Deployment Question #3--FRG's Again

Thanks for all the comments on the FRG's, I think I am going to check it out, if for nothing else, to say that I gave it another try.

Just a quick note on why I don't care a lot for them--when I was 7 months pregnant and Gunner was deployed to Iraq, my dad passed away.  I sent a Red Cross message, but he never got it.  I asked the FRG leader (who was a flake) to follow up on it, and she said I was out of luck because she was too busy.  I was such a mess at the time, trying to take care of two other broken hearted children, that I just walked away from it all.  Obviously Gunner called me, and I let him know, and looking back I could have called the Red Cross, but I can't say that I was thinking too clearly at that point.  All I wanted was a little help.  Shoot, it's not like I was asking them to mow my grass, I did that at 35 weeks pregnant and sent Em to bed with a phone since I could barely walk afterwards and I was worried I would need her to call 911.

Anyway....

The new question is once again courtesy of a friend that does go to FRG meetings.

One of the Soldier's parents donated a ton of exercise and sports equipment for the guys because they were in a remote location and had requested it.  This parent could not, however, afford to ship the stuff over there and asked for help from the FRG to pay for postage.  The FRG said yes, but there were three women that had a fit.

They said that the money was to be used on them and not on their husbands.  They didn't want money that was in the FRG to pay for anything to go over there to them.

It caused a huge ruckus and it ended with a private donor paying for all the equipment to get shipped over there.

Is the FRG allowed to pay for something like that?  (I know our first one they did)  Would you rather the money be spent on you or on your Soldier, or saved and used on a welcome home party?

Me personally, I say use it to make my husband's life better off over there, especially since now they want to take everything away.

Deployment Question #2 Update

I totally agreed with everyone's responses.

Here's the latest from the FRG front...

My friend wrote:

Due to "overwhelming responses" the BN cancelled the contest, lol. I wonder what else they will think of for us to do next!

I saw some of the women asking abut if the CO knew, etc, and yes they did in fact know because my husband asked me about it this morning. He said that we should pool our money together to get an "exotic dancer" for one of the lonely joe's over there, lol! He wondered if THAT would be put in the paper.

I can't wait to hear the next idea they come up with to make money.  


How do your FRG's make money?  Ours have always been non-existent, so I don't have any suggestions.  


Do you "do" FRG's?  What do you think makes them successful?


What's your best or worst FRG story?  Maybe if there are enough good stories, I'll venture out to the dark side and check ours out, as I hear that there is another new leader.  

Practice Run

We have survived 4 year long deployments, so this summer it will be the start of the 5th.  I know Gunner is at JRTC, but I guess someone thinks we need a practice run on preparing for all the things that go wrong during the first few days of deployments.

When Abs got home and gave me her ISS paperwork to let me know about the bite, I called the assistant principal.  She relayed their conversation to me:

Assistant Principal:  Why did you bite so-and-so?
Abs:  She was invading my personal space.
AP:  Why didn't you ask ask her to get her hand off your desk?
Abs:  I did.
AP:  What could you have done instead of biting her?
Abs:  Pushing her would have worked too.
AP:  Not exactly what I had in mind.

We picked up Junior from school, he had a rough day, and was not happy that I did not have pizza to serve him in the car.  He was tired from not napping, and he fell asleep on the way to get Em.  Em stayed after school to attend a play as part of an interest project for Girl Scouts--Oklahoma.

We get home and Abs has a major meltdown.  Take whatever your kid does and multiply it by 100.  It was horrible.  It was awful.  It was miserable.  I dealt with Abs while Em kept an eye on Junior and microwaved him dinner.  Thank goodness for Em.

I get everyone settled into bed, and then I hear all the sirens.  Not one, not two, not even three, but we had our street blocked off and over 15 fire trucks and emergency rescue trucks on our circle.  Why?  Brush fire behind our house.  An acre and a half burned, but the fire guy said we were lucky because the high winds we have had for the last several days were blowing it away from the houses.  It was about 100 yards, and they had it under control and were going to babysit it all night since they had it under control and another fire department was with them.

