Day 46; Assessing the Damage

Thursday, December 30

Our condo here in Kona is a part-time rental when we are not using it ourselves.  It always amazes me how things change in between our visits.  Of course, Kona is always 'under construction' with road widening, changes in restaurants, etc., but I mean changes within my own condo.  I am a bit obsessive-compulsive when it comes to organization.  Especially my kitchen.  My plates and bowls were on a different shelf, my coffee cups were in a different cabinet on the other side of the kitchen, 2 drinking cups were missing from the set of tumblers (just bought them before we left), a propane tank was missing from the BBQ (we always keep a spare), and my entire monkey pod plate/bowl collection was absolutely ruined.  And believe me folks, this stuff ain't cheap!

It was obvious that most of the plates and bowls had been put in the dishwasher, which totally compromised the wood finish.  Even though I have washing instructions posted on the cabinet where they are stored and a label that states:  "Not Dishwasher Safe."  There is a white spotty film all over the wood, which makes it look diseased.  Eeeewww.  Don't know if it can be saved...

Of course, a couple of DVDs are missing, as well as books, but this is the nature of the beast when it comes to rentals.  It's just the cost of doing business, I suppose.  We like to offer nice, upscale furniture, fixtures, and supplies for our guests, but nothing we have provided is going to make me cry if it is missing or damaged.  In other words, it's just stuff. 

Another pet peeve of mine is furniture being rearranged and curtains out of whack. My bed has panel curtains attached on all sides of the four-poster canopy and the I find that the tiebacks are wadded up around the panel curtains (that is, if they are tied back at all).  Each panel loop should be equal distance apart to make the panel curtain fan out.  Sheesh.  What's so difficult to understand here?

And I don't know why renters would want to rearrange the placement of my furniture!  It is, what it is-- 
My chaise lounge chairs were on the right side of the lanai and the outdoor dining table set was moved to the left.  Someone did a switcheroo.  And this was no easy feat-- The table set is wrought iron!

I placed the coffee table just the way it is in my photo; at an angle, serving both sofa and love seat:  

When I got here, the sofa and love seat were reversed, and the coffee table was lined up parallel with the love seat, out of reach of the sofa!  Pl-eeeease.

Okay, so I am a little anal retentive. 

Kidding, I am WAY anal retentive.  But, not gonna let it bother me.  No way.  So what if things have been moved around? 

However, everything will be put back my way tomorrow, that's for sure.  I call it "Operation I Want It The Way It's Supposed To Be."  (Might need to condense that one)

Day 45; Aloha

Wednesday, December 29

Headed out to our vacation home in Kona, Hawaii.  Hopefully, this will be a distraction, knowing that my soldier will deploy to Iraq some time within the next 30 days.  Detailed information regarding is departure is sketchy; highly confidential. 

As usual, I emailed pertinent information for my son Robert "just in case something happens," as I am not a friendly flier.  It never seems to get any easier for me.  Please, just get me from point A to point B. 

Flying is truly 'In God's hands" as I put it, and some day I plan to write a book about my fears of flying. 

Alas, we are here, and I hope to de-stress if at all possible.  Lots of margaritas may play a huge part in this.

Day 43; Return to Empty Nest

Monday, December 27

Robert left at 5am for a week-long trip to Lake Tahoe with his buddies before returning to UCLA next week.  Ah, the days of youth.

Today will be 'Operation Clean-Up.'  Gotta get this house back to normal.  My kitchen is a complete disaster, the living room is littered with wrapping paper and gift bags, and the Christmas tree is shedding needles (my bare feet cannot take this abuse any longer--those needles are nasty!). 

...The aftermath of Christmas. 

We were so busy getting ready for Christmas that all television shows were put on hold.  After I clean up my disasterous house, I must go to work deleting all of the movies and television shows from my TiVo list that I had no time to watch:  White Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.  They just don't hold the same magic when you watch them after Christmas has passed (although, truly, I could enjoy the movie White Christmas any day of the year!).

Day 42; Saying Goodbye

Sunday, December 26, 2010  --  4:25am 

Hugged my soldier for the 3rd time in 5 minutes.  And I looked up into his green eyes and didn't know what to say to him, except "I love you and I am so proud of you, and don't worry about us; we will be fine." 

Yeah, right.  I won't be "fine," but it seemed like the appropriate thing to say to him.  I can't even type these words without tears streaming down my face.

I watched him walk out the door and disappear from my sight.  Yes, I know there will be telephones, Skype, emails, etc., but I cannot believe I will not hug my son for a year. 

And I pray to Almighty God that I will indeed have that opportunity.

Day 41; Blessed Be Christmas Day

Saturday, December 25

What a beautiful day, and what a wonderful reason to celebrate.  Glory be to God.

Family, friends, music, food, and festivities (e.g., Lakers... ugh, on Christmas?)

After getting Tom Turkey successfully dressed and into the oven, my golden retriever and I took a quiet walk across the street to the park to sit for a while and reflect. 

These are the dark moments. 

Missing my mom, my dad.  Both of my parents died within the last few years of lung cancer.  First my dad, then my mom followed a couple of years later.  My dad was a big time smoker throughout his life; my mom was a non-smoker.  Who says 2nd-hand smoke isn't dangerous? 

