When a soldier comes home.....

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME


This email is being circulated around the world - please keep it going



When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard....


..to listen to his son whine about being bored.


....to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

.... to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready
for work.


....to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night's sleep..


..to be silent when people pray to God for a new car.


...to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower.


..to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying.


....to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they're afraid to send their kids off to summer camp.


....to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather.


.....to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee
being cold.


....to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the
dog.


....to be civil to people who complain about their jobs.


....to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation
a year.


....to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in
the house.

The only thing harder than being a Soldier..

Is loving one.

Zhu Zhu Pets giveaway

Each Zhu Zhu Hamster has its own unique personality & whimsical sounds. Loving Mode: Pet them, love them, hear them chatter Explore Mode: Let them scoot, scamper, across the floor.

If there's something yummy in the area, this cutie will track it down! She's a super fuzzy friend you can depend on for laughs and love. Her highly trained sniffer can detect a carrot from a mile away, so stand back and watch her scoot to find some munchies!


Zhu Zhu Pets are all the rage this Christmas. You can win one for your kiddo for FREE. Head over to 247moms.com and become a subscriber and enter to win. Good luck!

Army Wives

Each one may look different and each is wonderfully unique, But this we have in common:

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner.​.​.​AGAIN!​

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has a HEART and a love for her husband,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.

--Author Unknown

FREE Christmas cards

We all know times are tough right now and the holidays are right around the corner. Well how about 50 free 4x8 Christmas cards. You desing them and them make them and ship them directly to you for FREE.

Check it out.

http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com/2009/11/50-free-photocards-shipped-free-too.html

Fort Lewis FMWR Calendar

Fort Lewis FMWR Calendar

A true hero

ED FREEMAN (Medal of Honour)



You're a 19 year old kid.



You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang

Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray , Vietnam ..



Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so

intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander

has ordered the Medivac helicopters to stop coming in.



You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know

you're not getting out.



Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll

never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know

this is the day.



Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a

helicopter, and you look up to see an un-armed Huey, but it doesn't seem

real, because no Medi-Vac markings are on it...



Ed Freeman is coming for you... He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job,

but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the

Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come.



He's coming anyway.



And he drops it in, and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load

2 or 3 of you on board.



Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire, to the Doctors and

Nurses.



And, he kept coming back.... 13 more times..... And took about 30 of you

and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out.



Medal of Honour Recipient, Ed Freeman, died last Wednesday at the age of

80, in Boise , Indiana ........



May God rest his soul......



I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing , with all the media

obsessed with the death of a pop star



Medal of Honour Winner Ed Freeman!

My tuesday night ritual

Every Tuesday night you will find em glued to my computer. I will NOT answer the phone and possibly not even respond if you are sitting right next to me. I watch a live web show from 247moms every Tuesday night @ 7pm PST. I have won lots of great giveaways and gotten even more helpful tips and tricks since I began watching the webshow. Every mom should join in. Visit 247moms.com @ 7:00pm PST. You never know what you might walk away with.

Starting a new thing

Today I am going to start a new trial. I am going to plan my meals 1 week in advance. This week I am taking all of my dinners from a crockpot cook book called Fix it & Forget It. I am trying the crockpot recipes being that it is now summer and too warm to turn on the oven. I will blog each evening to let you know how each meal goes as well as provide the recipe. I have made my list according to my menu and i am off to the grocery store. Wish me luck!

A Militay Wife's Creed

I am an American Soldier’s Wife!
I keep the team at home together for you
I serve my Soldier in Army ways
and do what is expected of me on the home front.
I will always keep my mission of a loving home
for when you return and longer.
I will NEVER quit or leave or lose our love for each other.
I will knowingly take your responsibilities on as if you are here yourself.
I will take myself to the heights you have taken me and not fall.
I am an expert as your wife and I am a professional at taking care of your home and children while you are away.
I stand ready for any and all situations which may arise.
I am the guardian of my husbands home and love…
I am an American Soldier’s Wife!


By Corinne Garnett


I got this from www.helpamilitarywife.com.
Thank you for helping us military wives.

