Happy Easter. Love, Ava and Emma

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your family~

Wordless Wednesday

Fiesta Themed Package

 

 

 

Joe with his new friend, Paco the donkey who is rocking his moustache and mini sombrero.  In this box the boys received burrito tortilla's, olives, salsa, tortilla stuffer kits and some other food items. 

Its hard to believe that in just a couple weeks I will have mailed out my last care package to Joe.






Enjoy your family~

Week 26- Update on Joe

We're getting close! Joe has already started counting down the days. I'm waiting until his birthday to start counting but he reminds me how many days are left each time we talk so I guess I'm already counting down by default. He had a pretty good winter as it snowed quite often. It seemed to snow 4"-6" inches each time. He hated it! He says the temperatures were similar at times to Oklahoma. The weather seemed to be the same too. He said it would be cold and snowing one day and then 55° the next. He's traveled around more since my last update. I think he has flown in every helicopter that's there except the Apache attack helicopter (whatever that is?). I guess you have to be an Army pilot to fly those?

In his travels he takes lots of pictures. I'm glad he does because some of them are pretty neat. Below is a collage that has some of them. One of them, he's standing in between to UAV's (unmanned aerial vehicle - and yes I had to look that up.) when he was in Mazar-e-Sharif. The other is him standing next to the Apache helicopter. Lastly is the picture of him standing on the heli-pad, waiting for his ride to pick him up from a FOB.

He latest trip to Mazar-e-Sharif was one of my least favorite! The Internet was horrible there and we could barely talk. Below was his "chariot of choice" as he calls it. It's a Huey which is flown by a Canadian company. He said is was a fun ride. I'm not so sure I'd enjoy flying thru the mountains of Afghanistan but hey, to each their own. 

    (Joe's home for the last 5 months)

 This picture is with another UAV but this one is flown by the Germans. He was on a coalition base that consisted of a lot of other countries that were stationed there. Some of them were Croatia, Mongolia, Sweden, Norway, Germany and of course the US. 

Yet another picture of him with another UAV. I liked this one because of the BEAUTIFUL American flag in the background.

 He told me a few days ago that there is a coffee shop on the bases over there called Green Beans Coffee. He never went there because he thought it was only a coffee shop and he doesn't drink coffee. While he was on one of his trips he went I to one and found out that they have tea. He said he's now hooked! I can't believe he's been there for 5 months and just finding this out. Of course they have ice so his tea is cold in top of that. He says he's in heaven (tea heaven that is)! 

All in all things are the same for him excepts the weeks that he travels.  He started mailing home bags this week which was a welcomed sign.  Sign of his trip nearing the end.  Thank the Lord!! 

Enjoy your family~

Hey, Look here Jack!

There are a lot of shows that Joe watches that I am not too interested in.  Many nights I half-hear the shows "How its made," "Flying Wild Alaska," The Haney Project" or "Storage Wars" in the background as I clean dishes or am packing lunches but when he started watching a show called "Duck Dynasty" I couldn't take my eyes away.  I missed the first several shows of season one but by the end of the season I was hooked.  I am no hunter.  I do not like dirt. I do not like nature, snakes, bugs, squirrels or anything to do with getting dirty.  I am a city girl, a 'yuppie' if you will... so why I got hooked on this show is beyond me.  I started seeing their strong family values and their strong faith in God and it also didn't hurt that they are hilarious to watch.  Their family dynamic is great and you can tell they love each other and that God plays a huge part in their family life and also in their Duck Commander company. 

Just this past week I have watched testimonies from Phil, Willie and Jase Robertson.  During Willie's speech he read 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 and even though I have heard that passage hundreds of times; when I heard it this time something clicked.  I got something different out of it.  This morning I woke up and I feel different. I need to remember and start living this verse. Many nights I go to bed regretting the day and my attitude, thankful that 'tomorrow will be a new day.' I am tired of feeling that way by the end of the day but today is different. 

Love it patient.   (Have more patience with my kids. Have more patience with life, people and things in general)

Love it kind. (Soften my voice, speak gentler, especially to my kids)

It does not envy. (Be happy for other's when they have success)

It does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others.

It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered ( This is a big one for me.  I don't have a lot of patience and things small and large irritate me.  I need to chill- take a breath- and especially if its out of my control I need to rise above it and forget about it. I have a quick temper and I need to speak this part of the verse over and over.)

It keeps no records of wrongs ( forgive. forgive. forgive.)

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects.

Always trusts.

Always hopes and always perseveres. 

Today is a new day.  Today I am changing the way I speak and act towards others.




Enjoy your family~

Such a precious story

 

Its a sight we have seen way too often. Family members say good-bye to the ones they love that have fallen victim to war. In the latest photo, a young lady requested that she be able to sleep along side her husband one last time, before his burial.
In the photo here, the night before the burial of her husband 2nd Lt. James Cathey of the United States Marine Corps, killed in Iraq, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of “Cat.”
The Marines, per her request, stood guard the entire time she slept there along side her fallen hero. Katherine says that she thinks that her husband would have wanted it that way.
This photo should remind all Americans of the sacrifices so many young men and women have made and continue to make for our GREAT country. It should further remind us of all the sacrifices families have made or make while their loved ones fight the good fight. Such a sad photo, yet a photo we should all respect and admire.

Story by Chris Reed

Filed Under: Death, Fallen Marine, Marine, WarCategory: Political

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your family~

Date Days

Last week before illness overtook our house I took the girls out on their very own date days.  I love spending one on one time with each of my girls and I normally look forward to their date days more than they do.  Ava's day was up first.  Flat daddy came along with us to enjoy the day with his girls. Pedicure, lunch and shopping was on her list of things to do. 

Little dose of purple zebra toes never hurt anyone!  Most days I have to remind myself that Ava is only 7- and a very young 7 at that.  When I look at her sometimes I see a young woman.  She has always been mature beyond her years and with her daddy being away I have really started to see her grow up even more right before my eyes.  Any task that I need her to fulfill that normally Joe would help me on, she steps in and does her best.  She's my teammate, I love her and I am thankful that she has been by my side during this deployment. 

 

Next stop was lunch and flat daddy was hungry and staring her food down the entire time. 

 

Few days later it was Miss Emma's turn. 

 If anyone knows Emma they know that she is always hungry so lunch was one of the first things she wanted to do. 

The library was next on her list to visit.  Once she picked out some books she showed daddy her selections.  He approved of her choices and told her to take him to that nice little foot place again.  He enjoyed the relaxing environment when he was there with Ava a few days prior.  She obeyed her daddy and the next stop was pedicure time.

The kid chair was even too big for her.  She loved the warm water, the food rub and the leg scrub.  100% girl in the fact she loves to be pampered.  Emma's design of choice: Hello Kitty. 

We had to rush to finish her toes because Ava's school called and she needed to be picked up.  After these date days we have been home bound.  This illness is making its rounds.  Day # 7 right now and its still hanging on!  Thankfully I have two girls who love to play nurse.  I love you girls and I look forward to our next date. 






Enjoy your family~