The Christmas holiday has certainly changed over the years for my family.  Gone are the days of my parents joining us for a big holiday gathering, playing Balderdash, or Texas Hold 'em after a big meal.  Even my sister and her husband have found alternate plans for Christmas day.  My mom was the glue when it came to family gatherings.  Now that she has left this world, things will never be the same in so many ways. 

I walked back to the house and called my sister to wish her a happy Christmas.  It was good to talk to her.  She said she visited my mother's grave today (about a 3-hour drive away for me) and then visited friends. 

When I focused on my own group here at the house, we gathered 'round the table and my soldier said the prayer.  Warms my heart.  We stuffed ourselves silly, but isn't that the way it's supposed to go?  I feel a food-coma coming on soon.

My soldier leaves tomorrow at 4:30am for the airport.  That's all I can think about right now.

Day 40; Christmas Eve

Not a lot of computer time today.  Preparation for tomorrow's feast. 

Day 39; Let's Get It Started

My face hurts from smiling so much.  Can you die of happiness?

Opening Christmas gifts today.  My soldier is only here for a few days, so why wait?  He gave me a beautiful silver neckage that says "Army Mom."  I love it.  I call it my 'worry stone' and will rub it constantly until I wear it out.

Robert gave me a blue topaz ring.  It is incredible and matches my other silver jewelry perfectly (hubby went above and beyond with the bling this year...). 

Lots of laughs; lots of food today.

Day 38; Incoming x2

Both of my sons will fly into L.A. tonight.  Am I excited, or what? 

Day 36; Global Warming My A$$

Today, my son Robert called us to tell us that his flight home has been cancelled.  His connection from Barcelona tomorrow (Dec 21) routes through Heathrow and the airport has shut down due to snow. 

One of my son's friends has been stranded for 2 days now in the airport, sleeping on the floor. 

My husband told Robert to go to the airport today and try to get British Airways to find him another flight out that connects in the U.S.  As for us, time to get on the Internet and help him find a flight home.  Even if we have to pay for another flight ourselves, I need my boys with me at Christmas! 

Day 35; A Christmas Poem

Mom,

I don't know if you've ever seen this (it's been floating around for a while), but I saw it posted on an elevator in Georgia.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Day 33; Confirmation of the 4-Day Leave

It's confirmed!  My soldier comes home for 4 days for the Christmas holiday!  I am THRILLED.  My husband and I are ready to go pick out a Christmas tree and do some shopping for the occasion. 

It has been quite a feat finding something my soldier can actually use this Christmas since he will go to Iraq next month.  He asked me what he could bring me for Christmas in an email and I responded:

Okay, you are going to think this is lame, but the best Christmas present you could give me, you are already giving me.  Just coming home is the most wonderful gift of all.  I know that doesn't help you, cuz I know you want to bring me something, but I am so blessed that I will be able to be with you at Christmas.  And now your pathetic mother is crying while she types this. 

There is always the mall.  We can all take a walk over there and I am sure you will find something to make me smile.

You are the difficult one to shop for, since anything I get for you will not be put to use until you come back home.  Except for maybe some underwear, but how lame is that?

143

This was his response:

I could use some legit wool socks designed for combat boots with antimicrobial shit built in.  You can probably find them on like www.rangerjoes.com or some similar website that sells military gear.

I'm on it!
Santa has already placed an order online for some cool boots:

Rocky S2v Tactical Boots

Built with the Special Operations warrior in mind, the Rocky S2V is one of the most innovative combat boots available. Made out of MIL-SPEC materials, the S2V is flame retardant, has anti-microbial properties built into the interior of the boot which combat foot rot and infections, and has a built in fast rope guard on the inside of the boot. The materials do not absorb any water, and built in one way drain holes quickly drain the S2V. The boot is finished off with a water/oil resistant Vibram sole and is completely made in the U.S.

SuperFabric® insteps are ASTM tested by exposure to multi-directional abrasion until clear damage is done to the fabric. The S2V SuperFabric withstood 35,000 cycles, which was 1.9 X more cycles than Keprotech®2, and 14.5 X more cycles than Cordura®. This translates to supreme resistance to cuts, abrasions, punctures, rope burn, animal bites, and rot.

Mil-Spec flash-resistant leather uppers withstand fire hazards and withstand the rigors of sea-to-land warfare PTFE coated uppers are flame retardant and are triple stitched for durability 1,000 Denier Cordura sides and padded collars are standard issued features SuperFabric instep panels prevent early boot failure from rope burn. The super-tough material resists cuts, abrasions, punctures, animal bites and rot Aegis Microbe Shield prevents bacteria and fungus growth that cause rot and foot discomfort Wicking Dri-Lex lining and stretch Lycra tongues hug feet for secure fit High-walled Vibram soles with airport cushion footbeds are supportive and stitched to each upper for maximum durability Panels in the uppers are triple-stitched for durability Cushioned Airport® footbeds are perforated for maximum air circulation Shock absorbent mid-soles are encased by the wraparound outsole to minimize damage and wear Drainage vents move water out and prevent debris from entering Each boots weighs just over a pound Made in the USA

Wow!  Drainage vents!!!  Hope he likes 'em!

