Wayne's World 2005

SSGT West Completes Term of Military Service

2009-08-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

When I answered the phone at 7:30 this morning, a quiet voice on the other end asked, "Hey, Mom. Do you know what today is?" A little baffled, I encouraged Wayne to continue. "It's my last day in the Guard," he replied. "Eight years. Over. Done."

For the next several seconds, we each held our phones in silence. Traffic whizzed past Wayne's car. My own pulse pounded in my ear.

Our eight-year journey started in 2001 as a simple discussion how to help finance Wayne's education at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.
Who knew the day he enlisted in the Army National Guard would become known as 9-11?

Four years later, our nation still grasping for answers, Wayne boarded a planed headed to Iraq - the most difficult day I've expererienced as his mother. And thankful as we are for his safe return, we still mourn with those families whose soldiers returned in coffins.

Tonight, there are no marching bands. No waving flags. No cheering onlookers. But we who are safely settled with the ones we love are grateful for valiant soldiers like Staff Sgt. Wayne West - who now joins a host of honorable veterans who have truly helped to make America a home for the free and the brave.

Thank you, Wayne. Well done, Son. Well done.

SSGT West Transfers, Says Farewell to 155th BCT

2008-02-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

After Wayne returned from Iraq on December 22, 2005, he moved to Louisiana to finish college at LSU-Shreveport and to be near his fiancee, Lauren. Following their wedding during the summer of 2006, the couple established their home in Louisiana, where their son, Trey, was born last year.

After Wayne and Lauren both graduate from college in May, they will continue living in Minden, La., where Wayne will be attached to a National Guard unit at Camp Minden.

Wayne said thank-you for all of of us who were forever changed by his deployment and faithful service to his unit, his brigade and our country.

We'll keep you posted where we're blogging family news next.

In Memory of Glenda Powdrill

2008-01-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

This morning, we received tragic news that Myron's sister, Glenda Powdrill, died in a one-car accident last night.

According to The News-Star, Glenda sustained fatal injuries when the SUV she was driving overturned on New Natchitoches Road in West Monroe, La.

The car crashed just before midnight while she was reportedly traveling westbound on Louisiana 838 (New Natchitoches Road) in a 2003 GMC Envoy when the vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, the report said.

Glenda apparently overcorrected, then overturned. The release also stated she was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Alcohol use is not suspected to be a factor.

Myron and his other two sisters are with his parents in Louisiana, waiting for the body to be returned from autopsy later tonight. Arrangements will be finalized tomorrow.

Glenda was a respected registered nurse; a faithful wife to Jerry; the loyal daughter of Katherine and Mack McCormick; loving sister to Myron, Maxine and Sandy and mother of two grown children. We will miss her.

Sgt. Galatas' Wife Publishes "A Soldier's Courage"

2008-01-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

Remember Norris Galatas, the soldier for whom we've been praying during his courageous battle for recovery from wounds he received in Iraq? Well, his wife, Janis, has written a book chronicling their journey.

Auntie Tracye forwarded a recent email from Janis, just before the book came out. "Norris will spend another year at Walter Reed until they can get rid of the MRSA infection and repair his damaged colon. This will mean two more surgeries. We will just suck it up and drive on," she said. That's the spirit of this couple.

You'll add to their support when you click here to buy Janis's book from Amazon.

Congratulations, Janis!!
And thumbs up to you, too, Sgt. Galatas!

A Unique Way to Start the New Year

2007-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Years ago, Mary Weeks and I shared a conference hotel room in Houston. While there, a housekeeper severely damaged my cello when she accidentally dropped a heavy iron onto the instrument’s soft-sided case. Mary bought me a first-class hard-sided case to prevent that from happening again. Every time I open the case to play my cello, I remember Mary’s generosity. She’s been an instrument of goodwill to lots of other folks, too.

Mary and I haven't seen each other for a long, long time; but she was a regular reader of Wayne's World while he was in Iraq.
Last year she started her own battle:

Mary Weeks-Ayala, 44, has endured 18 months of chemotherapy to adequately reduce the number of tumors in her liver to make her eligible for surgery. Already part of an elite three percent who survive Stage IV colon cancer past 12 months, Mary now needs money for two operations to keep her alive.

Click here to read Mary's story in her own words.

