Hanging By a Thread

Well after two weeks, we FINALLY got Em in a cast.

Purple, her favorite color.  The ortho was not happy that we had been there twice and no one could make a decision and she had to be in pain for two weeks without a cast on.  After about 24 hours, her pain level dropped immensely.  Whew.

I was up this morning at 3:45, due to a barfy Em.  I can handle blood, I can handle guts, I cannot handle vomit.  It makes me ill.  I quarantined her to her room and have delivered broth, bread, and water.  I sent the other two to bed tonight with barf buckets.  I am hoping for the best.  Em claims it is food poisoning, but I am not buying that.

Yesterday we celebrated what would have been my dad's 72nd birthday.  For any new readers, Abs noticed that we celebrated Lincoln and Washington's birthdays, so why couldn't we celebrate Grandpa's birthday?  No arguments from me, and while I think of my dad every day, it was nice to have the kids remember things about him last night over dinner.  (That would be the dinner at the mexican restaurant where Gunner's three children ordered cheeseburgers.  They must not be my children!)

The kids wanted chocolate cake and lite icing.  This led to us buying a winnie the pooh cake.  Not exactly what we had in mind, but it was our only choice.  Actually the last birthday my dad celebrated was when Abs celebrated hers, and they shared a Disney princess cake.  He was a great sport about it, although the lady at the cake counter at HEB looked at us a little strange!

This my friends is Blue Bell......in COLORADO!!!!  We heard that it had arrived on Tuesday and the kids went crazy....well I did a little too.  If you haven't had Blue Bell before, you are missing out.  It's HUGE in Texas, and apparently it's a hot item here.  We got to Walmart, and three cases had sold out, and they had compiled into two cases what was left till the next shipment came in.  I was talking to an older gentleman while we were in there, and he had been stalking the store for two days, and was upset it was out on the east side of town before the west.  We love our Blue Bell!

So now Spring Break will begin, and mind you my children have ELEVEN days out of school.  That shouldn't even be allowed while your husband is deployed.  It's also sad, because Gunner should have been home this Sunday.  (Of course with the outbreak of the barfs, I bet he is glad he's safe in Afghanistan a little bit longer)

Anyone do/doing anything exciting for Spring Break?

How to Help the Wounded Warrior Project!

As I wrote in my last post, many moons ago, I am a big supporter of the WWP, and the issues that they work on.

I was contacted by Rudolph Foods, to help spread the word on how they too are supporting the WWP.

Enter:

Pork rinds, honestly, I love them.  I remember when I was a kid, we would go to my grandparents ranch in Oklahoma and they would butcher the hogs, and there would always be fresh pork rinds to nibble gobble on.

I have several bags of the product that are headed over to our next FRG meeting so I can share them with the other wives in Gunner's company.

I did open one bag, and Junior was in heaven!

Currently, they are asking everyone to go vote at voteporkrinds.com and for every vote they receive, they will  donate 10 cents to the Wounded Warriors Family Support Program.

How easy is that?  So please go click and support our WW's and their families by checking out the website and casting your vote!

Wounded Warrior Project

Have you heard of this organization?  It's one of my favorites because of the work that they do on behalf of wounded warriors and their families.

What is troublesome to me now is what the VA and the White House are trying to take away from these Heroes and their families.

Wounded Warrior Project calls on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the White House to make good on promised benefits.

Caregivers of veterans recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) at risk for being left out of Congressionally mandated benefits by VA

Jacksonville, FL (March 7, 2011) As we enter Brain Injury Awareness Month, the Wounded Warrior Project  (WWP) is committed to ensuring that veterans injured during Operation Enduring Freedom  and Operation Iraqi Freedom and their caregivers receive the benefits included in the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act signed into law last year by President Obama.

“In 2010, Congress put assistance in place to ensure that the caregivers of these brave men and women are able to continue providing the necessary support for their recovery,” said Steve Nardizzi, Executive Director of WWP. “Nearly a year later and ironically coinciding with Brain Injury Awareness Month, family caregivers of as many as 2,500 severely brain-injured warriors may now be ineligible to receive benefits promised under a plan the VA continues to defend.”