Day 30; Congrats to Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude sends out their 600,000th care package.  I am proud to be an O.G. volunteer!!!

Operation Gratitude Sends 600,000^th Package with Keys to MotorcycleVictory Motorcycles Donates a 2011 Vegas 8-Ball 

Van Nuys, CA - December 11, 2010  - To the classic roar of freedom at a "Support the Troops Rally" style event, a record-breaking two thousand cheering Operation Gratitude volunteers witnessed the arrival of a very special gift to be sent in the organization's 600,000th Care Package: A 2011 Victory Vegas 8-Ball.

SSG Cowie rides in on Victory bike

SSG Elizabeth Cowie, co-founder of the organization, rode the bike onto the drill floor and added the bike's key, along with several other unique gifts, to the Milestone package, proudly assembled and held by Ann Kurachi, a cheerleader from Trabuco Hills High School.  Kurachi was flanked by Santa Claus and dozens of Military dignitaries, elected officials and Operation Gratitude "Hard Corps" Volunteers.

Carolyn Blashek, who started the organization in 2003, thanked Victory Motorcycles, a division of Polaris Industries, for their generous donation of the motorcycle, and recognized the tens of thousands of volunteers, donors and supporters who have contributed throughout the years to the assembly and shipment of 600,000 care packages.

"Operation Gratitude Care Packages are an expression of enormous respect and appreciation for those who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedom," exclaimed Blashek.  "This exciting 600,000th package event represents a celebration of all the brave Americans who wear the uniform of our great nation.  We are honored to send this package to a young Service Member currently deployed in harm's way, who represents all our courageous heroes-- past, present and future--from all branches of the Military."

Day 25; Call from Barcelona

Today, my son Robert informed us that his backpack was stolen while sitting at an outdoor cafe in Barcelona.  Apparently, someone walked by, switched an empty black backpack with Robert's (it was sitting by his chair on the ground), and Robert did not discover this until minutes later when he went to retrieve his laptop -- which of course was not in the foreign backpack.  Along with the laptop was his $350 Bose headphones and his iPod.  Ugh. 

We have to look at the bright side here:  Robert was not harmed.  These 'crooks' are experts at their craft.  It only takes a second-- and whoosh!  The guy does the old switcheroo and you don't even know it.

Finals are next week.  My husband and I made a quick trip to the local UPS Store and sent Robert a laptop, my iPod, and my Bose headphones to get him through the end of his studies.  (I stashed a few Euros I had left over in my wallet -- I won't hold my breath that they will still be in the box when Robert receives it.) 

The cost of shipping:  A whopping $176.  Add that to the losses already incurred.

Day 22; Mounted Gunnery

My soldier sent me an incredible email today.  The first video looks black (because it is at night), but click on the play icon to hear the audio.

Mom,

Just to give you an idea what we're doing right now.  We were wearing night vision, so you can't see anything except for the tracer rounds (one of them for every 5 rounds fired), but you can hear me and my gunner communicating.  You may have to turn up the volume to hear everything.  I call out the targets, he identifies them once I give him the description and direction, I tell him to fire, he responds "on the way," and he lights it up. Pretty fun.  

I'll try to get a video during the day but my camera battery is almost dead.  If so, I'll try to get one on my cell phone.

I also attached a video where I took my night vision goggle off and put the camera in front of it so you can see the literal "night and day" difference between pitch black and using the goggle.

Also, among some other pix of my soldiers, is a picture of the shitty 20-year-old gun trucks we're using out here. My gunner, SPC [classified], was setting up his M249 in the turret.

By the way it's in the 30s out here and we're sleeping in tents, hah.  I kept my computer turned on and plugged in inside my sleeping bag to keep me warm.  Worked like a champ!

I had to listen to the video twice before I could believe it was my son, yelling commands to fire. 

Day 19; Negligent Discharge

I received an email from my soldier today.  Facinating to me.  I had to censor the names for obvious reasons:

This'll take you a while to read, but I thought it may be interesting to you to know what kind of crap I have to deal with as a leader.

You noticed that there is some tension in my platoon right now.  Part of it came from the ass-chewing SFC [A] and I gave them because of a negligent discharge.  Basically means some mof fired off his weapon when he wasn't supposed to.  It's never considered an accident -- always negligence.  One of the two deaths in the Ghan this month was because a soldier had an ND and capped his buddy in the head, so the Army is taking this type of incident (and always has) seriously, even though we were using blanks.

One time at [location] one of the guys in my platoon had an ND and our captain smoked us ragged for it.  The guy had fired off a round inside the back of a troop carrier vehicle and the dude sitting across from him would have been shot if it was a real round.  So we had to throw him on a stretcher and the platoon had to take turns running him back and forth until we basically couldn't hold the guy up anymore.  I actually had an M4 with a 203 grenade launcher slung over my back, as well as having to carry an M249 I was using on that mission, while I was helping carry a 180 pound soldier on a 30 pound metal stretcher with 50 pounds of gear, a weapon, and two 5 gallon water jugs between his legs.  It is probably the second-most exhausting thing I've done yet in the Army.  So that instilled in me how serious an incident like that was... 

