Where are they now?

365 days ago

2009-12-26T19:44:00.002-05:00

Today is the anniversary of the day my husband left for Afghanistan a year ago....and I learned this morning that he would be delayed at least few more days to get home. My goal of getting him home in 2009 is fading and so are my spirits. I know it isn't 15 months and he is on his way and really he was here for Christmas last year (not really but I won't argue that point with anyone whose husband was actually out of the country).

I'll have my pity party in the privacy of my own home, won't let my kids see me down only happy thoughts about how Dad will be home soon...just not soon enough for me.

23 days or so

2009-12-08T21:37:00.002-05:00

Terry should be leaving FOB Airborne in a couple of weeks or so and then another week or two after that he should be landing at Wheeler Sacks Airfield here on Fort Drum....WOW our "YEAR" is almost over and dang am I happy about that.

As Capt Gardner wrote in the newsletter there is nothing more moving than watching families reunite after a deployment. The kids and I have had a very long year and can't wait to have our "moment" with Terry.

Looks like a big storm is headed out way and the weather man used the words significant amount of snowfall...not to mention wind, wind, wind. 50 to 60 miles per hour gust. Should be a fun weekend....

2009-12-06T09:59:00.002-05:00

Someone I know from our days at Ft. Carson lost her mother this week when someone ran a red light and hit her car. As soon as I read about it on Facebook, my own heart skipped a beat and I felt the same pain/shock as the day I heard about Kirk...

There are no words that can make this person feel better, all you can say is that you care and you are praying for them, and that means the world.

Losing someone is devastating...but losing them suddenly, accidentally brings a whole new dimension to the devastation. There is no time to say good bye...there is no time to come to terms with it...there is no time to adjust to life without them. It is sudden and quite simply takes your breath away, and you have to remember to breath.

Even after almost 2 years I find myself thinking of Kirk, and then suddenly my breath changes and I remember he is gone...

1 more Month

2009-11-30T22:08:00.002-05:00

Today I wrote on Facebook that I would start my last month count down tomorrow (Dec 1)...As I was thinking about that earlier tonight I almost started crying. I can't believe that we are so very close to being done. He has been gone for 11 months, all of 2009 (except 15 very short days). That is all we have seen each other in the past 11 months, 15 days....

And to get my husband home and the rest of 3 BCT someone is starting their 12 months apart, an unending cycle that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. So even though I am thrilled to death that our deployment is almost done, I will be thinking and praying for those who are just starting.

Thankful

2009-11-26T22:57:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for so many things, my husband, for serving his country for the past 23 years. I would like to share a small quote a friend recently wrote to me "I feel grateful for having been there with Terry...and I do recognize the sacrifice he makes...but he does so gracefully and with a humility, setting an example for all of us lucky enough to know him."
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, I certainly can say that I can't imagine my life without him. We were certainly meant to be together.

I am thankful for my kids, even though some (most) of the time we don't see eye to eye, I know that at the end of the day that they know I love them with all my heart, and that they love me with at least part of theirs....

I am thankful for my family spread out across the country, how I wish I was with you during these holidays. Thank you for your love and support.

I am thankful for my "Army Family". Everywhere we go we add to the family, I have been very blessed to have so many extraordinary people come into my life. It is how we thrive in this crazy life we lead, we meet more family at every location we move to. Thank you friends.

I am thankful for the good health we have had on this deployment, with all those nasty germs out there we have managed to miss most of them.

I am thankful for all of this incredible weather we have been having.

I am thankful for my memories of Kirk, not a day goes by that I don't have a thought of him pop into my head, only to have my heart hurt when I think of the time we won't have with him.

And I am thankful for Mick, Liz, Derek and Ashlee, for surviving an unimaginable event and getting up every day and putting one foot in front of another.

Wow

2009-11-21T08:34:00.002-05:00

Okay so between being really busy and not knowing what to write, I have been a very bad blogger. Will regret it someday when I want to look back and know how this year long deployment went.

Everyone is doing well, this week was Dylan's teacher conferances, there are no appointments you just go and wander around and sign up to see a teacher. I met with most of his teachers and all had great things to say about him. More than once I heard "he is a pleasure to have in class" WOW my kid!!! I am thrilled that his grades are closer to where his abilities are. I know with just a bit more effort he could have all A's, but he has to choose that is what he wants, and he isn't there yet.

The little kids started after school care this week, so I could get more hours in for work and wouldn't you know that this week was so busy with other things that I really didn't get any more hours into work.

Work is great, just a few bumps in the road, but I hope that in the next couple of weeks those bumps get smoother. I am still enjoying it. I think in just the short time I have been doing this I have already helped lots of people.

The deployment is winding down quickly, we already have one flight home and are expecting another one on Thanksgiving. In December they should be coming every few days. Terry was due to come home between Christmas and New Years, but I was told this week that often they don't do flights during that week, so who knows when he will get here.

God is taking care of us.....