“Last month, the VA submitted a plan that would shrink the number of families qualifying for benefits by more than three-quarters, hitting those with cognitive and related brain-injury impairments hardest,” Nardizzi continued. “It is unacceptable for the Administration to deviate so dramatically from the clear direction Congress set, and jeopardize the care of these service members to meet a new agenda.”   

TBI has emerged as one of the signature wounds of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, amazing strides have been made in the medical intervention and treatment of TBI.  But with that comes a long road of treatment and care for these veterans when they return home. It’s a labor of love for the family caregivers of these severely wounded warriors, but also an all-consuming one in which many families have had to commit all of their resources to their loved one’s recovery process.

In providing for caregiver assistance, Congress clearly specified that the law covers caregivers of veterans who sustained traumatic brain injury in the line of duty and who were “in need of personal care services because of…a need for supervision or protection based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury.”   It is apparent when reviewing the Act as a whole, that the rehabilitation of veterans with traumatic brain injury was an intended goal with respect to each of these provisions.

WWP is calling on the Administration and the VA to recognize the severity and complexity of these injuries and guarantee that these American heroes and their families are provided the best support and care possible. 

Join the effort to secure what has been promised to the caregivers of our nation’s heroes:

• Visit us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/caregiversNOW
• Learn more at www.woundedwarriorproject.org 

About Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and service to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

You can also join their facebook page here.  

I don't know if they still have the gear, but I picked up my WWP tshirt from Cracker Barrel, and everyone needs an excuse to go there and eat fried till your heart can't take it anymore!

Tomorrow I have another way to help the WWP!

Common "Army" Sense

Common sense and common "Army" sense are two totally different things.

I've got pretty good common sense.  (Ab's lack of common sense does not come from me!)

If I had common "Army" sense.....

     I would not have gotten excited LAST month about Gunner coming home THIS month.  He's not.

     I would have made notarized copies of my POA's, so that when the house flooded and they were ruined, that I would not be trying to get one from Afghanistan, like yesterday, since my ID card expires in mere days.

     I would not have taken on so much in March thinking that Gunner would be home, because surely we all know that the Army will change things.

     I would have switched our doctors to a closer location as soon as we moved on post, because trying to get Em into the doctor for her ankle is stressful for the whole family since we are still assigned to the Academy.  (Plus side, I love them there, but the drive and time it takes is getting old!)

     I would have sent a few more cards to Gunner in case he was extended, because then because of the laws of the Army, he would have missed them all and been home already.

     I would have hired a maid like I did last deployment.

What common "Army" sense things can you add to the list?          

Guest Blog: ANOTHER Evening With ABW's Kids

ABW asked me to write another guest blog.  So, as I sit here at ABW's home at Fort Carson doing even more laundry, I thought this was as good a time as any.

As a reminder for established readers and an fyi for new ones, my name is Dave.  I've known ABW since the Baylor Sailing Team college days before she was married with these three crazy wonderful kids.  I met Gunner before they were married and was one of the groomsmen in their wedding.  I've remained close to ABW and Gunner over the years and have gotten closer with the family over the last two as I was living in Denver for a time and am now, for unemployment reasons, a sort of gypsy back and forth between Colorado and Texas. 

As I'm on my way back to Dallas from Denver for awhile, I decided to stop off for a quick visit.  Of course, that quick visit has now turned into a couple of days as it's become obvious ABW needs a little assistance here.  I arrived at Fort Carson late Sunday afternoon and we met at the dog park so that our two designer (rescue) dogs could have a meet and greet.  This worked well when ABW's mother and new puppy visited several months ago, so we decided to give it a try due to the fact that our last visit involved a tempestuous cockapoo puppy not being too happy at having an older schnoodle trying to rule the roost.  This proved an excellent idea and they've become well behaved colleagues. 

Not long after we had arrived at the house, ABW decided to run out and grab pizza for the kiddos before taking Em to a girl scout ice skating event.  ABW wasn't gone ten minutes when Em tripped coming down the stairs and injured her ankle.  So, while she was laying at the bottom of the stairs crying, I began assessing the situation and damage.  I did know she was hurt, as opposed to a past incident with Abs at the park when she feigned a twisted ankle.  I raised Em's pantleg to look at her leg since we had heard a pop and the top of her ankle above the shoe.  Since I've had a sprained ankle before, I wanted ABW to get home before I removed the shoe since that could accelerate the swelling.  I called ABW and told her what happened and to get home.  Between all of us, I knew she'd be home in a matter of minutes but thought that my phone call would relieve Em a bit, knowing her mother was rushing home.  Of course, this event caused great excitement in the house.  By the time ABW entered the door, Emily was still on the floor crying with Junior dancing around her and Abs had begun playing the violin for a soothing effect.  Throw in two concerned pooches and it was a sight to behold.