The short version is side effects from intial surgery and ongoing treatment to reduce the number of tumors in her liver forced Mary to give up her job as an accounting professional. To make matters more difficult, her husband recently lost his forest-products related job.
Their only insurance is an expensive COBRA policy.

At the end of her blog post, Mary and her husband humbly ask for our help now. They need 4,500 people to purchase one gift album from RIBBONS FOR MARY, the online store they set up to earn money to pay for two operations Mary needs to save her life.

Buy a gift. Save a life. Here's how you can help:

1. Click here or copy and past this link into your browser window.
http://aayala10.ordermygift.com/Products/Thumbnail.aspx?ctg=14287&ast=443938&rtl=14287

2. OR, if that doesn't work, Click here .
- When the new window opens, click the "General Collections" tab in the top left corner to choose your album.

Thanks for your patience and your compassion.

Merry Christmas from the Wests

2007-12-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

Wayne, Lauren and Trey thank all of you for the love and support for the last two years.

Click here to watch their touching Christmas video.

(If the above link doesn't work, try to copy and paste this:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1610296053 )

Tell Them Thanks

2007-12-16T09:38:00.001-08:00

Kathy, a regular contributor to our 150th BCT family chat room, introduced us to the "Tell Them Thanks" campaign. Watch this short video, to learn an easy, unintimidating sign to signal your support and to say thank you, whenever and wherever you want to.

This weekend, Myron and I are saying thanks to SSGT Wayne West and his wife, Lauren, for sharing their son, Trey, with us.

Days of Infamy

2007-12-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Within the living memory of Americans are two deadly surprise attacks against the United States: Japan's assault on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Both times, the Library of Congress sent people out to record the voices of ordinary Americans as they reacted to a changed world.

Listen to voices of these Americans reacting to each incident, as produced by American RadioWorks. (Note: This content may require the latest RealPlayer, which is not available on Windows 95, Mac OS9 or Linux systems.)

[A portion of this post has been removed by the author.]

Death is difficult, even under the best of circumstances. One 13-year old boy seems to understand it better than most of us. Listen to Logan's phone call to a local radio station.

Taste of Dixie Thunder

2007-12-06T09:38:00.001-08:00

In the wake of Operation Iraqi Freedom, one journalist and one photographer from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal spent 30 days in central Iraq with the 155th Brigade Combat Team to bring everyone back home a taste of Dixie Thunder. We remember well.

Prayers for Sgt. Grayson "Norris" Galatas

2007-12-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

While most soldiers attached to the 155th ponder news of their alert status, Sgt. Grayson "Norris" Galatas is still fighting for his life, two years after returning with our brigade.

Sgt. Galatas was wounded April 19, 2005, when the 10-ton Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) he was driving exploded after running over a 155mm artillery round.

Today's email from a concerned 155th aunt asks us to pray for his healing:

SGT Norris Galatas has yet another infection, and now is facing surgery #21! This time his buttocks wounds are infected, not the abdomen, where he just had surgery to clear out an infection there. He has got the staph infection that is going around the country... He has a long road to recovery and still walking it in faith! Please pray for him and his wife, Janis.

If ever I start to feel pressured by the busy-ness of the holidays, I promise to pray for Sgt. Galatas and other wounded warriors instead.

155th Brigade Alert Hits News

2007-12-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

Online family discussion boards were active yesterday with news the 155th Brigade Combat Team has been put on alert for possible mobilization in 2009.

In this article, published by the Commercial Dispatch in Columbus, Miss., Maj. Gen. Harold A. Cross points out the Department of Defense order is an alert, not a mobilization order - which would mean deployment is imminent. The alert does, however, direct more money and equipment to the unit for training, he says.

Meanwhile, Wayne is now living in Minden, La., completing final exams for his next-to-last semester of college at LSU-Shreveport. He is a Finance major.

2007 Nutcracker Parade

2007-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

The 24th Annual Nutcracker Parade is now in formation. One by one, soldiers are snapping to attention, mustering memories as they march to the beat of a distant drum.

Each Christmas since Wayne was born, our family has bought a nutcracker to guard the coming of a new year. Stationed in a position of honor, he heralds our hopes and defends our dreams. In staunch silence, he protects what we hold dear.

Two years ago, our nutcracker parade featured a soldier of honor dressed in army camouflage to welcome Wayne home three days before Christmas.

