[Party]

Jimha's welcome back party. What a party! Chris came too :)

Not the greatest of pictures but I still love them - my family!! (and just a few of us!)

He looks confused - haha

Me and Rach showing how it's done!

The girls :)

The evening certainly was interesting. We went back and crashed at Jrod's that night and Jimha and I ended up walking around outside in the middle of the night as he started processing Iraq. Watching him go through those emotions, pacing up and down, so emotional, was heart wrenching.  I'm so thankful I could be there, but my heart hurt so much for what he's been through - there truly are no words and I know that was just .005% of it. I'm so proud of him, but I so hope he doesn't have to go back there. And tonight, he's home and with us...and that's all that matters to me.

[He'sHOME!]

He's home, he's home, he's home. And I am such a happy girl.

Me and (the cuz) Rach

Me and Jimha's girlfriend Christina :)

I LOVE dancing...we were such goofs out there ;)

The girls!!!

"go this way"

Me and M (Jrod & M came for a bit!)

Me and Jimha!! SO glad he's home.

Jrod and M - not much of the line dancing type! ;) But they did try earlier!

[MidTour]

"That's something to be proud of

That's a life you can hang your hat on

That's a chin held high as the tears fall down

A gut sucked in, a chest stuck out

Like a small town flag a-flyin'

Or a newborn baby cryin'

In the arms of the woman that you love

That's something to be proud of"

My weekend was a complete blur...i'm actually really bad about that. I pack so many things into my weekend, and stay out so late, that it all runs together and i don't remember half of it. I'm notorious for falling asleep at friends houses too!! And this weekend didn't disappoint...i ran from Friday to Sunday but i will tell you I will never forget this afternoon.

I pulled into the parking lot of my church (and work) where my mom had asked me to meet her and saw my cousin Rachel's car...and I knew at that moment...Jimmy was inside. He was due home this weekend and I've been a basket case waiting to see him. As I flew out of my car and ran to the front door i just kept saying to myself "don't fall, don't fall"!! I got to the front doors to find them locked and thought i was gonna burst....I knocked and knocked and then there he was. Sneaking around the corner and opening the door and as i put my arms around him I thought my heart was going to explode right there. I was shaking head to foot as he stood there smiling ear to ear at me. He's absolutely adorable and I didn't know what to do with myself standing there...it was finally here and he's finally home....for 2 weeks at least. To see him standing in front of me...it was like a dream. But he's been through so much and it's in his eyes, in the very tone of his voice. And he has to go back...but for now, he's here and although the tears fell fast, the joy was overwhelming at the same moment.

They couldn't stay long but he knew I was dying to see him, to HUG him again and again. I'm so proud of him, I love him more then words and I just wish he was home for good. The more he shared about what he's been through the more my heart tore just a little more. He's so young to be at war but he's also so determined. He knows it's where he needs to be right now and he's going to do the best darn job he possibly can. And for this week, he's going to rest and just be loved on. And i'm going to do the best darn job at that I can.

I meet his girlfriend this week too. They're so in love and it's a little weird. I don't want to share him...but i guess it's not about me huh?? ;)

[Iraq3]

Here's another update on my cousin. It's good to read from someone over there. Helps to remember and not just go about our days so ho-hum when our troops are risking their lives half way around the world.

WELL WHAT'S UP AGAIN! I'M GETTING MUCH BETTER AT SENDING AN EMAIL OUT MORE FREQUENTLY IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. GO AHEAD, GIVE ME CREDIT....SERIOUSLY.......I'M WAITING....
I AM DOING WELL THOUGH, AND PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY HUMOR AS A SIGN I'M GOING NUTS, I AM FAAAR FROM IT, YOU JUST GOTTA FIND THE "BRIGHTER SIDE" AND THE HUMOR IN ALL SITUATIONS NO MATTER WHAT.
NOT MUCH TO REPORT. THERE IS A GROUP ORGANIZED IN IRAQ TO PROTECT THE OIL PIPELINES. THEY ARE KNOWN AS THE OPM
(OIL PROTECTION MINISTRY). IT'S BEEN SAID THEY GUARD THE PIPELINES DURING THE DAY AND PLACE IED'S AT NIGHT. EITHER WAY, THEY ALL CARRY AK47'S AND LIE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW TO PROTECT VALID INSURGENTS WITHIN THEIR RANKS. MY FAVORITE
PAST TIME HAS BECOME VISITING THE OPM HEADQUARTERS.
YESTERDAY THEY HAD LIED TO ME ABOUT WHERE ONE OF THE GUYS WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS SO WE HAD TO "PRESS IN" AND TRY TO BREAK THEM. THE VERY NEXT DAY WE CAME BACK AND ASKED THEM SOME MORE ABOUT HIM AND THROUGH MY VERY VERY VERY "INTUITIVE NATURE" ASSUMED THEY WERE LYING AGAIN....AND AGAIN SPEANT TIME "PRESSING" THEM TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION I WANTED. OF COURSE, THEY ALL CARRY WEAPONS SO WHEN WE ROLL UP I USALLY WILL RUN THE BRADLEY STRAIGHT INTO THE COURTYARD WALL AND HAVE A BIG GUN LOOKING OVER THE 4 FOOT WALL FOR INTIMADATION IN CASE THEY EVER WANTED TO FIGHT BACK. IT'S GOTTEN HILLARIOUS B/C YOU SHOULD SEE THE NUMBER OF CARS HAULING A$$ OUT OF THE PARKING
LOT WHEN THEY SEE US COME AROUND THE BEND OF THE ROAD...WE'VE BECOME FAMOUS THROUGHOUT MY SQUADRON FOR OUR ENCOURAGEMENT" OF THEIR COOPERATION.
OTHERWISE, THINGS ARE GOING WELL HERE. STARTING TO WARM UP AND I REALLY REALLY AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT...