I wanted to have my platoon do the same thing but the good idea fairy told me I could get in trouble if any of my soldiers were injured from that smoke session right before deployment.  So instead I'm making them do an exhausting amount of weapon safety training, with the help of an NCO, to include clearing procedures and memorization of four weapon safety rules.  They are:

1. All guns are always loaded.

2. Never point your muzzle at something you do not wish to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you have acquired your target and are prepared to fire.

4. Be sure of your target, and of what is in line with it, both in front of and behind it. 

I can tell this stuff is reinforcing safety because I have a couple of my soldiers walking around, of their own accord, challenging others to recite the four safety rules.

Anyway, I just wrote up a sworn statement that's probably going to get sent up the chain of command to the general level and an investigating officer is going to be assigned to the case.  Here's what I wrote into the form as my statement:

"26 personnel from [classified] Company conducted Entry Control Point operations on [date] in [location].  After completion of the lane, we had a formation at approximately 1930 to conduct an After Action Review.  At this time, soldiers were clearing their weapons and turning in any unspent ammunition.

A blank cartridge discharged in the back of the platoon during this formation.  From my vantage point, facing the platoon at the front, the incident occurred in the rear rank in the vicinity of SGT [B] and SPC [C].  I distinctly remember SGT [B] suddenly moving his face away from SPC [C], who was standing to his left.  I did not see a muzzle flash so I cannot be certain that it came from SPC [C]'s weapon.

The soldiers using M249 SAWs during this ECP lane did not have the appropriate blank firing adapters on their weapons.  Because of this, two of the three weapons were not firing correctly.  SPC [C]'s weapon had malfunctioned during the lane and I gave him my M16A2 to fire from his position in the guard tower.  It is very possible that he left an unspent blank cartridge in his weapon while he was using mine.  Since the M249 is an open-bolt weapon, the bolt may have ridden forward and discharged a cartridge left in the chamber.

SGT [B] approached me and SFC [A] a couple hours after the incident.  He completely denied that it was his weapon that discharged the blank cartridge.  SGT [D] told me that he had a clear recollection that SGT [B] had already cleared his weapon before this incident.  SGT [D] remembered this because the round SGT [B] cleared from the chamber struck him in the face."

[did my son just use sarcasm to make a point?]

If the investigating officer ends up pointing his/her finger at SPC [C], his rank can be reduced from E-4 to E-1. This is not because of what he (probably) did -- it is because he has had numerous chances to come clean and admit it but he hasn't, out of fear of UCMJ actions.  

At this point it would be an integrity violation and it would mean that he outright lied to his commanding officer, to SFC [A], and to the Command Sergeant Major of the battalion.

Day 15; Adios Barcelona

I am anxious to return home and get back to ‘normalcy.’  I had everything packed last night, with the exception of my travel clothes, and upon arriving at the airport, I realized that I had left my Kindle in the hotel room on the desk.  I am so angry with myself and even worse, I have to tell my husband this.  After a 30-Euro taxi fare ($45 equivalent) and a 45 minute ride, I couldn’t very well go back to the hotel and return an hour and a half later (not to mention the expense of this), I called the hotel and asked them to hold it at the front desk.  Now I must give the bad news to my son Robert that he must go on an errand for me, since his forgetful mother left a $500 item behind. 

Day 12; The Girlfriend Factor

My only recollection of a family member in the military is my paternal uncle (Mike) when he served in Viet Nam.  I was just a kid when he left, maybe 7 years old.  Other than that, all military stories in my head come from books and movies I have watched over and over (just ask both my boys and they will roll their eyes).  Top Gun, An Officer and a Gentleman, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, The Hurt Locker, and a few HBO miniseries are my personal ‘archives.’  In most of these movies/series, there is often the wife or girlfriend who waits for their man to return from the war.  For my soldier, he started a relationship with a girl only 2 months before his deployment.  She is a sweet thing, very bright, pretty, charismatic, and my soldier is pretty taken with her.  So one might ask:

--Is it wise to start a relationship right before you deploy for 400 days? 

--Is there a chance that this relationship could work? 

--Wouldn’t the odds be that the girl gets tired of waiting and (since she is only 20 years old) decides to move on? 

That seems to be the consensus of many, but I for one think the ‘girlfriend factor’ is a good thing.  My son is risking his life to serve his country; he is putting his social life on hold while he helps to fight for and protect our nation.  To have someone to write to, send emails, Skype, etc. is something to look forward to and I believe it gives our service men and women hope, to carry on and get the job done, and have loved ones to come home to. 

Of course there is the possibility that the relationship will not last, but that is true with any relationship.  My soldier knows the possibility of this happening, and he is going into it with his eyes open. 

The girl wrote to me in an email that she is crazy about him and that he is worth waiting for.  I know personally what a wonderful person my son is, and I know he is worth the wait.  My only worry is will she be worth risking his heart?  I hope she is as wonderful and sweet as she seems.  A broken heart is hard to mend and for a mother to watch her son in pain, mental or physical, is difficult.