Today begins a new round of waiting. The phone has rung again. All is quiet, very quiet, on the home front...except for our prayers.

Mother's Day 2007

2007-05-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Before Trey was born, other women told me next best thing to being a mother is being a grandmother. With that in mind, this post will conclude Wayne's World. We thank all our readers, many of whom shared comments and links to other worlds.

We are especially grateful to all the men and women who continue to serve in the military on behalf of the United States of America -- including Wayne, who is continuing his commitment to the Army National Guard.

Thank you, First Sergeant West. We salute you.

Seems Like Only Yesterday

2007-05-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

On June 9, Wayne and Lauren will celebrate the first anniversary of their wedding at Seaside, Florida.

This Mother's Day weekend, the couple are sharing their love with Lauren's folks in Minden, LA.

When I talked to Wayne a minute ago, he was poolside, soaking up some sun, after having completed a week of final exams at school.

Donald Wayne West, III (Trey)

2007-03-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

What joy! Today, Wayne and Lauren welcomed the newest member to their family -- a nine-pound, 19-inch baby boy they named Donald Wayne West, III. Mother and baby are both doing well. Daddy Wayne is bonding in the nursery.

All 22 visitors in the waiting room are clammoring for a view!

Wedding Day

2006-06-09T05:55:00.000-07:00

By any stretch of the imagination, this is not an official recap of the wedding week, but one story deserves special treatment this morning.

During the rehearsal dinner last night, I was sitting next to Wayne when he phoned Patrick Bacon, his best man and battle buddy from Iraq, seated only two tables away.

"Dude! Did you hear the news today? They got him. Zarqawi is dead, as in d-e-a-d," Wayne reported.

Eyes wide, mouth open, head thrust forward, Patrick pulled his fist toward his chest with a defiant, "YES!"

Two men, two veterans - 'brothers from another mother,' as they say - nodded to each other, smiled, then lifted their glasses to acknowledge a great wedding present.

This is one mother who smiled with them.

Minus Seven Days - Not So LIttle Anymore

2006-06-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Later today, we'll load up and hit the road for our WWIF (wedding week in Florida). I haven't slowed down long enough to really think about how close the wedding is.

What I have thought about is how fast the time went by from when Wayne was a little boy, picking up shells at the beach.

Minus Nine Days - 155th to be Honored Thursday

2006-05-31T05:01:00.000-07:00

According to The Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, which chronicles conflicts from the early 1800s to the present wars in the Middle East, will soon be home to a monument honoring thousands of soldiers who braved the battlefields of Iraq.

A monument dedicated to the Mississippi National Guard's 155th Brigade Combat Team will be unveiled Thursday at the museum at Camp Shelby just south of Hattiesburg.

Camp Shelby opened in 1917, and tens of thousands of soldiers, including the 155th, which spent most of 2005 in Iraq have trained on its 136,000 acres.

The brigade was made up of 3,500 Mississippians and marked the largest deployment of Magnolia State soldiers since World War II -an era in which 100,000 soldiers trained at Camp Shelby.

The brigade -with members from Pennsylvania, California, Washington, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Missouri, New Jersey, South Carolina, Vermont, Utah, and Arkansas - was attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

The monument will join the museum's roughly 17,000 artifacts that include an exhibit honoring Mississippi's 26 Medal of Honor recipients and the 44 Medal of Honor recipients who served or trained at Camp Shelby. The monument will be placed so it faces markers dedicated to World War II, said museum director Chad Daniels.

"One side will be World War II and on the other side will be the global war on terrorism," Daniels said. "The placement is important. The 155th has a lineage with the 31st Infantry Division from World War II, also known as the Dixie Division, which is directly across the street from where the 155th monument is going to be."

The 155th deployed from Camp Shelby in January 2005. Fourteen Mississippians died in Iraq. Purple Heart medals were given to 123 soldiers for combat injuries or deaths. Other medals that went to members of the brigade include 328 Bronze Stars, 2,000 Combat Badges and one Silver Star, said Maj. Gen. Harold Cross, Mississippi's adjutant general.

The monument "commemorates the service of the Mississippi National Guard personnel and the other service personnel that served with them in Iraq," Daniels said. "It's something that when these fellas come back they can show their children and their
relatives, 'Here is something I was a part of."'

The museum opened four years ago on a base with a fascinating history. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the first Japanese-American to serve in Congress, trained at Camp Shelby with the Japanese-American 442nd Regiment. It became one of the most decorated units in the war.