2009-10-31T20:55:00.002-04:00

I am sure there are times in your life when you looked back and said "God was taking care of us"...whether it be on a test in school, keeping your kids safe, keeping your deployed spouse safe...on and on. I too have those moments...some of which I would like to share.

When we were living in Germany, my dad suffered a heart attack...he would need to have by pass surgery within days. This would be his second bypass surgery...at the time no one told me that the survival rate after a second surgery is much lower than after a first one...after much debate we decided not to return to the states...he survived and recovered quickly...God was watching out for us.

An accident claimed the life of my nephew weeks after moving to Fort Drum...Terry was not yet deployed...thank goodness, God was watching out for us.

I believe with whole heartly that God put us in this house in this neighborhood. Of course not all as been roses, but I can honestly say that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I am blessed by incredible, giving neighbors and I wouldn't change a thing.

Often times it is hard to see God's blessings till after time has passed, but they are there.

9 months down.....

2009-10-07T20:50:00.002-04:00

As 2nd Brigade says their goodbyes, 3 BCT starts their redeployment briefs....life at Drum...someone is always leaving and someone is always coming home.

Even though it is not my husband leaving, it is sad to watch your friends go thru it. I know it isn't easy for anyone and my heart and prayers go out to all of you saying goodbye.

We are still hoping Terry will be home around the 1st of the year...give or take a week or two. The boys and I are trying to figure how we will celebrate Christmas and still do something more when Terry gets home.

We have gotten a ton of rain over the past 2 or 3 weeks cancelling many soccer games for the little boys...I guess we should be thankful it isn't snow (YET). We might see some of the white stuff next week...I hope we only see a handful of flakes.

The boys are enjoying school, and other than one day of Jason deciding he didn't want to go, there has been no drama.

Obama Awards Medal of Honor to Fallen Soldier - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

2009-09-17T17:20:00.001-04:00

Obama Awards Medal of Honor to Fallen Soldier - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

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1st Day of school

2009-09-08T21:38:00.002-04:00

The boys had a great day at school today, no complaints. Let's hope tomorrow goes just as well.

Tyler 3rd Grade, Jason Kindergarten

Dylan 8th grade

Happy birthday Ashlee

2009-09-03T08:06:00.001-04:00

My niece Ashlee is 21 today...where has the time gone, I am certainly not 21 years older.

(if I can find a good picture I will post it later.)

2009-08-30T21:29:00.003-04:00

So my sister said I should just write that we are good, and just don't have anything to write about. I am good and nothing interesting going on...okay I'm done.

School starts day after labor day....Dylan starts football practice tomorrow, Tyler and Jason start soccer practice tomorrow and guess who got coeirced into coaching Jason's team...yes me. It really wasn't fair what they did, Jason was on a wait list, and they called and said if you will coach we will put him on a team...what is a mom to do.

We are down the the last 4 months of the deployment. We will start having redeployment briefs in October, hello only a month away. I am very glad we are so close to getting this year over. It hasn't been that bad...just a few crazy neighbors and no major problems.

I think snakes follow us, as DB found a very small garden snake in the yard a couple of days ago. He was barking longer than usual and when I went out to yell at him I noticed he was all nervous, I walked over to where he was and he was low crawling trying to sniff at it and his back legs were shaking, he was scared to death. I looked and didn't see anything so assumed he was just crazy or a bee had gotten him, so I stepped in the grass by him and a little snake scooted off into my neighbors yard, Dylan and a friend were nice enough to go scare it off under the fence.

Article on 4-25 FA

2009-08-14T13:06:00.002-04:00

http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=4198

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Heart of Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Goes to Family Friend - Heart Disease - FOXNews.com

2009-08-10T14:49:00.001-04:00

Heart of Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Goes to Family Friend - Heart Disease - FOXNews.com

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2009-08-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Kirk...

2009-08-08T08:43:00.000-04:00

TF Spartan Web Documentary

Small Army....

2009-08-01T11:21:00.002-04:00

When Terry is deployed he always runs into people we were stationed with at some point over the last 22 years for him (only 18 for me). While making the trip home for R&R he ran into a Col. Day from out 3-29FA days in Colorado. While making the trip back to Afghanistan he ran into Jason Riley who just arrived in afghanistan with the 82nd. Jason and his wonderful wife Lisa were at NPS with us in California and ILE in Kansas.
Terry also bumped into Robert Hamilton (aka BOB) in Afghanistan, another guy we were stationed with in Colorado.
There is a guy in the unit replacing Terry's that Terry went thru ROTC with, what are the chances of that. He will get Terry's office when he leaves.

I think it is great that he always meets up with someone we used to know. I wished that happened more to me. It does happen though as a friend and her husband from Colorado have moved in around the corner from us.

