrate this American Holiday with us.

Catching up is hard to do.

I've been avoiding the blog. I keep thinking of fun, witty things to write and file it away for "another time." I guess you have to start somewhere, right? First and foremost, all are doing fine including Erik and my pregnancy. On to other things...

Let us start with Erik.
Erik is en route to his final destination at some point soon. At present he is in Iraq awaiting transport to his end point. They left Alaska somewhere around September 20 on over to Kuwait with a stop over in Ireland. While in Ireland, Erik was able to meet up with another Doc out of Walter Reed. He sounded quite surprised and happy that he got to have lunch and catch up on some folks still up at WRAMC. I, myself, would've been thrilled with seeing a friendly face on my way to uncertainty. Once arriving in Kuwait, Erik began his stay in a tent with AC and filling the time with some sick call and wandering Camp Buehring. According to his reports, the PX has plenty, there was a Starbucks, quite a choice of food options. On to the next layover within Iraq until the final destination. (I have to say, does every military move feel the same? This is a deployment and still it is eerily familiar to a military move.)

However, through it all as far as communication goes, we've been able to talk on the phone so much more than I imagined. The kids are not always around when he is able to call and the lack of direct communication via web cam is certainly missed. Gordon has resorted to watching slide shows on the computer and talking to the Daddy pictures as if he were chatting with Erik on web cam.

I can wholeheartedly say, as I did to Erik today, our situation today is so much better than it was ten years ago. You see, we were apart for about 9 months then for Basic Training, AIT, Airborne, and RIP... Ranger Indoctrination something or other. In reflecting on that time we chuckled at how far we've come:

Then

Newly engaged

Erik was heavily restricted on movement as he was training.

Waiting in lines to talk on the phone for Erik, disappointment if I missed the call for me.

I was teaching kids, not caring for them 24/7.

We were at relative peace, Erik wasn't going into a war zone, he wasn't a doctor or a father or a husband.

I was muddling through my last year of college, nowhere near thinking I'd be a mother one day or a military wife supporting the home front expecting tax deduction #4 waiting for a year to be over before it begins.

We were so, so young... or was it naive?

Now

Married nearly 10 years (April 2009).

Erik can freely roam any US post/base he is on barring safety hazards.

Waiting in lines to talk on the phone for Erik, disappointment if I miss the call for me and our gaggle of kids.

Obviously we are not at peace, Erik is in a war zone, he is a doctor and husband and father of almost 4!

I am still knocked out cold on what has happened to me in these years.

How can I still feel so young? At times too young to fully realize the magnitude of what this year will signify for us. Or is it naivete?

If I could talk to us then with what we know now...

"Despite the unconventional routes you will take to accomplish some monumental achievements, you will enjoy your time together. You will look back at the upcoming decade with pride, humor, admiration of your struggle together, but most of all you will revel in the sweat in tears that have made such a wonderful life." I wouldn't give away the details, you see. To do that I might cause a change that would threaten this life I know, adore and am so thankful for.

Six days...

Packing for deployment. This is it, in terms of clothing, for a year. Sure there will be a Camel Back added, body armor, canteens, pillow, laptop, camera, books, and among other things a picture or two of the kids and me.

The next step is actually loading the green bag on the right and looking at what other little luxuries we can squeeze in....

On Saturday our neighborhood will be having a going away bash for Erik and Nate (a neighbor up the road). Nate is also going over seas and his wife, too, is pregnant. I will be in good company-- two p.o.'d pregnant ladies with nothing but time to gripe about their husbands leaving them at this inopportune time. In our rationale, of course it was their choice to leave us at this moment. I am quite positive our argument would make so much more sense if we had oodles of cocktails in our system. However, since that would be a big moral no-no, we'll wait until January when she is done baking her bun then we will get all tipsy and cuss them out.

WOW! Sorry about that slight little tangent. These hormones just overcome me at times. I expect this weekend to be very busy, but low key and fun. On Saturday Erik will go get his mom, who is visiting for a few days, and then he will likely start eyeballing the location for the bonfire we are destined to have. In the spirit of a wonderful farewell, I have invited our whole neighborhood. It sounded like a good idea when I was thinking about it, but we'll see. I am sure the kids will have lots of fun, as they always do. I really just hope the weather cooperates. Usually at 7pm the afternoon shower has passed. 50 families just would not fit nicely in my house. OK, so I am exaggerating just a bit. You get my drift though, right?

The next few days will surely pass too quickly. I'm hoping that at the very least, we fill them with some great quality time together.

Ballerina girl...

For days Donna was excited and talking about going to her dance class. She wanted to wear her tights around the house and seemed genuinely excited. The day of the class I woke up at 0535 to go on a 5-mile run with some friends, which was much easier than dealing with the Little Princess when she decided that she did not infact want to go to dance class, but instead wanted to stay at home. Consistent crying from the moment of getting buckled into her seat to arrival at the dance studio. Not even Hannah Montana's "Rock Star" could calm her down. Fingers had to be pryed from the minivan doors as well as the entry to the dance studio. Parents are not allowed to stay for the class, but I was that day after the teacher saw how distraught the Little Princess was. She quickly jumped into the action once she saw the other kids and participated magnificently in all of the activities. She really enjoyed the tap shoes and was proud of being in her dance class. I'm happy I was able to experience this before leaving, but on my last upcoming Saturday here in Georgia I think I may let her mother have the opportunity to take her.

Countdown is on...

Last night was one for the books. Erik and I decided having a small last-minute cookout was a great way to relax on a Saturday night. It was a beautiful day (despite some much needed rain), Erik decided to enjoy a drink while cutting a neighbor's lawn, and we were thrilled about the lifting of the rain just in time for the event. Little did everyone in our neighborhood know, Erik had alternative plans for the quiet evening we all assumed we were going to have... Really not taking much more than the mere mention, the several pallets we've enmassed between the sod and retaining wall supplies, we were on our way to having a bonfire. In the area, we are in a drought status. Under drought warnings one usually does not pop up with the idea to have a fire, that is unless you are my husband.

Here is the Georgia fire:

I really believe Erik has been missing his time spent in the great Up North this summer. Wanting to expose our dear neighbors and friends to what we do for kicks UP there, Erik cultivated quite a fire for everyone's enjoyment. At the beginning of the evening, he was breaking apart the pallets and adding the planks to a portable fire bowl some neighbors provided. By the time we really got going, there were full pallets stacked upon this bowl as it warped under the heat. During our recovery efforts this morning there were a few discoveries: easily a hundred or so burned nails, the morphed frame of the fire bowl... which I believe to be a nice sculpture at this point, and a huge burned circular pit in the middle of my lawn. All in the spirit of a good time. Selfishly, I have to say I think we did. My poor neighbors.

17 days until the departure. We have begun talking to the kids a bit more about the upcoming event. The little ones seem to glaze over a bit, but Wes has been making tons of inquiries and making very appropriate comments and discoveries about Iraq. It is a confusing time; so busy with daily life yet needing to make necessary preparation without losing any precious moments. The days are escaping us quickly and we must make ourselves pause and appreciate the small, quiet, mondane minutes that really do dictate our days.