The Countdown Begins!

We got the official email, no more mail sent from us in Germany to Iraq after Sept 21!!! We're getting down to the nitty gritty people! If we were to mail something to them after the 21st there's a very good chance it will not get to our soldiers in time!!!! This is definately one of those exciting "don'ts" you get told! :)

We're down to single digit weeks! I have been going over all that I want and need to do in the next few weeks to prepare for Chad's homecoming! Tomorrow I'm going to the bookstore here on post and buying some WelcomeHome Balloons, before they're all sold out (then on the day of his arrival I can take them back up or to the flower shop and have them blown up). I need to get poster board and make posters. I'm going to make them for the doors in our building, as well as up our stairwell and for our front door! I am going to be ordering his Welcome Home Sign here in a few minutes!

We're not done yet, but we are getting closer!

Memorial

The memorial service for Spc. Harley Andrews was at 11:00 this morning. His beautiful wife was there, along with her mom and brother. We all filed in after they did and sat down the service started. It's rather frightening that the words coming out of our Rear D Captain's mouth is becoming familiar, as he starts the service the same way the last 2 were started. I couldn't help from looking at this fallen hero's wife. She's so young. You just really don't understand. She couldn't be more than 22 yrs old if that. They have a 14 month old son, Ayden. She sat there weaping, and how do you not cry when you see someone's heart literally breaking right in front of you? Well I couldn't hold the tears back.

In April, Spc Andrews had written in the Battalion Newsletter. He described how his job of finding IED's were keeping other soldiers safe, and how he was proud of what he was doing, because he was preventing soldiers from getting injured or dying and that he was saving families from heartache. He was killed by an IED.

After the service we gave our condolences to his wife, and then someone went and got precious Ayden from the nursery. You don't know how beautiful this little boy is, or how heart breaking it is to me that this precious little boy will NEVER get to know his Daddy. It just isn't right. He toddled around without a care in the world, as literally everyone doted on him. He was probably hugged and kissed more times than he had been his entire life. He also got to eat German pastries, which he REALLY, REALLY liked and was not happy if when he was done with one, he wasn't handed another immediately. At one point, he was walking around with the little handout they give you, it had his Daddy's handsome face on the front and he was walking around pointing at his Daddy saying "Dada" then kissing it and then hitting himself in the face with it. He was completely oblivious to the heartache and life changes surrounding him.

It's very humbling to experience what we have experienced 3 times since July. Today was by far the hardest memorial service to attend, because this Brave soldier's wife was there. She's the first one who was at a memorial service. The last one we had only one soldier's wife was in the area, but she's a German national and she was/is ANGRY at the US Army. I can't say I blame her, but it does make me sad that she wasn't able to see that we do care and ache for her.

I did not know Spc. Andrews or his wife. Haley Andrew's is living I think every deployed spouses worst nightmare and greatest fear. We have 6 weeks left aprox. and this happened. I ask that you all pray for this young wife and mother. That she feels GOD's hand covering her every single day and that although there will no doubt be horrible days, that eventually she'll start finding reasons to smile again, that the thought of her husband will bring tears of joy over sadness, eventually.

I think the quiet echo of words that came from all of us other spouses was "just let us get through the next 6 weeks with nothing else happening and get them home". Our soldiers are the absolute best. They have found MORE IEDS than ANY OTHER UNIT through out this war! That is truly amazing and something to be proud of. Now though it's time to just come home, get out of Iraq safely and back into our arms.

I also found out that one of the soldiers who died in July, his family is planning on coming over here when our soldiers return. I can not imagine the heart ache. I have no doubt they NEED to do this FOR THEM. I ask that you pray for the Lidell family. I don't believe that we ever have "closure". I honestly can't stand that word when it comes to grief. We have a right to be sad, angry, etc. There is absolutely NO TIME LINE for grief, yet so many seem to think there is or should be. Of course most of them have never lost a loved one unexpectantly or just simply too soon.

I'm proud of my soldier. I love him more than I can possibly explain and I honestly don't ever want to know the pain the wives who've lost their husband's in this war have. I am ready for Chad to be back home, safe, sound, and where he belongs.

 

Soldier Died....4 injured

Sept. 11 marked more death. In our unit we lost a young soldier, young husband, and daddy. His memorial serivce here will be on Thursday. I know his wife is here, but not sure when she'll be heading back to the states, so no clue if she'll be there on Thursday.

We also had 4 soldiers injured. Two were fairly seriously injured and are heading here to Germany to be treated. The other two were not too bad and will be returning to work soon.

Please keep this young family in your prayers, as well as their extended family and their friends. We're just so close to the end, so close.

Have You Forgotten?

Artist/Band: Worley Darryl
Lyrics for Song: Have You Forgotten?
Lyrics for Album: Have You Forgotten?

I hear people saying we don't need this war
I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start your preaching let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it everyday
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight
After 9/11 man I'd have to say that's right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fighting for

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Some went down like heros in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry about bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten?

 

Just to Clarify

If any of you do not believe that I'm an Army wife, that our unit is about to come home from Iraq, or just simply think I'm a thief out to steal your money, please feel free to email me and I will HAPPILY give any and everyone the Battalion's Phone Number for your to verify who I am, what I and the other ladies in our BN are trying to do for our Single Soldiers. Just remember we are stationed in Germany, so it will be an oversea's phone call, which I'm sure makes people nervous as well. I also have a website for our unit if that helps.

 

I don't know how else to prove I am who I am and that our unit is really deployed and that our soldiers really are coming home  soon!

