Happy 2008!!

Good morning friends - Happy New Year!

How did you spend your New Year's Eve? I sat here at my computer most of the night refreshing the screen as the kids traveled home and finally - when I saw that their last flight had landed safely - I just waited for the phone to ring. Ten minutes after the plane arrived at the gate, the phone rang and it was Laurie. "Home" again. A little bitty tear let me down at the airport and Kasey wasn't happy that "Handma and Handpa" were not going on the plane with him. But we told him that we would be visiting him for his birthday very soon.

Their visit was so much fun - Christmas was beautiful - everyone was here including Tina and Veronica - things were almost as though our family isn't going through a separation between Scott and Tina. And Laurie and I had a girls' day out on Saturday - lunch, movie, shopping. I asked Laurie, as we were talking a bit about Scott and Tina and how things didn't work - if she and Stephen are as happy as they appear. How they make it work. And she said, because we understand the way things work, the military life is something we are both accustomed to and something that we understand - it's give and take and understanding separations. It was enough to make a mom cry - how does this 27 year old baby of the family get to be so darned mature? And oh, God, thank you.

Do you have any resolutions for 2008? I have made one or two. The first is a two part (maybe three part) resolution. First, to learn how to say "no." Part two of that is, therefore, to take better care of myself. I am young - at heart - but in chronological years...well, in 2009 I will be at the minimum age to collect social security so I am not a spring chicken. And I want to be able to enjoy retirement when that also happens in 2009. So I will concentrate on what my Supervisor is asking me to do at work - training others on the tasks I do - it will make my retirement a much easier transition for all of us. That is probably part 3 of it all - learn to delegate (huh?).

My second resolution is to not worry as much, which in itself will not be easy to accomplish since 2008 will also be a year when the sandbox is part of our lives as Stephen changes units and is deployed again. This will be a tough one - but a path that we have traveled before and one that hundreds of thousands of families are experiencing even as I type.

I count on the hope that my two old friends - prayer and trust - will be constant companions. That Ron and I can concentrate less on the war, and more on what needs to be done for Laurie, Stephen and Kasey as we all endure this again. This time will be different because Laurie and Stephen have Kasey and he will be missing his daddy. Somehow, I know that our faith and trust will be well placed - God will be with us all.
Whatever plans you have for 2008 - may God bless them. May His path for you be one which you find easily traveled. And, especially for my friends with loved ones deployed - or with deployment orders in the future, remember that you have friends who are with you. Friends who understand, who pray with you, and who stand with you at the foot of the cross waiting for God's answers.

It's a New Year! Trials and struggles are not greater than the abundant blessings God gives to us. What greater blessing is there to know that He is with us at all times?

From this Two Star Mom to all of you - Happy New Year!

Sue