Look out Brett Farve!!

Will sent me a couple of pictures from an HA drop that they did while out at the new FOB. He and Durrant organized a small 'humanitarian aid function' (HA drop). They invited some kids from the village across the river to their camp to pick out toys and school supplies that me, Will's mom and sister Anna and Durrant's family and friends had sent. Will said "It was absolutely a joy!"
The village only sent boys because they don't have a woman on their team. So next time they do an HA drop, they'll try to have some women there so the little girls can come out as well. As the boys waited outside the fence Will, Durrant, Wheeler and "Doc" started playing catch with the footballs. He said their intent was to "sell the sport" because all those kids know is soccer. Sure enough, the boys started copying what they had seen and the first things to go were the footballs.
Will said, "the kids were cute and it warmed my heart to see the little [kids] leave with a bag full of toys, a hand full of candy and a smile on their face...oh, we gave them tooth brushes too."

This is their team mascot (according to me)... Spike. He's a puppy that Will said will grow to be very large. They grow dogs big and mean over there! Survival of the fittest I guess!

A lesson in giving...and recieving

This is a text conversation I had with Will on Sunday. This picture is of Sgt. Wheeler (Dusty) and the "old wrinkled prune-of-a man"

One fun story before I go to bed. A father of one of our ANA soldiers visited the camp this week. Cpt Mussah asked if we had anything we could give him as a gift..because he is an old soldier himself and his son is a good soldier. Dusty suggested that we give him one of his two head lamps. Good idea I said and he, harly and I went over to give it to him.

He's an old wrinkled-prune-of-a-man. He was a funny old guy and we really enjoyed talking to him. He told us thanks for helping his country and told us of his adventures as a soldier in the king's army. Then I told dusty to give him the gift.

I said, Sir, we have a gift for you and sergeant wheeler will show you what it is. He very graciously accepted and felt bad he had nothing to give in return. Dusty showed him the flashlight head lamp and demonstrated with the other one he had on his head. The old man had a hard time turning the one on that we gave him so dusty asked, can you turn this one on better? handing his other one to him as well.

Then he asked, "which one do you like? After a long pause with a furrowed brow, the old guy stuck them both in his pockets and said, "I like them both! We all laughed and he said, over and over, thank you! Harly and I laughed all the way back to the tent. Dusty laughed too, but was frustrated. We can get him another one easily.

[they ] The Afghani's will give the shirt off their back if you need it but they'll rob you blind if you let them.


AND....as Will told me in the same conversation... I'm not very good at asking for help and I'll tell everyone I'm fine - which I am - when I really might not be...anyway, Will said to me:

"I've said this before...you'd fit right in here in Afghanistan. Just this morning, CPT Mussah came over to say goodbye to me for the week and I offered him a water. He said, no thanks. I handed it to him anyway and he took it, said thanks and drank the whole thing without breathing. I'm learning that no means yes unless its no, then its no."

I really am fine.

Beginning next phase

of my life.....NOW!

I'll "keeerack" open a can of Diet Coke for this post...as a celebration of sorts! My baby, which Emma hates being called BTW, went to her first day of kindergarten today. Was I sad to see her go? Ummmm.....not really! I love her and all, and I love all my kids, but school truly is, as the Staples/Office Max (forget which one) commercial says, "The most wonderful time of the year!" Christmas is totally awesome too!

me: Can I fix your hair really cute and pretty for your first day of school, Emma?
emma: NO! I want piggy-tails!

me: Can I braid your piggy-tails or fish-tail them then?

emma: NO! I just want them straight! And I want one pink and one green elastic!

me: (keeping the peace and giving her what she wants.)


me: Do you want me to walk you to school for your first day?

emma: No, I'll walk with Katie and Lauren

me: (still in gym clothes, but still following with the camera!)

Emma told me when she was in preschool, and I would have just gotten home from the gym, that she didn't want me to take her into her school anymore because I don't look very good. How and when is a mom supposed to get her calories burned off so she can eat like a pig if it's not first thing in the morning...yes, sometimes or almost ALWAYS I'm still in my gym clothes when school starts! But apparently, I don't look good. I already knew that!

