Busy Busy Busy! We all had a GREAT time at the homecoming/slash birthday party this weekend even though a couple of us came away slightly injured LOL (the birthday was for my brother who was home from Texas for a week). I promise to get some pics up today! Although most of the pics are actually video for the party. Maybe I can actually add some of that here. We are hitting the local niteclub tonight to play some pool with the family since my brother and his girlfriend, Ginger, have to go back to San Antonio tomorrow. My kids are wearing me out but I love it! I feel like a mother again lol .. no sleep, constantly on the run, lots of hugs and 'love yous'!! Anyone who is a mom can certainly relate to that!

Here's a few pics of Eric's first night in the local niteclub with us where we played some pool and just re-connected. Since he just turned 21 while he was in Iraq this was the first time we could actually spend time together in an environment like this. I don't neccesarily want to promote going out and drinking (although I do occasionally myself, especially since I like to play pool .. but when I do .. it is SAFELY with a designate driver) but hey .. we live in the middle of rural Indiana surrounded by corn fields for 50 miles in every direction and there just ISN"T a lot else to do around here at night! Cow tipping ?? Doesn't really happen, cows DO NOT tip easily or willingly LOL. The 'cow tipping' story is more like a 'snipe hunt' than anything else . Okay .. unless you live in the country you may not know about 'snipe hunting' either! If you have a question about it add it to comments and I will explain hehe.

Be sure to check out the pics at the bottom of the blog too that I didn't post up here. Too bad that the only single female there that wasn't related to Eric was working the bar hehe! She's the dark haired one, Traci.

Eric, his sister and sister-in-law

Eric, the bartender Traci and his sister-in-law DeeDee

Crystal (my daughter), Eric, DeeDee (my daughter-in-law),
Ginger (my brother's girlfriend from San Antonio) and
Jeff (my brother that lives in San Antonio)

Boy am I ever glad that he KNOWS not to drink and drive!

Hmmm ... my son-in-law and daughter appear to be having a good time.
Where did that beer glass come from!! At least the driver was sober!

Okay ..more pics later I promise.

Ben update: Ben has been moved out of ICU but is still considered comatose, although ... the Soldiers' Angels group (I will talk more about that group later, they visit wounded soldiers) that have been visiting him on a daily basis all claim that he IS making purposeful movement and responding to simple commands (like wiggle your toes) so OORAH for Ben. I still have faith (as does his family) that he will make a purposeful recovery from his devasting injuries.

Also ... Justin, whose Aunt Patricia has a blog dedicted to him on MSN Spaces, (click here to visit and leave Justin a message) had surgery recently and came through it well. Justin has made an amazing recovery from injuries he received in Iraq and his doctors were not optimistic either! It just goes to show you, you can't keep a good Marine down! OORAH Justin!

Now here is a great little story I wanted to pass on to all the military spouses. We DO recognize how hard and how much YOU sacrifice too to support our military. A big huge Thank You to every one of you!!

The Difference
By Retired Lt. Gen. Edward J. Heinz

Over the years, I've talked a lot about military spouses...how special they are and the price they pay for freedom, too. The funny thing about it is most military spouses don't consider themselves different from other spouses.

They do what they have to do, bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is. Is there truly a difference? I think there is. You have to decide for yourself.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they'll live in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be transplanted frequently.

Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flair tempered with the knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size rooms. Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture must fit like puzzle pieces.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

Other spouses have living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military spouses have immaculate living room-dining room combos. The coffee table got a scratch or two moving from Germany, but it still looks pretty good.

Other spouses say good-bye to their spouse for a business trip and know they won't see them for a week. They are lonely, but can survive. Military spouses say good-bye to their deploying spouse and know they won't see them for months, or for a remote, a year. They are lonely, but will survive.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call Maytag and then write a check out for getting the hose reconnected. Military spouses will cut the water off and fix it themselves.

Other spouses get used to saying "hello" to friends they see all the time. Military spouses get used to saying "good-bye" to friends made the last two years.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet another new school next year.

Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events...birthdays, anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation, and even the birth of a child. Military spouses only count on each other; because they realize that the Flag has to come first if freedom is to survive. It has to be that way.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperiled across the globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.

Other spouses worry about being late for mom's Thanksgiving dinner. Military spouses worry about getting back from Japan in time for dad's funeral.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

And I will say that our country asks more of military spouses than is asked of other spouses. And I will say, without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom as do their active duty husbands or wives.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

God bless our military spouses for all they freely give. And God bless America.

# posted by MarineMom @ 7:07 AM