Now that this deployment is complete, we will no longer be updating this blog. We have started a new family blog here if you are looking for family updates:
Wee Blog: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/spenc148/wee/
Thanks for your support before, during, and after the deployment!
A few months ago, the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund (MMAF) sent out an email asking for some photos of our troops so they could put together a little multimedia presentation. I sent in a few photos of Amy and Josh. I never really thought anything of it and in fact, I forgot that I'd even emailed them some photos.
Tonight, I got an email reminder of the annual Military Appreciation Day Run/Walk that will be in Minneapolis this September. (Unfortunately, it is on a day when we have some mandatory National Guard training to attend so we won't be at the run/walk.) I decided to go to the MMAF website just to see what they've been up to and to my surprise saw a photo of Amy right on their main page! It was here: http://www.thankmntroops.org/MMAFhtmlindex.html
And if by the time you read this post they have changed the photo to something else, you can check out the multimedia presentation that includes Josh and Amy here: THANK YOU, MINNESOTA
Just thought I'd share!
I just wanted to reassure our friends and family that we were NOT involved in the I-35W bridge collapse that happened in Minneapolis today. While it is a route that we have taken recently, we were NOT on the bridge when it fell. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who can't get ahold of their loved ones at this time.
The deployment is finally over. I picked up Josh at the Bloomington Armory yesterday. You might've seen us on the Fox 9 news yesterday - we made the 5:00pm and 9:00pm news broadcasts. Here are some photos and video clips from yesterday.
Leaving Fort McCoy, Wisconsin:
The soldiers on the bus:
The soliders on the bus smiling (some of them):
Looking out the front window of the bus while approaching the St. Croix River:
The St. Croix River (between Wisconsin and Minnesota):
Welcome to Minnesota:
Meeting up with The Patriot Guard (on motorcycles) who will escort the bus to the armory:
Just a few exits before getting to the Bloomington Armory - at this time, the police escort has joined the convoy and is leading the way:
Meanwhile, at the Bloomington Armory, excited families wait for the troops:
The Patriot Guard had volunteers holding flags along the road in front of the Bloomington Armory to welcome the troops:
Amy waits in front of the armory for Josh to arrive:
Although hard to see, her shirt says WELCOME HOME DAD - AND THE OTHER RED BULLS!:
Kelly was there too:
Josh's view from the bus as they arrived at the Bloomington Armory:
And here's what it sounded/looked like from Kelly's perspective as the bus rolled into the armory (you can hear the motorcylces of The Patriot Guard and Kelly comforting Amy, who was scared of the loud motorcycle noises and cheering):
Josh took a couple photos of Kelly and Amy after being reunited:
Josh, Kelly, and Amy are finally together (thanks to the Fox 9 news guy who took this photo):
To answer some questions: Although Josh is home, there exists the chance that he could be deployed again, since he does plan to stay in the Minnesota Army National Guard for at least another year. At this point (and with the current world situation), it seems likely that Josh should be home for at least 2-3 years before he deploys again. For now, however, he is home and this deployment is complete. THANK YOU RED BULLS (1/34 BCT - Josh's unit) FOR A JOB WELL-DONE!!!
Josh made it safe and sound to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin! He will spend the next 10 days or so out-processing there (attending briefings, meetings, filling out paperwork, getting health check-ups, etc.). Once he's done there, he will be allowed to come home! YAY!
He also made it on the news! If you check out the 26-second mark on this video clip, you will see Josh's not-so-smiling face (typical Josh - ha ha) when they pan around the airplane, right in front (he is not interviewed, but at least you can see him there as proof he did arrive in Wisconsin):
http://wcco.com/video/?id=28922@wcco.dayport.com
It is SUCH a relief to know he's back in the U.S. and it won't be much longer until he's HOME in Minnesota! Yay!
Wow - I read this and it sounds VERY VERY familiar: Mother, toddler await soldier's return from Iraq
Only Josh and I were married in July 2005 - today is actually our 2nd anniversary. It is also the 2nd one he's missed. (Last year, Josh sent me flowers with a note that said, "Next year will be better - I promise!" That was before the extension. Oops. He owes me one for that!)
I found out I was pregnant the day after he left for training down in Mississippi (although we had a hunch I was pregnant right before he left). He's only seen Amy for 2 weeks, back when she was 5 months old. She's changed a lot since then.
Now Amy is just over 13 months old. She can feed herself. She says UH OH and HI and WOOF WOOF (when she sees a dog) and VAROOM (when she sees a car - or NASCAR). Just this week, her very first tooth appeared! Dad missed out on all those firsts, but it seems like he may be back in time to catch her first steps. Amy can pull herself up and cruise pretty well while holding onto the coffee table or couch, but she can't quite get going on her own yet. Hopefully, she is saving that "first" for when Daddy comes home - which should be in the next few weeks.
