December in Our Town - A Wonderful Place To Be!






Last week, we attended the holiday program at Kasey's school....awesome, as all programs have been.  As last year's Holiday program did, the music director found another group of songs/skits/dancing which concentrated not just on the "generics" of the now politically correct "holiday" season, but on specifics.  Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, and Mexican traditions....as well as some traditional winter songs which the kids sang just beautifully.  Oh yes, as the title of this post might indicate, the program was titled 'December In Our Town.' 
The kids opened with the title song - 'December in Our Town - What a Wonderful Place To Be!' and the students from Kindergarten right on up to sixth grade were animated and enthused and awesome.  The sixth graders took the stage and did the speaking parts at first and they participated in the opening song too, but just did a wonderful job with their leadership jobs.  Each grade had a song about a different religion - Kasey's grade sang the song Innkeeper, which of course was about the innkeeper, Mary, Joseph and the stable and baby Jesus.  It was beautiful and yes, my eyes did leak a bit. 
After it was over, and when we went to the commissary for groceries, I was humming the title song and singing the only part I remembered which were the two opening lines.    But then I got down to the business of buying groceries - and preparing for a special person.  Kasey's mommy would be on her way home soon after that and I wanted everything to be JUST right for her R and R. 
Which brings us quickly to just the last day or two, when a determined pilot - despite Mother Nature and the airlines he works for - brought Laurie safely home.  As soon as she rounded the corner to the waiting area and saw Kasey, she ran to him with tears in her eyes.  As they hugged and kissed and Laurie looked at every single inch of Kasey's little face, Stephen, Ron, and I waited patiently as our little boy and his beautiful mom embraced. There were smiles and tears all around us as other soldiers greeted their families - and from others as they just looked on at the sheer emotion unfolding in front of them.  When Ron and  I got to give Laurie her hug, hers to us was long, and warm, and happy.
December in Our Town....God in His grace has truly made this a wonderful place to be. 

Thank you all for your prayers for our girl and for our family.  May God bless the rest of YOUR December.

The Comforts of Deployments



Okay, you might think the title of this post is a bit rhetorical.  What, you may ask, can you find that's comforting during the deployment of your child?   Yup, I had asked the very same question a long time ago - before Laurie even deployed.  It took the actual deployment to understand the answer.  I am finding several things - none of which, of course, are as comforting as having Laurie back home, but still offer moments of joy every single day. 
There is Facebook....that "social network" that can be such a pain in the neck sometimes.  I have been known to ignore some things about FB.  I fell for the "__________ has answered a question about Sue" thing once or twice, but some of the questions it asks are not exactly nice, so I gave up on that.  The Farm thing sounded like fun but I didn't really want to ask all my friends for 13 cows, or more chickens.  (Heaven  knows I cook enough chicken here for  the boys to start my own farm :). So,  basically, I use FB to see what is happening in my friends lives. And to see how many others walk in my shoes and who need or offer prayers with understanding.  
One morning, I discovered that Laurie was on FB at the same time as I was.  That doesn't mean I immediately started a chat with her - but I thought about how comforting it was to know that thousands of miles away in a war zone, I could see that Laurie was safe, and well, and making comments on FB.  It's a little thing, some would think, especially since I don't chat with her.  But to "see" her, and to read her comments or see the thumbs up "likes" that she gives to someone - it's a little thing that is HUGE to this mom. 
There are the emails I receive when I am online at the same time she is.  It's like God assuring me that she is doing okay.  Knowing that she is usually at the end of her day when I am at the beginning of mine, well, it's like crossing another day off her deployment.  No wait, it IS crossing another day off.  Small thing?  Hardly.
Skype.  Well, we are usually not here when Laurie Skypes with Stephen and Kasey BUT it's a given that on a certain day at a certain time, Laurie will be talking to her boys.  The internet connection may be spotty but they usually can have a nice chat with 3 or 4 interruptions. :)
Another thing is when she receives the packages we send.  When I pack them, I try to put the happiest things on the top - so that when she takes off the ton of tape I put on them, she can see a picture Kasey has colored, or a colorful envelope with a funny card and a letter inside.  An example:  Probably her least favorite classic family movie she saw as a kid, and a movie that is STILL being shown all the time, is The Wizard of Oz.  It seems the Munchkins - those adorable little people who belonged to the Lollipop Guild - scared  her as a kid.  So when I was shopping in Safeway not long ago and looking for a funny card,  there was a blank card with a picture of Dorothy and Toto, the Tinman, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion.  I laughed as I picked it up, got a few strange looks from the customers nearby, and immediately knew that was THE card I would be sending.  She enjoyed it and said that she laughed too when she saw it.  By the way, she still dislikes the movie intensely so I don't know if Kasey will ever get to see it.  I think it will be up to me to make sure he sees it while she is deployed.  I'll rent it one of these weekends.  LOL.

And then there is Faith.  Last Sunday we had an Army Chaplain fill in at our church while our Pastor was away,  and he did a question and answer session during the Bible Study hour after worship service.  I was able to share that Laurie is deployed, what she does, and the fact that not long ago, Laurie and her staff were required to see and do something a parent would never want their child to see or do.  He cringed and said he would pray for  her "because" he said, "I understand exactly what you mean. "  The cringe confirmed MY discomfort but the fact that he promised to pray for her confirmed the knowledge to everyone in that room that people of faith believe He is listening.  And answering.  And for those sitting around us, I believe it also made them thankful for their own children sitting in their Sunday school classes downstairs.
And this is the biggest comfort - the prayers.  I know that you are all praying for Laurie - and for us, and those prayers bring immense comfort. I have the assurance that He is listening and will answer them all, I trust, with His grace.
Thanks for stopping by.  And for all you do for our family.

