Not much new here except for the dog trouble that I posted about here and here. I have not heard from Cpl Honda since he left for training. I have talked to his girlfriend each weekend though and she talked to him last weekend. I sent him my phone number through Facebook and it is possible he did not get it. Might not have internet access since he has not been on Facebook.

Oh well, training is about half over and he will be back in Okinawa. I guess it is good he is not there with the earthquakes that seem to keep coming.

Anyway, since I got nothing I am going to link to a post written by Julie the Army Wife. It is about website called Joining Forces that was started by Michele Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. The focus is getting involved and supporting our troops. They really do need all the help they can get because the way things look in the world I do believe they will be needed more and more in the future.

You can find Julie’s post here.

This morning I ran across a link on twitter to a soldier’s blog that is deploying very soon the Afghanistan. He write a post about his two-year old daughter. The post is very touching and worth the read. After you are done, leave him and his family a comment and thank him for serving our country.

I received a call from Cpl Honda last night. Apparently he is not liking the place of many palms. At ALL. He is attending school there and having a bit of trouble. Seems it is harder than he thought. So after pouring out his woes, I did what any good Marine mom would do. I gave him a pep talk.

I told him to hang in there and I’m sure it will get easier. After all, he made it through boot camp and a deployment and he will make it through this school too. He said that he wondered what he got himself into and the only other time he thought that was when he got to boot camp. Hopefully no one is yelling at him this time. But, it is the Marines so you never know.

My guess is he will make it through and then say it wasn’t that bad. He did after boot camp. Funny, sometimes they still need mom to make it all better.

On another note, my nephew, Sgt Red will be deploying again soon. Please say a prayer for him and his safe return. Another roller coaster ride I am sure.

Find more videos like this on Troop Space

Ran across this video on another site and just had to post it. This soldier just returned from the middle East and you can see how happy his dog is to see him!

I first discovered the blogosphere in 2007. I was searching the internet at the time for military news partly because of my son and nephew’s enlistments in the Marine Corps and because I just wanted to learn more about the military world.

Well, somehow I stumbled across a blog called Kaboom A Soldier’s War Journal. It was written by Lieutenant Matt Gallagher. When I came across the blog, he had recently deployed to Iraq for a fifteen-month long deployment.

What I found was not just another blog about deployment to a war zone, but an honest and candid account of Matt’s or LT as he called himself experiences “Embracing the Suck.”

He along with his platoon, the Gravediggers, are portrayed throughout the blog and now he has written a book based on the blog. The U.S. Army shut down the blog in June of 2008 for reasons I am not exactly sure.

The Kaboom blog became an absolute sensation and gained many readers. In my opinion, Kaboom is one of the best blogs I ever read. I looked forward to reading it everyday and I was extremely disappointed when the blog shut down. Now I cannot wait to read the book so I can finish the rest of the story.

Kaboom Embracing The Suck In A Savage Little War was recently published. If you are interested in the military, I am sure you will find the blog and book both captivating, witty and thought provoking. You will feel like you personally know Matt and all the characters.

I have to say it is hard to be a military mom, but hands down, it is harder to be a military spouse. When my son deploys, I still have my husband here. Milspouses do not. I do not have to run a household by myself. Milspouses do. I do not have to raise kids by myself. Milspouses do.When I gave birth to my children, my husband was there. Milspouse’s husbands may not be there.

I am in awe of these women who sacrifice so much of their lives. They are a rare breed, because not every woman is capable of being a milspouse. They must be strong, determined and able to take control.

I read many milspouse blogs, so I get to glimpse their lives. I feel their pain when the hubby deploys and ride the ride with them through the deployment. I feel the joy when the deployment is over. I read the birth announcements and look at the photos of their chidren.

I feel the fear for their husband’s safety. I sense the worry. I have read the blogs of Gold Star Milspouses. I feel pain for them. Yes, their husband made the ultimate sacrifice, but so did the milspouse.

So, today on Milspouse Appreciation Day, if possible, thank a milspouse. Tell her or him as the case may be, Thank You. Better yet, next deployment offer to help in some way. They will appreciate it I am sure. Here is a good article on Milspouse Appreciation Day.

To all my milspouse readers, Here is a big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! You make me proud!

First Contact

Ok, here is the final installment of homecoming. Lady Red and I woke up pretty early. I suppose because of the excitement level. We lounged around for a few hours and then got dressed and headed to the beach.

We walked out on the pier and as I looked out in the distance, I could see the ship! I could not believe it! I wondered all the way out there if I would be able to see the ship and I did. It was a very exciting moment to say the least.

We then had some breakfast and walked around a bit. Since it was early, there was not many shops open so we went back to the hotel. Since the homecoming time changed several times, I decided to see if we could get on the Camp. This was a stress point for me because Cpl Honda’s insurance cards where expired. He does have stickers on the car, so I hoped they would just wave me in.