Much like the family in the above article, we already have plans to vacation up north as a family (just Josh, Amy, and me). We didn't find a place that will let us stay for free, but at least they are willing to give us a military discount which is better than nothing.
It is an amazing feeling to know that he is probably on his way home somewhere in the world at this very moment. I don't know if he's left Iraq or if he's stuck in Kuwait or if he's actually in Wisconsin by now. I don't know where he'll have to stop on the way or how long it will take him to get from one place to the next. For security purposes, I'm not allowed to know the details. I just know that the end of this deployment is coming soon. And I am ready to have my husband - Amy's Daddy - home.
Well, summer's finally here.
Josh is preparing to head home. We expect him to be back in Minnesota by mid-August or so (give or take a week or two). He's registered for classes and is all set to return to the Carlson School this fall. We hope he'll be home in time to introduce Amy to the milk booth at the State Fair.
I am dealing with some medical problems but I'm hanging in there. I have a series of tests scheduled for next month. I hope to have some answers from my doctors before the end of July. We'll see...
And Amy won a photo contest! She was the MAY 2007 winner in the Robeez Monthly Photo Contest! She won a free pair of shoes! Check her out here: http://robeez.com/en-us/previouswinners.htm?PriceCat=2&Lang=EN-US
I think that's about it from here! We're just taking it day by day, looking forward to when Josh will be home - which should be just around the corner!
Amy celebrated her 1st birthday today!
The latest on Amy's development:
- She can say MAMA and HI and EIEIO. (She loves saying HI and waving at people.)
- She still has no teeth.
- She is crawling everywhere and can crawl very fast!
- She can pull herself up and "cruise" (i.e. walk while holding onto stuff) around the room by herself.
- She can crawl up stairs!
- She nods, claps, and dances to music.
- She takes one or two 1-2 hour naps per day.
- She enjoys going out and meeting new people.
- She doesn't cry when Grandma and Grandpa come over to babysit and Mommy leaves.
- Her favorite foods are bananas, avacados, and whatever Mommy is eating.
- She's sleeping in her own crib, in her own room all the way through the night (9-10 hours in a stretch most nights).
- She doesn't use bottles anymore and enjoys drinking whole milk from her sippy cup.
- She likes to chase and toss her ball around, play with toys that make noise, and have books read to her. She will crawl over with a book in her hand when she wants you to read to her.
- Her favorite stuffed animals are her tiger, polar bear, spider, moose, and owly.
I really am a very lucky Mom! I had some medical problems earlier this month and even when I had to be in the hospital a few days, she was great for Grandma, Grandpa, and our friend, Theresa! I'm truly blessed to have such a great little kid! I can't wait for Josh to come home and share in the joy (notwithstanding the occasional stinky diaper).
In April, Amy and I moved to a new apartment. If you are a family member or friend who wants our new contact info, please send me an email. (I don't want to post it here for privacy/security reasons.) It was exciting to move everything with a 10-month old crawling around, but we did it! I had lots of help from Josh's parents and from some friends.
Several veterans and college students from the group COMFORT FOR COURAGE at the University of Minnesota came over one Friday and moved ALL my furniture! That was really great! They wouldn't let me pay them for their services, so I highly encourage anyone who feels generous to donate to this group - they are doing great things for vets at the U and in our community! (Go to the group's website to find out how to make a donation: http://comfortforcourage.org)
Josh's deployment continues. He's registered for fall classes at the Carlson School, so that's a good sign that perhaps he will return before Labor Day. I'm hoping that he'll be able to take Amy to her first State Fair this year, but we'll see if he's home in time. For now, here's a photo of Josh taken a couple weeks ago near the Ziggurat of Ur:
As for Amy, she is crawling ALL over the place. She's pulling herself up using anything she can find. I expect her to take her first steps any day now. Her 1st birthday is at the end of the month! I've posted some videos of her on the web to share with family and friends.
- Amy crawling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_TIppx82r8
- Amy is ticklish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQzYBvsPZA
That's the update from here! Now that moving is done and my spring semester class is over, I'll be spending my summer settling into the new apartment, getting Amy used to having her own room, and preparing for Josh's return!
Here is a photo from several weeks ago of Josh with another officer from his Brigade:
Not much new from Josh. Same ol', same ol' with him!
On the home front, we are mourning the loss of one of Josh's grandmothers. She passed away in Florida earlier this month. She was 92. She was very loved by all of us. We miss her very much.
In April, Amy and I are moving! Amy is getting bigger and more mobile and it is time that she had her own room! It will be quite the task to move everything here, but we hope to be settled into the new place before Josh returns at the end of the summer. That's all for now. Happy spring everyone!