Camp Shelby was also a prisoner of war camp that housed thousands of Germans during World War II.

Today, the camp is training soldiers for duty in Iraq and other crisis areas. Nearly 20,000 soldiers have trained there since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Retired Gen. Emmett H. "Mickey" Walker, a decorated World War II veteran and former head of the National Guard Bureau under President Reagan for whom the museum is dedicated, has said the facility at Camp Shelby rivals any military museum in the world.

The monument dedication will coincide with the annual Mississippi National Guard Retiree Day, which gives former soldiers a chance to reunite and see the changes being made at the base, said Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Tim Powell.

Memorial Day 2006

2006-05-29T04:47:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers.

For this family and many others like us, Memorial Day will never again be just another day to play golf or to sleep late.

This time last year, we were learning lessons about sacrifice as did other military families before us. Only ours was more immediate.

We weren't waiting to receive handwritten letters. (Thank goodness! I think I got TWO all year!) We strained to hear the ding of Yahoo Instant Messenger. We huddled over our computers hoping for an email, or at least a new post from Kevin Kelly. We scanned family message boards, grateful to share good news.

Sometimes, silence was deadly.

Whenever communications were cut off, we held our breath--knowing in all probability, one of our soldiers would not be coming home alive. Like some horrible lottery, we waited with other mothers, wives and girlfriends, wondering who would get the one phone call or visit they dreaded most. This morning, I'm particularly sensitive to the pain of those families in our brigade who lost a loved one.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us Freedom of the Press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us Freedom of Speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the Freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial;

And it is the Soldier--who salutes the flag,
Who serves the flag, and
Whose coffin is draped by the flag--
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

By Charles M. Province

To all our men and women serving or who have served in the Armed Forces, and to those families who have endured hardship for the cause of Freedom, thank you.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty."
1 Corinthians 3:17

God bless you all.

Eleven Days and a Wake-up

2006-05-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Although it's 11 days until Wayne's wedding, it's only five days until we leave for Florida. We've got out-of-town guests in our home for the Memorial Day weekend, I'm in the middle of magazine production and I've got another story to write for Hot Springs Village Voice before I go. It also might help if I pack...check, after I go shopping.

Unlike our middle son, Bret, I'm not sure I could make it as a newspaper journalist. I'm too finicky about about my "writing environment." Conversation is off-limits. Television playing in the background is a definitely taboo. That's particularly unfortunate, because my home office has no doors, and I'm right around the corner from the living room, my husband's easy chair and the constant chatter of the box.

Most music doesn't work, either. Music with words or a beat is a big no-no. My mind automatically jumps to the rhythm or the lyrics.

I've found only one thing that assists my creativity: Solo Piano Radio - Music to Quiet Your World.

Television is on in the next room, where Myron is also giving a carpet-green putting lesson to his guest. The wife is also up, and she's talking on the phone to her daughter back home.

Now that I've already served everybody breakfast, it's back to the June cover story, for at least another hour...and a little more volume on Solo Piano Radio in the headset.

Minus 16 Days - Combat Diaries Tonight on A&E

2006-05-25T04:41:00.000-07:00

My friend, Josh, over at Biggie Fries, posted a reminder to watch a documentary tonight about his Marine friend's combat unit.

Tune in to A&E tonight at 8 p.m. CST to view Combat Diary: The Marines of Lima Company.

Click here to watch a preview.

If you can't watch tonight, additional airings are:

Thursday, May 25 9pm/8C
Friday, May 26 1am/12C
Saturday, May 27 8pm/7C
Sunday, May 28 12am/11C & 1pm/12C
Monday, May 29 8am/7C & 2pm/1C

Minus 18 Days - How Old Are You?

2006-05-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

Take the Eons 50+ Challenge

Lately, I catch myself taking deep breaths and saying, 'You can do this. Take the long view. Everything's gonna be alright.'

I've worked hard to quit being such a control freak. A few years ago, I nearly slapped the person who told me my determination to be a good mother was really more about misplaced pride than it was about my son's well-being. Now, I want to slap anybody who says when a daughter marries, you get a son; but when a son marries, you're SOL.

One good thing about living in a retirement destination like Hot Springs is nearly everybody is in transition of one sort or another. But nobody sits around and whines about being old. We embrace the opportunity to give back, make a difference and leave a legacy.

