Promotion time!

It's official. 

We had a party, so that makes it real!

Andy has been in Captain's Career Course since January, even though he wasn't technically a Captain yet. He has been training in anticipation. 

There were four other soldiers in class with him who promoted to Captain in May also.

We all joined together for a celebration.

 In alphabetical order :)

 Andy's parents came to visit and were able to "pin on" his rank. 

Happy times!

 I am so proud of my hard working man!

Such lovely smiles!

Sadly, I left my camera at home, the cupcakes I made were horrible, and my hair would not submit to me. 

Luckily, other people have cameras and are willing to share, other people made cupcakes that were delicious, and everyone is use to my hair. 

So, even with my less then stellar contributions, "A good time was had by all!" 

Blessings, 

Miller Cave

 Friday evening Andy and I met some of his classmates for dinner at a local bbq place. While we were all chatting one of the couples told us about a local cave, open to exploring, right here on post.
 She gave us the basic directions of how to get there and said, "If you come to a part that looks like you are about to drive off the edge of the earth, you have gone too far."

We found that part. :)

(This picture does not do it justice. It really does look like you are going to drop straight down!)

We turned around.

 At first we thought this lovely little overhang was the cave. 

 So we enjoyed the view for a while.

 But there was more!

 This lovely little window...

had a beautiful view!

 I adored this tree, and how it adapted to the situation it was given. 

So inspiring, and simply beautiful. 

There were two entrances to the "main" cavern - 

 Up and through...

or down and through.

We tried them both. 

I had to take the camera bag off in order to fit through, but I made it!

 I didn't get many pictures of deeper inside the cave. I don't have fancy enough equipment for that! There was a good bit of water, several neat little tunnels, and an unfortunate amount of trash. 

 Canaan "discovered" a part that Daddy didn't fit in, and Mommy wouldn't try to fit in. He got deep enough in that I couldn't see his light anymore! Fortunately for the sanity of mommy, there was a spider blocking the way and he came back. I am sorry that he inherited that fear from me, but this one time I was glad for it! 

Just a few hundred feet away was another cave,

 but it wasn't open for exploring.

 So I made my boys enjoy a few flowers instead.

I love my boys. 

I love their daddy. 

I love the adventures we discover, right around the corner, every day. 

Life is a little crazy sometimes, but life is good. 

Enjoy your adventures my friends!

Blessings, 

And he's off...

 I spent some time recently being stressed. I tried not to be. I put effort into it.
 But guess what? I was still stressed. It took me a few days to remember how to fix it.

 Philippians 4:6 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your request to God."

 With Thanksgiving.

 Romans 8:28 says "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

 In all things.

 I have had both those verses memorized for years. But I needed to read them again so that God could point out something new. Even after 30 years of earnestly seeking Him, there is new peace and joy just waiting.

 I have so much to ask for. Protect my husband. Keep me healthy. Guide my children.

 But if I trust that "all things work for good" then I need to remember to present my requests with thanksgiving. And I have even more to be thankful for. Strong, healthy, obedient children. Doctors that take me seriously and are willing to listen. An amazing husband who is my best friend also.

 As I have spent this last week praying about his trip to Afghanistan I have remembered to take the time to thank God first. And it has been so much easier.

 He is officially gone now and the 8 months have begun. So I know to say "Thank you Lord for a great start and for a man who is worth missing".

 All things work for good.

 I believe that!

 Blessings, 

The reality of the countdown

 I'm still here.
 Still having a blast of a summer.
 But I try not to do much stopping. Because stopping leaves time for thinking.
 And right this minute, thinking is not cool.

 We still have about three weeks before Andy leaves.
 Or is it, We ONLY have about three weeks until Andy leaves?

 Depends on the moment.

 For now, I am working hard to stay busy. Play dates, the zoo, picnics in the park - and we are doing school two days a week! No time for thinking here!

 I think I will write more when he leaves. We'll see. For now, one day at a time.

'nuff said!