February 27th is International Polar Bear Day! So be sure to hug your polar bear today!
Josh celebrates Polar Bear Day year-round, as you can tell here: The Iceblog
Ha ha ha.
This week, Josh was promoted! Here are some photos from the promotion ceremony:
Congratulations to Josh!
Josh recently visited a base north of his usual location. Here he is with a couple other soldiers standing in front of a mural on the base:
You may notice that our website has changed! I've moved it over to the University of Minnesota's blog system which will make it MUCH easier to update. I've also updated the design of the site.
And here is a gratuitous photo of Amy. She's now 9 months old:
As many of you already know, Josh has been extended for several more months in Iraq. We got the news this week. Instead of coming home this spring, it looks like he won't be home until the end of the summer. We see once again that everything is subject to change when it comes to the Army, especially during times of war. Sadly, Josh will miss Amy's first birthday and our 2nd anniversary, but we are hopeful that he will be home in time to celebrate his birthday with us.
Josh is back at work in Iraq now. Just a few more months until he's done - yay! It was SOOOO great to have him home even if it was only for two weeks. He's such a great Dad. While he was home, WCCO came over and interviewed us for Veterans Day. You can check out the video of us here:
http://www.wcco.com/video/?id=21363@wcco.dayport.com
Amy and I will be heading to the east coast to visit my family at the end of the month. We'll be staying there through January. I know January in Minnesota can be quite impressive, but I'll let Amy experience it next year when we have a pro (her Dad) around to show her how to make it through the coldest parts of a Minnesota winter! Ha ha ha.
We hope that all our friends and family have a great holiday and happy new year! Thanks for all your support and well-wishes this year. We've really appreciated it. 2006 was quite a year for us - with Josh's deployment and Amy's birth! We're looking forward to 2007 and the new adventures it will bring!
Today, Amy ate solid food for the first time! Her Dad fed her rice cereal with a spoon. Check out the video footage captured by Amy's Mom (5 minutes long):
Josh is home on R&R now. He FINALLY got to meet his daughter for the first time! He and Amy seem to be getting along great. Amy has great timing - the week before he got home, she started saying, "Dadadadadadadadadada." Not that she knows what it means yet, but at least she can make the sound. Here are some photos of Amy & Josh from this week:
Amy enjoys chewing on Josh's glasses:
Kelly, Josh, and Amy:
Josh was tired when he got home from Iraq, so one of the first things on the agenda was a nap. Amy likes naps too:
Josh gave Amy a bottle:
Amy likes to play airplane:
Dad's lap is a nifty place to sit:
Later in the week, we went for a walk around Lake Harriet:
Josh is on his way home for 2 weeks of R&R (leave)! He called from Kuwait to tell me that he should get here by early next week. I can't wait for him to meet his daughter, Amy! I haven't seen him since January.
He'll have to go back to Iraq before the end of the month, but at least the longest part of the deployment is over. There's never a guarantee with the Army, but we hope Josh will be home before Amy's first birthday - which is only about six months away. We'll see.
For now, we'll just enjoy our time together. I am so glad he is going to meet Amy - she is a total joy to be around. She is smiling and giggling now - I know her Dad's going to adore her.
I've created an online photo gallery for photos of Amy. New photos will be added regularly, so you may want to bookmark the site!
Check it out here:
http://www.simer-family.com/
Less than an hour after my last post, my water broke and I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Amy was born on May 31, 2006 at 7:15 PM. See photos of her here:
Sorry I can't write more - someone is hungry (or needs their diaper changed...and it's not me).
I just wanted to post a quick update: No baby yet! Amy is now 8 days late (past her due date). I'm still waiting to go into labor. I had one contraction over the weekend, but that was it. I'm definitely uncomfortable, but both Amy and I seem healthy (I feel her move on a regular basis).
I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday (later today) around noontime. I hope to find out more from my doctor about how I've progressed and if I am any closer to labor. We'll also discuss possible days/times when I might have labor induced. My doctor said she won't let me go later than three weeks past the due date, so I expect that if we schedule an induction, it will be for sometime next week. One way or another (and whether she likes it or not), Amy will be born before June 12! For now, we're still waiting...
This week, I received some photos from Josh. He sent me prints through the mail and asked me to scan some of them into the computer so that I could share them with family and friends. Because they were taken with a disposable camera and I had to scan them in from prints (they were not digital to start with), they are not the best resolution or quality, but they should still give you an idea of what Josh has been up to nonetheless. These photos were taken between January and April 2006:
(Mar 2006) Civil Assistance in Iraq: Soldiers passing out candy to kids near an Iraqi school.
