This Crazy Life of Ours

I was convinced I was going to be a widow left with the responsibility of rearing two young boys on my own. I had the million dollar life insurance policy allotted into the proper categories - on paper anyway. I had decided I would give the truck to some dear friends of ours. I envisioned the closets cleared of all men's wear - okay maybe I would keep a few shirts as mementos, but the desert gear was definitely gone. With the exception of where I would live, I had it all decided just in case the unit commander arrived at my classroom door one school day or the uniformed chaplain arrived at my front door one weekend.

Others might read this as crazy. I call it coping. I have heard that many military spouses do the same thing just prior to a deployment or during deployment.

However, on Thursday night, just twelve short hours before Wes was to leave for Fort Benning to catch a plane to fly into theatre, we received word that his orders for Afghanistan had been pulled. The story we got was command exceeded the cap for agents in theatre and troop movement (for agents anyway) was put on hold until January. I was the first to receive the news, and I think that I came just inches from jumping up and down and kissing Wes's commander. Instead, I calmly asked him, "Are you kidding me?"

At this juncture, it appears we have avoided another deployment - this makes the third in about a year's time. We won't hold our breath, though, because the next deployment list will be issued next month. Will we be lucky yet again?

London's Newest Football Fans

After Wes searched high and low for affordable soccer jerseys for the boys that represented two of London's big teams, he finally found a Chelsea Lampard jersey for Evan and a Rooney Manchester (we call it Manches for short here in Georgia because we're hip like that) jersey for Keagan. The next day Wes learned that a local in the Scotland Yard class has ties with the West Ham United team, and he was able to hook Wes up with free practice jerseys! The boys were pleased with all of their new soccer loot. Can you tell?

Wes even remembered the wrist bands. Evan can't believe how lucky he is to now have four. Unfortunately, he feels wearing all four (or three depending on the mood) simultaneously is cool - even if they reach the tip of his elbow and cause him to sweat more than can be possibly absorbed. I can't tell him otherwise.

Powder Monkey and Brush Boy

What do you get with a graduation from Scotland Yard, a delayed fight in London, a missed flight in DC, and an early Sunday arrival into Savannah?

A fun filled family day in the city!

We began with a trip to Fort Jackson near downtown Savannah.

During the cannon firing demonstration, Evan played the part of brush boy,

and Keagan played the part of powder monkey. It was the perfect job for a boy who can run fast and make quick hand-offs - even if the hand-off included artillery instead of a football.

We climbed to the top of the fort to look out onto the river and watch the boats pass,

and then we stopped at the Pirate's House in downtown Savannah for a wonderful lunch. Evan was not convinced that the old inn and restaurant were haunted, even after I shared the tradition of reading the ghost encounters in the Captain's Room.

I must add, for the sake of my dear father-in-law, that the mashed potatoes were perfect. Cheese and all.

Mission Boo the Neighbors

New neighborhood, new friends, and old traditions.

With the help of these two secret agents, we boo'ed three neighbors today. What boy doesn't want to bang on the neighbor's door, ring the doorbell multiple times, and then run as fast as possible?

I think the running as fast as you can away from the door is done so as to maintain the secrecy of your identity. In fact, I am certain of this, and it could be the very reason why I read the BooGram poem that stated this mission is a secret. Somehow we missed that key step in "how to boo the neighbors" because one of the agents, who will remain unnamed but can be clearly identified due to his inability to keep a secret, actually went to the neighbor's house and asked, "Did you get your treats?"

The FIre

Keagan's rec league soccer team had its first game today. 

He played one quarter as goalie.

He played two quarters on offense. 

He scored two goals,

the Fire won with a score of 4-0.

But who cares when you are making new friends?

Honor Roll

This is the first year that we have attended a district that gives letter grades instead of the E,S,N,U system, and today Evan came home with his first Honor Roll certificate. 

We are so proud of our little boy with his good citizenship award, his perfect attendance award, his all As report card, and his PE Blue Slip award. So proud. 

Until he decides to strip naked in the living room den, perform some dance move he has learned while watching Big Time Rush, and then fart for the show stopping finale.
We are so proud! 

Most of the time anyway!

The Real Army Guy

When I picked Keagan up from school on Friday, we had this conversation.
- Mom, this was the very best day of my life.
- Really? Tell me what happened!
- It was so fun, Mom. It was the best. You won't ever believe this.
- Well, tell me. I want to hear.
- We got to rotate to stations today at school and we met a police officer, a fireman, and a REAL ARMY GUY.
- A real army guy, huh?
- Yeah, he was the best!
- Keagan, you know you have a Real Army Guy that lives with you, right?
- No, Mom, this guy is the real thing because he wears camouflage, carries a gun, and fights in wars.
- Daddy is the real thing, too, Keagan. It's because Daddy is the Army that we are living in Georgia. It's the reason why I work on a military installation. It's the reason your daddy is going to Afghanistan!
- Mom, Dad might be in the Army, but if he doesn't wear the camouflage and shoot bad guys, then he isn't the real thing.

This coming from the little boy that just emptied Wes's duffle bag and pulled out every holster and piece of equipment associated with weaponry that was stuffed under his multiple pieces of camouflage clothing. However, isn't it ironic that he associates the other soldiers' deployments with war and his dad's deployment as a peace mission?