Eighteen days away from Wayne's wedding day, I realize the only way I'll keep sane is to enjoy the moment, and the next moment, and the next moment, and the next moment...

Yesterday, I got a shot in the psychological arm when I opened the mail to find an invitation to think ahead from Eons, a company celebrating life that begins at 50.

"We're inspring a generation of boomers and seniors to do more, see more, learn more and be more on their way to the reachable goal of living to be 100," the company literature says.

To encourage us to take the long view, Eons will award one lucky person $15,000 to help achieve the #1 thing you want to accomplish in your life after 50. People who register will receive one chance to win for each goal entered. The more goals, the more chances to win.

Want your chance at the $15,000? Visit Eons 50+ Challenge and share the #1 thing you want to accomplish in your life.

Use prize code 30952. (Must be 50+ to win.)

I feel better already, just from having started my list.

Minus 26 Days - Lessons I've Learned from My Son

2006-05-14T03:36:00.000-07:00

Blip… Blip… Blip…_____________________________.

Everything was fine until the fetal heart monitor flat-lined, 12 hours into hard labor.

“Your baby has turned breach,” the doctor said matter-of-factly, summoning the delivery team. “We need to do a C-section…now.”

Less than an hour later, you were born healthy and whole, thank goodness. The night of July 1, 1983, you taught me it’s not how you start, but how you finish, that really counts.

By the time you were four, we were well into homeschooling—not just for you, but six other children with whom you shared your room and your toys five days a week for seven years. Instead of sleeping late on Saturday morning, you popped out of bed, ready to scour neighborhood garage sales for new stuff we could ‘show the kids on Monday.’ You taught me the best way to learn is by teaching someone else.

At seven, you were ready to see the world.

“When will you take me on an airplane?” you asked one early summer night, wide-eyed as I tucked you into bed. Where? “Disneyworld, of course,” you continued. “We can look for a good deal in the travel section of the Sunday Times.”

By Sunday, you had a goal. Four days, three nights in Orlando - including airfare, rental car, hotel and continental breakfast – for $1100. I agreed to spring for park tickets if you could come up with $1100 in 12 weeks.

By Wednesday, you had a plan. “Remember when the youth group at church was going to paint house numbers on the curbs, but they never did? I could do that!”

By Friday, you were on a mission. “Your Number’s Up – Curb Painting by Wayne West” was a new business on the block. With a tool box containing disposable gloves, a set of stencils and two cans of spray paint, plus a fanny pack carrying business cards, a pen, a receipt book and change – you were ready to conquer the neighborhood.

And conquer it you did! You painted over 200 curbs, learned how to bank, how to tithe, how to save and how to write thank-you notes. The week after Labor Day, we boarded a Delta jet with a flight crew so impressed by your efforts, they introduced you as their honored guest to the rest of the passengers. That summer, you taught me how to work a dream from the end to the beginning.

But what happens when an otherwise stable kid moves to a different city and has to start traditional school for the first time as a six grader – all while his parents are getting a divorce? You not only made new friends, but you also made the honor roll and were voted “Most Christ-like Student” by your peers. That year, you taught me it’s not the hand you’re dealt, but how you play your cards that really matters.

Then what happens when a promising athlete’s high school closes unexpectedly four weeks before his junior year, and he has to choose between a familiar school in his home town or a strange boarding school eight hours away? You took the high road again, accepting a scholarship to Baylor School in Chattanooga. On your own now, you continued to choose the right path, earning recognition for leadership and achievement in academics and sports. During those two years, you taught me what you do is based more on who you are, not so much on what you have.

Finally, what happens when a college freshman enlists in the National Guard to help pay for tuition the same day the Twin Towers get bombed? You didn’t back out. Instead, you prayed in front of an entire congregation, “Father, thank you for the authority you have set in the earth. Bless our President and members of the houses of Congress with wisdom to make good decisions for our country. Bless the parents of those of us who have been called to serve with the courage to let us go.” That day, and during 16 months of active duty in Iraq, you taught me difficult decisions are based on principle, not convenience.

Back on American soil now, you’re ready to spread your wings again, this time on the warm currents of love.