(Mar 2006) Civil Assistance in Iraq: Josh tried to take a photo of the shy girl on the wall who was watching everything going on near the school where the Army was distributing humanitarian aid. (There are some children in the foreground.) Josh wondered what she was dreaming of and whether she's going to have a chance to achieve those dreams.
(Mar 2006) Iraq: Here is an NCO who accompanied Josh on one of the missions. The Iraqi boy next to him loved taking and being in photographs (he took the three photos following this one).
(Mar 2006) Iraq: The Iraqi boy took this photo of Josh and the NCO.
(Mar 2006) Iraq: Another photo of Josh and the NCO.
(Mar 2006) Iraq: This is Josh asking the Iraqi boy to give the camera back. (The boy REALLY enjoyed taking photos.)
Stone Cold the Polar Bear (who is deployed with Josh) has started his own blog. You can check it out here:
Josh sent me a photo via email today. It seems that a few weeks ago, he had the opportunity to visit the Ziggurat of Ur and the supposed birthplace of Abraham. It is an ancient site in southern Iraq. Here is a photo of him standing on top of the Ziggurat with desert in the background:
For photos that show the Ziggurat of Ur (the structure Josh is standing on), check out these pages:
Steps of the Ziggurat
and
Military Vehicles in Front of the Ziggurat
Three weeks ago, the Charlie Daniels Band performed for the troops near Josh's camp. Josh reported that Charlie's hit, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" got an especially enthusiastic response from the Georgia National Guard members in attendance. Josh said it was a pretty good concert.
The temperatures in Iraq are now over 100 degrees, but luckily his living quarters and office both have AC. Josh continues to communicate with me regularly, which has been great - much more often than I expected. He reads a lot and he also found the time to catch a NASCAR race on the Armed Forces Network channel a couple weeks ago. So as you can tell, although his work days are long, Josh tries to find ways to make the most of his free time.
As for me, the pregnancy is going well. Yes, I am still pregnant - for the moment. Monday will mark 39 weeks (due date is May 22), so not much longer to go. I found out Thursday that I've dilated 1 centimeter. That doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot - as women have been known to walk around for weeks at 1 centimeter, but at least it does indicate that my body might know what it needs to do and that our baby is heading in the right direction. One way or another, I think I'll be meeting her soon - hopefully in time to get her help in picking out a Father's Day card for her Dad. Hee hee hee.
I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but there's a tribute page for Josh located here if you'd care to leave him a message of support, encouragement, or humor:
http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/extra/terror/tribute/view.cgi?id=3938
Josh called me over the weekend. He said that he volunteered last week to help a unit pass out stuff to kids in a school. He said it was chaotic but fun. They gave out shoes, clothes, and soccer balls to the kids who ranged in age from 2 to 12 years old. The kids LOVED getting soccer balls. Josh described one girl who took FOREVER to decide which pair of shoes she wanted and tried on a bunch of them. Josh thought it was funny considering all the other kids were just taking anything they could get their hands on - whether it fit them or not.
Josh won't have much time to do stuff like that later, but was glad he had a chance to visit the kids at the school. He'll have to spend more time in his office once the rest of his unit arrives in a few weeks. Although it makes me nervous, I'm glad he's been able to get out and experience a variety of things before he gets too busy. The usual frustrations aside (i.e. missing home, etc.), Josh seems to be in relatively high spirits and good health. If you have messages for him, feel free to let me know and I will be sure to pass them on.
So far, Josh has been able to contact me regularly via email from Iraq. All seems to be going well, relatively speaking. He ate at an italian restaurant on base this weekend and was even able to call me! He managed to send me some photos the other day and I wanted to share them:
Josh in Kuwait, standing next to a sign placed there by his former unit (he used to serve with the 1st Cav Division a few years ago - I've blurred the background for security reasons):
Josh on the C-130 (large plane that took him to Iraq):
(Note that most future photos I get from Josh may be blurred or rendered to make them safe to share with friends and family.)
I almost forgot! Josh sent this message from the polar bear, Stone Cold:
The temperature here is quite bearable for the humans - it is February, after all. I am still having trouble, though. If you thought it was amazing that a male polar bear could eat 160lbs of food in a single meal, you should see how much water we drink when you put us in the desert! All of the soldiers usually carry around a 1.5 liter water bottle and when they go outside the base they have a 3-liter "Camel-bak" that we drink from. I think I may have to start pulling around one of these 500-gallon "water buffalo" trailers.
I enjoyed the flight in to Iraq. I'm grateful that CPT Simer was able to convince the loadmaster on the C-130 that I didn't need to be strapped down to a pallet. What was most fun is that we were blacked out for most of the flight. Some of the soldiers on board got a little dizzy because of this, and because the C-130 made a few hard turns that you would never see a commercial jetliner do. But I enjoyed it.