No worries, they weren't there this morning, because we woke up to two inches of snow and school closed.  It's been snowing all morning.  I hit the doctor for that dreaded exam, and she wants me to do the glucose test tomorrow.  I thought I was done with all of that after I was done having babies.  This would definitely explain a lot of physical problems that I have, and she has me starting a new medication anyway.

So, barring anything else, we are off to a rocky start, but that's how all field problems, TDY's, and deployments start, so I am just getting into practice so I'll be ready to go this summer.

Oh, and I completed Day 1 of P90X, and I totally sucked.  I was going to ride the hill today, but will instead ride the trainer tonight after I get the kids in bed due to the snow.  What usually goes wrong for you the first few days after your Soldier leaves?

Deployment Question of the Week--What do you think?

You're going to love this one.....are you ready??????


I got an email from a friend at another post, and her FRG is.....I can't even believe it....here's what she said.

So tell me what you think about this: our FRG wants to hold a contest. whichever lady (or family) sends in the most money over the length of the deployment, will (at the welcome home ceremony) get their soldier pulled up front and they will get to "greet" them first. AND have your picture taken for the paper. I think its an awful idea but what do you think about it? Would you send in all of your "extra" money to get a chance to greet him first in front of everyone?

Seriously???  I was totally shocked.

I want to hear what YOU have to say, and whether or not you would participate, and what you think should be said to the FRG.  If you would do it, how much would you pay for this "greet"?  Have at it!

A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Gunner is off to JRTC.  So far, so good.  


The girls got into the school I wanted them to go to, which is such a relief.  This means that Junior will be able to go there when he is ready to go to school.  


I found a cycling club to ride with, and I am excited about the first ride!  I think this will help improve my cycling abilities, so I can't wait to get out there and ride, meet some people that like to get outside.


I was on my run this morning, and it was so windy and cold, I cut it off at 4 miles.  I did go up and down the small incline by my house, and I think once the weather gets warmer that I might run Junior to school in the mornings....maybe, as it is all uphill on the way there.

P90X starts tomorrow.  I'll fit my run, bike and swim in during the morning and then the rest at night.  I'm hoping for the best!  Only 24 days till my first tri of the season!

The title of my blog today is what Junior's solution is to every problem.  If his sisters won't share, he says this, and then for some reason they feel obligated to share.  Go figure.  I'm going to try it on the next person that gets on my nerves and see if it makes them disappear or change their ways.

...Abs just got home from school, and she got ISS for biting someone.  Seriously?  I grounded her from the computer and the television, and she thanked me for giving her more time to focus on reading the encyclopedia Gunner's aunt gave her.  She won't make it to 10 I am afraid.

Happy Easter Morning!

Abs managed to hold off till everyone was up to break into the baskets this morning.  We tend to steer clear of a lot of candy, and Em got a basketball with sports stuff, Abs got some outdoor items, and Junior got a book, puzzle, and stuffed animal that coordinated.  (It's the teacher in me I guess!)

We had an egg hunt outdoors, and they were running like the wind!  (Junior needs a haircut, and had severe bed head)

Abs saw this picture and wondered what was up with her hair.  She was flying around the house.

Counting all the eggs to make sure one wasn't missed.  I'm a firm believer in hiding the eggs the day of and using plastic ones.

Gunner and I took off on the bikes to check out the route for the triathlon that we are doing.  Let's just say that the "hill" is ENORMOUS and TOUGH.  On the bright side we both made it up, so we just need to increase our speed.  Not sure how he is doing that from LA, but it'll be okay, he assures me.  I'll be hitting that "hill" every day in the hopes that I can increase my speed.

On another note, it's been 4 years, and I'm thinking of my dad today.  I miss him every day.