 

Day 11; Montserrat -- Thanksgiving

November 25:

What a strange endeavor to be in a foreign country on the Thanksgiving holiday. 

My husband and I started our day by taking a journey by train to Montserrat, which is an incredible mountain top monastery about 4000 ft above the valley floor.  Awesome. 

Well worth the long day of travel.  My son Robert had told me that when he and his friends had visited Montserrat, they had hiked to the top instead of taking the funicular.  Ah, youth.  The two hours they spent hiking were better spent by riding the aerial cable and enjoying the view for me.  I think it had been an economical decision for them, too.  It gets pricey with all of the train fares, aerial cable rides, funicular, etc. 

After we returned to Barcelona, we met up with Robert for our Thanksgiving celebration.  The three of us made a desperate attempt to find a turkey dinner, and we lucked out… Thank you Hard Rock Café – Barcelona.  They even served us pumpkin pie (albeit, not even close to my mom’s recipe). 

A few hours later, back in the U.S., my soldier sent a picture message from Ft. Hood during his Thanksgiving lunch break.

It looks like the troops are being fed in style.  That plate is piled pretty high, and that is only his Thanksgiving Day lunch!  Although my soldier is in excellent health, lean and athletic, nothing stops him from packing it in when it comes to holiday meals.

Later on, he sent me a picture of their Thanksgiving dinner celebration. 

Day 10; Email From a Friend

November 24th:

Today, I received an email from my new friend, Isabel, who is also the mother of a soldier in my son’s company.  She writes:

Hi Suzan,
Just checking in to see how you are doing.  Have you received my recent emails regarding the pictures and addresses?  Just wanted to make sure my email list was correct.  Have you heard from Richard yet?  Remember, I'm here to talk if you need to.

Spending a lovely Thanksgiving with my other son and his family.  Spoke to Rick and also sent him pictures via cell phone.  Have a good time and enjoy yourself.  Did I mention I sent you a link with all the pictures taken and the newsclip from last Sunday?  When you get home check your email. 

Have a Great Thanksgiving!
Isabel

Isabel has been through this before; this is her son’s 2^nd deployment.  I remember her telling me that this time around is easier to deal with since she is familiar with “how things work,” however, her son was stationed in a non-combat area during his first deployment and this time, they will be in Iraq.  Different, yet somewhat similar circumstances, but stressful nonetheless when your military son is overseas. 

It is good to know there are so many people who care and want to support me during my son's absence. 

Day 9; Cursed Be The Internet

Due to limited Internet access here in Barcelona, it seems I must document my information on Word files and then load them into this blog at a later time... 

Today, we revisited the Sagrata Familia and soaked in the beauty and delight of the interior.  We then ventured via elevator to the top of one of the towers. The view was quite spectacular.  We opted to take the spiraling stairs down and paused frequently to admire the view of Barcelona and the construction of the cathedral from many of its windows and balconies instead of riding the sheathed elevator.

Met my son Robert on 26^th floor for tapas & beer (how strange it is to have a beer with my 20-year-old son, since the drinking age is only 18 in Spain).

No word from my soldier today.  Don't know how long this distraction will last.  Must be patient...  I know I will hear from him eventually.

Day 8; Skyway to Tomorrowland

Today we toured Montjuïc (Mountain of the Jews).  The oldest sight on the Montjuïc is the Castell de Montjuïc, a large 18th century fortress. It was built by the Bourbons on the remains of a fort dating back to 1640. 





I read that the castle was originally built for the defense of Barcelona, but now houses the Museu Militar (military museum).  Check out this cannon photo below.  My husband volunteered to be my model in order to give us some perspective to the cannon's size.

In order to get there (unless you are crazy enough to climb the mountain just to save a few bucks ) is by taking a ride on the "Telefèric de Montjuïc."  This is a ski resort-style 4-person gondola lift cable car, which transports visitors up the mountain to the old military fort on Montjuïc.

Riding on the Telefèric reminded me of the 'Skyway to Tomorrowland' at Disneyland (or as we used to call the ride as kids, the "bucket rides"). 

Later on, we met up with Robert and few of his friends for a late dinner at the Attic restaurant on Las Ramblas.  Lots of food and fun.

Finally, I received a text message from my soldier in the middle of the night (of course, I was still awake at 2am, so no big deal...).  

          "I am probably going to have to send one of my soldiers home.  Medically disqualified."

Oh no.  That can't be good news. 



Day 7; A Hike To Remember

No word from my soldier today.  No doubt, he is busy doing his job. 

Last night, my insomnia kept me awake all night.  I finally turned off my computer at 5am and fell asleep.  It seems I am still on L.A. time.

Robert called us at noon and wanted to take us on a tour of Park Güell in Barcelona this afternoon.  Park Güell is another of Gaudi's creations (remember Segrada Familia?) and lies north of Barcelona centre. 
We had another challenging time on the Metro and met up with Robert after only 37 minutes of foot and metro travel.  Not bad, and less than one Euro to travel on the Metro system.

Park Güell is full of narrow twisting pathways which meander through the park and it is quite a hike up several steps.

This park was like nothing I had ever encountered and as we continued to climb, the various foot paths were surrounded by colorful buildings, sculptures, and mosaic tiling.