That's all for now. Oh - someone please write to my division back home and tell them not to issue the other bears any additional cold weather gear. I will never need to wear that polar fleece, and when I tried to eat it, it tasted terrible!
(In case you are wondering about this polar bear, you can find out more about him here: Almost ready to go)
Josh is in Iraq now. He caught a ride on a C-130. He can't tell me which base yet, but says it's a quieter part of Iraq. He's living in a trailer and will have a roommate once the rest of the Brigade arrives at the end of this month or early next month. Luckily, he thinks his roommate will be one of his friends - a fellow officer from his unit. All in all, Josh sounds optimistic and as you can probably tell, he hasn't lost his sense of humor. He has granted me permission to share this information from his email today. Enjoy:
Everyone from the brigade we're replacing has been very friendly - they're all quite happy to see me, for some reason.
We flew in by C-130 from Ali Al-Salem airbase in Kuwait. When I was last here, in 2000, Ali Al-Salem was a Kuwaiti air force base with a large US presence. Now the US presence overwhelms the Kuwaitis. Ali Al-Salem is an absolutely dismal place as air force bases go, which means it's still a hell of a lot better than most Army bases. There's also a lot of different units, forces, and countries represented there. At one point we passed by an Australian supply depot. They had stuff on shelves inside tents, and a bunch of stuff stacked on pallets outside. I couldn't tell what was in the boxes, but I joked that it was all Vegemite. After all, they have several hundred soldiers in Iraq - they must go through a lot of Vegemite. "Aw, crickey! An IED!" I can just see Steve Irwin picking up an IED and saying, "Isn't she GORGEOUS! Look at 'er! Don't worry, little girl. I'm not here t o hurt you - whoa!" and then the IED explodes, miraculously leaving him unharmed except for scratches and soot all over. "Whew! You really have to be careful with those things, I tell you!"
Cut to Terri Irwin... "While Steve is out there picking up IEDs, I stay here on the FOB and organize the supplies. Hey, guys! Put that back! Ramadi only gets FIVE cases of Vegemite!"
During my brief time in Kuwait, I went to a couple of different camps and got to see a wide range of units: a MEU, an armored brigade, various USAF units, and even a Navy construction battalion ("Seabees") that was way too far inland. I watched some Seabees prepare a new trailer park at one camp. They were setting out concrete blocks for the trailers to rest on. One day, they surveyed the site, and staked it off. Two days later, one of the four sides had string running between the stakes. (it was about 60 meters on a side). The next day, another of the four sides had string. On day five, they laid one row of about 20 cinderblocks. The next day, another row. All told, they probably put in 20 minutes of work a day on this. Now, I'm going to assume that this was not their main effort and that they probably just had a small crew working on it in what little time they had to spare from more important tasks. This is becaus e I know the Seabees have not fallen that far from their glory days in WW2 when they could turn jungle into a fully operational airbase in a matter of days. Of course, they were only making Marine airstrips. If they had been constructing air force bases, they would have spent the first week just digging the pool and arranging the beach chairs, then another week building and furnishing the dining facility, another week on the BX, and then might have gotten started on the runways after a month or so.
By the way, it's a lot easier to make an airstrip or a road in the desert than in the jungle, especially if you can get by with a dirt road or airstrip. Matter of fact, in a lot of places in Kuwait, the only difference between the road and the desert on either side is that there are no potholes in the desert. So why don't you just leave the road and drive the desert? Because it's so easy to get lost once you get off the road - you can't navigate when the only recognizable terrain features move every time there's a strong wind!
I got two VERY short emails this week confirming that Josh has indeed arrived in Kuwait (or wherever it is exactly he's supposed to be in the Middle East this week). He should be going to Iraq sometime this month, but I have no idea when.
No phone calls yet, but I suspect that once Josh gets to his base in Iraq, he might be able to call me. We shall see!
Josh called me this morning to announce that they've finished their training at Fort Polk. They should be heading back to "lovely" Camp Shelby, Mississippi in the coming days. He'll get a few days to "relax" at Camp Shelby before he goes overseas within the next couple of weeks or so. He will eventually end up in Kuwait, where he'll be for several weeks - maybe even more than a month - as he gets stuff ready for when the rest of the Brigade starts coming through on their way to Iraq. I will have little to no contact with him for the weeks he is in Kuwait, which should be the next challenging part of this deployment. He should be able to contact me more regularly once he gets to his FOB (forward operating base) in Iraq. I think that should be around the end of April at the latest, but I could be wrong. I have no information about specific dates and even if I did, I don't think I'd be allowed to share them.
In any case, there is no need to worry. Josh has been joined by one of his buddies this week - Stone Cold the Polar Bear.