2009-08-01T09:53:00.010-04:00

So R&R was the quickest two weeks yet this year. Terry came home on a Monday, on Tuesday he was hanging pictures and shooting a bow with Dylan. Wednesday we headed down to DC for a couple of days and really the only thing we did there besides swim and eat was to visit the Air and Space Museum located out by Dulles Airport. The museum was incredible and it was in part of the new Transformers movie so the kids were excited to see the same planes as in the movie.
After a painful long drive to Virginia beach that should have taken 3 or 4 hours but took closer to 7 we arrived at our cottage on Fort Story. We had a lovely time hanging out at the beach, swimming at the pool.
One of our favorite activities happened at the beach after sunset. The crabs dig up out of sand and run to the ocean to eat. The boys had a blast chasing them. Lots of folks brought flashlights to do their crab hunting. It was so funny to watch the boys get so excited about finding one and then chasing it down before it went back in a hole or into the ocean. They would catch them in a bucket and then when it was time to go they let them go. The crabs are really fast and a little crabby when you try to grab them, or scoop them into the bucket. No one in our family got pinched but some boys playing with our boys did. Doesn't hurt too much I hear. Another fun thing for the boys was to get a bucket full of sand from the water and dump it out on the dry sand and grab the critters that were running away. Funny little animals that looked like a cross between a crab and shrimp, we called them scrabs. I never got a photo of one.
We drove home by way of the Chesapeake bay bridge and thru Delaware (one state I have never been in). It was a long trip back that we had planned to do in two days, but it was going so well that we drove it all in one.
The rest of R&R was spend doing things around the house. Terry built us a gate in the back yard and we also worked on the garage. I now will have room to park in the garage this winter. We have a huge pile for the next yard sale and anything left after that will be donated to some great organization.
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Train at Tysons Corner Center near DC
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Beach on Fort Story VA, near Virginia Beach
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Jason took this photo, I thought it was pretty good.
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Sackets Harbor NY
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Found my husband

2009-07-11T20:58:00.001-04:00

My husband woke up me this morning with a phone call from Kuwait...I had the dates all wrong.
We hope he will be in the states on Monday...

I can't find my husband

2009-07-10T23:15:00.002-04:00

Terry is somewhere on his way home for R&R and I have no idea where he is. He assured me he would have access to phones and email, but.....no word yet. I hope that means good news and he is out flying across the world to see us.

New Job for Terry

2009-07-06T13:57:00.002-04:00

Terry is currently moving into his new office at 4-25 FA. He will be the XO (Executive Officer) for the BN (Battalion)about a week after returning from R&R. He is ready for the change and it will be keep him very busy for the remainder of the deployment.

This will be the first time we have been in a BN since around 2000. We are both excited for the change.

Here is the link to the "WOLFPACK" website so you can read about them.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T09:08:00.003-04:00

Today is our third day of not seeing the sun, not that I am complaining much because the moisture and cool temps are great for my grass, but a little bit of sun never hurt anyone. The grass is growing, throw down seeds here, give it a little water and it will grow, just give it some time.

Dylan heads off to boyscout camp tomorrow morning, and is gone a week. He is dreading it a bit, but I am sure once he gets there he will have fun. The day he gets back is the day Terry leaves Afghanistan so we are all looking forward to that.

Lots of people are taveling this weekend to visit family or other exciting destinations (anything other than Drum seems exciting to me) so it makes for a quiet and lonely weekend. It is certainly different when most of your friends husbands are home and yours is deployed...how soon we forget how it feels to have a deployed husband.

The FRG folks sent out a flyer with dates for the redeployment briefings. They will be in October, that feels good to know that when Terry gets back to Afghanistan it will be just a short 5 or so months left to go. Most of which will be filled with school, football, soccer and anticipation of holidays and then redeployment activities.

Halfway mark

2009-06-28T08:39:00.004-04:00

On the 26th of June we made it thru the halfway mark of the deployment. If all goes as planned Terry should be home in 6 months. It feels really great to be on the countdown.
Terry will be home in about two weeks for his R&R. We are very excited to see him and will have him for about 15 days. We are going to drive down to Virginia Beach to get away from Drum for a bit. We'll stop in DC on the way down and visit a museum or two.

The boys finally finished school on Friday, seemed like the never ending year.

The Fort Drum Mountainfest/Airshow is going on this weekend, and I took a chance to go late in the day to visit it and was disappointed that most things were not in full swing. We might have to go back today to tour the airplanes. I also thought we would enjoy the fireworks that they have only to realize the fireworks were on post and we could barely see them so we left...well over an hour later we made it home. Horrible time trying to get out of the parking lot and then they sent us 10 miles in the wrong direction to get home. CRAZY!

Harvard prof leaves lab for Afghan deployment

2009-06-27T23:51:00.001-04:00

This is a guy that Terry worked with in Afghanistan...must have made an impression on him as he was sad to see him leave.

Harvard prof leaves lab for Afghan deployment

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2009-06-17T21:53:00.001-04:00

That is a little Toad as they told me...it is about the 4th one Jason has captured. I guess he lets them go, I haven't seen any hopping in the house.