Robert is a wonderful tour guide, and in addition to his knowledge of Barcelona, he is the perfect translator.  He orders all of meals for us in Catalan!



The views of Barcelona from the top of the park were spectacular. 

I actually got to be in a photo... (barely!)

There is a large stone cross on the highest point of Park Guell. We are told that most people come here to visit the gardens laid out by Gaudi, and far fewer make it to the top of the park. The hike from the gardens up to the stone cross is quite steep, but I thought the view was well-worth the effort.

Upon returning to the hotel, I received a text message from my soldier!

          "Doing entry check point ops.  Basically, vehicle searches, personnel searches, biometric data entry
          (iris and fingerprint scan).  This body armor is friggin heavy."

I sent him a warm "1-4-3" (that's "I love you" in text code for those of you who don't know) and closed my eyes, imagining a "virtual hug."  Sounds corny, but it helps.

We finished off the day by ordering room service and watching the Green Bay Packers and the St. Louis Rams football games on our laptop via TiVo/Slingbox.  You gotta love the Internet.

Day 6; A Whole Lotta Nothin'

Our sleep patterns do not seem to be improving.  My husband was up for a couple hours in the dark checking email during the night, which in turn woke me up, and then we slept in until noon.  I stared out the window at the rain and decided to read a paperback novel I had brought with me.  It was sheer hunger that finally pulled us out of bed at 2pm. 

We took a walk down the boardwalk of Barceloneta and found the familiar pizza restaurant from a couple of days ago.  Familiarity had won out over the challenge of searching for something new to eat in the rain. 

Upon arriving back at the hotel, I returned to my book and it was too good to put down.  I finished it in one day!  (Not the first time I had read this one, either!)  Room service for dinner, Lakers game via SlingBox, and then surfing the Internet.  No wonder I can’t get to sleep at night—sleeping in too late and drinking Diet Cokes all day and night = a recipe for insomnia…!

Here we are in this wonderful city with so much to see and do, and you can draw a big "X" through this day.  Shame, shame, shame on our laziness. 

However, tomorrow is another day; we get to see Robert again.

Day 5; Shop Til I Drop

I knew it was going to be a great day when I woke up to an email from my soldier.  It was a group email to his friends as well as a few family members, but I was grateful nonetheless to hear what was going on:

Sup mofs,

I just got issued a duffel bag full of new crap plus new body armor...and I have to figure out how to fit it into my two already-full duffel bags and my black footlocker...it's like I'm packing for a space shuttle mission.  Anyway, I attached a couple pictures of the new spiffy body armor.  It's called an IOTV (improved outer tactical vest).  Front/back plates designed to stop a 7.62mm AK-47 round, plus side plates, shoulder pads, and a penis guard (that's what I call it, but it's just a flap that comes down kind of like a baseball catcher's pads).  The shoulder pads and penis guard are designed to stop shrapnel but not bullets. With all the pouches and crap I put on it, it carries 270 rounds of ammo (9 mags), 2 frag grenades, 1 flashbang, first aid kit, camelbak, two strap cutters (I had two so I put them in different places so I can reach either one if I'm stuck in a vehicle), multitool, flashlight, among other crap.  The whole thing weighs like 40 pounds dry and probably another 15 with ammo.

The cool part about it is that it has a ripcord in the front which, when pulled, basically makes the whole thing fall apart from you so that if you need to get through a tight space really quick, like exiting a vehicle, or if you are sinking in water, you can drop it without having to unstrap it and pull it over your head.  It takes like 10 minutes to put back together though, and I can imagine that all my soldiers are gonna be pulling each other's ripcords like retards, haha.

Just wanted to keep you guys filled in on what's going on around here.  Besides getting new gear, I'm also the Unit Movement Officer so I have been supervising the loading of tens of millions of dollars worth of my company's equipment into shipping containers to be sent to Iraq.  Kind of a big side-job they're making me do. 

I think we're gonna start convoy ops and mounted gunner qualification next week.  The only lame thing is at this point it sounds like we're gonna be stuck with the Vietnam-era M16A2 rifles we have -- we put in a request for M4s but they don't really want to give us any.  Lame.  Hopefully I can trade that cannon in for an M9 handgun and not have to carry around a rifle on base.

Later mofs,

Richy

Today, Robert took us to La Boqueria market.  Incredible food shopping—fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, and…  miscellany:

What the heck is THAT???

After a quick lunch, we then visited La Rambla, a tree-lined pedestrian mall with shopping, shopping, and more shopping.  Also interesting are the street performers along the way. 

Dinner was at an incredible Italian restaurant where my husband and I dined with Robert and 3 of his friends.  Of course, the photographer is absent from the table… ;)

Another wonderful day in Barcelona to distract me from my pathetic pining.  Don’t know how long this will last, but for now, it is slightly bearable. 

Day 4; Barcelona

Getting used to a 9-hour time change is brutal.  We spent most of the day lying in bed, surfing the Internet, interspersed with 2-hour naps...

We had originally woken up at 4am local time and my husband suggested breakfast.  Unfortunately, breakfast via room service was not available at the hotel until 6am, so we checked our email and caught up on DrudgeReport.com, ee.USAtoday.com, and FoxNews.com.  We have yet to turn on a television here; I do not even know if they offer channels that are in English.