 Blessings my friends, 

                   

Scheduling

 I have spent entirely too much of the last few days in a whirlwind of stress. I have managed to get a lot accomplished, I think. But truthfully, I probably would have gotten more accomplished if I had calmed down a little.

 It has been a long time since we have had to move in from a long distance location. I never thought I would say it, but the people in MO were so much easier to work with! When we moved in they had the water and electricity already running and just asked that we get it transferred to our name within the first 2-3 days.
 In Fayetteville the house has no electricity or water at all, and before we can get the keys we are required to provide them with an electric "account number". Like I would want to move in without electricity?!

 So, as much as I hate the phone, I have had to actually break down and use it several times. Most of the prep work could be done online, but the actual setting up of an account required speaking to a person.

 I am so very loquacious on here, and in "real" life - why do I struggle so much with the phone? Sigh.

 Words are such an important part of my life. I would say that I struggle with the phone because I cannot see the person I am talking to - but I certainly can't see whomever is reading my blog. It is open to the entire world, if the entire world happens to stumble upon it. Maybe it is because the words on the phone seem so unfeeling. Face to face with someone you can make eye contact, apologize if you say something that is taken the wrong way, interact with hand gestures, and even the tone of voice (which is vitally important in a conversation) is so much easier to hear in a "real life" conversation.

 Here, in the big wide world of blogging I have a chance to think my words over before I hit "post". I tend to have a lot to say, so I prefer to re-read them before I share them with eyes that are not my own.  As with the phone, tone of voice, hand gestures and eye contact are impossible - but at the same time, I have so much room for italics, quote marks, Exclamations, etc. Similar to "real life", it doesn't take long to get to know someone, and to understand their way of talking, their way of typing, their style of communicating.

 So, talking and blogging I can handle. But phones still scare me! How sad is that?

 But... Supposedly all is well and we will have water, sewer, electric and keys (Thanks Kelly!) when we get there on Saturday. And a truck, with a matched bid from several companies (go me!) will be ready to pick up on Friday afternoon.

 In other, very happy news, God threw in a little bonus for me. We already had friends from college that are stationed at Bragg. Fabulous treat to move somewhere and already know someone. We also found out that a friend of the family, recently returned from a tour in Germany, is at Bragg right now. But it just keeps getting better!
 Anyone who is friends with me on Facebook knows that I am not really a FB girl. I tend to be a once a weeker. But with Andy's first jump I really wanted to get the prayer request out there. So I posted. And what should God provide? Another military friend stationed at Ft. Bragg! We were neighbors about 4 years ago when we moved to Moody AFB, but they left soon after we arrived. Now we are both Army instead of AF, and about to be living in the same town. We haven't really talked in 3 years, but the link of FB was there to reconnect us. Small, small world! I have never been a huge fan, but today I am thankful for Facebook.

 Lastly, words about my sweet addiction.

 Andy is supposed to be finishing up his last jump right about now. He had a night jump, in full gear, tonight. I hate the jumps with gear because it is so heavy, but he is use to lugging around lots of equipment. What is the difference? Lugging it around or falling out of the sky with it?

 Tomorrow he out processes. Friday he gets his wings then skedaddles, hoping to get up here and the first loading done that night.

 Saturday we load the rest of the truck and leave town, doing our best to make it all the way "home" that night.

 Sunday is unload, and our fabulous family of volunteers who are coming to help unload head back to their regular life.

 Truly, Andy and I both have amazing parents. Amazing! Dropping everything to drive up for the weekend, just to help us out. I think we might be spoiled.

 But don't tell them that. Shhhh

 I hope your life is smoother, calmer, and just as full of blessings!

A quick weekend away.

I never did post pictures of when we went to visit Andy at Ft. Benning. He had to wear his "uniform" polo during his weekend off, but we had him to ourselves for almost 48 hours. 

Canaan thinks that kissing is gross.  

I almost forgot to take a picture of him in uniform. This was the first time I had ever seen him in the Army digital camo. The Army look is similar to the AF, I guess. Still, lots of changes to get use to. 

Blessings, 

Buttercup? I don't think so!

