Lessons Learned

Let's start out with a picture of the very special dog I alluded to before...



Meet Sierra. One of the soldiers I was writing to with Soldiers' Angels, Travis, just brought her home from Afghanistan. He found her when she was a teeny tiny puppy, hiding in a ditch that he was using for cover during a "little firefight." They brought her back to their base and he did a lot of work to be able to keep her, and then to get her back home to him.

I'm knitting her a blanket, because I think she needs as much love as possible. I'm making a big squishy striped garter stitch blanket out of Lion Brand Thick and Quick.

Things I've learned this weekend:

If you're going on a first date, don't rest your forehead on your steering wheel before you go inside to meet your date, especially if your steering wheel cover is bumpy. You'll end up with a line of bumps down the middle of your forehead.

Also, if you're going on a first date, you should try not to knee yourself in the eye that afternoon. Black eyes are not attractive, although they do make a good ice breaker.

Things Webster has learned this weekend:

While it is fun to lick up all the shower water after the shower is over- it's best to stay out of the shower while the water is still running. Webster nearly took a shower of his own today, which I think would have had disastrous consequences. Luckily, he realized that the water was coming down still and didn't manage to get all the way through the shower curtain.

The accountant guy from last night? Didn't have a chance after Naval Aviation Officer from the night before...

Again...

One of the airmen that I wrote to for a while a couple winters ago is going back. We've kept in contact a bit since he's been back - we were IMing tonight (after several months of not really talking much) and he said that he's leaving again soon.

So my immediate reaction was "send me your address and I'll write to you!"

He was gone before, I didn't know anything about him (literally I didn't know if I was writing to a guy or a girl) and I still wrote a letter a week to him, so of course I'm going to write to him now that I know he's a he and a little bit about him! Good grief.

New Fisher House!

Check this out- there's a new Fisher House coming in Seattle!

Also this- awesome way to support the new House!

SA

Whether or not you agree with the act of war, or the conflicts that this country is currently engaged in, one fact remains. The men and women who are fighting in these conflicts are our neighbors, our neighbors sons and daughters and they are, whether you are comfortable with it or not, fighting and dying in the name of the rest of us. To those of us who have loved ones fighting and risking their lives, it can't be about politics, it is about loving each other.

Every day, new batallions of soldiers leave. Luckily, there are amazing organizations like Soldiers' Angels who exist solely to make the lives of these soldiers easier and happier.

You can help. You don't have to support the war- but you can support your neighbors. All it takes is a commitment to send a card or a letter a month. Usually, an adoption lasts about 6-8 months, and it makes the biggest difference in the world to the soldiers who are treated to a bit of normalcy from home. Please take the time to explore this organization and reach out and support a soldier. They need us.

Evil Women

I have a Soldier, a 1Lt, who has been deployed for the better part of a year now, whose wife has recently told him that the distance issue is harder than she previously thought it would be, and she just isn't sure what she wants anymore, and she wants an "open relationship" to figure it out. What is that? Why would you do that to someone you love? Even if you were that confused, can't you wait until he comes back to figure it out? I'm not just talking out of my butt, I've lived through a deployment, and I'm not saying it's easy- but it is all about the person who is deployed. They are the ones getting shot at, they are the ones that need to concentrate. Why would you do something like that to them? I do not understand, some women are just mean!

LCPL Daniel

"I would like to thank you again for brightening my day K. You are the type of people we would willingly give the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our rights and privileges remain intact. You have a Wonderful and Eventful life. And know you will also be in my prayers."

This was the closing line of an email I got from LCPL Daniel, a Marine, today. I wrote him as one of my LWT soldiers, and I am completely amazed that he would be able to say all this, when all I did was write a letter, and he's the one that's getting shot at all the time. That's truly incredible. These are the men and women in uniform, they are truly amazing.

This is why I write letters, and that is why I believe in our armed forces. This Marine is even younger than me, 20 years old, yet he has the ability to make that kind of judgement? I am amazed. Thank you, LCPL Daniel, you'll always be in my Prayers.