Emma's teacher is Mrs. George. Emma is so independent it makes me proud and sad at the same time. I miss having young little kids' cheeks to kiss. When they get older they don't smell as good and their cheeks aren't as pudgy...I'll get over it!

Katie Jane, Lauren and Emma. I'm so glad they get along....for this moment at least!

Can I be considered an empty-nester yet? What do they call moms who's kids are all in school?

HAPPY!!!

Guess What I Just Did???

This is very newsworthy if you know me...Will is shouting hallelujah a half-a-world away...I walked into my children's bedrooms, acknowledged the disaster, took some deep breaths, (because their rooms are SUPPOSEDLY supposed to be clean BEFORE they leave for school), turned around, shut the doors and walked away!!!

This is definitely a first, because probably like most moms, I would be in there getting madder and madder at my kids as I, myself, ME, cleaned their rooms for the sake of my SANITY! So come 3:20 today.....ignore the earth rumbling...they're in trouble because it's REALLY bad in there! And, don't call my kids to see if they can play...because they're grounded until I can see straight!

Onto my kitchen!!!

Fourth and Final Wave!

As I sit here with the cool air blowing on my back and a full stomach from eating Special K for lunch (because breakfast time came and went too fast...) which I retrieved from my walk-in pantry and my cold milk from my favorite-fridge ever, after coming home from a state-of-the-art gym in my car, and then came home to send my kids off to free school and then turned on my computer in my beautiful, sheltered, comfortable, safe home, I look at these pictures in awe. This really exists somewhere in the world and until you see it from the eyes of someone you actually know - not some reporter who chooses the tear-jerker, shocking pictures and stories - it's hard to imagine that it's real. I know I'm blessed, you all know you're blessed too....

so I'll stop.

Another favorite picture. Will said it best when he used the word "enchanting"

Poppies, poppies, poppies will put them to sleep...sleep...sleep....now they'll sleeeeep.

I don't need to tell you about the farmers and poppies and drugs and the Taliban, do I?

The only way to describe what it looks like is "ancient ruins" yes?


This picture, I think, was from further up north near Mazir-a-shariff.


The "Corn Wagon" material store? I think not!

Third Wave

These are all kind of random pictures. Just pictures I thought were neat and told a story of a beautiful, backward, war-torn place. Most of these are of where Will is right now though. Let me know what you think!

This is my favorite picture so far. These little girls are so beautiful and I love the bright colors of all their clothing and head wraps. One thing I've notice that Afghani men and women are very good at....accessorizing! Unforgettable!


Will said he will never forget seeing a little old man riding a donkey on the side of the road, talking on a cell phone. Technology is being thrown at them - and they still live in what looks like Old Testament times.

The women usually go hide when anyone comes near. Will said he hasn't dared take a picture of a woman yet. He said that he was close enough to women to take a picture, but it would have been inappropriate. These pictures are far away and you can't see their faces so It's a little less invasive.

.....and then there's this stuff! A little more invasive!

Afghan "gypsy" homes

I feel like I know this little girl. I have seen her in more than one picture collecting pine needles - obviously it's one of her chores. She's also in two pictures above this one, in the aqua blue dress.

Second Wave!!

Will and Durrant at base camphome away from home.....or tent away from cot!
These are pictures of the dam and reservoir near where they are building the new FOB The Taliban thinks this is "prime real estate" I'm sure
I have no idea what this is about - maybe Will can explain! I wonder if it has music blaring with the windows rolled down or what kind of sound it makes just in the fact that it's so.....decorated?

Will - always a teacher!

Get Ready!!

I'm going to give you an AFGHANISTAN OVERLOAD! Thanks to my friend Marie...the skydiving Marie...I got some more pictures of Will from her husband, Bruce. I tried to find ones that Will was in and ones that showed what it was like where he is. Amazing!

The above picture is of Will at a bazaar - gosh, I feel like such an expert!

Will got Jay a hand carved chess set for his birthday. I think this is where he found it!

Life in Afghanistan:

I love my home. I love my family. I love indoor plumbing. I love grass. I love my toothbrush. I love air conditioning. I love my freedom. I love the Gospel.

I love Will.