 

I also want to intergrate that I am NOT asking anyone to send money or items. I just thought this would be a great opportunity to help single soldiers. A lot of people claim to support our troops, but they never do anything, this was just an opportunity for those who are COMFORTABLE sending what ever THEY LIKE (sheets, pillows, hygiene items, and snacks), this is not a pressure tactic....it's just an outreach.

Opportunity to Help Single Soldiers Returning From Iraq!

I am just going to copy and paste this, I wrote this email just a few moments ago. I'm sure that some of you that read here also got the email but I just really want to get this out there and hopefully we'll get a great response...PLEASE share this with your family and friends as well we never know who's out that that wants to help and doesn't know quite how!

 

Hi I'm sending this out to many of you in hopes that you'll find it in your heart to give to our unit's single soldiers. We have I believe it's 80 some single soldiers just in our company, we are planning currently to supply new sheets, pillows, and little goody basket, and personal hygiene items for them for their first night back.

 

If you're interested in helping welcome home the Headquarters Company of 54 Engineer Bn single soldiers home, please respond to me. We're accepting sheets, pillows, checks, & personal hygiene items. We know it's probably easier to just write a check which I can let you know who to make the check out to. We will happily take pictures of the soldiers rooms.

 

Our soldiers will be home the last 2 weeks of October! We are definitely excited, and we're down to aprox. 8 weeks until they come home. I hope you'll find it in your heart to help us wives out as we try to make the first couple nights for the soldiers home as comfortable possible. They do all have sheets, but they've been packed up for a year and will be smelling musty and need to be washed, so it's nice for them to come home and find a nicely made bed and comfortable new pillow to sleep on!

 

Email me: My3gifts@aol.com

 

If you know anyone else who you think would like to help (friends or family) PLEASE share my email address with them and have them email me! If you can not please just be in prayer that we're able to get enough donations so we can do this for our soldiers...the least we can do is give them a set of clean sheets and a pillow to sleep on after sleeping in the desert, on a flimsy mattress about an inch thick, and working every single day for the past year.

 

Thank you and God Bless

Christy....Proud Wife of my Soldier Chad 10 months down...2 to go!

 

 

 

Loneliness

I've tried so hard this deployment to be postive and most of this deployment has really been easy considering my husband's in a terrorist nation. Anyways...there are times when I just feel lonely. Not in that way that Chad has anything to worry about. I get to talk/chat with Chad almost every evening...but you know chatting isn't always the same. I normally talk to my 2 closest girlfriends on the phone during the week, but on the weekends their husbands are home and I know that time's precious and they want to spend it with them and I don't want to intrude. I have found though that come the night time on the weekends I'm simply lonely. I have wonderful friends here, but their not like my closest friends in the states and definately not like Chad.

One thing I want to do when Chad's home is twice a month us go and do something fun. Little day or weekend trips. I have so many plans for when Chad comes home. We're down to 3 months aka double digits! That's really exciting! I can't believe how close we're getting to the end of this deployment. In a lot of ways it's flown by! Having Chad get to come home half way through definately helped us too.

I know I'll get through the loneliness and tomorrow is Monday and I'll get to talk to my girls then!

The 4th soldier who was injured in last Saturday's attack which initially 3 soldiers from our bn, he died last night surrounded by family. We don't have any details other than later today we should know when the memorial service is.

My stomach is physically hurting right now. I can guess Chad knows but I'm not sure. He went to bed last night about the time he would have died, so unless they woke the soldiers up they wouldn't have found out until this morning. Please please be in prayer for the soldiers over there. We have a little more than 3 months left and honestly this may be the most stressful time for them....so close to coming home, but yet realities of this war are right in front of their face, not like it never is...but when you lose soldiers I think it's there even more so.

Please be in prayer also for the wives who are struggling. It's hard there's no doubt, but there are wives who take this even harder than others. Thank you every single one for your love, compassion, and support throughout this deployment.

God bless

Death and aggrevation

We had 3 deaths over the weekend in our Battalion (not our company though) and one seriously injured and definately very touch and go. I was not informed. No phone call, no email, nothing. I heard it today when I called a friend of mine who's in a completely different unit.

I'm furious. I emailed our Rear D as well as our company commander who's in Iraq to let him know about this and a few other things that I'm just not happy about because our FRG leader has not been giving out information. This is NOT the way death notifications are supposed to be handled. The FRG leader is to continue to call spouses until she's personally spoken with every spouse. I've been asked if I'll take over the FRG, and I'm going to do it. I was just called by our over all adviser for FRG's in our company and she asked me if I officially accept and I told her yes. She said that I'll be the one doing all the work, because our current does not do anything, and then my friend who is the former co-FRG leader is going to help me out in the background.

I really didn't want to do this, I feel like I'm active enough in other places in my life, but know this is what I NEED to do at least for now. We have very little money in our FRG funds, so one of the first orders of business is fund raising. No one likes to do it, but if we want to be able to do anything for our single soldiers or all our soldiers when they return we need to get busy and get busy now.

 

PLEASE pray for these soldiers families. Two of the soldiers were married and one soldier was single. I am not sure about the injured soldier. One of the soldiers who was killed his wife is here. I pray we're able to give her as much support as possible. This IS my greatest fear with this war as it is with every military spouse who's Soldier is deployed.

Ok, I'm done with my vent...these are the issue's some of us "left behind" get to deal with.

Happy 4th

 

Happy 4th of July

 

I hope you all remember that today is our Nation's birthday and that without all our soldiers from past to present, this day would be meaningless.

God Bless America...land of the free....because OF THE BRAVE !!

 

 

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