Not JUST a Day for Numbers




Veteran's Day...November 11, 2011.
11/11/11. 
It's a day which some will think of first as a day of six ones.  But for those of us who love a veteran, who REMEMBER a veteran, or who love someone in active military service  it is a day we set aside for respect. And for honoring all those who came before us and fought for this land we call America.

My good friend Bruce wrote me an email  last night that included this, amongst other things:

TWO HOLIDAYS:

THANKSGIVING IS A DAY WHEN WE PAUSE TO GIVE THANKS

FOR THE THINGS WE HAVE

VETERANS DAY IS A DAY WHEN WE PAUSE TO GIVE THANKS

TO THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT FOR THE THINGS WE HAVE

 Dear Lord we thank you for those who fought, for those who died to keep us free, and for those who LIVE to keep our land free.


Amen

Not Too Much Changes.....Well, Maybe One or Two Things. 




As the weeks pass and we count the days in Laurie's deployment, (pretty soon we will be on the down side of the count) there are more things to think about.  And some days, as the news unfolds, these things are not always easy.  But this is why we have the blessing of prayer and knowing that He is listening.  No matter how many times we repeat the prayer, He listens.  And every day, He answers.  Day in and day out, war goes on around her unit, but the Lord keeps answering.  Even on those days when I am feeling afraid, somehow He gets me through them  Sometimes one foot in front of the other, but from sun up to sundown, He is listening.  
The last couple of weeks in church I have found myself just taking a moment or two to pray.  The choir might be singing their joyous anthems, Pastor might be preaching his sermon (and I try to always keep listening but that's hard when you are trying to pray at the same time :), or the ushers might be working their way back with the collection plates during the offering.  And it feels like He is nudging me.  The prayers are not always for Laurie's safety, but a thank you for His grace.  I think it's pleasing to Him to hear those prayers of thanks and not just those of asking for something.  Don't you think so? Trust me, and I think He knows this too, I never take Him for granted.   But I  always know He is in our corner...watching, protecting, and loving. 
One thing I have to keep in mind ALWAYS...my family counts on my trust in Him, and that I am not afraid. That's a pretty tall order sometimes and I know they know better about the fear thing - I am, after all, a mom.  I know that Laurie prays as well so we are together in that because we pray for the same things - family, protection, thanksgiving. And a lot of times, my prayers are for strength for us all.  The world can be a frightening place, can't it?
We don't talk too much with Stephen about what's going on over there.  He doesn't watch the news (not a bad choice - maybe I should try this), and doesn't really want to know about it either.  We don't listen when Laurie calls on Skype because it's none of our business, and what Stephen wants to share, he shares. 
The one other thing that is changing is that, after almost giving up on it, the afghan is nearly done.  The boys (Ron and Stephen) are taking back all their suggestions that I buy one instead of knitting one) and Stephen said a VERY interesting scrap book for me to make to go with the afghan would be the process of how the knitting of it  has unfolded.  Never mind this, Stephen!  That it will be done in time is the good thing, right?
And so, as we wait for yet another mountain snow storm which is supposedly on its way, I'll keep on counting, keep on praying, and trusting.  (and knitting). It's a good day for baking an apple pie, and for some knitting and purling. 
Thanks for stopping by - you are a blessing to me and to our family which we are so grateful for.

Time Has Wings




This post is waaay overdue but sometimes it just can't be helped.  I appreciate your coming back to see if I am still in this blogging business.  So many times I have sat at this computer, knowing what I want to say, but not knowing HOW to say it.  Not usually a problem for me.  :-)
We are working our way through Laurie's deployment - 5 months now - and at times the going has been rough. But God has been with Laurie - and with us.  While we have had a good dose of some of  the realities of what Laurie is being asked to do over there, I am calming down again from this whirlwind time in our lives and back to why God gives us the faith to endure.  And as always, it's the comfort needed to renew our trust.

With Fall here in it's full beauty, and with the temperatures here on the mountain getting more chilly as each day dawns, we are finding that the down comforter on our bed is so welcome at the end of the day.
Kasey is nearly done with his first 10 week term at school and is doing well.  For the most part, the early morning getting ready for school days have been uneventful.  With Stephen working long hours, our days are full, but I have come to enjoy the morning, afternoon, and evening routines we have come to set with housework, cooking, homework, appointments, and having some time to go out and about for some "me" time.  I  have enjoyed being in worship on Sunday mornings, and now attend the Bible study during the Sunday school hour as well.  my neighbor and friend has asked me to join a knitting group at her church - lots of fun. My friend Sharon and I try to make sure to have coffee together one day a week - a time of sharing which is always nice.  And then there are Friday mornings, when I get to spend an hour or so with Kasey and some of his classmates as a volunteer for reading groups at school.  I love the way his face lights up when he sees me enter the classroom,  and especially love hearing his input during the question and answer part of the hour after reading the story.  It also makes me happy to have his classmates say hi to me on the mornings I take Kasey to school - or, as it happened  the other day, when a little girl in Kasey's class showed me her new lunch box and gave me a narrative on it.  Fun times.
But most of all, I am enjoying the fact that, as the days pass quickly here, they are passing quickly for Laurie as well. I enjoy the "grocery lists" she sends us when I tell her I'll be shopping for another package.  She always starts out, "Dear Shoppers."  This last time, we sent 3 very full (and heavy)  boxes.  When she sends an actual shopping list, Stephen always pays and I do the shopping.  I love those shopping trips because they aren't for groceries here at home, but rather for Laurie.  The last big boxes we sent, Laurie was so excited to receive them.  She will be receiving these 3 new boxes very soon and I can't wait. Sometimes (okay, more than sometimes) when I read her thank you emails, I cry.  To think that it takes such little effort to bring her happiness in the midst of where she is. 
And so, time is showing us that, indeed, it has wings sometimes.  And I thank God for this. I find myself thanking Him for many things these days.
Thanks for stopping by, my friends.
May God bless our troops - no matter where they serve.

