Monday, December 1, 2008
December Kick-off with a Christmas Mood
We just arrived home from a Christmas concert featuring Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, Avalon, Michael English, and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra. Even though we planned to attend this concert, it sort of turned into an impromptu attendance when we realized we had the wrong date in mind and had to scramble to get there tonight. Get there we did, though, and it was an enjoyable evening. I am usually quite picky with my concert attendance, and under normal circumstances I would have shied from part of this line-up, but for Christmas music, it couldn't have been much better, unless Steven Curtis Chapman had been in the mix! I have been enjoying non-stop Christmas songs on XM since last week, but there is something missing in White Christmas and Silver Bells that one can only find in the Christmas carol. "Oh, Holy Night" and "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" are my favorite carols with "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" not far behind. Actually, I love to sing all of them, and I love to mangle them on the piano as I attempt to put my heart into my fingers. It's even been cold here in La which of course helps set the Christmas mood for this northern southerner. Anyway, what a wonderful reminder we had on this first day of advent. Christmas is not the shopping or the decorations or the tree or the presents or even family. Christmas is the celebration of Christ coming to earth to be both human and God for the eventual redemption of the human race for whosoever will accept him. May we all remember this, no matter how bleak our situation may be this Christmas. When the angels told the shepherds that there was to be peace on earth, they didn't mean there would never be economic hard times or famine or war or sickness. The point was that if and as Jesus lives within us, he would bring us peace to live in this life, come what may. May you all have peace on earth this Christmas, beginning today, that will last all year, every year.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Waiting
I am not a patient waiter when I have nothing else to do. I am currently sitting at home awaiting the time when I will drive to the airport and pick up my dearly beloved. Yes, he is actually coming home tonight, not tomorrow!! I think I need to go find something with which to occupy myself. The long-awaited time is here :)
He's on His Way!
He's been traveling for roughly 20 hours, about 17 of that in the air, but my husband is on his way home! He is currently in the air between Bangor and BWI, after leaving Kuwait yesterday afternoon my time and stopping for fuel in Germany. Hopefully he will get a ticket change and be home tonight instead of tomorrow.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
A slushy accumulation of 1 to 2 inches...
No, I'm not still in Virginia. That happens to be tomorrow's forecast for the little area I currently call home here in La. Oh, and a high temperature of only 39. Hmmm...do you think it's because I washed the truck? I am excited, even though I won't likely be able to even make a snowball.
Yes, dear people, I cleaned, inside and out, my knight's chariot for when I pick him up at the airport next week. Next week--did you hear that!!?? The end is in sight! My heart goes out to all the soldier and Marine wives whose husbands are gone at least a year, and most tours are closer to 15 or 18 months. Six months was plenty of separation for this little military wife, especially after only 8 months of marriage. There isn't a firm date yet for his arrival, even though I say next week, not that I could post it anyway. However, once he is safely winging his way toward the good ol' USA, I'll post it.
My trip to Virginia was grand, though I missed seeing quite a number of people. I didn't time things very well in the end, and things were also reaching the point of being on the road all day, everyday in order to get to everyone. It just means that another trip will be in order once things settle down here. It was wonderful to visit with those I could, and just because I didn't see you doesn't mean you count any less! When you are trying to catch up in two weeks with the places and people where you spent 30+ years, it is hard to fit everything in....
Yes, dear people, I cleaned, inside and out, my knight's chariot for when I pick him up at the airport next week. Next week--did you hear that!!?? The end is in sight! My heart goes out to all the soldier and Marine wives whose husbands are gone at least a year, and most tours are closer to 15 or 18 months. Six months was plenty of separation for this little military wife, especially after only 8 months of marriage. There isn't a firm date yet for his arrival, even though I say next week, not that I could post it anyway. However, once he is safely winging his way toward the good ol' USA, I'll post it.
My trip to Virginia was grand, though I missed seeing quite a number of people. I didn't time things very well in the end, and things were also reaching the point of being on the road all day, everyday in order to get to everyone. It just means that another trip will be in order once things settle down here. It was wonderful to visit with those I could, and just because I didn't see you doesn't mean you count any less! When you are trying to catch up in two weeks with the places and people where you spent 30+ years, it is hard to fit everything in....
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Hello to 2008 as I pack away the memories of 2007
Back in the 90s I remember thinking that anything beyond Y2K just seemed like a fairy tale. Now I'm living in the fairy tale.