After looking at the ankle and a telephone consult with ABW's mother in Texas who is a retired nurse, it was agreed upon that Em needed an ER trip--particularly since the next day's schedule alotted zero time for another appointment.  So, off they went with pizza in tow while Uncle Dave was left to put two children to bed.  As a huge relief, Abs was pretty well behaved.  She showered and besides a brief argument with Junior regarding the television and remote control, got settled down with Bella Serra on the computer and was essentially a non-event which was both appreciated and shocking.  Junior, of course, was a slightly different matter.  Getting him in the tub and bathed wasn't a big deal.   I could tell his eczema was bothering him so after administering the required nightly pullup, he got coated with both his prescribed ointment and aquaphor.  He loved this and told me over and over how good his skin now felt and how he needed this every single night.  He can be such a cutie pie.

So then I put him in his room to play and fall asleep.  I went up every ten minutes to peek in on him--the first time to turn off the light and the second to see what he was doing.  On this second visit I realized he wasn't in the room.  Sure, there's one gate up at all times, but thanks to Abs he's learned to escape.  I quickly scanned the upstairs to see where he was.  Did he go into Ab's room?  No.  I then saw that ABW's bathroom door was shut and the light was on.  I immediately went to open the door and it was locked.  "Junior, I know you're in there.  You need to unlock and open this door RIGHT AWAY."  I did have a moment of panic as I remembered a story of when I was a child and we were visiting my grandmother--I had run down the hall to the bathroom saying I was going to "shave like daddy" and by the time my mother and grandmother got there I had gashed my cheek.  Anyway, I heard the bathroom door unlock and I quickly opened it.  Junior was just standing in the middle of the large bathroom and yelled out "ta-dahhhhhhhhhhhh."  Cute, but not.  So, I put him back in his room and told him if he didn't behave I'd have to put up another gate (knowing I should but kinda didn't want to deal with it).  Junior said "you should probably put the gate up."  Of course, Abs yells out from her room that she could get out of two gates, but not three.  Yes Abs, I know and so does everyone else in blog-land.  But hey, I got a kick out of it as I had to love Junior's honesty.

So, most of yesterday was spent doing laundry.  A lot of laundry.  I won't say how much in an attempt not to embarrass ABW, but let's just say I did it all day and am still doing it today.  Lots of laundry means lots of folding.  And then you add all the clothes that were already clean but not folded and let's just say I've never folded so many clothes in my life.  I still required some assistance in trying to figure out whose clothes were whose.  I mean, Junior is easy but it can be more difficult regarding the girls. 

ABW got a call from daycare yesterday that Junior was being unruly so she had to pick him up early and got to keep him with her in the car half of the afternoon due to her crazy day of appointments and whatnot.  When they finally arrived home he ran up the stairs, saw me where I was busily folding clothes and yelled "Uncle Dave!!!"  I greeted him enthusiastically and then asked him where his clothes were as he was only wearing a pull-up.  His answer was a flat "I don't want to talk about it."  Ah, a good day was had by all.

ABW still had appointments for the kids as she was going all day nonstop.  I mean, she went through a half tank of gas yesterday running around--what with taking the girls to school, Junior to daycare, herself to crossfit (her only escape), a doctor's appointment for her, picking Junior up early, picking Em up early from school and taking her to the orthodontist, then picking Abs up from school, then dropping Em off at home (where she spent a long time matching socks), taking Abs to OT and then later to violin.  Amazingly, we were able to get everyone to bed and Em agreed to babysit for awhile while we ran down the street for an awesome German meal.  Yes, I wish I was able to help ABW with all the running around but it was more important for me to wait out the four hour window for the maintenance men to come work on the constant beeping from the smoke/carbon monoxide detectors driving everyone, dogs included, nuts.  ABW had already pulled some down but others just kept going.  In perfect fashion, the maintenance men neglected to show during the prescribed window and when they finally showed up later and after a time-consuming inspection explained that it was a wiring issue and that someone would have to come out the next day (luckily they disconnected the wire so the sporadic beeping would stop).  And hey, no biggie as I already have to spend this afternoon waiting around for another maintenance man to come fix the leak from the icemaker dripping water down into the fridge and making a mess.  Apparently I'll be adding "fridge cleanup" to the list of things I'm doing around the house. 