Neither Rain, nor Sleet, nor Dark of Night - and War?  HECK NO!!!





Early last week, we got an email from Laurie requesting a few things for the next care package.  Since we were between social security checks and a little short on funds, I asked Stephen if he could lend us some $$.  He said "you've paid for nearly all of them - this one is on me."   So, armed with my list and his $$, off to the commissary I went...on a mission.  And I went through the commissary, putting things in my cart and checking them off the list.  In less than 30 minutes, (record time for me and the commissary), I was at the cash register and out.  And except for trying to find my way around the construction detours, NOTHING could dampen my enthusiasm.  I got home, unloaded all the stuff on the counter, and started packing it all in boxes, then changed my mind so Stephen could see everything when he got home from work.  THEN, I started packing and when Laurie Skyped that night to practice Kasey's spelling words with him, I said to her, "mission accomplished - boxes being mailed tomorrow."   And so, when we picked up Kasey from school the next afternoon (10 out of 10 spelling words right for his spelling test that day- AWESOME Kasey!), we went to the post office and mailed two very heavy large flat rate boxes to Kasey's mommy.  I think it's important for Kasey to see the entire process - all the things purchased, (sometimes he goes with us to shop if he's not in school), the packing, and especially the mailing.  It tells him that Mommy is in a place where the everyday things we take for granted are not available to his mommy.  And that's why it's so important to do it.  So when we put the boxes on the counter, the postal clerk said - 7 to 10 days.  But even if it gets to the APO address when it's supposed to, it's up to the Army to get it to her. But the staff at the Post Office know us now and always ask how our girl is.  This may be contrary to some post offices, but here, it's the norm.
Last night we skyped with Laurie again for Kasey's spelling words, and I told her the boxes should be there this weekend - or Monday by the latest.
This morning, I received an email from Laurie - boxes arrived in the hours following our skype conversation, and she was SOOO excited.  Do you KNOW what that does to a mom's heart?  (not to mention how it makes the eyes leak).
And so, I am already  making up the next box - and that will go out tomorrow.  Not so much treats as just stuff that I think will make her smile - catalogs, papers Kasey has done in school, a candle in a patriotic holder - just stuff that will make her smile.  And  pretty soon, it will be cool enough to send chocolate. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.  :-)
I posted my happiness on FB this morning, and I just read a comment from my good friend Betsy - "how did that happen????"
It's anybody's guess....but I am so thankful.
Good work guys!
And thank you God.

HOOAH - The Cry of the American Warrior Since 1718




So here we are, into our fourth month of Laurie's deployment.   We are doing well, the time going quickly - now that Kasey is back in school.  He's doing well this year (knocking on the wooden table beneath my laptop).  Laurie Skypes at least once a week, and on the first day of school, she called Kasey in the morning before he left for his first day as a big boy in 1st grade.  Last week, she Skyped one night as she began her day and we were wrapping up ours, to help him with his spelling words.  Stephen told Kasey the night before he went back to school, as he was getting all Kasey's things ready, and while I packed his lunch, that being a good boy and doing well in school was his job to do during the time his mommy is away.  We all have our jobs, some easier than others.  But even Kasey knows his job is no less important than any other. 

The 10th anniversary of  9/11 will be here this weekend.  Not something to celebrate, but a day to remember.  But as terrible as that day was, we can give thanks for the American spirit we witnessed every day thereafter.  Ron and I have been watching some of the special interviews aired on National Geo this week - especially we caught President Bush's interview.  I could watch that interview every single day and still not fathom what it must have been like for him as our nation's leader trying to console every single American -especially the families of those who did not survive. 

What I remember that day, as I sat at my desk at the University of Buffalo - I attempted  to process financial aid while so many of our students from NYC stood around the TV in the Student Union wondering if their families were okay knowing that we would be at war soon.  Laurie - and the hundreds of thousands of other American troops had gone from serving in time of peace to a time of war.  She was doing some training in TX - learning about the attacks in bits and pieces from the instructors - and I remembered the young men and women in the NCO leadership class she had graduated with less than a month before - and that some of them were stationed at the Pentagon.  And Scott, at home in Hamburg, was also watching it - knowing that his little sister was about to become more than a soldier.  She would be a warrior.  And now - she IS a warrior. 

And so, the title of this post.  You see, a long time ago, when we were visiting Laurie, she took us to one of those little stores outside the main PX. I love those places - tee shirts, pins, you name it.  Anything the military mom could want.  I found a tee shirt that had a logo on the front - a simple logo that spelled out - Hooah. And on the back, it says "Hooah - the Cry of the American Warrior Since 1718."  It's a shirt that has gone through various times of struggle - Stephen's deployments, Laurie's school and separations from her family, and all the time we have spent with Kasey.  There were times when it didn't fit me due to weight gain, so it sat folded in my drawer.  But having lost the weight, it is a staple in my casual wardrobe.  Most people don't know what the symbol on the front of the tee means - but if they read the back, this Hooah word might ring a bell.

The day after 9/11 I had an eye doctor appt.  I had gone to this doctor for several years. The nurse knew that I was the mom of a soldier, and asked me how I was doing.  She made some notes in my folder as to how the 9/11 attack was affecting me. And then the doctor came in, asked how I was and I said "it's not a very good day to be a military mom."  And he said, "It's about time they do some work."  It took everything in me not to get up and walk away, but I didn't.  I bit my tongue, said nothing to him - and I mean nothing, unless it was about my eyes - and I walked out of that office and never went back.  My own way of saying "Hooah."   When I called and canceled my next appointment a few months later, I told the nurse WHY I was canceling it. She sounded sympathetic and apologized for the pain it must have caused. She asked if I would come back if the doctor apologized and I said no thank you.  Perhaps not very gracious, but I found a new doctor who asked me why I was changing doctors - and I told him why. He didn't know what to say, so he just shook his head and said he was sorry. I appreciated that. We all have our own ways of saying Hooah, don't we?