Chris received his first official date of return, so tune in around March 16 for the conclusion of this journey. Of course, I hope you tune in occasionally before then, but that is the all-important date. For now. As anyone knows with the military, we may have 2 or 3 more official dates of return before he actually climbs on a plane to head this way. Though he is ready to come home, his spirits are high, and he is enjoying his new post. They made a good celebration of Christmas. I wish I had a picture of the grill that they created. It would make any if-you-don't-have-it-make-it person proud to hear Chris tell about it.
Most people don't wait quite so long to reflect upon the year just passed. I guess I just haven't had much time to think. It was a full and blessed year, to be sure. January only found us continuing to adjust to married life as well as nesting. We continued to clean up the treeline and fence row to the side of our yard. The vines in this region are invasive and annoying, to say the least. I just got the electricity bill, and it confirmed to me that last winter was colder than this one has been so far. February saw us making two consecutive weekend trips to Alabama: the first in response to the unexpected death of a beloved uncle and the second to visit with a west-coast cousin who I had not seen in a number of years. March contained a number of church events and military events. Additionally I was able to help a former employer by attending a conference in southern La. While there I acquired :) my nephews for a week-long visit. This was a wonderful time, and when they left I sorely missed them. They are such energetic guys-full of life and love. Easter was celebrated the weekend after they went home. Later in the month we attended an air show at the base. It was my first air show, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Thunderbirds were great. The same weekend the Blue Angels were flying on the east coast, and I regretted to hear about the tragic accident of one of their new pilots. Thoughts of such an accident had occurred to me concerning our air show, and I had been praying for God's protection. We visited Chris's family in IN to finish out April. In May we had a visit from a Virginia friend of mine. We were able to attend another conference, this time in San Antonio, and also take a little time for ourselves. It was during the conference on afternoon that Chris received that call that changed our lives for the rest of the year. However, we were determined to enjoy whatever time God gave us together, and we continued to make plans for a two-week trip west at the end of June. Before that, though, we were facing our first separation while Chris went for training in VA. The Lord was merciful, and it was cancelled the Friday before he was to report on Monday. Then time for "the trip" arrived, and we excitedly drove off for our first day of travelling, a 14 hour drive to Albuquerque. The whole trip included: Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon (camped in the park), Hoover Dam, Death Valley, visit with dear friend in CA, Sequoia National Park, a church youth camp on the top and side of a CA mountain (rusTIC!), Yosemite Nat. Park, another campsite and cooking in the dark :), a wonderful visit with family in Reno and time to take my dear husband to my favorite spots in the area (no, no casinos), old mining camps and ghost towns, the heat of Las Vegas at midnight, Zion Nat. Park, Bryce Canyon (camped in the park), Route 66, Saguaro Nat. Park, watched some beautiful distant rain storms, logged a number of new air bases (great on the budget for lodging), and made notes on places that we want to go back to and others we want to add to a future trip. It was the highlight of the year for both of us since Chris has never been west, I had the privilege of showing him places I have been, and we both enjoyed discovering new places together. The rest of July was simply spent preparing for Chris's departure and praying that he wouldn't really have to go. God's ways are not ours, though, and he left for training. After seeing Chris off at the end of August, when we spent a great three days exploring San Antonio (we found the BEST Italian restaurant), the rest of the year was spent, for me, in trying to adjust to a great deal of free time on my hands. I have managed to have enough visitors or trips each month that the time has passed quickly: Oct a trip for a friend's wedding and a church event and the passing of my first anniversary without my husband, Nov was a trip to my brother's and my in-laws', my parents and grandmother were in for Thanksgiving, and the birth of a friend's baby with a visit with her parents from Virginia, then December was busy Christmas shopping and preparing for Christmas at my parents'. What week Chris found out his first official return date. Unfortunately, that week also brought a funeral in Virginia that I did get to attend. "The return" wasn't as emotionally wrenching as I was afraid it would be, and I am ready for a trip in February if the airlines will cooperate financially.
I guess I just did that recap as much for myself as for everyone who would care to know. It was a great year, even with a deployment, and I am looking forward to what God holds for us this year. It may not all be good, and likely won't be since life is life, but I know God will be with us, and I intend to go to him with my laughter as well as tears, praise and worship as much as needs and requests.