Free Summer Fun

REG’s Free Family Film Festival is Now Showing!
When school’s out, kids around the country visit selected Regal theatres for the Free Family Film Festival. It’s a fun-filled nine weeks of movies for kids and parents. Since 1991, Regal has provided this service to the community, and best of all it’s FREE!
Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.

Tickets for our 2009 Free Family Film Festival are exclusively available at select theatres’ box office on the day of the show.

Show Times for Lakewood 15 (ONLY)
Lakewood Stadium 15
2410 South 84th Street
Lakewood ,WA 98499
253-983-5019

06/23/2009-06/25/2009
Wallace And Gromit (G)
City Of Ember (PG)

06/30/2009-07/02/2009
Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
Evan Almighty (PG)

07/07/2009-07/09/2009
Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Nim's Island (PG)

07/14/2009-07/16/2009
Horton Hears A Who (G)
Inkheart (PG)

07/21/2009-07/23/2009
The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
Kung Fu Panda (PG)

07/28/2009-07/30/2009
Everyone's Hero (G)
Surf's Up (PG)

08/04/2009-08/06/2009
Igor (PG)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (PG)

08/11/2009-08/13/2009
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
Bee Movie (PG)

08/18/2009-08/20/2009
Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)

08/25/2009-08/27/2009
Space Chimps (G)
Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)

Check the site for other locations across the United States
http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx

Recipe for an Army Wife

Recipe for an Army Wife


1 1/2 cups patience
1 lb. adaptability
3/4 cup tolerance
1 tsp. courage
Dash of adventure
Combine the above ingredients.
Add 2 tablespoons of elbow grease.
Marinate frequently with salty tears.
Pour off excess fat.
Sprinkle lightly with money.
Season the mixture with international spices.
"Knead" dough until payday.
Bake 20 years or until done.

– Author Unknown

You know you're a military wife or girlfriend when......

You know you are a Military Girlfriend/Wife when..

1. You don't mind a phone call waking you up at 4 a.m.
2. You tell people that ask that he's 'only' been gone a month.
3. The smallest contact (short email or 2 minute phone call) from your man makes your entire week!
4. You cry over an email that says nothing more than hey- I love you and I miss you.
5. Those recruitment commercials on TV make you cry because you are so proud!
6. You sleep in PT attire, cuddled up in a poncho liner, because it's the closest you can come to being with your military man. (hah)
7. You're sitting at home and you realize that you haven't talked to your boyfriend/hubby (on the phone) in over a month.
8. You become heartbroken just knowing that your boyfriend/hubby tried to call but wasn't able to get through.
9. You know your a military girlfriend/wife when your favorite 'man' to see everyday is the MAILMAN (what a love/hate relationship that is).
10. You stop shaving above the knees. (or shaving at all.. lol)
11. A 30 second phone call after no calls from him for 3 months leaves you full of joy and happiness.
12. "No news is good news" becomes your motto.
13. You could wait forever for your loved one to return home into your arms.
14. You feel yourself growning more and more in love with your military man even while he's so far away.
15. Planning letters/care packages and putting them in the mail is more exciting then going out for a night on the town with the girls.
16. You hold off on seeing certain movies so you can see them with your military man when he comes home.
17. YOU WANT TO ROLL YOUR EYES WHEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY, "I haven't seen my boyfriend/girlfriend or hubby/wife in a week!". (AMEN!!!)
18. You can go from being happy, to sad, to lonely, to angry, to proud, and back to happy in a matter of less than an hour.
19. You sleep with the phone right next to you, just in case.
20. If he's deployed you don't care how your hair looks nor care about wearing make-up, and the people at your work ask about your boyfriend/hubby every day to see if you've heard from him.
21. The sight of any other man in a uniform makes you miss your boyfriend/hubby MORE than it makes you drool.
22. You feel lucky for each second granted to the two of you.
23. You are 3000 miles apart and you dont notice the time difference and talk until 5 am his time 2 am your time on a school night.
24. Phone kisses are just as good as the real ones if not better.
25. You realize you can forgive your boyfriend/hubby for not calling you for a few weeks due to the fact he really had to work.
26. Your cell phone shows 87 screens full of the number 2 for "repeat message" after you hear he left you a voice mail because you missed his first and only call so far!
27. Going 3-6 months without seeing your man seems like a drop in the bucket compared to what you have been through before.
28. You haven't heard from them in awhile and you find yourself reading the old letters you have received. It's just something comforting to feel close to him in a way.
29. You don't bat an eyelash when he say's "Uh, Honey they changed when I'm supposed to return home, yet again (for the 18th millionth time)".
30. Everytime you see him it feel's like it's for the first time all over again...EVERYTIME