And so, as I sit here on a chilly Colorado morning, the tee shirt still fits well.  I am about to put on a sweatshirt - I think summer is over here - but  will know that underneath is a tee shirt that announces the warrior's cry.  
To ALL of our American warriors - serving in all branches of the military - HOOAH!!  It's said in various ways depending on the branch you serve in.   I am proud of everyone who wears a uniform.  
It's not just an Army thing - and it's a cry that lets your fellow Americans know that nothing can take away your spirit.

And oh yes, this tee shirt which has been washed SO many times, has never faded.  Not at all.  Just like the spirit of the warriors who cry out the word.  And those who love them. 

God bless our troops - and the America they protect and serve.

Come Hell or High Water....or War.


Today was Kasey's first day back to school.  The morning went smoothly - Kasey got up great, had a two waffle breakfast, and put on his new duds.  Lunch was all packed, backpack had all of his school supplies, and he was ready to go a half hour early.  Trying to keep him busy for a half hour without cartoons, or computer games, or anything like it was fun.(not!), but we made do.  I was getting ready  myself when the phone rang.  I caught it on the third ring on the phone in Laurie and Stephen's room, and when I heard the familiar delay after I said "hello," I knew it was Laurie before her wonderful voice came over the wire.  We talked for about 15 seconds and then I told her I love her and handed the phone over to Kasey.  Listening (but not being obvious about it) to Kasey's conversation with his mom, I smiled.  Funny thing, I knew she would call.  It's what a mom does - when you can't be there to do all the fun stuff yourself on those important days, you make sure you talk to your child.  Come hell or high water, wherever you are, you tell him good luck, wish him a great day, and most of all, you tell him "I love you very much."  And even though the conversation is only a minute or two long, it means the world to that child...and to that mom, who is so far away...but here at home too. 

To this mom, remembering those 1st days of school from longer ago than I care to remember,  it made this day so much easier on my heart, knowing that my little girl got to speak to her little boy on such an important occasion. 
I wish the picture above could be of Laurie and Kasey - but I hope it means as much to Kasey as it does to me that I can be here to help him during this school year.  I'm sure we will have our share of struggles,  but we will do as our family always does.  We will pray, and trust, and get by...no matter what.

Door Number.....?



After the events in Afghanistan this weekend,  I knew that it was time for me to find a church home. God bless those who were lost yesterday, their families, and friends.  And our nation's military - they are the best of the best.  Seeing Laurie on Skype this weekend had a whole new meaning - and the thanksgiving to see her and talk to her was such a blessing.


God has helped me to realize that I can practice my faith in the world, but it's time to sit in a pew on Sunday, to worship and hear the spoken Word.  To be fed, so that I can help to nourish others.  While I haven't worshiped in a church regularly since we left Hamburg, my faith has not left me.  I still pray, still study Scripture, and thankfully, I know in whom my Salvation lies.  This is not my doing and that nothing I do will gain that for me.  Jesus paid the debt for me on a cross on a lonely hill long ago. 
But someone reminded me the other day that when we lived in Hamburg, practicing my faith in the church of my choice was a VERY important part of my life.  To be in a pew on Sunday mornings with my fellow Christian sisters and brothers began and ended my weeks.  Sunday was the first day of my week, and also the last; the Sabbath when being fed Spiritually would get me through each day of the coming week.

And so, this morning, God led me through a door.  Sure, it was a warm and sunny morning, and the door was wide open, but it was as if God was saying to me personally, "welcome to your new home, daughter." The ushers greeted me with a smile, and the service's liturgy was one I knew by heart.  It felt like God really was welcoming me home. In the hymns as well.  I made mental notes during the entire service of what I liked - of what made me feel like I was home. It was a long list.    After receiving the Lord's Supper, it felt complete. The closing hymn, How Great Thou Art, brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat as it always does.
And the welcome by several members after the service was awesome.

Ron hadn't attended with me - I was the one to "check it out," so to speak. Something was different for me - the usual butterflies were missing - I walked into this church with hope, and with assurance - not with any nervousness at all.  And when I got back into the truck after the service was over, I said "this is our new church home."  Next week he will attend with me. 

I've always known that entering a church - going through the door He leads us through - isn't anything like "Let's Make A Deal."  No deals with the Lord.  He asks very little - but gives so much in return. He doesn't require us to be in a church every Sunday, but oh my goodness, it's such a blessing to BE there.  Old or new, that door offers so much...not just a home, but a heart that knows for sure He's right again.
Why should that surprise me?  He is ALWAYS right.

This post is for my friend, Nancy.  She's always right too. I love you, Nance.  

Treasures in Jars of Clay



Thanks for coming back.  I know, I know, it's been awhile. 

We are two months into Laurie's deployment now - never thought when she left that I could get past the first day.  But the days and weeks are passing quickly for her - and for us as well.  I suspect busy-ness has something to do with it. She is busy there - thank goodness, and is able to Skype once a week. She looks good and looks forward to letters and packages - she shares everything with the other soldiers in her unit so I always try to send a variety of things. We try to send pictures by email of Kasey doing just the day to day things, and of anything special that might be going on.
For me, it's taking care of the house, and cooking,  and most important to me, making sure that my 3 Colorado men - big and little - get through the days.
And of course sending letters and packages to a faraway place. 

Then there is my 4th guy back in Buffalo trying to get through this deployment too.  I know that Scott always has his little sister on his mind even with the things he and Vi are trying to prepare for. They are doing well, but Vi has surgery again in a few weeks to re-do the original surgical procedure which needed undoing in emergency surgery because of the infection that set in only a couple of days after the original. I can't go back to Buffalo this time and so I hope he understands that his mom and dad are there in spirit and in our hearts.  Tough decisions for a mom and dad. They (and we) are hoping they might be able to get here in the fall for a week or so when Vi's doctor allows her to travel. We will try to help them as much as possible with their airfare. 