Happy New Year!
Chris received his first official date of return, so tune in around March 16 for the conclusion of this journey. Of course, I hope you tune in occasionally before then, but that is the all-important date. For now. As anyone knows with the military, we may have 2 or 3 more official dates of return before he actually climbs on a plane to head this way. Though he is ready to come home, his spirits are high, and he is enjoying his new post. They made a good celebration of Christmas. I wish I had a picture of the grill that they created. It would make any if-you-don't-have-it-make-it person proud to hear Chris tell about it.
Most people don't wait quite so long to reflect upon the year just passed. I guess I just haven't had much time to think. It was a full and blessed year, to be sure. January only found us continuing to adjust to married life as well as nesting. We continued to clean up the treeline and fence row to the side of our yard. The vines in this region are invasive and annoying, to say the least. I just got the electricity bill, and it confirmed to me that last winter was colder than this one has been so far. February saw us making two consecutive weekend trips to Alabama: the first in response to the unexpected death of a beloved uncle and the second to visit with a west-coast cousin who I had not seen in a number of years. March contained a number of church events and military events. Additionally I was able to help a former employer by attending a conference in southern La. While there I acquired :) my nephews for a week-long visit. This was a wonderful time, and when they left I sorely missed them. They are such energetic guys-full of life and love. Easter was celebrated the weekend after they went home. Later in the month we attended an air show at the base. It was my first air show, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Thunderbirds were great. The same weekend the Blue Angels were flying on the east coast, and I regretted to hear about the tragic accident of one of their new pilots. Thoughts of such an accident had occurred to me concerning our air show, and I had been praying for God's protection. We visited Chris's family in IN to finish out April. In May we had a visit from a Virginia friend of mine. We were able to attend another conference, this time in San Antonio, and also take a little time for ourselves. It was during the conference on afternoon that Chris received that call that changed our lives for the rest of the year. However, we were determined to enjoy whatever time God gave us together, and we continued to make plans for a two-week trip west at the end of June. Before that, though, we were facing our first separation while Chris went for training in VA. The Lord was merciful, and it was cancelled the Friday before he was to report on Monday. Then time for "the trip" arrived, and we excitedly drove off for our first day of travelling, a 14 hour drive to Albuquerque. The whole trip included: Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon (camped in the park), Hoover Dam, Death Valley, visit with dear friend in CA, Sequoia National Park, a church youth camp on the top and side of a CA mountain (rusTIC!), Yosemite Nat. Park, another campsite and cooking in the dark :), a wonderful visit with family in Reno and time to take my dear husband to my favorite spots in the area (no, no casinos), old mining camps and ghost towns, the heat of Las Vegas at midnight, Zion Nat. Park, Bryce Canyon (camped in the park), Route 66, Saguaro Nat. Park, watched some beautiful distant rain storms, logged a number of new air bases (great on the budget for lodging), and made notes on places that we want to go back to and others we want to add to a future trip. It was the highlight of the year for both of us since Chris has never been west, I had the privilege of showing him places I have been, and we both enjoyed discovering new places together. The rest of July was simply spent preparing for Chris's departure and praying that he wouldn't really have to go. God's ways are not ours, though, and he left for training. After seeing Chris off at the end of August, when we spent a great three days exploring San Antonio (we found the BEST Italian restaurant), the rest of the year was spent, for me, in trying to adjust to a great deal of free time on my hands. I have managed to have enough visitors or trips each month that the time has passed quickly: Oct a trip for a friend's wedding and a church event and the passing of my first anniversary without my husband, Nov was a trip to my brother's and my in-laws', my parents and grandmother were in for Thanksgiving, and the birth of a friend's baby with a visit with her parents from Virginia, then December was busy Christmas shopping and preparing for Christmas at my parents'. What week Chris found out his first official return date. Unfortunately, that week also brought a funeral in Virginia that I did get to attend. "The return" wasn't as emotionally wrenching as I was afraid it would be, and I am ready for a trip in February if the airlines will cooperate financially.
I guess I just did that recap as much for myself as for everyone who would care to know. It was a great year, even with a deployment, and I am looking forward to what God holds for us this year. It may not all be good, and likely won't be since life is life, but I know God will be with us, and I intend to go to him with my laughter as well as tears, praise and worship as much as needs and requests.
Happy New Year!
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