Yes, I Do Know

So we did it. The departure ceremony. All the government buildings in Indy and they had it in a maintenance garage. Missy Bugg said, "What is that thing up there?"

Let me just say that the events of the day did nothing much at all to make me feel good about his going, at least from the government involvement perspective.

These are the 12 going. Well, I guess you can't see all 12.

The ones behind are the ones who trained, but were pulled at the last minute.

I did feel a spiritual peace. This verse came to mind as I sat there.

2 Timothy 1:12

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

I realized if I was going to manage, I would have to commit 1st Lt to my Heavenly Father. Now, mind you, I may have to do that several times a day. That's okay. I have a candle with his name on it. I light the candle, and say a prayer. I do the same with the Handy Man at the end of day. I just need a way to feel connected to Jesus and 1st Lt.

We received a coin with the name of the division on it. I thought to ask Handy Man for it to carry in my pocket. Before I could ask, he told me it was in his tool box, so it was the first thing he'd see every morning, when he would pray for his boy.

Still, these pictures squeeze my heart so hard.

And So He Goes

Today's the day.

My Daddy's Got Your Back

Submitted by: CoryS

Author: Autumn Parker (2003)

I am a small and precious child,my dads been sent to fight..

The only place I'll see his face,is in my dreams at night.

He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track.

I may be sad,but I am proud. My daddy's got your back..

I am a caring mother. My son has gone to war..

My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before.

Everyday I try to keep my thoughts from turning black.

I may be scared,but I am proud..My son has got your back..

I am a strong and loving wife,with a husband soon to go.

There are times I'm terrified in a way most never know.

I bite my lip,and force a smile as I watch my husband pack..

My heart may break,but I am proud..My husbands got your back..

I am a soldier..Serving Proudly,standing tall.

I fight for freedom,yours and mine by answering this call.

I do my job while knowing,the thanks it sometimes lacks.

Say a prayer that I'll come home. It's me whose got your back.

Ol' Mother Hubbard gave me a framed print of this little poem.

My emotions seem to be swirling. It seems like such a short time ago since I made his first birthday cake. The first time he rode a big scary ride by himself. The first time I sat them down in the creek. How long I thought it was the first time he went to church camp for nine days. How forever it seemed when he went to work a camp at 15 all summer long. When he drove on his own. When he had a bad ear infection that ruptured just before I put him on a plane to Europe for two weeks. College in Murfreesboro. When he went to boot camp. None of it quite compares.

A favorite quote with the truest words comes to mind. "To have a child is to make the momentous decision to forever see your heart walk around outside of your body."

Prayers on his behalf and for his wife and children are coveted.

Devastation

How blessed we were this time to not be in the path of the wicked storms that blew through yesterday. Just a few miles away folks were hit and there is much devastation.

I spent all afternoon trying to keep our little school children calm in spite of what was happening outside the window. Parents started picking up kiddos by lunch and every child who left increased the anxiety of the ones who remained. By three, we were all wall to wall in the basement. During all that, I hoped and prayed that all my people, wherever the location, were seeking shelter. I remained calm and cool throughout, but once home and the all clear for our viewing area was finally announced, I was exhausted. Lord bless and keep those folks, who in a mere moment, found themselves homeless.

Speaking of devastation-

My son visited my classroom recently to speak to my students about the lives of the folks he is spending the next year with in Afghanistan. Our visit followed his visit to Bean's 2nd grade classroom.

I think for both Ceece (who came along) and I it brought the reality of this trip home and kicked in some anxiety. 1st. Lt. did a great job explaining his mission and the deplorable conditions the people there live in. He brought tools they made from their recent blacksmithing training and a slide show of the people and area. My students had lots of questions. Some of the answers were things I didn't really want to hear, yet at the same time didn't want to miss. While there, the soldiers try and support the economy by making purchases at a market. When they travel they move in tank like vehicles. These two situations are when they are most vulnerable to the Taliban. Apparently the enemy aims for truck in the middle. Since these soldiers will not leave a fallen comrade, the whole convoy is stopped by this action. Market places are out in the open which again makes them easy targets. Hard to hear.

He really impressed the kids by allowing them to try on his gear. It weighs seventy pounds at least. Bless him, he tried it on all 34 of them- over two hundred ons and offs.

First the helmet, then the bullet-proof vest, then the next thing that holds ammunition, and lastly the backpack. It nearly toppled several of my little ones. I tried it on too. Oh my.

I am so happy he was willing and able to visit. Next year when we write letters, send gifts and support those men and women, the kids will have a much clearer picture of the what and why of our service. Well, at least as much as any of us understand it.

Scattered

Wow, my mind is going in a hundred different directions, but first things first.

Happy 31st Birthday 1st Lt. How did you get to be so old? Who is that fifteen year old holding that newborn (well, I was 21 actually).

We always joked that 1st Lt. was born a little old man. I remember telling folks when he was in his early teens that only lack of a driver's license impeded him. He could have taken his place in the working world at 14 and managed fine. He has always been independent and one of the hardest working people I know.

I fixed his favorite today, fried steak, gravy and biscuits, broccoli salad and Apple Betty. A little bittersweet knowing his next birthday, uh 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. will spent in Afghanistan. He leaves for training this week. He will be missed.

In other news my cousin is quickly losing his fight with the cancer monster. He's in a Hosparus facility and they don't expect it to be many more days.

I feel such heartache for my aunt. We will be moving her here. Any move after years at one place would be a challenge for someone of 91 years, but having to do it on the heels of losing your son, and last living child is just awful and that's all.

There's much to be done to close things there and prepare things here. I had hoped for everyone's sake, most especially hers and Randy's, that they would have the 3 to 5 months they told him. It is not to be. Your prayers on their behalf would be much appreciated.

Twenty Six Long Miles

1st Lt. completed his very first marathon today. Way to go son!

This my first also, as a spectator, of course!

I've been trying to walk a couple of miles a day in preparation for our vacation. We're going to DC and I want to be able to walk as far as I need to walk.

I haven't been walking on weekends though, because I'm too busy hauling chickie poo, planting, hoeing, weeding, digging etc. I ended up about 15 blocks from the finish line today, so it turns out I had a nice little stroll after all. It was breezy and overcast, so good weather for walking.

Hmm, is that my boy in the long sleeved blue/gray shirt right in the middle, behind that first row coming in?
It is him! Woo hoo, look at you Mr. Marathon Man.

You did it! Across the finish line you go!

Do you remember when you could go to meet loved ones at the airport and walk right up to where they walk off the plane? It was quite an emotional place to be. Marathons are kind of like that. People yelling, screaming, crying, waving. Wives joining husbands, husbands joining wives, kids joining parents to run with them the last block. Teams and couples hauling it in, hand in hand. I think I would have been glad to be there even if one of them wasn't mine. But one of them was, so I was yelling too!

Looks like the marathoners just missed some mighty nasty weather moving our way.

Now, I'm off to see the third graders from my school make their First Communion, and my Michelle pose for prom pictures.