One month down...

Memorial Plaza (Coalition Flags)

It's been almost a month now and time is flying by. It does feel like I have been here forever, but as the days and weeks fly by I realize that I will be home before I know it. That's exciting!!! It's still tremendously difficult to be away from Polly and the kids, but being able to chat on the computer twice a day is fantastic! Yes, we are spoiled and we won't deny it, but we are also very very grateful for those opportunities we have to talk to one another. It's an amazing way to stay connected with one another, especially Savannah, who loves to talk and sing with daddy on the computer. Hopefully since she is able to see me everyday, she will let me give her a great big hug and kiss when I get off the airplane.

While it is difficult to be away from those I love, it is very rewarding to be here supporting the mission like never before. Work is busy, rewarding, and makes the time pass quickly. I never knew how fast 11 hours could fly by. Although, there are those days that drag on a little bit, but for the most part, time at work goes by very quickly. It is a very different environment than I am used to, especially working in a Services squadron. However, it has provided a unique and rewarding opportunity that I would never have back in the states. That opportunity is the chance to serve and pay respect to our FALLEN WARRIORS. Those that have paid the ultimate price in defense and service of our great nation. There were so many emotions and feelings that were going through my mind, but here are a few...Humbled, proud, sad...Humbled to know that at any moment it can all be taken away, no matter who you are, what you do, where you're from, how much money you make, or even if you believe in god or not. Life is a delicate thing and no one is guaranteed anything. We need to treat each and everyday that we have as a blessing, because it is. It's a blessing to be able to wake up in the morning, kiss the ones we love, enjoy those precious moments with loved ones, be thankful for those things we are able to do (even go to work or work at home), but more importantly the little things that we take for granted. It is a very humbling experience to be so close to someone who doesn't have those opportunities anymore and those that he or she left behind. I wonder what they wish they had done or said before the unthinkable happened. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about that yet, but we should keep it fresh in our minds. Not to worry about dying, but to know that at any moment it can all be gone, so we need to enjoy each and everyday as much as we can and not take anything for granted. A lot easier said than done, I know, but oh so true. There are loved ones today wishing they had one more day, one more minute, even one more second with the loved one they lost. Proud to know that I could be part of preserving the service, dedication, and ultimate sacrifice of my brothers in arms. Proud to know that I could be trusted with preserving the dignity and honor that they so deserve. Proud to know that, god forbid, if I were to lose my life in the line of duty that I would be so carefully, graciously and professionally taken care of by those that are trusted with that opportunity. Proud to serve with those and the sacrifice that those today, tomorrow, and so many before me have given in the defense of our nation and our way of life. Sad to think of those loved ones left behind...they won't be able to share anymore kisses and hugs with loved ones, special moments alone and just time to share with one another. Sad to think of all the things so many of us take for granted each and everday. Not that anyone expects us to be perfect, but we really should cherish and enjoy all that we have. Whenever times are tough it is worth taking a moment to remember those fallen warriors both past and present that gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation. It's so easy for us to get lost in our own world and all that goes along with it, but it's important for us recognize the little things and even the big things we take for granted everyday. Let's all try a little harder to cherish those moments and make the most of the time that we have to share with our friends and loved ones. Don't forget to let them know just how much you love them each and every day. I was able to serve NINE FALLEN WARRIORS this week and even though the arrival and departure times aren't always the most convenient, I will continue to volunteer my time during my stay here. It is the least that I can do for those that have paid the ultimate price to defend the freedoms we enjoy and to improve the lives of others. We all can be called upon to pay that price, but it never really hits home until you witness or are a part of something that makes you realize just how fragile life is. So please take a minute and tell those you love that you do love them. They probably know, but it's always nice to hear.

Up Close of Plate

That's all for now...I should try to enjoy a little bit of my day off for the week.

JV Soccer...

As you know Alex made the JV Soccer team this year. What does that mean for the family? Well in San Angelo that means soccer in the fall, winter, and spring. (We did have the month of December off...aren't we lucky.)

Alex is enjoying playing on the team. He starts every game and plays almost the whole time. He usually rotates positions in the mid field and sometimes striker. His team, the BOBCATS, is doing well. They are currently 2-2.