He was called up a little later than the rest of the Brigade, but the polar bear is still ready to go. Josh says he will be sure to take pictures of Stone Cold throughout their adventures in Iraq together. For now, check out these photos from the day that Stone Cold left Minnesota - it was sad for the other animals to have to say goodbye, but at least Josh and Stone Cold can keep each other company through the deployment (note - this is a pdf file):
http://www.thesimers.com/kelly/departurephotos.pdf
Also, Josh sent me this email last week to let me know that Stone Cold had arrived at Fort Polk safely and was adapting well to life with the Brigade:
Stone Cold has arrived. Just in time, too. We're going to have him brief Brig-Gen Terry on our plans for Iraq. Thank goodness he has a secret clearance. It was difficult to find all of his references for his background check because the only addresses he gave were "somewhere in the Arctic."
Josh is now at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana. He will have very limited communications while he is training there (almost no email/phone). His unit will spend the next couple of weeks at JRTC before heading back to Camp Shelby. Although some of you may have heard about a departure ceremony in Mississippi for the Minnesota National Guard coming up in March, Josh will not be a part of that ceremony. He will be heading over to Kuwait earlier than most of his Brigade, helping to facilitate the transport of soldiers and equipment overseas. I expect him to be at his base in Iraq sometime in April, although he cannot reveal exact dates and April is only an estimate.
As far as the pregnancy goes, I am now half way through Week 24! I had a doctor's appointment today and all is going well. I only gained a couple pounds this month, but my tummy has already started to drastically change shape. I look like I'm trying to smuggle a cantaloupe under my shirt now. I've had to switch over to maternity clothes for the most part and probably won't be out of them anytime soon (until May or June, I imagine). Luckily, I am still feeling good and although this semester of grad school will be busy, I hope I can make it through the end of the semester and get my classes completed. We'll see!
That's the update for now! Happy Birthday wishes to Ma (Josh's grandma in Florida), my Mom (in North Carolina), and my niece, Kylee (who turns 1 this weekend)!!!
Josh left for Camp Shelby today. Man, that was the HARDEST goodbye so far. We got up a little after 6am and he finished packing. Josh was more quiet and reserved than normal. I could tell it wasn't easy for him to leave. I managed not to cry for most of the morning. I drove him to the airport where I was able to get a gate pass and stay with Josh until he had to board his plane. We went through security, ate some breakfast, and then went to his gate and waited for the plane. I tried to make Josh laugh a little and he held my hand tightly. Then they called his row, he stood up, picked up his bag, and said it was time for him to go. I stood up and put on my coat. I hugged him. It was only then that I started to cry. I was a little proud of myself for holding off on crying until it got to that point. I told him I loved him and he headed for his plane. I watched him board and saw him look back a couple times. Then he was gone. I didn't wait around for the plane to leave. That would've been too hard. I called my Mom and cried to her a little. She turned the conversation to our daughter and that made me feel better. I spent a little while at Josh's grandma's house on the way back from the airport and then headed home.
Josh called around 2:30pm CST to let me know he'd arrived in Atlanta and was on the bus to Camp Shelby with the other soldiers. I was glad to hear he caught an early bus so perhaps he'll be back at Shelby before midnight so he can get some rest before he has to work tomorrow. He said he had to wait an HOUR AND A HALF for his luggage in Atlanta. It seems that is typical these days (stupid airlines). I think the bus ride from Atlanta to Camp Shelby is about 8 hours or so. Perhaps he'll call (if he isn't too tired) when he gets back to his barracks. We'll see.
Anyway, Josh has left Minnesota for now. He expects to be at Camp Shelby for a few weeks and then it will be off to the Middle East in a few weeks. He's part of a group that is going before the rest of the Brigade so no official farewell ceremonies for me. That does save me the cost of flying down to Mississippi to say goodbye to him in March (they are having official farewell ceremonies for the Brigade then, but Josh will already be gone), but it also means that today's goodbye was my farewell ceremony. It's hard to believe that the next time I see him, he'll likely be coming from Iraq. I tried to put that thought out of my mind as I hugged him this morning.
At least I won't be completely alone - soon I'll have our little girl to keep me company and of course, keep me very busy. Let the countdown to Josh's return start now!!!
The sonogram was this morning. We're having a girl! I was surprised. I really thought it would be a boy, but I didn't care really - I was just happy that she appears healthy. The technician complimented our daughter on her "well-defined brain structures." Would you expect any less from the two of us? Ha ha ha. Our baby was eager to show off her brain, but was a little more shy about her other body parts. After awhile, however, we managed to see more of her. We saw her arms, legs, hands, heart, stomach, spine, and kidneys. We even saw her stick out her tongue once. She liked putting her hand over her face. Silly girl! Anyway, here is one of the best images we got this morning. You can see her profile in the sonogram image here:
That's our baby! All in all, it was a wonderful appointment. It was very exciting to see our daughter. I am so glad I could share the moment with Josh.