Well, that's all for now as the laundry is calling.  And one final note all you mothers can relate to--regular sized loads of laundry with children's clothes are an extra joy as it's just more clothes to be folded.  I mean, I'm used to only having to fold adult clothes (I'm 6'2") and not those of people much smaller who, for one reason or another, change clothes frequently. 

Homecoming Again

After 4 previous deployments, and homecomings, and R&R's, I'd like to say that I am always prepared for reintegration.

Instead, what I know, is that every reintegration is different, and each one comes with its own challenges.

Will he be different?  Will we get right back in the swing of things?  How will the kids react?

So, I am sure I am not the only one who needs to know or needs a refresher course on reintegration.

I know to take things slow.

We wait about two weeks before he takes on disciplining the kids.  He's been gone for a year, he doesn't need to start jumping all over them because they didn't pick up a mess or the dog hasn't been fed.

What else do we need to know?  What worked well for you?  What was the biggest problem that you faced during the reintegration process?  What was the best thing your husband did for you when he came home?  (The CSM mentioned giving Gunner "shopping" time before he came home.  How could I argue with that and I immediately put money in his account!  What's good from Afghanistan?)

How did you help the kids readjust to having their dad home?

Please let me know how reintegration worked or didn't work for you!

The Bachelor

Who else is still watching?

There are three girls left....who do you think he will choose?

The blonde girl, I think her name is Allison?, drives me nuts.  A little too perky for me.

Chantel, she's too emotional, and will drive him nuts.

So my choice?  Emily.

How could you not love her?

So who is your pick for Brad Womack?

Valentine's Day--What's your take on it?

I get kind of irritable around Valentine's Day.  There are so many people that start ranting and raving about how it's a commercial holiday and doesn't matter, because their significant other shows them how much they matter every other day of the year.

Really?  It sounds like a cop out to me.  If you don't agree, please explain it to me.

Here's my take....

Gunner tells me he loves me all the time.  He does nice things for me, and he always complements me  (my favorite is when I ask him if I have lost weight, he tells me to turn sideways and then says "Where'd you go?".  Cheesy, but it makes me laugh.)

Does he make a point on Valentine's day to do something special for me?  Yep.

So many people say that it doesn't matter, but yet they make every other holiday count.

What about Mother's Day?  Do I really need a whole day to be appreciated for being a mother?  Shouldn't they do that every day?  Mine say thank you if we go out to eat, appreciate that they have clean clothes, a clean house, full bellies, that I drive them to their events.  I am recognized daily for being a great mom by my kids and Gunner.  Why do I need my own day then?

Father's Day--Same as Mother's Day, I let him know all the time that he is appreciated as a father, so do I have to recognize this day?

Christmas--If you are religious and go to church every sunday, do you really need to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th?  Shouldn't you be celebrating his life and what he stood for every single day?

Veteran's Day--My husband and I thank veteran's all the time.  Should we not do it on Veteran's Day because we do it all the time?

Thanksgiving--I give thanks every day for what I have, the people I know, and I let them know.  So should I stop celebrating Thanksgiving?  (BTW, I am NOT giving up the DFAC on Thanksgiving!!!)

I could go on and on, but I just get irritated that people think Valentine's day is so commercialized.  In case you have been missing from the planet, so is every other holiday out there.

So tell me, do you celebrate it? Do you hate it, and if you do hate it, why?  Please don't tell me because he doesn't need a special day to recognize his love for you, give me the real reason, if you have one.

Oh Dear

Hello, my name is ABW and I am trying not to freak out.

We are finally back in the house after numerous mishaps.  More pipes frozen, water pressure messed up, no place to move furniture.  They drywalled over the switch to turn one pipe off and on.  They brought movers, then sent them away, then brought them back.  The movers broke a ton of stuff, including doors off my shrunk.  They said it was too heavy.  I told them it was funny that they thought it was heavy when Gunner and I moved it in this house.  Turns out they were from a temp agency and weren't movers.