We pulled up to the gate and we got right on. No problem, thank goodness. We drove to the homecoming site and got out to wait. I did not know if he was off the ship yet and when I asked I was told that one CO was at the armory.

Thinking back, we should have waited to go on the Camp, because it was several hours before Cpl Honda arrived. I have to thank Lady Red for her patience. I know it was hard sitting there basically doing nothing.

Anyway, the time finally came and I saw my son walking up. I was not sure if it was him at first since they all look alike. If you have ever been to a military base, you know what I am talking about. The only way I could tell was by the way he walked. As a side note, when he graduated from boot camp I recognized him from behind by looking at his ears! Everyone thought I was crazy, but it was him! I raised those ears and I should know them. One other side note, when my daughter, Cinderella came home on leave from basic training, she walked right up to me in the airport and I did not recognize her! She had cut her hair and was in uniform. All I can say is what left is not what came home.

Anyway, it was wonderful to see him and to watch the other reunions going on all around us. I put some more pics of homecoming day on the Shutterfly site so please feel free to check those out. I will not elaborate on the next day, let’s just say the military is right when they say, “Hurry up and wait.”

I also want to thank my family, friends and co-workers for all the support during the last seven months. Through all the tough times, I had to endure, your words and support helped me cope.

I have copies of Cpl Honda’s pics from deployment and will put them on the Shutterfly site. He has some great pics and some very funny videos. My personal favorite is him and another guy in fat sumo wrestler suits. Yea, even though the deployment was tough, it was obvious he did have some good times. So, check back for those. Also, excuse the frizzy hair. We were outside all day in humid and windy weather.

So that is it. Hopefully no more deployment for awhile. Yea, mom says no!!!!

Happy mommie, Cpl Honda and Lady Red

We are down to the wire with not many days left until deployment is over. I thought it would be smooth sailing. (No pun intended.) But, it seems the deployment gremlins have reared their ugly heads once again.

Cpl Honda has been spending money while on deployment. I am talking serious money. He also is having all the packages sent to my office so they will not get stolen off our front porch.

So yesterday the receptionist came to me and told I had more packages coming in. Ok, no problem. Not. One of the packages was COD and not just a few bucks either. Nope. We are talking COD to the tune of thirty bucks! What the? Ok, first off I do not carry cash around. Does anyone carry cash any more. No, I just use my trusty debit card. Works for me.

So I go talk to the mailman and he just says he will send it back from where it came. I think, I do not no what else to do so I just let it go. Then I emailed Cpl Honda and that is when the touble began. He thinks that the package was a very expensive PlayStation 3 and it can not go back because it was bought through Ebay and he will get bad feedback from the seller.

A fury of emails then ensued with Cpl Honda becoming increasingly panic! I just do not understand why the gremlins see fit to attack at work most of the the time! With the exception of his car not starting. Twice. Every problem that arises happens when I am at work.

Finally I decide to go to the post office after work and see if I can retrieve said package. I get there and wait in a crazy long line. I get up to the counter and explain to the clerk and he goes look for it. When he comes back he tells me the postman is still out on his route. I will know be going back today today too see if I can get the package.

Wish me luck. I do not want to have to right that email if the package was sent back.

packages

Lucie and the packages.

See what I mean. That boy’s been a shopping!

Depolyment is almost over, but it can not come soon enough for Cpl Honda. I could tell by his emails that he is homesick and just wants it over. So what’s a good Marine mommie to do. Get him some email love of course!

I emailed about sixteen people and asked them to email him and send some words of encouragement. Apparently it worked, because this is the email I received from him this morning.

Subject: OK Mom

I’m getting mad e-mails from people are you telling everyone to spam me with e-mail lol, its nice makes me feel better, thanks

Love you,

Cpl Honda

HeHeHe. He told me in a prior email that he had nothing to do. He read all his books, played all his games and watched all his movies. So I replied to him, “Well, now you have something to do. Replying to all those emails!

Counting down until deployment ends!

Cpl Honda called me this morning. I had just got out of my car and was walking into work when I heard my cellphone vibrate. Now when I get an email it will vibrate twice. So when I heard it vibrate a third time I know I was getting a phone call. Then I saw unknown number and I just knew it was him!

At first I could hear him, but as the call went along it became harder to understand what he was saying. Plus, I was standing outside in the dark as it was 6am. I could not go in and get in the elevator for fear of the call dropping.

The last thing he said to me I asked him to repeat it three times. Finally I just told him to email me what he was saying. We had to hang up.

Why is it that in the 21st Century a ship floating around in the ocean can not have better communications? I wonder if this is true for the officers and Captain. Somehow I think when they communicate with family members they are not using the static phones. But, I could be wrong.

Anyhow, there is only a few weeks until homecoming. I’m glad because Cpl Honda told me he is done with deployment.

I told him I am done too!