ABC's of being an Army Wife

A is for attacking the phone everytime it rings. Even if it means sleeping with the handset or nearly careening off the highway trying to reach your phone in your purse on the floor...in case it is your soldier calling.

B is for boxes. Packing them, unpacking them, shipping them, receiving them, using them to store precious letters... An Army Wife handles a lot of boxes.

C is for cheering your head off when your soldier finally comes home from that LOOONNNGGG deployment!!!

D is for deployments, and the deployments that extend.

E is for the Excitement you feel when you know he is coming very soon after being away for a LONGGGGG time!!

F is for the friendships that come and go due to moving every three years, and for those that last a lifetime no matter what the distance.

G is for the Good friends you will meet despite knowing them for a short span of time.

H is for the helpful hands that come when they are needed.

I is for IRAQ, the nastiest 4 letter word we know!

J is for how you JUMP for JOY when homecoming comes.

K is for Kitchen where you prepare gourmet snacks and scrub and scrub, just to keep your mind occupied.

L is the love you have for your soldier.

M is for the marriage that survive the struggles that come with being a Army wife.

N is for Naughty time when "daddy" gets home!
O is for OPSEC- learn it- know it- live by it.......

P is patience! God knows you need it....

Q Is for the Questions you have to deal with every day. "When is he coming home?" "Will he get to come home for Christmas?" "Does he plan on getting out after he comes back?" "Why did he re-enlist?" and....
Q is for spending Quality time with your loved one....taking as much as you can get before they are gone for a week, a month or year.

R is for RnR of course! With all these dang deployments, families LIVE for RnR!

S is for the sacrifice . You will soon learn to live without. Live without your SO home on holidays, birthday, anniversary's, pregnancies, your child's childhood....all for the "Good of the Army".

T is for the time you have with him while he is home.

U is for the UGLY brown briefs we have to see our husbands wear!

V is for the variety of different places you will go!

W IS FOR THE WORRIES.......WHERE IS HE......WHEN IS IT GONNA BE OVER...........

X is for the eXtra hugs and kisses you try to squeeze in right before they get on the plane...

Y is for the yawns caused by all of the late night phone calls or IM sessions, the long days, the sleepless nights and the hot nights spent with your man when neither of you gets any sleep.

Z is for the time ZONES that we have to count to figure out what time is it where ever they are deployed or stationed at while they are away.

Almost time....

We're Coming Home Tomorrow

We’re coming home tomorrow
On shining silver wings
I’m coming back to you my love
With all my heart can bring

Let the light glow in the window
Take those ribbons off the trees
I’m coming home tomorrow
And there with you … I’ll always be

I’m lifting off from Baghdad
Like my brothers did before
From Saigon and from Seoul
And all those other distant shores

We didn’t want to go there
But we did it just the same
You ask us all to go there
To defend this home again

I have so many stories
Of the glory and the fame
Of the brothers who served with me
For our country and our name

Now we’re wrapped in blessed blankets
Of the flag from whence we came
We’re Americans and we’re soldiers
And we’re coming home again


David Willson

Preparing for his homecoming

My Sgt will be returning from Iraq in about 2 months. The preparations have begun.
First on my list was to buy a HUGE welcome home banner. Did not take too much googling to find a place to order from. I used BuildASign, www.buildasign.com/troops . This is an amazing site. You can order a huge welcome home banner 3 feet X 6 feet for FREE. Yes, I said FREE. As a thank you to our troops this particular company is allowing family members at a great price. They only ask that you pay shipping and handling. That is a great deal considering the 3' x 6' is around $60.00. You simply pay the shipping. You will be prompted to choose how much you wish to pay. The higher shipping rate means you get your banner quicker. You can custom design it yourself. Make it say exactly what you want it to say in the colors you wish use. Even better than that you can add a picture of your soldier. I will have an example in this blog. I hope each and every person takes advantage of this amazing deal. What a great way to let our husbands know how proud we are of them and how happy we are to have them home. Hang it in a public place for all the world to see.