So we are home, but of course nothing can be easy.

We have science fair projects due in less than 10 days, which we were able to start once we got back into the house.  It was a mad dash to make it work, and we have a backup plan if those experiments don't work.

Abs has been Abs these last few weeks, therefore resulting in never a dull moment, and constant stress and anxiety for me.  She's the one with GAD and I feel like I have it by having to keep up with her.

Junior took the time in the hotel really hard.

Emily is glad to be back in her own room.

Sammy came back to us, and got cleaned up.  I'm so glad that he's home, and even bought him a chicken pot pie from the dog bakery to celebrate.  Ummm....yeah....I have become one of those dog owners.  He's so sweet though!

We are sitting in kitchen chairs, and to be honest it is getting old.  I got a note on the door this afternoon that they want to send the adjuster over, or they are coming back to take more pictures or something equally insane.  They are not the most organized people, but I have to say that they are pretty nice.

More later when I can sit down for more than 5 minutes.  We just got back from OT, and have violin in a bit.

Off and running....

Valentine's Day During Deployment

Gunner and I aren't the mushy type, and the thought of battling crowds on Valentine's Day is not appealing to me.

Ummmm....right now what is appealing to me is getting back into my house!!

Anyway, what do you do to celebrate Valentine's Day while they are gone?  Out to eat?  Movies?  Something special with the kids?  Do you buy the kids presents?  Get a babysitter and go out with a friend?

I'm sure Gunner will call if he can, and to be totally honest, that's okay if that's all he can do.

I have a friend whose husband wraps presents for every holiday and extras for when she is "blue", and leaves them with another friend to deliver at the proper times.  Considering that we moved 5 days before he left, I knew that was happening, but I thought it was a great brilliant idea!

How do you celebrate?

Homecoming Ideas

Okay, so I can count on one hand the number of trash days I have left, and it could be sooner.

Gunner is coming back to a stressed out wife, and three angelic (while they sleep) children.

We're meeting him at the airport and going through security, just for the heck of it.  Can we take balloons through?  I'm thinking we can't.

Any cute ideas for shirts for the kids to wear?  Or should I just buy them each a new outfit?

Any great places to find a welcome home outfit for myself?  I'm thinking that since I will have three children to chase (okay, so Em doesn't need much chasing) that I will need to have jeans on.  Any ideas will be appreciated.

I already warned him that if the next few weeks go like the last few, that he shouldn't expect the house to be spotless.  I don't anticipate buying furniture or a tv or much of anything before he gets back.

I feel like I am dropping the ball as this is his last homecoming, and I live for these.  How can I make it extra special?  (Yes I know that seeing us will make everything good to go, but surely you have a few extra ideas!)

Any help will be appreciated!!!

Hotel Living

I love the beds in this place.  By far the most comfortable hotel beds I have ever slept in.

The bathrooms are big.

Because I am the lightest sleeper in the world, I have piled all three kids in the adjoining room and am able to sleep.

I love having all the beds made by someone other than myself.  (Okay, honestly, I don't make the beds that often at home)

I love that breakfast is ready when we walk downstairs.  At home we are under the direct order to grab something as you run out the door.

It's much easier to wake up three people living in the same room, and not upstairs where they can hide under their covers.

Did I mention the beds?  Oh, and let's not forget all the comfortable pillows, and not that cheap stuff at the other places!

In the meantime:

We are running out of clean clothes and I refuse to pay the price for the hotel washers, but might be forced to suck it up.

We have lost the remotes to both tvs.  Operating Locate Remote did not work well this evening, so we will try again tomorrow.

They don't have DVR.  I can't remember the last time I watched tv and didn't have the fast forward button available.  Heck at this point though I would just take a remote!

We miss Sammy the Dog terribly.  He's apparently doing great at Erin's house and has made a BFF.  The kids asked if we could have visitation rights, lol.

The lack of a kitchen is getting old, and I might actually cook when we get home.

House Update:  They came, they drywalled, and they drywalled over one of the pipe turn off/on switches, so it is off and can never be turned on.  Brilliant?  I had to call it in.  It's freezing here and I saw that they stopped by and made sure my water was off, hiked my heater up to 79 or something (ummm.....are you trying to make me have a massive electric bill???), and are dripping all my faucets.  They haven't even seen my summary on damaged items yet, but so far it is over $8000 and that's without all the stuff that can't be replaced, like the shrunk that will need to be repaired.