That's about it. He's so busy and it's unreal to picture him in these scenarios. He's just plugging away trying to complete his missions successfully. Keep praying please.

[Iraq2]

For those of you who ask how my cousin is here is an update...i'm so proud of this man.

As i 'm sure a lot of you heard, we had an apache shot down right outside ******** and as a result, they shut down all communications going out from camp taji to the rest of the world to make sure the news got out through "official channels". yeah, that's funny b/c i was at the crash site providing security that day b/c we were called out on QRF (quick reaction force) and that very night while i went to the gym, the tv was on CNN blasting the coverage of the apache that was shot down by insurgents. They just need to accept they can't control it all i guess. Otherwise, life is alright here. i'm very worn out. we pretty much have a day off every couple days and sometimes that just comes out to be a few hours even, so enjoy your weekends schmucks!

The hard part about this whole fight...you never know who the bad guys are. you get a gut feel when you run into them, but what can you do if you don't find anything on them? You'll go for days without (anything) happening, and then boom, we have a day like the one with the apache where an apache gets shot down, a couple car bombs go off in baghdad, and a tank commander gets shot by a sniper on the perimeter around the crash site. makes it hard to keep your guys on their toes.

What i do want to say though is don't ever ever take for granted what we've got back in the US. I thought i never did till i came here and realized that i took for granted so much there back at home. These jokers back in the states that think that we are all screwed up need to be sent over here, strapped into a truck with some body armor and drive by a few IED's and look at the standards of living that these people live in and SEE if they don't go back to the states, kiss the ground they walk on and thank God every damn day for what an incredible and fortunate country he is undeservingly privileged to live in. Just wait for some hippie to call me a "baby killer" or debate me on the war and talk trash about our country when i get home..he'll kiss the ground too...conscious or unconscious..his choice. I know after all of this, i will go home and not take a moment for granted living in a country where people from here can only stare wide eyed at you when you tel them about it and not believe that such a place exists. Ok, i'm off my soap box. : )

I'm so very proud of him. I think this says it all. We do need to really be thankful for what we have and remember that these men and women are defending OUR COUNTRY. It's not just about a new government system there...it's about that b/c we were attacked and we want to ensure, as best as can be, that it doesn't happen again. And agree or disagree...our troops our there, they're fighting and they need our support and prayers. Okay, now i'm off my soap box...runs in the family i guess!

[Iraq]

My cousin (who i love dearly) just went to Iraq 4 weeks ago. For the first 2 he was in Kuwait where he was pretty safe, but 3 nights ago he headed to "somewhere i can't say" Iraq. He's just the kind of guy you'd want serving in our military. He's a strong man, a strong leader and fiercely passionate. I didn't want to part with him, I need him around to talk to and laugh with. His sister and him are so close and she needs him, his dad just go re-married. I struggled with the whys for quite a while. And it's so scary. I was in my car the other night and the radio "dj" said, "this song goes out to all those oversees fighting for our country, and the family they leave behind" and i thought...hey, that's me.

We've heard from him a few times since he left. The first few times were pretty basic but now his mission is about to begin. He is leading 30 young men, as a 24 year old himself. It's pretty surreal that he's over there at war. I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop and he's over there fighting for our country and defending it's honor. I'm so proud of him but i miss him already. In his last email he wrote about the trip into Iraq. What he says really brings everything going on over there home and i thought i'd share a little of it with you:

Well, i'm finally here in ****** *****. Lets just say it was definitely one of the most tense times in the last couple of days getting here. I've had about 3 hours of sleep in the last 40 and a lot still to do. We left kuwait and escorted in unarmored gun trucks a convoy of 30 tractor trailers hauling our tanks,
bradleys, etc.. We made several stops and made the final push late last night, early early this morning around 1 am into *******. In order to do this, we rode in the dark with NOD's (night vision) on and lights off through about the worst part of Baghdad (NW). The reports were coming in like crazy about convoys
getting hit with IED's, RPG's, and small arms fire before we rolled through so we were basically counting on contact. I was the second vehicle in the convoy that stretched about 4 miles long, and let me tell ya, you'll learn to pray real hard when you're staring into the dark when one of the tractor trailers has to
stop to fix a flat on the outskirts of baghdad waiting to see tracer rounds whip by your vehicle.

He's quite a guy and really has a way of lightening the mood with humor so i normally laugh and cry all in the same breath while reading his emails...but this last one was certainly more serious. In his last one he was joking about the fact he didn't think he'd even make it to base with the way they drive over there.

I know different people feel different ways about the war. Would i prefer my cousin to be tucked away safely somewhere here in the states? Heck yeah. But at the same time there is no way what happened to our country in 2001 can go un-responded to. We are not as safe here as we believed we were. Our country will never be the same. And my cousin, and many other men and women, are fighting for our safety, the lives of those that were lost on 9/11 and for freedom over there. I trust my President and more than that I trust God in him. Something I wasn't able to say for many years before Bush became President. So please pray for our troops.

Please remember them and their families. Please remember the families of those who were lost in 9/11. And please pray for our President and our military whatever your stand is on this war. These men and women are over there for us, but we have a part to play too. I'll post more updates about my cousin i'm sure. He's always on my mind.