A special thank you to my wonderful husband,SGT Hayes. He has defended our freedom since May 19, 2008 and we only have a couple months left.
Thank you so much. I Love You to Iraq & Back. Be safe and come home soon.

I am a PROUD Army Wife

Silent Ranks

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens
But I am in the Army in the ranks rarely seen
I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give
But the military world is the place where I live
I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get
But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind
My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man
And the call to serve his country not all can understand
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me
I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Army Wife

Nyke breaking it down after the Raniers game and some random guy joined in!

A picture is worth a thousand words

Taken: May 25, 2009 Point Defiance Zoo
Tacoma Wa

Hold my 4th grader back...yes or no?

The 2008-2009 school year has been an extremely difficult year for my son. He has gone through a lot this year. His father deployed for the first major deployment of his military career, Ian's Tourettes syndrome had gone totally bonkers, and his school has had major issues in the faculty department. I am struggling with the choice of holding Ian back in the 4th grade for another year. I have spoken to the teachers and they say he is doing "ok". His handwriting is horrible. He can not stay on task. He is very easily distract able. He has missed alot of time this particular school year. Like I said his Dad is deployed to Iraq, which in turn has caused an extraordinary amount of anxiety. Anxiety only makes Ian's "Tics" worse. When he is at school children make fun of his "Tics" and the teachers did not do alot to help the situation either. I worry about Ian's reading. I am thinking I would prefer to hold him back and him be an amazing 4th grader again next year as oppose to him moving along to 4th grade and struggling and falling behind yet again. I have asked friends and family there opinion on this matter and I really have not gotten a clear answer. I figured I needed to speak to other moms like me. When Ian has something he needs more information on I always tell him to google it! I followed my own advice, kinda.
I went to www.momcentral.com and www.mamapedia.com.
I found so many other moms struggling with the same type of questions. I was able to read through the posts on that site and get a good perspective from all different sides in regards to holding him back. I believe I can make a sound decesion about this now.

It is always best to look up the topic if you don't know the answer. Now we have websites created for moms by moms. Can it get any better than that? NO! I will be saving the link to the sites as some of my favorites. It is a God send!

Macaroni Grill gift basket giveaway

I recently started following http://chefdruck.blogspot.com
She has great giveaways as well as tons of usefull information on her blog. Right now she is having a Macaroni Grill gift basket giveaway. Check it out and regiter to win today. I would suggest following her blog as well. You will always find something of intrest on there.

Madigan Army Medical Center

Just a quick blog tonight.

As most if not all of you know last week I had to take Ian to the ER. The Brilliant PA in the emergancy room diagnosed Ian with Mono. Some would say ok mistakes happen. Yes it may have been a mistake but that mistake meant Ian was home ALL last week. He was not allowed to return to school until he was cleared today by his pediatrician. We went to the doctor tonight at 1845. He was not even seen until 1925. Once called back into the actual doctors office, we spent all of 3 minutes. he quickly opened Ian's lab work and stated Ian has never had a trace of Mono in his body EVER. Long story short I was tortured for a week with Ian being home from school for no reason. I say no reason but he actually was sick with a bug, but now it is being called viral.
Moral of my rant is basically if you are ever seen in MAMC ER and diagnosed with something serious always get a second opinion. I am off to put the kids to bed. Ian has school tomorrow Yehaw!