We still don't have carpet, and who knows when the house will even be dry enough for that with the crazy snow and ice.

I can now look on this whole situation and while I can't laugh, I can realize that I will survive it.  I had a friend that came over on Saturday and helped me take 5 million pictures (give or take a couple million), and then took me out for a drink.

While the FRG is useless, I did get a call from Rear D offering to help me however they could.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and in the meantime there's always my comfortable bed, perfect pillows, a bottle of cupcake.....now if I could just find that remote!

Winner!

Sorry, due to the flood and everything else I forgot to draw a winner, but the winner is HMB over at Table for Two:  Me & You.  

Congratulations HMB!

When it rains....it pours....literally.

Thursday morning I got everyone off to school in record time--we had just had two snow days, so I was ready for them to get back in the swing of it!

Came home to hang out with Sammy until it was time for crossfit.

Went to crossfit and had a GREAT workout.

Came home, had been gone about an hour and 20 minutes.  Sammy is always peeking through the kitchen window looking for me.  (I swear the dog has separation anxiety)

I saw my cute little furry cockapoo....standing on the kitchen table.  Really?  On the table?  I went to the door and didn't even notice the water pouring out of the front door.  I opened the door and there was a wet Sammy, jumping on me, covered in water and ice.  I look around and the entire downstairs is flooded (well except the bathroom where the water heater is behind a door and there is a DRAIN there, lol).

Water was pouring gushing out of the ceiling on three sides.  I didn't know what to do.  Apparently running around with a cold wet dog in your arms while asking the dog what to do is not very successful in stopping the water.  I ran next door where my neighbor had a friend over and asked them to call housing because my house was flooding.  (A friendly word of advice--in a crisis, I am NOT the person to have because I panic, that's why Gunner is so good for me!)

I finally find a phone and call housing three times and get no answer.  The neighbor's friend comes over and shuts off my water.  He tells me to run to housing down the street.  Ummmm.....I guess they were out and about because the office was locked up tight.

I ran back and continued calling housing...press 3 if you have an emergency work order.  I probably broke my three button.

I finally give up and call the MP's.  The fire department shows up and sloshes through my house.  They got on the radios and kept on housing until they showed up.  Then the carpet people appeared like magic and were making plans to move everything into my garage.  LOL  My garage?  Really, you think you can fit one more thing in that garage?

They decided pods were the answer.  The fireman stayed until they had it clear to housing and everyone there that I was not moving anything or footing the bill.  Thank goodness for them!

So we wait for pods.  I called Erin in a panic asking her to come get my poor pupsicle.  Then I asked her to get Andrew.  A true friend, as her husband is home on R&R and they just ran with it and kept him for me.  Then I called the Dutchican to help me with the girls.  Thank goodness for blogging friends!  While I struggled to pack and make sure I had everything of importance with me, they fed, watered, and kept the kids alive, which I struggle with most days!  (Although I did hear that Abs was a little vocal about the SWAT team at dinner!)

To make a long story short, the pods finally arrived, they moved my stuff, removed the carpet, and set fans.

Housing put us up in two adjoining rooms in a nice hotel, and needing some quiet, I put all three kids in one room and then claimed the other as my own.  It's easier to put them to bed, and then I don't have to be in the dark all night.  Does that make me a bad mom?  I haven't closed and locked the doors adjoining the room....yet.

So in true ABW fashion, the last 7 weeks of this deployment are turning into the 7 weeks of hell.

On the bright side, I am thankful for the support of all my friends.  That I had friends I could call on in a crisis and who helped me with the kids and the dog.  That another friend emailed Gunner and he called within 20 minutes of notification.  That I had tons of offers of help.  That I have insurance.

Most importantly, that I survived.  At the time I envisioned the worst and didn't know how I was ever going to make it through it.  If Gunner had been home, he would have been so calm and made me laugh while it was happening, but me, Mrs. Panic, was a mess.  I'm sure one day this will be funny, but right now it is all I can do to keep from crying.

More later on the drama of housing, itemizing, and all things army related....

Good Memory

This was Gunner coming home from his first deployment.

Can you find him in this picture?  He's the one with the big smile.

Why Can't We Be One Happy Family????