Our breakfast was delicious and I must admit, I over-indulged.  Soon thereafter, came the inevitable "food coma."  For those not familiar with the term "food coma," it is defined in Urban Dictionary as follows:

• A state in which a person is generally lethargic, lazy, and very full from eating a large meal. A large meal shall be defined as a meal containing high amounts of carbohydrates.
• After eating such a meal, a person usually cannot eat anymore because they are too tired to carry on.
• A common cause of such weariness can be directly related to eating turkey at Thanksgiving. Turkey contains Tryptophan, a sleep-inducing chemical. 
• The real cause of Food Coma comes from eating too much carbs that will eventually break down in the stomach, causing an inordinate amount of blood to rush to the system.
• To relieve the effects of food coma, one can unbutton their pants so their stomach can expand beyond normal perameters.
• Also, it is advised that a person take a short nap, followed by a large dessert. 

We finally ventured outside at 2pm and walked along the beach in beautiful Barceloneta.  We meandered several streets and decided upon dining for lunch at a little Italian restaurant.  A few minutes later, my cell phone rang and an instant smile played on my face; my son Robert was finished with class for the day and wanted to meet with us.  I gave him the address of the restaurant and for the next 15 minutes, could not take my eyes off of the doorway, anxious to see my "baby" (note:  subject "baby" is 6'4").

As soon as he walked in the door, I bursted into tears and stood to hug him.  Skype is wonderful for keeping in touch with loved ones, but nothing heals the soul like a good, old-fashioned hug.  I finally broke free and let my husband get a hug from him.  I can share. 

Robert gave us a quickie tour of the metro transit system.  He took us to the Segrada Familia (Sacred Family cathedral), an incredible Roman Catholic church in Barcelona designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852–1926).  More on that later on, as it was too late to enter the cathedral and venture up to the top.  We will definitely revisit.

It has been said that the estimated completion date of this church will be in 2026, but has also been rumored to be completely finished in the next 60 years...

After a brief visit to Robert's dorm room, the three of us headed to a local restaurant favorite for dinner (seems so far, it's all about eating and sleeping!).  Tomorrow, I will check email again, and hope to find something from my soldier. G'nite all.

Day 3; Travel Time

Spent the day traveling...  Left the house at 4pm PT (Pacific Time) and arrived in Barcelona, Spain at 10pm CET (Central European Time).  If I do the math, that's 21 hours.  Ugh.

British Airlines was not such a bad way to go (albeit a 2 hour delay on the originating outbound to Heathrow due to "British fog).  Of course, it helps to be in business class, with fully reclining seats.  I felt guilty for those passengers downstairs in economy who had to try to sleep in an upright position as I propped my pillow and lay on my side.  Well, only for a couple minutes (haha).  Being a not-so-friendly flyer, lying horizontally during a 10-hour redeye flight helped tremendously to tolerate the flight, and I praised my husband for shelling out the extra cash for the upgrade. 

The connecting flight to Barcelona was only a 2-hour flight, and we arrived at our hotel by 11pm CET.  Fully awake at this time (since, in my head, I was still in California) I decided to unpack and decided to send my soldier a quick text message, letting him know we had arrived safely in Barcelona.  Thank God for global cell phones (and honorable mention to Verizon for making it happen this time).  My son sent a text message back to me and only then was I ready to continue unpacking. 

One item I had brought with me was a Ty Beanie Baby named "Hero."  He is a bear soldier in camouflage with an American Flag patch on his arm.  Hero would be my constant reminder of my son and wherever I go, Hero will be a companion to remind me of my son's service (as if I can think of anything else these days).  I set Hero up in front of my hotel window so that he may enjoy the view of Barcelona ;)

I often wondered why I see American Flag patches on military uniforms that are "backwards" (star field on right). It used to bother me.  Then my son told me that the flag is worn backward to give the appearance of rushing forward into battle. The patch is always worn on the right shoulder because in the military, the "place of honor" is to the right, according to U.S. Army regulations and the United States Code.  Okay, I get it, and I like it. 
And while we are on the subject of Beanie Babies, let me tell you about an organization I joined last year.  It's called Operation Gratitude.  The main objective is to send care packages to our troops overseas. 
As of November 2010, Operation Gratitude has sent more than 580,000 care packages individually addressed by name, to our military men and women in combat.  My sister originally told me about the organization.  She is a long-time employee of the Walt Disney corporation and is very involved in volunteering her time for a good cause.  I joined Operation Gratitude not only because my son was in the army, but I believe in the cause.  We meet several times a year to prepare and assemble these packages and send out thousands at a time.  It's an assembly-line type procedure.  Many items that are included in these packages are donated items, which include DVDs, cough drops, sunscreen, candy, energy bars, knitted scarves/hats, hand-written letters from children, cookies, etc.  And Beanie Babies. 

So I asked, why would a soldier want such an item when they are overseas, fighting a war?  The whole idea seemed silly to me.  The answer was chilling. 