Kasey is doing pretty good - misses his mom, but we are trying to do at least one fun day out every week.  We've been to the movies twice this week - on Tuesday my friend  called and asked if Kasey and I would like to go to the movies with her and her daughter.  We did and it was a lot of fun.  We saw Zookeeper and it was a cute movie.  The next day Ron and I had a planned "date" with Kasey - movie (Mr. Popper's Penguins - really cute), Wal-mart and out for dinner.  Although we were hoping that Stephen could join us for dinner, his hours were too long for that.  But we  had a great time - and somehow, at Wal-mart, Kasey even talked Grandpa into buying him a sizable water gun.  Not the "soaker" but a respectable size.  LOL. School will start in less than a month so we are making the most of the time we have left. 

I sometimes wonder, from day to day, what the next day will bring. But unless we have appointments or something, we take one day at a time.  I have had my "bad" Laurie days when I wake up in the morning missing her and worrying about her.  And it's really pointless because by the time our day is getting started after breakfast, hers is over and she is on her way to dreamland.  This makes the time go more quickly also since we go by the days on her calendar, not ours.  :-)  

As a result of the trip to AZ, I have been to a hearing aid specialist and am now awaiting a pair of hearing aids. One for both ears.  They will help with clarity, and with actual hearing as well.  The doctor said that I might find the improvement hard to get used to since my hearing has been so limited for so long.  I'm thinking this will be something I will adjust to in no time. :)  How thankful I am that my insurance covers all but $360. 

You might find the title to this post a bit odd, but I base it on the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7 which says:   

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."   

You see, I am just me - a wife/mom/grandma - fragile as any other human being, susceptible to breaks and cracks as are jars of clay.  But in me, when I feel that fragility and I think I have to do everything,  or BE everything, I also know that it won't be by MY strength, but by what God and His Son do to help me through. It's stronger than any strength I could summon on my own...none of this is my own doing, and I am SOOO thankful for that. 
I am only the fragile jar of clay and He and the gift of His Son are the treasure.  Thankfully, God has also given me the faith to know that I carry that treasure - but again, not by my own doing.

Blessings my friends and thank you for stopping by, and for your prayers.

God bless our troops, and those who love them.

As Time Passes....



SO, here we are at nearly a month into Laurie's deployment.  We are hunkered down for the remainder - only 11 months now - but some days it's a bit hard.  Okay that's a lie....it's REALLY hard.  But we are in good company with hundreds of thousands of other military families and so I often stop what I am doing and thank God that I realize it's not just all about us.  The days have passed quickly for me - trying to keep busy with Kasey, and cleaning, and all the things there are to do here at home. The puppy is doing her best to be beautiful, but she is a puppy after all, and it's a darned good thing that she IS beautiful or she would be outside a great deal of the day.  The honor system isn't working real well yet (those beautiful brown eyes which say, "okay grandma, you can let me out now, and I'll be good the rest of the day" can be very deceptive),  but we'll get there.
I tell her that all the time just so she doesn't forget that her humans are the boss.  Yup. Sure we are.

Laurie is settled at her duty station and she likes where she is.  We finally got the correct address for her so hopefully the packages we sent to the first one will be forwarded to her from the base she was at in the beginning.  She usually skypes on the weekends so we get to see  her and I can give the okay that, yes, she looks good.  Tomorrow I am going shopping for her next package (s).  I try to pick up this and that every time I shop but still, it takes awhile to get a good package together.  We email occasionally but I let her take the lead on that since her internet time is limited right now and she does, after all, have Stephen to keep in touch with.

And so, as time passes, I realize that as a wife/mom/grandma/friend I do not have a job description.  It's whatever God/my family/those I love need me to be. 
Please, Lord....help me each moment of every day to be what YOU need me to be. And Lord, please bless our troops and every single person who loves them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!



To the best Army ever to be formed in the world, HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY to our US ARMY. 

May God bless each and every soldier who has ever, or still does wear the uniform of a US Army Soldier.


Today is also flag day.  Our proud symbol of America - the STARS and STRIPES....adopted on June 14, 1777, by the Second Continental Congress.  Back then there were just 13 stars but she flew just as proudly as she does today.  

May God bless America and those who keep her free. 

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.



When I changed the background for Two Star Mom a couple of weeks ago, this one seemed to fit the bill very well. 
This being Memorial Day, I could say a lot....with Laurie being deployed it casts a new light on our days. 
But I will just say thank you to the Armed Forces and their loved ones.  For those who gave all, and their families, we know you are remembering them today as you do everyday.  Just know that WE are also remembering them as we SHOULD remember them every day. 

And to those who serve NOW, I pray God's loving hand upon you no matter where you serve.  You give us so much in your service. 
Namely - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

A happiness that sometimes means a warm puppy and his little boy.

God bless our troops and those who love them.

Making Lemonade .

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  Of course that old saying has been around for ages.
But how sweet is that lemonade going to be ~ how much sugar do you have to add to make it drinkable?

I guess deployments are what military families consider lemons...and the days and weeks leading up to them can be filled with lots of lemonade making if it's all taken in the context of "it's what we do."   We know a lot about that around here....and every day, learning more. 
 
Things are going well here, the kids spending as much time together as possible, and including us many times. We are enjoying Kasey's t-ball games, sometimes an impromptu lunch afterwards on Saturday mornings, but we know that THEIR time together is really important at this time so we don't always say yes. We know that now is not the time to be selfish, but yet we can sense that time with her mom and dad is as important to Laurie as it is to us.  I am trying not to show any stress about the deployment, but occasionally ask a question or two which Laurie is most happy to answer if she is able to.  She does look a little tired - but I think she is sleeping okay and actually, so am I.   As long as I don't wake up in the middle of the night, it's all good.  Waking up in the middle of the night is NOT good for the well being of the military mom because the brain goes on over drive in those dark hours.