Here in Colorado, every little section is their own school district.

It really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but then I grew up outside of Houston, and Houston was one giant happy school district.  Well I don't know about happy, but they were there.

So since there are so many school districts, every one of them can pick and choose what snow days that they want.  That's great.......until you realize that businesses follow the schedule of the school district in which they reside.

So we are in 11 for school, except for Junior who is in 8, we reside in 8, but Girl Scouts is based off of district 20.  no worries because one of Abbie's doctor's appointments goes of district 2.  But then there is another who doesn't close at all.  So while we are having frigid temperatures, I am trying to monitor all of the closings to see what appointments we have and who is going to school.

In all my brilliance, I signed up to get texts from the news channel on which districts would have delays or closing.  The first text went through a couple weeks ago.....at 4:30 AM.  Really?  Let me sleep in a little before you start texting!  Of course I was up after that and unable to sleep, which worked out since I only signed up for one district and not the other 5 that I apparently need to be monitoring as well.

Stay warm!!!

Are you kidding me?

Please tell me why you would want there, and where you would wear these Michael Jordan heels?  Have you ever seen anyone in public in them?

Maybe I will eat my words in a hundred years, but I would never wear them.  Would you?

Strong Bonds Weekend

Go checkout this link.  Strong Bonds--Building Ready Families.

On the right hand side you can click on the Locate an Event button and then search by state for events in your area.

You can search by branch, then by type (family retreats, pre-deployment retreats, marriage retreats, etc).

Then you can search through dozens of retreats to find one that applies to you.

Best of all?  It's all free.  You pay for the gas to get there, and they provide lodging, all meals, and even childcare.

Why do they do this?  It's money appropriated by the government (well until Obama takes it away), to help families deal with repeated deployments.

Our trip this weekend was to Glenwood Springs, Colorado.  We drove through the mountains, past Breckenridge, Vail, and a half dozen other resorts.  We got free tickets to the hot springs, where Abs and I lounged in the hot water.

It was h-e-a-v-e-n.

On the other side of the therapy pool was a pool that was a little bit cooler--if you consider 94 degrees cool.  We rotated back and forth between the two, and I think we could have spent all night there.  Unfortunately Junior had no interest in going, but the time with just Abs was nice.

It was so nice to have a REAL meal, with choices, that I didn't have to prepare.  Abs at one point told the leaders of the retreat "This is the best food we've seen since my dad deployed."  Thanks a lot kiddo.

It was really a relaxing weekend, minus the screaming in the car from Junior on the way there and back.  (mental note--never go on another road trip again without the dvd player.  If I had seen a walmart at one point I would have pulled over and bought another one.)

There are tons of things to do in Glenwood Springs, and I think we are going to go back as a family when Gunner gets home.  There are Limestone caves to explore, Doc Holiday's grave (actually the memorial site since they aren't sure where he is buried in Potter's field), and a lot more.

Let me know if you have been on one of their retreats, what you though, and if you haven't been if you were able to locate one to attend.  You won't be sorry, and I'm glad that they have this money to do things like this for the families!

Blizzard Blog Hop!

Hi!  My name is Army Blogger Wife, and I have been married for 16 years to Gunner, who is active duty Army. We have three kiddos, Em, Abs, and Junior, who keep me on my toes and provide plenty of blogging fodder.

We are currently stationed at Fort Carson, CO, and not snowed in.....yet.

I love triathlons, crossfit, swimming, reading, and reality tv.  All more than I probably should.

Gunner is currently deployed to Afghanistan for a year, and has previously done three year long tours in Iraq, and one in Bosnia.

We are currently on the cusp of retirement, and some days I think it can't come soon enough, and other days I realize how much I will miss this lifestyle, although not the deployments.

I love homecomings.

I am currently hosting a great giveaway that you should enter!

Make sure and leave a comment so that I can visit your blog too!

Cute Idea--Brat Town Bugle

I don't remember how I stumbled on this, but I wish I had found it sooner.  I still might try to find some time for the kids to do it before Gunner gets home.  (Boy, you have less than 10 weeks left, and it's almost like they are coming home tomorrow!)

Anyway, this is a free site, and you can print the pages off, and have the kids create their own newspaper!  What a cute idea, and would have been great to do over Christmas vacation.

Check it out here: Operation We Are Here