We watched "The Princess Bride" tonight. A wonderful movie, and one that was quoted at our wedding rehearsal (if you can't guess what part, then you have never seen the movie) but I always complain that Buttercup really was too much of a wimp. She should have fought harder in the fire swamp, helped more, grabbed the sword and jumped into the fight. I never wanted to be Buttercup. She may have been beautiful, and desired, but she didn't fight hard enough.

 I want to be a fighter.

 I keep telling myself that I am a big tough cookie. "What is four days without a call, seriously?" I have so much to do: school for the boys, play practice for Canaan, groceries to buy, friends to talk to, family to talk about.... When could I possibly even have time to miss him.
 When?

 That question could probably be answered best by a line in a cheesy novel I read this afternoon. And yes, I read almost the whole thing this afternoon. Andy is gone, books are back. Sigh - say goodbye to sleep.
 But back to the cheesy novel -  in it the girl had experienced her first "real kiss", and it distracted her from all else. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't obsessing... "There were times when she almost forgot. Why yesterday, while helping Mrs. Kemble she hadn't thought of the kiss for a full twenty-two minutes. Then this morning, while searching for a larger hat box for poor Achilles, she didn't think about the marquis or his blasted kiss for almost thirteen minutes and a half"
 I laughed out loud. Then I groaned, because I think I am just as guilty as the young Honoria, and I can't blame young love, or first kiss or anything that flighty. I am just, still, after nearly 10 years of marriage,  madly in love with my husband. I miss hearing his voice, seeing his face, even having him tease me without mercy about the cheesy novels I randomly pick up. I miss him, plain and simple. Even after  basic training, tech school, 3 desert deployments and a year in Korea, I still miss him when he goes away.
 I have learned to live, and function quite nicely when he is away, and even to take my sword and fight some battles as needed. But golly do I miss him - plain and simple, just him.

 He finally sent a text tonight asking me to E-mail him some paperwork that he needed. He said that he isn't allowed to talk - no free time scheduled into the training yet, but he managed to sneak an "I love you" in with his paperwork request. I'll take what I can get.

  I promise I would grab the sword and jump into the fight to save my "Wesley", but maybe I do miss him just a little more then I would like to admit! Perhaps I'm not as tough as I want to be... If I have to go much longer without hearing from him, I might go tromping off into the fire swamp, just to have something to distract me!
                                                                    Blessings,

That first phone call

 At lunch after church this afternoon Mom mentioned that some good friends of ours had heard from their son, John - his first phone call home from Basic Training.
 I got watery eyed and a bit choked up, and Mary almost started to laugh. "Bethany, it has been 9 years. How in the world can that still make you cry?"
 They weren't tears of sadness, simply tears of remembrance. Sometimes an emotion is so strong it can't help but overflow just a little.

 Let me take you back.

 It was December 25, 2001. Christmas Day. We had been married for 6 months and 2 days. I couldn't bear to leave my little apartment, just in case he called, so my family crammed themselves in there to celebrate with me for awhile. But eventually we headed back to their house and found, waiting on their answering machine, his very first call from Basic Training. He had assumed, correctly, that I would want to be with them for Christmas since he was away. He just didn't know they would come to me.

 I remember being so heartbroken that I had missed my chance to talk to him, to encourage him, to make sure he was staying strong in his faith and confidence. To tell him that I loved him.

 (Why didn't he call my cell was the question Mom asked while we were remembering this afternoon - surely we had one by this time? Perhaps we had very few minutes and only used it for emergencies? Maybe I didn't keep it on me on a regular basis yet? Cell phones were still not "attached at the hip" like they are now. Who knows. That is not one of the memories that stands out in my mind.)

 He left me his address, and I wrote him that very night. I had already written him pages and pages, so was relieved to finally have someplace to send them. I wonder if he has ever read all of those letters. Probably not. He certainly didn't have time in Basic training. I have the clarity of mind to know that now, but at the time I only knew that I had to share every moment with him. We were still newlyweds, quite literally.
 I think I may have to dig those letters out and read them. What a trip down memory lane it would be to feel those feelings again. And the letters from him - those are priceless. Not quite as word filled, but each word can be felt to the bottom of my toes.