I know I haven't been around much ~ to be honest, there's not a lot to say.  I have my own thoughts about the death of OBL, but do not wish to share them here.  Call it a security measure.
Some of you understand, and I am thinking even if you are not walking in the shoes you still hear the difficulty of wearing them.  This is the most difficult time for military loved ones ~ the time leading up to deployment.  Once your soldier leaves, you switch gears and it becomes prayer and trust, shopping and baking, writing letters and sending packages.  Not to mention doing what needs to be done to get everyone here through each day...and hopefully helping Laurie get through it over there as well with as many hugs from home that can possibly be sent.. As always, it will be one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.
And oh yes, did I mention prayer and trust?  Sorry if I am repeating myself.

This week I am going to try something different.  No lemonade.  It's going to be a lemon chiffon pie.  More calories, for sure, but sweeter...and garnished with fresh whipped cream around the edges.
And the recipe tells me EXACTLY how much sugar to use.

I think everyone in our home can use the change. 
God bless you and God bless our troops.  Thank you for the prayers that I know you are sending Heavenward for the men  and women who serve.  Their loved ones could probably use a few too, please. :)

Hugs to you all and thanks for stopping by.
Sue

DARN IT. Guess I Can Use the Yarn After All.



About a week ago, Stephen came home from work and announced that Laurie wouldn't be deployed after all.
I RAN across the kitchen to the living room, where Stephen was standing by the couch.  I screamed, and cried, and hugged Stephen as he laughed, and hugged me back. It seems that someone in Stephen's new brigade, a COL, hadn't given up on it once he heard about it when Stephen was transferred there.  He had gone all the way to the top to have Laurie's deployment reversed, and told Stephen's platoon Captain that it was successful and to let Stephen know - which he did.  Because Stephen said that it was "as 100 percent certain as the Army gets, we told Scott and Vi, we told my younger sister, and our closest friends.  When Laurie returned home from officer training last weekend, we hugged her and told her how thankful we were that she was going to stay at home.  Don't get me wrong - Laurie has never shirked her duty, and we wouldn't want her to....it's just not in her.  But a legitimate change in orders and transfer to a different company was not shirking her duty - it was about several officers from Stephen's brigade trying to keep a family together for a year who hadn't had a full year together in over 4 years.  As Laurie hugged us back, she said not to count on it since her company didn't know about it yet and she didn't know if it would go through.   I didn't blog about it here or at Living A Dream because after 13 years of riding this roller coaster, I'm never quite sure of the guy in the station who controls the car we're riding in.  Know what I mean?  Is he going to listen to his own instincts or to the quiet voice telling  him to stop the ride for a little while because it's been going up and down too often?

So I had all this yarn I had purchased to make Laurie an afghan for her deployment - to wrap around her when she gets cold, or tired....or lonely for home.  And now, with Laurie not deploying, I had this wonderful dilemma about who to make an afghan for....several suggestions to me were a home for abused women, or for a nursing home - someone disadvantaged.

Laurie came home on Thursday after running errands, and checking on some things over on post.  She wasn't in the door 30 seconds when her cell rang.  She looked at the caller ID, and ran upstairs to take the call.  This was my first inkling that we were about to find out some news...and something told me it wasn't going to be happy news.  A few minutes later I heard her talking to Ron, and then she came downstairs to the kitchen where I was getting dinner ready to put in the oven.  
It seems that the 100% as sure as the Army gets turned out to be 50/50.  There is another Army officer also trying to get his orders reversed for the same reasons, and since he out ranks Laurie, it will probably swing in his favor.
Therefore, we are in preparation mode, this time for Laurie.  We were so disappointed for the kids, and for Kasey. And, okay, for us too.  Sending our little girl to such a strange place will not be easy - especially for Ron.  Alright, for me as well.  But I will use the time ahead to make sure every moment we have before she deploys is as easy as it can be. I don't know when she leaves, but it will be too soon. And every day she is over there I will keep as busy as I can trying to make it pass quickly for us all.  Every thought of her will be a prayer - for all of us.
So the dilemma about the afghan isn't as wonderful as it was, but that I CAN do this for my little girl is a blessing to me.  Now I will decide on the pattern, and knit every moment I can when she is at work during the day.  And at night after she has gone to bed.  It will be one of those gifts that I can't watch her open because it won't be done before she leaves. And even though she probably will have to leave it behind when her deployment is over because of baggage space, leaving it for someone else will be her way of  letting someone else know that they are in good hands. The hands of our Father.
I am so hoping that when this afghan is around her shoulders, she will feel not just the love between a mom and a daughter, but the prayers of a mom as well.  That she will know each knit or purl is a prayer.

Dear Lord, let her not only feel my love for her, but YOUR love which is stronger and mightier than any love.

Circle of Life - and Love.



