Festival of Lights

So, today was a regular but not regular day at work today.  We do "fun" stuff on Wednesdays including art, music, Spanish, fitness, nutrition, etc.  I really needed this day more than the students.  Then, lunch, and afternoon classes.  Another teacher, Deanne, and I are in charge of the Creative Corner class. It consists of making crafts, cooking, writing, and now...we are about to publish our first newsletter!  It is very exciting!  But, with writing the newsletter, I am trying to focus on what will happen in March.  March?  Really?  I just began February yesterday!  Yet, I have to focus on March!!!  That will seem like an eternity from now come Saturday.  We have a dance weekend in Atlanta to begin March and then there is spring break. I am beginning to plan events that aren't including my better half.  It seems so wrong to be ready for the next phase.  It's not that I want him to leave sooner-I actually never want him to leave!  There aren't enough days left to "plan" anything else as a couple or a family.  Now, I begin planning events with others that don't include E.  I had a set of friends invite themselves over for the Superbowl.  Since they no longer have cable, they wanted to see if I had plans...  And, of course, last week I couldn't plan that far ahead so I had NO plans.  Mike, Melanie and Michaela will be coming to watch the Superbowl.  And, maybe Deanne and Brian.  That will keep me busy getting ready on Sunday and help me fall asleep easier Sunday night.  So, day by day, month by month, I will have to make plans and decisions without E.  I will be making simple decisions and probably a few important ones (thanks to Murphy and his laws!).  At this point, I have to remember that this deployment will be better than the first.  E was part of the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003 with the 101st.  This meant only a monthly phone call for us and no email for months.  So, with the technology that has developed, this will be MUCH better than the first and hopefully better than the second as we could rarely skype using video.  I will spend time in my head "planning" our chats, "planning" the boxes I will ship to APO AE and "planning" some much needed breaks from thinking about the family that is torn apart for a while by war.  We love Eric and I know I will say this again later:  We CAN survive without him but we don't thrive without him.  We will always be "planning" for his return.

Promotion

Well, today was promotion day.  It began by texts and phone calls before 7:30 this morning.  All the last minute stuff that needed to be taken care of.  Then, with one kid in the van with me and one with Nana and Gramps, we headed to meet the girl who is catering this for me and my parents (Grandma and Grandpa) to go to the ceremony.  We met on a cold windy day (but with no snow, thankfully) at a Wal-Mart.  No one believes a car parked in a Wal-Mart parking lot for 3 hours as anything unusual or suspicious!  So, with me driving (since I have the military ID and tags on the car), Gramps up front, Nana, Delaney and Grandpa in the middle row, Riley Jo and Grandma in the back row we headed to post.  As we were driving up to the gate, I was behind a Coor's Light Truck.  I sooo badly wanted to follow the truck to the right and rob it while the driver was getting his temporary pass.  But, I was a good Army wife and followed to the left and obeyed all speed limits.  The poor contractor that tried to check ID's was trying to see everyone in the back.  I forgot that in my new pimped-out 2011 Honda Odyssey, the back windows roll down!  Duh!!!  So, we arrive at the battalion (BN) classroom at around 9:20.  And, in true Army style, the ceremony got pushed back from 10:00 to 10:45.  So, the soldier going from specialist to sergeant was promoted first.  Then, the girls and I went up to the front to stand with Eric.  As the official "orders" were read, I was thinking, "this is the last promotion..."  Then, I heard CW4 and I was able to remove his CW3 rank from his ACU jacket and place the CW4 rank in its place.  It was a nice ceremony and both sets of parents were impressed by the "officialness" of the event.  But, all I could think about was the promotion in Korea.  There were multiple people getting promoted, no one was heading to war within days, and few had their families.  The soldiers had to play "slip and slide" in the mud puddles that were created out of the rain and a good ole' fashioned water hose.  The Army Song was sung as well as other stuff...  I actually knew the words to the Army Song and the 101st Song (Rendezvous With Destiny)!  And, that was back when the rank was "pinned" with a metal pin and you were to slap the pin in so it made the soldier bleed.  They had to "earn" the rank!  This time it was just peel and stick.  I am glad that we were able to enjoy this with Eric instead of hearing about it in pictures.  The girls may not care now.  But, one day...

So, no pity party tonight.  I got it out yesterday.  Today is a sense of renewed spirits and optimism! 
Thanks to all who were able to participate in this today and for those thinking of us.  Now, on to the real deal....deployment with optimism and renewed spirits! HOOAH!!  :)