Screw football, I'm getting the kid a guitar!

For a while now I've noticed that Chris shares my interest in music and he often displays how well he can pickup a rythme. Today was another one of those instances. I started playing some music on the stereo and began to record with the web cam as the hillarity ensued. Hopefully these videos will upload properly, otherwise e-mail me and I'll send the files your way.

I got off easy this morning with the gas chamber. They listed a whole bunch of things that would prevent a person from being able to go through, I didn't think any were going to apply, but then they listed severe acne and I was off the hook. It's noted in every medical file I have since joining the Army and it was enough that during SRP (can't remember what it stands for but it's where we get our shots, etc.) they wouldn't give me the smallpox vaccine because they were concerned I'd infect myself. So this morning I stood and watched as the most of the company went through and came out gagging, an experience that I remember and hope I'll never have to relive.

I have begun to use the laptop for my blogs to get used to using it on a full time basis, this and the last blog were typed on the laptop. The last blog I typed in a word editor first then copied and pasted the text into the blogger. It's nice, this way I can blog without having to be right at my desk, I can even take it to work with me and blog if/when we get breaks. I've even started to pickup some sort of wireless signal here at home even though none of my neighbors have wireless internet. From what it looks like the antennae on this laptop is so sensative that it is actually picking up a resonance frequency from within our wired router and able to use it as a connection.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007
0232 Zulu

Not many days left. We have our movement order now, although I still cannot disclose when we will be leaving. Somehow knowing exactly when we are leaving makes it more real. It was real enough to begin with, but now it seems impending. There is a very small part of me that is looking forward to going. It feels good to be defending my country in a way so many only talk about doing, there is a sense of duty here that is hard to describe. I am honored to be going, it means I have reached a certain level of standard that is considered to be acceptable by the United States Army. Additionally I know that the sooner we leave, the sooner we can talk about coming home, even thought that understandably is only a small comfort. On a deeper level the area of Iraq that I will be seeing is not to far from where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers come together, areas that many feel are close to if not the exact area where the Garden of Eden once was. So in that sense it is almost exciting to go, to be so close to lands that are talked about in the Bible, to be able to walk and see some of the same places that maybe Jesus was himself.
The atmosphere around the company and home has been quite somber. No matter how much or little we do now, no one can get their mind off of the fact that very soon we will be boarding a plane that is destined to take us nearly 3000 miles from our loved ones. Somehow I think the kids can tell. These past weeks home have been a blessing. I still do not know how to put into words that little Matty will be able to understand. He may just be the sweetest, smartest little two year old I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and I have no idea how to tell him that very soon his father will be leaving for nearly the length of time he is old. I know only God can bring him the peace I pray for him, for all of us. Christopher and Emma say they understand but I am sure they still do not fully realize what it is I am saying. How do you describe to someone three or four years old that their daddy is leaving for nearly a year and a half. I cannot even fathom what that is going to be like for me and I have 27 years of age and experience to draw on, yet nothing I have been through seems that it can prepare me for what I am going through now.

I know that all things are made possible through Christ Jesus, these are his own words. I know that if I am meant to return home to my family that I will. Further I know we are not supposed to ask why, that the Lord has a plan, and it is good and perfect. Yet knowing all of this does not alleviate the aching in my heart even now as I look to the coming days and months. I think it is part of what makes us human. Something about our nature. If this is true then it must also be good, for God would not have built it into us were it not meant to be there.

Tomorrow we are going through a gas chamber, primarily to make sure our masks work but also because, from what I understand, it is regularly required by the Army. It is practically the only thing we are doing this week, I'm not even sure we are doing PT anymore. Under more ordinary circumstances this would be more than welcomed, but I'd gladly do PT if it meant staying home, as I think many of us would.

I guess in closing I will just say to all following along, know that I will be fine. The Lord has put me in the hands of good leadership and given me the knowledge I need to do my job and return safely. At this point I can only pray that those I am leaving behind will be as well off without me home. Until I write again, know that you are in my prayers, and please keep me in yours.

God Bless.

Getting ready...

Diana and I went to Best Buy yesturday. They were running a good sale on laptops and since I will have internet access from the "big sandbox" we felt having a good laptop for me to use would be important. It's a nice machine but already I need to exchange it. It seems a batch went out with bad sound cards and almost no sound comes out of the laptop, which makes the internal DVD player almost completely useless. Best Buy says they are getting more either Thurs. or Sat. and that I am welcome to one of those. I already had to play games with them to get this one as priced, see they had pre-installed some anti-virus software and such on it and were trying to charge $150 more than priced. I said I didn't need the software and didn't have time to wait for more laptops to come in, the sales associate spoke with the manager and they dropped the price. Personnally I find it preposterous that they expect you to buy something without even the courtesy to ask. I can understand if they wanted to make that an option, but forcing on their customers seems a but over the top. Anyway, it's a great little machine that should let me continue this blog and even send video home when I can.

Time...

Never can Einstien's theory of relativety be more clearly demonstrated than at times like these. It seemed like ages waiting for the visit from my parents, then just as quickly as they arrived, they left. I'm left with an add void. It's as if there is so much I wanted to say or do and almost like nothing at all happened. The time since Saturday morning has been some of the best days I've spent here in El Paso and now it's gone. I escorted them to their plane, even as far as the gate, then got in my car to watch their plane fly overhead. Unfortunately, as it often does, the wind changed directions and their plane took off away from me; I never even got to see it leave. I know no matter how far away I get the wonder of the internet will keep us together. I will even have access while deployed and am hoping to be able to use a web cam to stay in touch. Somehow, somehow it's just not the same. I'm so glad they got to come down for a visit, I so wish I could see all my family and friends one last time before I leave, it just wasn't ment to be this time. I know if/when I deploy again I am going to plan ahead enough to make sure we can afford to go home for a visit. It's just too bad I didn't have what we needed to go this time.