Saturday is a Special Day...

It's typically the day we get ready for Sunday!

Yesterday was a Jam Packed Day!

The kids had a sleepover with one of their friends.

Nobody got much sleep Friday or Saturday.

The washing machine overflowed.

Bear squirted me down with the hose.

And my boyfriend took me on a date.

Needless to say...

It was a busy day

And

I was exhausted!

So today....

Instead of going to church.

We all took a nap.

Bug fell asleep about an hour before church.

And Bear didn't make it much longer.

It was a LONG nap.

I didn't want them to be cranky because today is a special day!

There dad drove here from Georgia for a visit.

Only....

When I dropped the kids off for a couple hours,

And I found out that he moved here without telling us.

How weird is that?

No seriously...

Who does that?

I've also decided to add a journal entry from February 28, 2003

This is written from Camp New Jersey in Kuwait, just a couple weeks before the invasion of Iraq. We had a 5 person team that did the medical coverage for the camp. The head of our team was a doctor from San Antonio. He was a neonatologist. Don't ask me why they chose him to do combat medicine for soldiers....but they did.

(THEY is referring to the powers that be, who decide your life when you are in the military. Nobody really knows who they are, but they don't always use logic. In fact their decisions rarely make sense) I personally thought that he would have done more good back in the states caring for service members babies. But what do I know.

Anyhow,

We had a doctor and 4 medics.

We had some funny patients when we were there. It was stressful, and I had some fun too. It was nice to be doing my job instead of cutting grass, pulling gate guard, and other laborious duties back in the "rear."

28Feb2003

Today was a great day :) I really like it here. Our Aid Station is set up. For the most part I like the people I work with. We moved to a tent with temperature control, and life is just good.

Tonight is the 1st night I haven't gone to bed shivering.

3rd ID left Camp New Jersey today, and the 101st (Airborne) has started to come in. It really looks like there is going to be war. I'm not afraid. I have talked to others who are. I'm glad to know that the Lord will guide me and protect me.

The end....

I bet you didn't know that it is COLD in the desert of the middle east.

I froze until about May.

It is so nice to sleep in comfort.

And talk about not being afraid?

Maybe I was just naive to what was going on.

Maybe that's what happens when you are young and think you are invincible.

Maybe it's a way to cope with the stress and pressure of combat (and pre-combat).

Because seriously!

I had NO idea what I was in for, and how long lasting the affects would be.

I had no idea how my experiences overseas would leave such a mark.

I was was young and full of hope.

I had faith in people and humanity.

And I was literally blown away.

Not by gunfire,

Not by a mortar,

Not by an IED,

I was literally blown away by witnessing humanity at it's most raw and carnal form.

it was frightening!