 Yes - thinking about that first phone call brought back lots of memories. A few watery eyes. And a reminder that after the first there always comes a second, and then a third - and it gets easier, at least for the moment.

 Tomorrow is a first again. Andy has his PT test at 0500. He should know by noon if he is in this next class rotation. He said that perhaps not hearing from him is what I should hope for, as that will mean he is busy moving into the proper dormitory and getting set into the new schedule. He has no idea when he will have free time again. He'll call when he can.

 So, tomorrow begins a new wait, for another first phone call.

 But it always comes. And now I have a cell phone, attached at the hip. I'm not missing one again, no sir, not me!
                                                         Blessings,

Last minute play time

Well, Andy is "gone".
 It's funny, really, how seriously we have been taking these last few days. He isn't going far. He is only switching branches - from Air Force to Army, and going down to Ft. Benning, about 3 hours from where we are right now. But our next year is very much "up in the air". Technically he becomes Army tomorrow. However, he doesn't start his Officer training until July. Which leaves the next five months very open. What will he be doing for the next five months? Where will they have him live? Dorms? Can we visit him there?
 And the questions go on and on - because even after he finishes his officer training, we don't know where his next set of training will be, or how long it will last, or if we will be able to follow him or have to stay here.
 See what I mean about "up in the air"? In a way it is almost a relief to have him gone. Not because I don't want him around, but because some of the questions will start to get answered now - and that sounds wonderful!

 These last few days have been almost funny. It suddenly hit us that we may not see him for several weeks, depending on how the paperwork flows. We suddenly felt the need to pack as much fun in as we could.
 First he had to bring himself out of "vacation mode" and shave.

He hates having his pictures taken, but I wanted one last shot of those crazy sideburns. 

We won't see something like that for another 11 years or so. 

Goodbye Wolverine -

Army, here we come!

 Andy will be storing his motorcycle at my sister's while he is gone. Their garage has a tiny bit more room then the one here at my parents - plus, my BIL rides, so it will actually get some TLC on occasion! We took the bike up there and spent Saturday afternoon exploring the mountainsides of N. GA/Southern Tenn.

 Andy's bike is the one in the front, but Travis' is more comfy for two, so we were riding it. I like having the sissy bar- it makes me feel just a little bit more contained or something

I wish I could ride and take pictures at the same time, but I love my camera too much to risk it. But oh, oh, the beautiful things I saw from the back of that bike. Oh well, I am pretty sure I am not advanced enough to get a clear picture at 65 miles an hour anyway...

 Daddy and his boys took advantage of the nice weather one afternoon and build a fort in the back yard. Can you see it down at the bottom of the "mountain"?

 A kind gentleman guided me through the woods, and taught me the secret password to enter the realm of wonder. 

 Some teens (we assume) had left behind their "stash" of stolen road signs, which we had noticed in the snow a few weeks ago.  

 Such amazing things can be found in a creek bed in the woods...

Used Christmas tree - check. Rotten boards from construction on the house - check. Miscellaneous rocks, sticks and moss, all propped against a fallen tree - check. 

 Little boys, covered in mud,

 pretending they are off on an adventure, (I think he looks like Huckleberry Finn!) 

with their stash of "treasure" stacked near by- check. 

That, my friends, makes a perfect fort, down in the bottom of a dry creek bed! 

The next day Andy brought home a new toy

 Can you tell from this picture? 

 Maybe this one, with a different focus?

It was a B.B. gun! 

They listened very intently to the rules and safely instructions, but then they were ready to get down to business. How, precisely, do you work the thing?!

 Find something to aim at (bottles daddy hung from trees work well)

 Find a position you are comfortable in

 Line up your shot, so that they little white dot thingy on the front of the gun sits in the right cradle spot near the back (This is my memory and understanding of the explanation - don't blame Andy for the crazy wording!) 

Brace yourself - and take your shot. 

 Most importantly, have fun with Daddy! 

Yep, Andy is "gone" now. But we sure did pack in the fun those last few days!