As you begin a new life with Lauren, your precious bride, I honor you for the man you have become. I remind you of lessons already learned—how to work diligently, to save regularly, to give sacrificially and to love lavishly. I gratefully acknowledge the cloud of witnesses who have helped us along the way. I treasure the blessing you have always been, and now bless your going out with the empowering presence of the One from whom all blessings flow.

Love, Momma

P.S. Brush your teeth. Have nice manners. Use good judgment.
And call me.

Minus 49 Days - There's No Place Like Home

2006-04-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine my delight when other journalists covering Albuquerque's Tricentennial Celebration told me this weekend's edition of USA TODAY recommends our hometown of Hot Springs, Ark., as a great place to houseboat.

In family news, Wayne's aunt Teresa (my sister) called yesterday with another great story about her 7-year-old daughter, Sarah Grace. Asked by her teacher to write something about 'patience,' Sarah penned, "Patience is when your cousin is in Iraq and you are waiting for him to come home safely."

Now, just how precious is that kind of faith?

Wayne has been back in the States for 122 days now. Every one of those days is precious, too.

Minus 52 Days - Generating Traffic after Easter

2006-04-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Most of you have met our entire family, but for those who may have forgotten, let me reintroduce Wayne's Aunt Teresa, and her quite bright 7-year-old daughter, Sarah Grace, both residents of metro Atlanta.

On the way home from Easter service at church Sunday, Teresa prompted Sarah's thinking about Jesus' mother by saying,"If you could ask Mary one question, what would it be?"

In a split second, Sarah answered: "Did you nearly pee in your pants when you saw that stone had been moved??"

I decided today the entire driving population of India must think with the same lightening speed as Sarah. Have you ever seen how those people drive? Watch this!

Minus 55 Days - Married and Preparing for Marriage

2006-04-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everybody who has emailed asking if everything's OK in Wayne's World. Yes, we're fine, and especially grateful that Wayne has made such a smooth transition back to civilian life. He reports for Alpha Company's first drill since their return from Iraq the first weekend of May.

Since we last posted, kidnapped journalist Jill Carroll was released by her captors. Our readers joined thousands of others praying for her release. In fact, one of our brief emails to her was published in the CS Monitor and broadcast on CNN. We join her parents in thanking everyone who supported their successful efforts to see their daughter returned safely.

In our own family, things have stayed busy. Since our last post, Wayne grandmother, GG, married Wilford Pickett. Shortly afterward, they moved to their new home in Hot Springs Village, America's largest gated community.

The Picketts' new home overlooks the Ouachita Mountains, a special delight for GG, who has longed to live near mountains ever since she left her childhood home in north Georgia.

About the same time, our friends and mentors, Dr. and Mrs. George Monta, came to Hot Springs to perform my official ordination to Christian Ministry. Other friends and family joined us from Louisiana for the ceremony held at Lookout Point Lakeside Inn.

Shortly after that, our good friends and former Soldiers Angels, Bill and Ellen Walker, along with Von and Beaure Talbot, hosted a lovely cocktail buffet shower for Wayne and Lauren.

The night of the shower, our Hot Springs friends braved a torrential rainstorm to enjoy Ellen and Von's gracious hospitality and good food, as well as to honor Wayne and Lauren.

Other than that, we've made a couple of trips to the coast - one to Florida, another to Califonia.

Next week, we're headed to Albuquerque.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Mnus 104 Days - Need a Letter?

2006-02-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

The only thing bigger than Samara O'Shea's smile is her heart.

In the business world, the twenty-something Manhattanite is associate editor for Country Living Gardener magazine. In real life, the tall blonde-for-the-moment author of Letterlover.net is a ghostwriter for anybody who can't quite find the write words to get a message across.

"I've always found letters to be an effective way to give someone else true insight into your hidden thoughts," she said at lunch Wednesday. "Letters can bring harmony where there is bitterness or even closure where there is emotional chaos."

At 20 cents a word, Samara's sentiments are cheaper than flowers, less fattening than candy and last longer than a kiss!

Minus 108 Days - Warm Thoughts in Icy Weather

2006-02-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

Temperatures plunged in Arkansas this weekend, driving most folks inside for a long winter’s nap. For us, even church was cancelled.

Speaking of church, my sister, Teresa, forwards the online version of her church’s weekly newsletter to the family every Friday. This week, she tagged a couple of sentences tucked away in her pastor’s remarks with this question, “Guess whose little girl he’s talking about?”
(The pastor is speaking of her daughter, Sarah, Wayne’s 7-year-old cousin.)