We are getting ready for Stephen.  He'll be home soon - a blessing we never expected when he left for the sand in October.  Even though it's only been 5 months -the time has probably gone much more quickly for us than for him-I know it's been much harder on the kids with all the ups and downs. There have been changes made by the Army, promotions which are good, but have altered the course of things for Laurie and Stephen both. 
But the circle of life continues.   Kasey still goes to school every day, and Ron and I keep our routine fairly simple so that we can keep Kasey's life on an even keel too.  There's the occasional "want to go have breakfast before we go run our errands?" in the mornings after Ron takes Kasey to school.  I never turn that down. :)  And of course, the new "adventure" of shopping at the commissary because we are eligible as Kasey's guardians.  We went there last week, not heeding Laurie's advice of never shopping there on the 1st or the 15th or on Saturday.  Uh huh - she knows what she's talking about.  But life is good - complicated sometimes, but good. 
Last night was Kasey's birthday party - 13 boys and girls aged 5 and 6.  Quite an experience to plan and carry out, but one which we wouldn't have missed for anything.  Tomorrow some dear friends of Laurie and Stephen (therefore OUR dear friends as well) , and their girls, too,  are coming over for swiss steak dinner and all the fixings.  I am fighting off a cold - or something.  Shopping in the PX this morning for a couple of last minute Kasey presents was a bit difficult as the feverish and stuffy feeling started working it's gradual "magic" on my system.  I am headed for the couch in just a few minutes but first, this post.
So back to the title of my post.  I've spoken in part of the circle of life.  But the circle of love isn't so easy.  It brings tears to my eyes and wonder to my heart when I think of it. 
As I was dusting Stephen's chest of drawers the other day in preparation for his return, a small and wonderful symbol of Laurie's and Stephen's love caught my eye.  When Stephen left in October, he left his wedding band here - he often loses weight when he is over "there" so he generally leaves his wedding band here with Laurie.  She keeps it for him - wears it on a gold chain quite often.  But when she came home for President's Day weekend, she  placed it on his dresser so that it would be waiting for him when he gets home. She knew then that he would be home soon.
I gently picked it up so I could dust the dresser, and placed it lovingly back in the spot where I found it.
Life,  love, and marriage.. Faithfulness, and a steadfast love between two people all represented in a simple gold band.  The Army may keep them apart, but their love keeps them together across the miles. 
Each day I pray for them - that they are strong in their separations and safe as they wait for their reunions.  And sometimes, His answers are so clear - as clear and present as the gold band of a husband/soldier/dad waiting to come home. 

It's About the Soldier's Sibling Too. 




Several years ago when I began this blog, I mentioned that being a military mom isn't JUST about being a military mom.  There is Scott as well, our son who is back in Buffalo with his family.  After a somewhat amicable divorce from his first wife, Tina, Scott met and fell in love with Violet.  We love Vi as our daughter already, and she always makes sure we know the feeling is mutual.  She is an awesome young woman who not only loves Scott, but Veronica as well.  Tina knows this - Vi gives Veronica wonderful care every weekend when she comes to visit.   This is all good.
Recently, Vi has had some serious health issues related to Crohn's disease.  If you are familiar with this disease, you know that it is very painful and can cause serious complications.  The complications part finally caught up to Vi and she will be having surgery in a couple of weeks.  Scott has been very worried and I knew that not going to Buffalo to support them is just not an option.  Laurie realizes this and understands that I need to go and help her brother and his fiance right now. 
Got a great fare on a flight after Vi called me this morning with her surgery date, and I'll be boarding a plane to Buffalo to go and help out the kids for about 10 days.  As much as I hate to be going for the REASON I am going, I am excited that I will see Scott and Vi and Veronica more than once this year.  I hope to see some friends and extended family while I am there, but every visit that I have with others outside of my time with the kids will be a bonus.   A BIG bonus. 
Of course there are Ron and Kasey who will stay here, and that means two holes in my heart for 10 days. BIG holes.  My two men, big and small will miss me a little bit too, (I hope), but I am so thankful for the price of the flight that makes this visit so much easier on our budget, and for the income tax refund which came our way just in time.  God does bring blessings even in the difficulties of life.
And so, I need to begin my lists.  There are many:  Kasey's birthday party list, the meals I want to put in the freezer before I leave, the little incidentals I need from Walmart before I leave....socks, makeup, a pair of jeans and/or new sneakers.   And of course the little "somethings" I want to take to Scott, and Vi, to Veronica, and to Luke.
It IS about the soldier's sibling, and even though so much of my life is here in CO, those I love in Buffalo are just as much of a blessing to me and I am ALWAYS mindful of - and thankful for - them.
I can't wait to wrap my arms around them all.

I Guess It Runs In the Family



Since Laurie and Stephen are both away, Ron and I are the "parents" who now receive the emails from Kasey's teacher so we know what we are supposed to be doing and what needs to be done or what the kids are supposed to be doing as class or individual assignments.  Since we have both met his teacher, it's been a very easy transition - most of the time.  The homework was a little intimidating until I figured out the website but now things are going pretty smoothly.  Of course I always forward the emails to Laurie so she knows what is going on. 
The other day we "parents" received an email outlining a poster project the kids were being asked to do, and the plans for the Valentine's Day party.
The project - very specific - was to make a poster using 100 of the same thing - buttons, beads, anything crafty.  They are celebrating 100s week.  When I told Kasey that night at the dinner table that we needed to make a poster, I asked him what he thought he wanted to make.
"A FLAG, GRANDMA!!"
Boy after my own heart.  And so, we went to Michael's on Saturday, bought everything - we chose buttons - and started the project on Sunday morning.  Felt, GLUE (way too much glue but it was a glue stick so it made for less mess), red, white, and blue buttons.  Stars, hearts, plain buttons - all red, white, and blue.  This morning I went to Hobby Lobby to get the yellow buttons for the yellow ribbon banner which I had suggested ("GREAT IDEA, GRANDMA!!").   And of course enough white buttons for the stars.
Above you see Kasey with the finished product.  A proud little boy - not of his achievement, but that it represents his pride in his mom and dad.
Things have changed here - we will not be moving.  Stephen might be coming home earlier than we expected and Laurie will be deploying much sooner than she and Stephen (or Ron and I) ever expected.
Kasey doesn't know any of the changes yet - doesn't know that his Mom will now be one of those soldiers we pray for at dinner (as his Daddy is now) when we add to the blessing, "and please Lord, watch over the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Another difficult year ahead - but his pride runs deep.  And as I mentioned earlier, a boy after my own heart.
Your prayers are appreciated, very, very much.
God bless our troops.