Tomorrow, Josh leaves Minnesota. It will likely be the last time I see him for 18 months or so. I am using all my strength to be strong and optimistic, but it is hard to say goodbye. I know it will be okay once he goes and I will adjust and go on, but it's the saying goodbye part - especially knowing that he won't see his baby for such a long time - that is hard. I try to stay positive though and the baby is a great joy that we are both looking forward to, deployment or not. This week, Josh allowed me to videotape him reading stories and singing songs so that hopefully, I can play those for the baby when it arrives so that she can hear his voice right from the start (even if she doesn't know who he is exactly).
Best of all, Josh will be back around the baby's first birthday so perhaps our daughter will still be young enough to forget that he was even gone - she'll probably just be glad to have one more person show up who will entertain her! (And I have no doubt that Josh will oblige.) I'm already looking forward to the homecoming - the countdown begins tomorrow! Until then, baby and I will take each day as it comes and appreciate all the support and well-wishes we've received from our family and friends.
Josh will be returning home today! He'll be on leave for nearly two weeks. He will be in Minnesota through January 4th! After taking a bus from Camp Shelby to Atlanta, he'll be flying directly to Minneapolis this morning. It will be the first time he's seen me since we found out I was pregnant and on Jan. 3rd, he'll join me at my first sonogram! Perhaps we'll find out if we're having a boy or a girl! We also have plans to get together with his family on Christmas Eve. Other than that, the only thing on his schedule is rest, relaxation, and visiting family and friends while he is home. It's not a long time to spend with him, but it is still good to have him home - even if only for a couple of weeks. Happy holidays to all!
GX, The Guard Experience magazine is going to be following Josh's Brigade through the entire course of their mobilization and deployment. That's not to say Josh will be in any pictures or be doing any interviews, but at least it is another way we can keep up with what he's doing with his unit while they are so far from home. Check out the feature here for more info:
Josh sent me some photos today. His description of them: "I'm in a couple of these, and the rest are people from C company 134th BSB - the medical company I mobilized with."
Most of these were taken the day that they left Minnsota and over their first couple of days at Camp Shelby:
CPT Berndt and (and a sleepy) Megan - 21 Sep 2005 at 1 AM (before flight to Camp Shelby)
1SG Fisher and CPT Cannon on plane - 21 Sep 05 (on the way to Camp Shelby)
FOB Hurricane - 22 Sep 05
FOB Hurricane - 22 Sep 05
1LT Boonstra (Boonie)
CPT Berndt in poncho liner toga - 24 Sep 05
CPT Simer, CPT Berndt, CPT Ferguson after road march - 25 Sep 05
I received a newsletter today from some random person somehow associated with Josh's unit (not our family readiness group). In the newsletter was a link to this interesting website that you'll have to check out: Red Bull Web (The Desert Bulls)
No pics of Josh on there yet, but I'll be adding a link to this website to the menu on the side of this page. The website includes info from the commanders of Josh's unit, the history of the Red Bull division, as well as photos from Camp Shelby. Enjoy!
Just to follow-up on a couple of things that Josh mentioned in his most recent letter:
1. Josh did eventually find the location of the local Rosh Hashanah services. A van took him and another Jewish soldier to a synagogue in Hattiesburg, MS. He said it was "terrific." Along with the two of them (in their BDUs), there were out-of-state hurricane volunteers attending the services - even a group from Minnesota! He really enjoyed the services and said everyone was enthusiastic and friendly.
2. Josh made it through his oral surgery with no problems. He had all four of his wisdom teeth removed - the Army said he had to have them all removed so that the teeth would not cause him problems in Iraq. (Luckily, they didn't decide the same fate for his appendix, tonsils, or gall bladder - at least not yet.) Josh did NOT have to report for duty following his surgery and his commanding officers actually allowed him to take a few days off to rest up and recover. He took pain killers for a couple of days and still has some stiffness in his jaw, but it seems that he did not have any complications (no dry sockets) and is doing well now. Fortunately, the Army food he's been served, while usually a mystery, is frequently mushy enough for Josh to eat without any problems and he also managed to find a smoothie stand near his barracks, so he ate pretty well through his recovery.
