Memorial Day...

I've been meaning to post an update on Leevi here, so what better time to do it than Memorial Day. He has moved again to a different FOB (Forward Operating Base?)...he really grew accustom to Tombstone and its remoteness, but the new place is even more isolated. (pics below) He is staying pretty busy and we hear from him almost everyday either by email or phone. The few weeks prior to his move to Dwyer, he did a lot of traveling to different bases around Afghanistan and he thought it was pretty interesting. We have made it past the halfway mark until he comes home for his R&R. We haven't done a R&R before and I've heard it's just as crushing having to say goodbye all over again. At least to our advantage, we'll only have a few more months to go (less than 3). That's nothing! Hailey knows that Leevi will be home to visit for Kailee's birthday and then be back for Christmas, but it's not like she really has a concept of that timeline. She's been saying more and more that she misses him...the girls and I are staying busy and the time does seem to be flying by if you look at how much time has already passed (and not how much we still have to go!)

The deck Leevi built (I think in Tombstone) while waiting around to be sent to Dwyer...gotta stay busy!
Leevi with Toby Keith in Bagram...Leevi got his guitar signed by Toby and his entire band. In the picture, Toby is holding Leevi's gun! Apparently Toby goes to Iraq and Afghanistan a lot (Leevi saw him when he was there in 2005)....makes me a big Toby supporter!
"Pee Tubes" as they are called...this is at Fort Dwyer...everything is still being built up. Apparently he has to poop in a bag!
Nothing but desert! It was a 13 hr drive from Tombstone to Dwyer...thankfully he was able to call as soon as he arrived so I knew he made it safely. It makes me think back to my grandparents who only had letters in the mail as their form of communication.
He said the dust is insane...you take a shower and the moment you step out, you are filthy again. The dust and the flies are killing him right now...not to mention the 110+ degree heat! But he said it's a dry heat like our vacation to Arizona! :)

So, in honor of my husband and all the families who sacrifice so much for our freedom, I thought I'd share this email sent to me as a forward. Even I have to remind myself...

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME

When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard....

to listen to his son whine about being bored.

.....to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work.

...to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night's sleep.

..to be silent when people pray to God for a new car.

....to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower.

...to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying.


.....to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they're afraid to send their kids off to summer camp.


.....to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather.


.....to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold.


.....to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the dog.


......to be civil to people who complain about their jobs.


.......to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation a year.


....to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in the house.


The only thing harder than being a Soldier..


Is loving one.