Three Up, Three Down.  Almost There!


Last night, when Laurie checked in to let us know she was almost to her base where she will do her officer training, she told us that Stephen had made the selection list for E-8.  Master Sgt.  3 up, 3 down.  His selection number on the list is low, so we expect that very soon - before his deployment is over ~ he will be,  officially, a MSG. 

In early October, just before he left for the sand, we were going somewhere in Stephen's truck.  I went to get in the back seat and there were folders and papers all over the place.  Stephen gathered them all up and apologized for the truck being in such disarray.  He told me he was up for E-8 and he was getting all his stuff ready to send to the board before he left for the sand.  He was really hoping to make it in this year's selection. 

Last deployment, he was so thankful that none of his soldiers were lost - they all came home.  They did missions 6 out of 7 days a week during that deployment and sometimes when he called, he sounded so tired.  Usually it would be in the pre-dawn hours of the morning his time, dinner time for us.  But he made sure that  the first thing he did when he got back in was to call Laurie at school, and then Kasey at our house. His words were sometimes few, but they counted. And to hear his voice was music to our ears. 

A military couple gives up a lot.  Time together, time with their children, living in the grit and grime of deserts far away, and wondering just when they will see and hold each other again.  They are humble about what they do - "it's my job"  they say, and when you thank a soldier, they thank YOU for appreciating them. 

Yes, maybe it's not humble to announce achievements.  But I do, as we all do when our kids do well. It's because I am happy and thankful for THEM.  Nothing they work for is easily attained - like everyone else in the world, they know that if it's worth working for, it's reachable.  No matter how long it takes. 
We love Stephen as our own son. 

Three up, three down.  I can't wait to see it on our soldier son. 

Dog Tags.....and The Word.

Warmth is the new frame of mind we'll soon be in as we prepare for our move from Colorado to Texas
(and I use the word "warm" loosely because we will be headed into more than just your average warm temps), Laurie and Stephen's appeal to remain here has been officially denied and so we are moving forward...or South, actually. 

I thought it was time I dressed up my blogs - to give them a face lift and make them a bit more individual. Hope you like what you are seeing - it's fun and since it's been nearly 5 years since Two Star Mom was begun, I thought different would be good. The words you read, however, will be from the same heart.

I joined a new "extras" website this morning - wanted to find a picture that captures what being a military mom is all about - at least for me.  And I think I found the perfect one - the dog tags draped over the Bible that you see at the right of this post.

So much of our lives - Ron's and mine - has been about dog tags.  Ron and his Navy service, and both of us as parents (and parents in law) of two children in the Army. And as I've said from the beginning of this blog 5 years ago, it's not just about my children who serve, but my other kids, and my grand kids,  who need just as much love, and support, and as many prayers as my soldiers do. 
And that's where the Bible part of this enters the picture - The Word in which we trust.  It's the truth, the promises, the assurance that God is with us - and with all of our family. The military moms website many of us belong to claims Psalm 91 over all of our troops - I claim it, amongst other passages - over all of my family.

Verse 11 says:  "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;"

I have always believed that God's path for us is pre-ordained, and ironically, my friend Sandy mentioned in a comment on my other blog this morning that perhaps there is a fate filled reason for the denial of the appeal to remain where we are.
And I also believe that mankind has often interfered with the plans God makes for us. Is this God's ever protective hand leading us and guiding us along His path instead of the one the appeal might have changed?
Perhaps so.  We will probably never know the answer to that.  But we can trust, can't we?
His Word behind a set of dog tags - it's good enough for this mom.

Still Just Our Little Girl.



Last week, this roller coaster stopped in a really good place:
after two of the longest years of her life, Laurie received her Commission as a 1LT. as she earned her Masters Degree in Physician Assistant studies.

Hours and hours of study, two or three exams per week, long hours of classroom instruction, and many nights when more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep just wasn't to be had, she completed the Armed Forces Physician Assistant program. It is the complete 4 year civilian PA program done in 2 years with absolutely no shortcuts. They earn their Bachelor's degree the first year, and all of their Graduate studies are completed in the second year, with their clinical rotations and the exams which are administered to the students after each rotation is complete. To say that these students took 75-100 exams is not an exaggeration. In fact, I know this is a low estimate.

As Ron and I stood side by side listening to (first) the commission, and then the oath of office ~ administered by a Captain who was also Laurie's fellow graduate ~ I thought back to Laurie as a basic training graduate so many years ago. Nearly 13 years older than she was back then, with a few more smile lines around her eyes, she is still our baby girl. And as Ron and Kasey pinned a bar on one side, and I did the same on the other, I knew that it wouldn't take much for those tears I was holding back to escape.

I cannot tell you what this means to Laurie and to her little family. Truly I think only God knows what is in Laurie's heart. There are a couple of other pictures over on my other blog, but the picture above kind of captures the one moment when those tears that I had SO not wanted to be shed, finally escaped...but it wasn't just my tears that were being shed. Since Stephen is in the sand, the officers in charge of the ceremony had made arrangements for him to be there via SKYPE. He witnessed the entire graduation and promotion ceremonies and at the end, as Laurie walked over to the computer to give him her love, he stood and saluted her. Not too many eyes were dry at that moment. I cry even as I type this now. It's not so much the pride, but rather the realization of what it took....that it's over, and yet just beginning for them. Stephen has many months remaining in his deployment and so it will be up to Laurie, with our help, to move us all to her (and eventually Stephen's) new duty station.

Many, if not most, of these new PAs will serve in harm's way very soon. From their graduation, to their new post, and then to one sandbox or another, leaving family behind to settle in their new homes.

Thank you for your prayers for our family, and for all of this nation's military. Only those who walk in the shoes understand, but your support means the world to us.

God bless you for being a blessing to all who serve - and to all of us who love them.