Here is the answer:  The soldiers give the stuffed animals to the local kids in Iraq; the kids, in return, tell the soldiers the location of hidden IEDs or Improvised Explosive Devices.  [GULP]  To think that a Beanie Baby could potentially save lives shocked me.  I've been buying/collecting them ever since and donating them for the cause. 

Check out this link:  http://www.opgratitude.com/news.php?p=5

Although I've donated close to a thousand Beanie Babies thus far, "Hero" will remain in my possession until my son returns home from Iraq.

Day 2; Another Day, Another Tear

My first waking thoughts were of my son.  What is he doing right now?  Does he know how much he is missed? 

This morning, I received an email from another military mom.  Apparently, Sunday's send off was televised on ABC News.  I got to watch the boarding of the plane after all, even though I had left the base early to go bawl my eyes out.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7789008&syndicate=syndicate&section=

Tonight, my husband and I leave for Barcelona, Spain.  Our youngest son, attending UCLA, is studying abroad this semester and has been gone for over 2 months.  Now that my soldier is off and running, it is time to switch gears and check in with my baby.  Can't wait to get a long-awaited hug.

Day 1; Cry Me a River

Welcome inside my mind.  Today, day one of the absence of my son, started with tears, fears, and downright depression.  Yesterday, my son, a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was deployed.  As we sat at Starbucks before reporting to the base, he told me that his deployment could last up to 400 days, but he hoped it would not be that long. 

400 days. 

It didn't seem that long ago that my son was in grade school, preparing to leave for a week-long camp with his 5th grade class.  It was the first time he would be away from home for days with no communication.  I stood with my girlfriend and watched as our two sons boarded the schoolbus.  She had a smile on her face; I was devastated.  She was looking forward to the week with joy; I was dreading each day.  Of course, our sons were quite different.  Her son's absence was looked upon as a break, while my son's absence would be a huge void.  She looked over at me and actually laughed as tears streaked down my face.  I wanted to follow the bus in my car and peer through the fence at my son, hoping to get a glimpse of him in the coming days.  Silly, I know, but when your kid is that wonderful, it's hard to let go. 

Many times since then, I've had to "let go" -- college was quite difficult.  My husband and I helped my son to move into his dorm room, and after the last box was carried into the room, they high-fived and laughed, while I stood at the car, crying.  "Don't worry Mom, I'll be fine," he said.  I wasn't worried about him; I was worried about me.  I was a wreck.  Letting go of him again. 

It's all part of the plan.  Kids grow up.  I get it.  I just don't want to accept it.

Back to yesterday.  Our conversation over coffee at Starbucks was brief.  I tried making small-talk, as I really didn't know what to say to my son.  Uh, good luck...  Kick some ass over there...  Don't forget to brush your teeth before you go to bed (of course, I didn't say any of those things).  He was disengaged.  He apologized for not focusing on our conversation.  He had a lot on his mind.  He said he was anxious to leave.  Anxious to leave...  I excused myself and went to the ladies room.  I talked to myself in the mirror and tried not to cry but seeing my face on the verge of tears, my reflection won out and I burst into tears.  I quickly patted my eyes with a wet paper towel and returned to the table.  "Let's go," I said.  What I really meant was "Let's get this over with."  He made me sit down and said, "You're handling this a lot better than I expected."  That did it.  Waaaaaaah.  I shook my head and said, "No I'm not," and noticed people looking over at our table.  We left Starbucks and headed to the base. 

Now the question was, do I park and walk with him to the tarmac area, or do I drop him off at the curb?  I asked him this question.  He suggested the drop off.  Okay, I anticipated that.  Probably better this way for both of us.  I pulled over and we asked a soldier's wife if she would take our picture.  It was rushed, forced.  A crappy building with rust stains was our background.  It would have to do.  He hugged me, I told him I loved him, he told me he loved me, and then he walked away.  It was like boarding that schoolbus all over again, 100-fold.  I sat in the car for a good 5 minutes and sobbed. 

As I was pulling away, my cell phone rang.  "Go park, and come meet me inside the gates," he said.  "Really?" I replied, incredulously.  "Really."  I parked and tried not to run inside the gate.  There were soldiers and their family members congregating inside the gate.  Some were hugging, others were taking photos.  Many of the soldiers were smiling, laughing, seemingly having a great time.  I asked my son why the soldiers seemed so happy.  He said they were anxious to deploy, as they had been planning this for months and were ready to go.  We took more photos.  I felt like I was surrounded by greatness.  These wonderful, selfless, brave and patriotic men and women were anxious to serve our country.  It was awe-inspiring. 

The plane arrived and it was time for the company to line up for boarding.  I didn't want to make another spectacle of myself sobbing and felt it was time for me to leave before I watched him climb those stairs...  We hugged again, and I said goodbye to my boy. 

Today, Day 1, had no less tears shed than yesterday.  Each time I mentioned to someone that my son had left, the sentence was finished with fresh tears streaming. 

My son sent me a few text messages today from his cell phone.  He realizes that even though he and his fellow soldiers are making the ultimate sacrifice by putting their lives in danger, their families are making sacrifices as well.  We are mothers, fathers, spouses, siblings, friends, children -- just saying a prayer and hoping God will bring them all safely back home to us.