3. Just tonight, Josh called to say that it looks like he'll be with a planning unit, drawing up the plans to get their troops to Iraq in the spring. While this could mean that he'll end up going to Kuwait or Iraq sooner than the rest of the bunch, it may also mean that he'll get sent stateside a little sooner too (but he will still be on active duty the same time as everyone else, he will just be working stateside a little sooner than the rest). Josh seemed pleased to be given an official project to work on - and it seems to be a very important project at that. He noted that it was interesting that he may have to coordinate some transportation issues with the Navy - and that his last active duty assignment with the Army could -at this rate- be at a naval base! (That will make my Dad -who is retired Navy- laugh, since my Dad actually spent his last tour at an Army base.)
4. It appears more than likely that Josh WILL get to come home for a week or two over the holiday season. He's still not sure what mode of transport he'll be taking to come back to Minnesota for that short period of time, but more details should be coming soon. We're hoping that I can make a doctor's appointment for the time he's here so that he can "see" the baby during an ultrasound. Josh might even be around in time for us to find out whether we'll be having a boy or girl! That would be exciting. We'll see how it all works out.
I think that's about it for now. It seems like Josh is settling in down there and although frustrated at times, he is working with some good people and getting some interesting assignments. I'll post his next letter when I receive it!
I found out this morning that I am pregnant! Josh knew before he left that I was probably pregnant, but now, it is official. I had a test at the University clinic this morning to confirm numerous positive at-home tests. We should be expecting a baby around the end of May or early June. I will know a more definite date after my first prenatal appointment, before the end of October. Although we both know it will be difficult with his deployment, we are both extremely happy and looking forward to starting our family. Josh will probably NOT be able to get leave for the birth, but we'll do all we can (thanks to technology) to make sure our baby knows Dad until they can meet each other in person. Thanks for your well-wishes and prayers.
Josh called me at 7:00 this morning to report that he made it to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. They have a couple of areas where he can get cell phone reception, but he won't be calling again for awhile. Although he can sometimes get cell phone reception, the bigger problem is that he has no way to charge his phone. It seems they only have a few working generators at the Camp and as you may have guessed, they have more important things to power-up than people's cell phones. Their electricity goes "in and out."
So you will NOT be able to call or email Josh in the near future, but you CAN send him snail (regular postal) mail! I have his address in Mississippi. Although he indicated in his mass email to everyone that I would post his address to this site, I have decided it would be more prudent to simply share that I DO have his address. I don't think he wants the whole world to know his address and it wouldn't be nice to have a terrorist send him a package (posting his address on the web might even violate certain Army rules/regulations), so IF YOU WANT JOSH'S ADDRESS, please SEND ME AN EMAIL or leave a comment to this post indicating your interest in his address. I am more than happy to share the information with Josh's friends and family and I know he'd love to hear from you (even if he might not be able to respond right away). That's all for now - it was great to hear his voice and to know he made it to the Camp safe and sound. When I get more news from him, I'll be sure to post it here!
Update: Although I have an address for Josh, it seems that the Army is still unsure of where to deliver his mail. Although he is with the HHC, he was sent to Camp Shelby with a different company. Josh is NOT officially on the rosters with EITHER company so his mail seems to be getting held up or returned at the moment. Josh is VERY unhappy with this situation, but hopes it will be fixed once the Army officially decides where he's supposed to be assigned and gets his name added to the appropriate roster. Fun times.
I got up at 3 AM with Josh to drive him to the armory at 4AM this morning. He's leaving with his National Guard unit today. It wasn't much of a send off - just families in the early morning darkness, hugging, crying, whispering to each other, saying goodbye to their soldiers. Josh loaded up his stuff on the bus that will take them to the airport later this morning and we hugged and kissed, said we loved each other, and then he headed off to join his unit gathering and preparing to leave.
They think they are going to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, but won't be positive of that until their plane touches the ground. They could go to Fort Stewart. That would work out better seeing as how Camp Shelby does not (at least as of yesterday's briefing) have electricity, phone service, internet, running water, or housing (even their tents were blown away in the hurricane). Not that the Army really thinks they need those things, so at this point, they are still more than likely going to Camp Shelby. I don't expect to hear from Josh until I get a "snail" mail letter from him in a week or two (whenever he finds out if he can actually send/receive snail mail from there). (Just a warning to those of you sending him emails - as of 3AM this morning, he might not be able to read your email until December or so.)
They were all joking yesterday that for as much as Camp Shelby has to offer, they might as well go straight to Iraq - at least Iraq has running water, electricity, and shelter for them! Some places even have internet! Ah well - they will be there soon enough. For now, Josh is just heading to Camp Shelby for 6 months of training with the other 4,000 members of his brigade. I'll be posting updates from him as I get them, but at this rate, there might not be anything new from him for a few weeks. We'll see...
This is where we'll be posting updates from Josh, who is being sent with his National Guard unit for training and eventual deployment in support of OIF. For now, I'm just posting to let you know that there will be more coming soon!