Sonic drive thru Puyallup Wa

We finally got our very own Sonic drive thru here in western Washington. It opened just about 2 weeks ago. The lines have been outrageous. Some days the wait to even get a stall is over an hour. Really, an hour wait for a burger & fries! I know it sounds crazy. I figured i would wait until the newness wore off so the lines would not be as bad. Ha Ha! Wrong!!! I waited until 9:20 pm tonight to go to Sonic in Puyallup Wa. Keep in mind it is a 20-25 minute drive from my house. Upon arriving at Sonic the line was out of the parking lot and there was a 30 minute wait for a stall (by now it is 9:50pm). Once we were able to actually pull in the lot we were greeted by an attendant. He welcomed us to Sonic and proceeded to tell us there is a 30 minute wait and Oh by the way "our grills are out" & "we can't make any burgers". I thought he was joking. He was dead serious. I simply asked him, "why is the wait 30 minutes if your grill is broken?". He replied "Our drinks are POPPIN". Laugh my booty off. Ha Ha...not funny. I was so bummed to drive all that way to get a Sonic burger just to be told sorry, you can't have a burger. UGH! I guess I will have to try another day. Hopefully my next trip will be more successful.

Take me out to the ball game

Family Friday:

I am trying to keep up on my blog so I figured i would try to do something about my family every Friday.

Since moving to Tacoma Washington almost 2 years ago, our family has taken a liking to watching baseball. We LOVE to watch the Tacoma Rainiers. We attended the first game of the 2009 season at Cheney Stadium on April 17, 2009. We had a blast and that is an understatement. For those of you who live in Washingon I would suggest checking out a home game for yourself. There is nothing like watching a baseball game in person. We now are going to try to go to 1 game a week. I am crossing my fingers.

For those who live here in Tacoma or surrounding area's check out the Rainiers website. You can check out the schedule and plan your own families "Baseball Night Out".

http://tacoma.rainiers.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t529

No more freezing babies during bath time!

I remember when my Ian was a baby and bath time was so much fun. Except the freezing part. He always got cold during bath time. I used a hand towel just to make sure it would cover him entirely. Well no more using wash clothes or hand towels to keep your baby warm during bath time.

Bath Luve is the solution...Just submerge Bath Luve in water and drape over your infant. The natural design completly covers baby's torso and stays put to keep them feeling warm and secure.


You can enter to win a Bath Luve of your own FREE. Simply check out my friends blog: http://www.tanyapeila.com/2009/05/bath-time-with-bath-luve.html

She gives you several ways to enter. Good luck & happy Bath times to come.

Walmart Freebies

I got a tweet tonight from http://twitter.com/Millionmoms . It was a link for a free sample of bodycology from Walmart. I followed the link and requested my FREE sample. Once my request was complete I was able to see other FREE samples offered from Walmart. With the economy being the way it is right now we can all use a FREE sample. It's a great way to try something before you buy it. Check them out for yourself. http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-free-samples.aspx

Mother's day

Just wanted to thank all of those MOMS who have played an important role in my life. Happy Mother's Day!

Also, I have an amazing friend who has played a MAJOR role in my life and helped me become a better mom in so many ways. Check out her blog: http://www.tanyapeila.com/
and/or follow her on twitter: http://twitter.com/tanyapeila . I promise you, you will learn things you never knew you did not know before.

Obsessed

Wow! What a movie. Me and a couple girlfriends went to the movies today. We watched obsessed. It was a sit on the edge of your seat movie the entire time.

Update on US

I have not blogged in a very long time. I figured I would jump back into it with an update on Ian & myself. We have been busy busy busy. Ian is currently playing baseball here on Fort Lewis. This year he has decided to play catcher. Not the position I would have picked but I am being the supportive baseball mom. The Tacoma Rainiers season is in full swing and Ian and I love going to the games as often as possible. I have also been keeping myself super busy with KIDS. All of you know kids are my soft spot. I know I was put here to care for kids. Not one days goes by in a week that i don't have at least 2 or 3 kids. They gave kept me busy through this deployment. Speaking of deployment, Harlen has been gone almost a year at this point. He is doing well be definetly ready to come home. He is expected to be home sometime in August. I know I have dropped of the radar to some people. I am not meaning to remove myself. Sometimes I just need a little ME time without anyone else's problems. Long story short, Ian & I are doing well. School is almost over and we are looking forward to doing lots of fun stuff in the next few months before My Nyke leaves for the east coast. If you have and Ideas for good family fun stuff please respond to me and let me know. I am willing to drive 90 minutes away from Tacoma for good clean family fun. If you want to get updates on my life here at fort Lewis be sure to subscribe to my blog on my main page. I am honestly going to try and blog more often. Until next time....