I DID IT!!!!

I AM FINALLY BACK IN!!!
I have been LOCKED out of this blog forEVER!

Details of Robert's job in Iraq

http://www.25idl.army.mil/images/banner/3a.pdfwww.25idl.army.mil/images/banner/3a.pdf

ALL I KNOW

Ok, I have been crazy and busy...and CRAZY busy...but that is NO excuse for not blogging...seriously I will get those blog photos and adventures up and TRY my best to do this on a more regular basis...I mean..I live in HAWAII and all of you want to see it...RIGHT?

Let the countdown begin

I have no idea where the time went this year but it has been racing. We are well into the 8th month of deployment and I will soon go to the event and hold up a "WE made it 9 months" sign. Of course it would have been even better if there were only 3 more month in a YEAR, but our YEAR was extended.

SO, we have 4.5 months to go on this long separation from Roberto. It was so much fun to have him around, playing with the girls, taking Cannon to swim lessons while I sit at Physical Therapy with Thorin. It was great that he took each girl out to dinner at a place of their chosing and had nice conversations with them about who they are and what they are doing with the gifts that God has given them.

Not only is he an amazing man, he is an even better dad. That was one of the things that made me love him the most. We agreed on almost everything about what our kids would be expected to do. No mooching handouts here. We support and encourage but REFUSE to make excuses or do the work for them.

This has been an amazing gift in the years of deployments. Our girls don't have a mom who whines about their dad being deployed. Just because you have hardship doesn't mean you are UNable to complete work or function. Just because your husband's gone doesn't mean you can't discipline!

We sent Robert off to finish his tour, we shed our tears and then we pulled our bootstraps up and went to the movies! No more tears and no more sadness. We were happy to hear his voice from Dallas this morning and know the time is ticking and he will be home for good next time we hug.

Now I think I understand

All these years as a military spouse and I always hear about the mother in law stealing the first hug or first kiss. I know as an adult that I can take care of myself. I have been able to think and react clearly since I was a small child. I am the WHAT IF girl. I think about things before I do them. I "shop" like a freak. I look, look some more, THINK about it, look some more....I do this with everything. Before I volunteer I think about the steering team, the dynamics, the JOB Itself, can I do it AND be a great mom and wife, I ask my husband what he thinks.....I mean I really am the WHAT IF girl....of course in all these years as a spouse I have also been a mom.....so I know how very precious my little ones are to me but I guess because of my own childhood I never think that people carry that worry and care over when they become adults (or even teenagers for that matter). SO, this last week when I was thinking of my girls leaving for camp I got a very sick feeling in my heart. Forget the stomach....it went straight to the place it hurts most. I have tucked my girls into bed or at least checked on them when I returned for almost 11 years. I have hugged them, read them stories, done their baths, and most recently I have walked them all to class, hugging them and kissing them and telling them I love them before I left. I know the kids in their classrooms are in shock but I also know that they are jealous (which makes me a little sad for them).

I really love my girls!


So, it finally clicked when I realized I would not be there for 6 nights to tuck them in, kiss them goodnight or say a prayer with them. I might go a little crazy and look drugged from lack of sleep when I finally get them back.

But, the real reason I bring this up (other than I wanted to vent and whine about missing them already)....was because the paper announced the death of 4 soldiers last week and today I got the email about the memorial. When I saw their photos and thought about the short 21-23 years three of them had lived and the 33 years of the soldier most likely commanding them at the time of their death....I think about the mother who needed so badly to steal the first kiss. I think of the mother who had heart pains sending their sons off the camp (training camp). I think of the mother whose heart hurt when she had to let him leave home for the first time and now forever. I think of the soldier who was left in charge of keeping them safe and teaching them the ways of war and somehow didn't make it either. It is so hard for us to send our babies out into the world and pray that GOD takes care of them and brings them home safely. It is so painful to know that each one of these soldiers left home and many of them to crying mothers who really didn't want to see them go. I guess sending my girls off to camp is training for the day when they leave my home to lead their own lives.....but I don't have to like it one bit and I will miss them with all my heart.

So...all those moms out there stealing the first hugs and kisses...it might be partly because they did it for so long and really MISS their babies.

MEMORIAL DAY

 Memorial Day was a beautiful day to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We decided to support the post event and pray for the soldiers buried at Schofield. Most people are surprised by the engraved dedications on the stones. Many are infants and there are several Unknowns marked on stones in the back. The ones my girls found most interesting we the ones in a small corner behind a huge hedge. The hedge is there to hide the flag from view. These soldiers were executed for dishonoring their country in some way. They do not get flags on the ground on federal holidays nor do they get seen by those viewing the stones from the entrance gate. It is very lonely and isolated. We attended the morning service but returned later to see the flag lower and end our day visiting others in the cemetary. We met some very proud family member of recently passed veterans. The back of the field was where the most recent additions were and my girls loved that after the day was over the back was so full of color with all the flowers, balloons and flags. It appeared that people had visited all day to say thank you. It was nice to see.



UPDATED FINALLY....and I had no idea that I forgot to post so many...so there is a SMALL novel here ...SORRY!

We went to a USO Seseme Street event for military kids. I had more fun than the girls dancing and being silly. It was a nice slower weekend gearing up for the big finale of the school and girl scout year. Thorin graduated from 5th grade...they actually had a graduation ceremony to congratulate the kids leaving elementary school. It was great to see the kids all dressed up and many parents who I had never seen all year attend the event. Then it was graduation from girl scouts...all 3 of my girls bridged up this year. What does that mean? Well to be me it means I get a fresh start in a new level to help them achieve their goals and have a better understanding of what to expect. It also means I had to buy 3 new uniforms(vests and pins) for the girls. It also means with a new level and moving season in the army we are looking for a new troop again. I just hope the year pans out better than last year started. I sure it will...but now at least I know what to do if it doesn't and they girls won't be left behind. They loved the troop leaders and the girls in their troops....we will miss the ones who are leaving but I am also excited about the possiblities of a fresh vest to fill!

ONE very big run-on weekend/week

Like I said in an earlier post...life doesn't slow down with 3 very smart award winning kids. This was the competition where our school got a first place trophy. The team worked very hard getting these robots to work. We were there all morning and rushed out as soon as photos were over to arrive at girl scout camp for our overnight adventure on the Wainiae side of the island. The girls did skits, sang songs and enjoyed being together one last time as a complete troop. Soon girls will be moving and we will be getting new members to our group. Change is always hard but exciting too. After camp was over the girls regrouped at home for a few hours before heading to the ice skating rink for a THANK you event to the youth for all the volunteering they do for the chapel during the year. I am proud of my girls in their drive to serve in many arenas around post. They have a true heart for giving back and will be well prepared for when it matters on an application to college....but the fact that they beg to do it says it really means more to them than most.

May Day is Lei Day

Hawaii has a festival celebration called MAY DAY. It is to honor the royal court and history in an educational way. The have a royal court to include a couple representing each island and a brief history is given about the islands as each couple walks to the front of the crowd. Each grade level performs to a song. Cannon did a surf song, Sorenna danced to the Hawaii 5-0 theme song and Thorin did FIREWORK....it was an interesting choice but at least they had fun. They did a great job at it was nice to see all my girls in one school for the last time in their education. Now it gets crazy.