This is a series of pictures taken in a row...its almost like you are there

In the end Alex got the ball, and white #9 is wondering what happened

It's amazing how much he has learned in just a short amount of time playing on the high school level. Luckily for us, soccer is a motivation for him to do well in school. He has soccer first period and they practice after school everyday. His body gets a little exhausted from all of the practice, but he still manages to come home and go to the soccer fields for more practice.

Alex at the soccer fields...gotta get that shot right.

Happy Birthday Alex...

HaPpY BiRtHdAy AlEx!

15 years ago...Alex graced the world with his presence...and we are still here with him. We are so happy he is part of our family and look forward to spending another year with him. (Not excited about teaching him to drive) Excited about the new things he will learn and watching him grow up...(as much as teenagers do).

Traditionally Polly puts the birthday gifts out on the table so the kids can open them first thing in the morning. Alex was expecting nothing less this year and was a little disappointed when he found an empty table Sunday morning. Being a single mom can exhaust you...getting presents ready first thing in the morning can also be exhausting. We helped him buy a pair of soccer shoes that he had to have for his first game, so he already received a gift from us and wasn't expecting much...maybe something from his sisters. So when he saw no presents he was worried and had to ask Emily. She assured him she got him something. (Trusting his sister doesn't always come so easy)

Having a birthday fall on a Sunday made going out to dinner a little more difficult. We did eat his favorite meal SPAGHETTI and had BROWNIES with Chocolate Ice Cream for dessert. What more could you ask for?

Helping mom make the dessert.

We had some friends come over for dinner to help set up the new computer we got. So we decided to torture him a little longer and wait to open his presents after dinner. (I think he was going crazy inside)

Savannah helping brother with his presents.

Alex with a gift from the Stratton's

It was a good day. He was surprised by the gifts he got and quickly put them all to use. The rest of the day was spent playing soccer outside, with a brief cleaning of the bedroom/laundry/bathroom. Over all I think it was an okay day and he enjoyed the day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX

Basketball season Ends.

We enjoyed watching Emily this year in basketball. Especially since her team went undefeated. Actually it was kinda sad to watch the other teams get destroyed...most of the time the score was 30-4. Emily had fun and improved her game a lot.

I am ready...

When it comes to defense, Emily doesn't mess around.

Don't you love the knee pads!

(It's hard to get pictures of her in the gym, the lighting is terrible)

Day at the Park

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in San Angelo (the temp in the 80's). Savannah and I decided to do lunch at the park. We invited a friend of ours had a great time in the sun. The only bad part was mom forgot to put sunscreen on before we started. We decided to go and find some ducks to feed and stopped at the van for a little spf...yes, I should know better I was already chastised by Eric. "If you are going to be outside you need sunscreen...Mom and Savannah both."

Savannah and Sammy looking at the fish in the pond.

Fun in the swing!

Let's go mommy...I have the stroller.

Just one more mommy...I don't want to go yet.

It was fun and we enjoyed being there with friends. Savannah liked it more than the parks by her house. She is scared of the holes on the floor.

Somewhere in Southwest Asia

Well I made it to my “undisclosed location” after a little excitement before leaving Seymour Johnson AFB. We started down the runway for take-off and all of a sudden the pilot slows down and starts slamming on the brakes. Apparently, one of those pesky indicator lights came on during take-off so we had to abort. Waited an hour or so for the mechanic to come check it out and after another hour or so, we are off again. In the mean time, I was able to check the Ohio State score one last time…we won!!!! Finally, a big game win for the buckeyes…it’s about time! Unfortunately, all I was able to see of the game was the first touchdown. Thankfully, my wonderful wife recorded it for me to watch when I return home. Anyways, we get air born this time, although it was a little nerve racking during the second take-off, we are off to our “undisclosed location in southwest Asia.”

We arrived without further incident some 15 hours later. Not much sleep to be had on the airplane for me, thankfully there was plenty of movies and food to keep me occupied. Thankfully my First Sergeant met us at the terminal with our room keys and after our transition trough customs, which was a joke, we are off to our trailers. My room is about 10 x 10, with bunk beds, two wall lockers, a fridge, some sort of coffee table, and a night stand. Thankfully MSgt’s and above don’t have to share a room. I cannot imagine sharing this tiny room with anyone. Rank really does have its privileges. Next our “Cadillac” that’s deployment speak for common bathrooms. Thankfully mine is only a few minutes away and it is a new one, yea!! Some of the showers are cold, some are hot, some are warm…I don’t get it. I am going to start checking out which ones are hot and only use those from now on. The best part is in the middle of the night when you wake to up and have to go to the bathroom, you have to go in your pt uniform and you MUST have your reflective belt on. The reflective belts are a funny thing around here…we have to wear them on our person during all times of limited visibility. That’s silly enough, since our PT uniforms already have reflective material on them, but you MUST also have a reflective belt on your back pack. Pretty silly that’s for sure.

The food is good (usually) and plentiful. The dining facility by my room is open 24-hours a day, so you can get a hot meal whenever you want. Thankfully there is water available everywhere! The hardest part is making sure you don’t eat too unhealthy all of the time, because you sure can raise the cholesterol and gain plenty of weight while you’re here. I did make it to the gym three times this week, including my first introduction to squadron PT, which was a four mile-run and twenty minutes of cardio when we were finished. I can’t even imagine the backlash if I tried to have my unit back home run four miles, let alone do cardio afterwards. Now I just need to find some sports to play. Haven’t heard of any intramural sports going on just yet, but hopefully some will begin soon.

After a week, I think I am finally getting my body into a normal sleeping pattern. It’s been hard because of the time change, working nights, and making sure I find time to talk to the family. It’s Sunday, my day off, and tomorrow I move to day-shift, yea!! It’s hard to work nights when you’re a morning person. Work is good…nice facility, a/c works, so far anyway, and it’s just busy enough to make the 12-hour shift go by fairly quickly. We do have a media web, which has movies and television shows that we can enjoy when we aren’t busy.

Of course, I am still getting used to everything here and figuring to a good daily routine, but each day seems to get better. Found an old friend from Utah yesterday that has a vehicle, so I think we may try to go golfing soon. There is a European Tour golf tournament at the end of the month that I think I will try to go watch on one of my days off.

Anyways…a lot of information I know, but I am sure I forgot something I wanted to share. Next time I will try to have some pictures for everyone to enjoy, but I have to wait for the camera to get here. I hope everyone had a wonderful new year and you are cherishing all of the blessing we are able to enjoy each and every day. That’s all for now…

My little Princess

They grow so fast and learn new things everyday. It is hard to keep up with everything new. Savannah loves doing everything that mommy does. She has become a great help. She cleans off the table, puts clothes away, sets the table, washes dishes, and help put the groceries away. She is full of energy and loves to say everything that you say to her. Here are some pictures of her and some of her latest and greatest moments.

Bath time...gotta love the hair.

Big blue eyes and long blond hair...whats not to like.


Always willing to say cheese for the camera!


Ready to play soccer...we start young in our family.


Good morning...crazy hair moment!


Taking the baby for a walk.


Getting ready for church...rollers in the hair, doing the make-up.


Cheese...don't these rollers look pretty.


All curly and ready to go.
(Mom hated curlers when she was little...now she is torturing her daughter with them.)

Close-up with my mommy.


Got my bag...ready to go!


One last cheese!!

Goodbye Daddy....

Saying goodbye at the airport...

The week quickly went by and before we knew it, we were at the airport saying our goodbyes. Eric tried to get as much done before we left for Ohio, but he still found himself having lots to do before leaving the country. Because of the holidays, the military personnel had a family day on Monday. That meant Eric only had Tuesday and Wednesday to finish all of his out processing.

Savannah going through daddy's new stuff.

It seemed as if everything was going just fine until we took a family trip to the commissary and Polly didn't have her ID. (This is Tuesday) We search high and low and there was no sign of it. She knew she had it at the USO in Dallas...and she remember putting it in her back pocket. Not knowing for sure where it was, a trip was planned to get a new one. So to add to the list of things to do before he leaves, Eric got to help his wife get a new ID. (Can't have your husband out of the country without your military ID.)

One last walk with Daddy.

Everything was finally finished and Eric had a little time to relax on Wednesday evening (after packing his bags, doing multiple loads of laundry, and sorting through what to take and leave here).

The stuff going in the bags.

To try and lighten the mood a little...Polly, while cleaning the kitchen, discovers her lost ID under all of the clutter. Crazy...

Taking a needed break from packing.

Our house will not be the same without Eric. We will miss him tremendously and are grateful that he is will to defend all of our freedoms...even if that means he will be away from us.