It's Thursday afternoon and I am still basking in the glow of our Global Impact Celebration…Already some have shared with me incredible stories about their Faith Promises. One little girl made a Faith Promise of about $40, which is her entire savings. After hearing how some people in Haiti eat mud to survive, she was moved to give all she has to global outreach.

In a follow-up email, Teresa shared, "Sarah said a prayer at lunch that Sunday thanking God for her food, and prayed 'for those who sometimes have to eat dirt to fill their bellies.' She continued, her asking God 'to give them the faith to suffer through it.'"

Actually, our family comprises a history of faithful Christian servants, including pastors, music ministers and classroom teachers. In preparation for additional responsibilities, I’ll be formally ordained to Christian ministry March 2 by my good friend and mentor, Dr. George Monta, who will be arriving with his wife Thursday. We've planned the ceremony at Lookout Point Lakeside Inn, a beautiful bed and breakfast inn here in Hot Springs, owned by Ray and (Rev!) Kristie Rosset.

While the Montas are here, we’ll travel to Louisiana this weekend to celebrate my mother's marriage to Wilford Pickett, a true southern gentleman and Baptist deacon from Delhi, LA, who swept mom off her feet last fall. The day after Christmas, while seated near a window viewing the fireworks from Cinderella’s Palace at Disneyworld, Wilford admitted to her, “That’s how you make me feel, and nothing would make me happier than for you to become my wife so that we can spend the rest of our lives together.” (Awwwww!)

Today, I’m scrambling to finish the March issue of Hot Springs Life & Home magazine before I fly out tomorrow to squeeze in a press tour to Honor Mansion, a beautiful bed and breakfast inn located in Sonoma wine country, 60 miles north of San Francisco.

Down in Louisiana, where the roads weren’t quite so treacherous this weekend, Wayne and Lauren were either studying or getting ready to study for their first statistics exam on Wednesday. Otherwise, everything seems to be progressing right on schedule for their wedding in June.

Minus 126 Days - Rehearsing for Dinner in Seagrove Beach

2006-02-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

In Poland, the Catholic tradition of Candlemas celebrated on February 2 is called, "Mother of God Who Saves Us From Thunder." We need it today here in Destin, Fla., where heavy thunderstorms are forecast all day and into the night.

I’m here with Debra Lindley, formerly Operations Director for the Louisiana Folklife Festival for the past 11 years.
After hurricane Katrina soaked up the funding sources for her job in our sister state, she decided to move to Hot Springs. I’m taking full advantage of her event planning and floral design talents to help me plan Wayne’s rehearsal dinner at the Old Florida Fish House, an casually upscal new restaurant just past Eastern Lake, headed east on scenic Highway 30-A.

To help choose the rehearsal dinner menu, we tried seafood gumbo and corn crabmeat bisque for our soup selections. Fresh mixed green house salads were enhanced by homemade dressings. Debra chose blackened redfish with angel hair pasta and crawfish tails for her entree. I had grilled tournadoes of beef with scallops and lump crab meat nested under a delightful hollandaise-type sauce. Double yum!

Right now, we’re staying Gulfside at the Holiday Inn on the Beach, a three-star family-oriented hotel now undergoing extensive renovation in preparation for peak season. The rest of the day, we’ll explore other options for accommodations closer than 27 miles to the wedding and rehearsal dinner sites. At the rate traffic was moving on our way in at at 4 p.m. yesterday, a 27-mile trek during tourist season would probably take two hours. Seriously.

Minus 128 Days - We're Jazzed!

2006-01-31T04:41:00.000-08:00

For 16 months, Uncle Sam has held up the yellow ribbon in our front yard, showing our support for Wayne until he returned from Iraq. Although he actually arrived at Camp Shelby on December 22, it wasn’t until this past weekend he came to “Momma’s house” in Hot Springs for the official yellow ribbon cutting ceremony.

Rain on Saturday turned into sunny and mild weather on Sunday. After sharing communion and Wayne’s favorite breakfast, we all headed to Isabella , one of eight golf courses at Hot Springs Village, the country’s largest gated community. The other three golfers in the foursome agreed our returning soldier would shoot par or below before the match ever started.

Sunday evening, Wayne and Lauren arrived to a standing ovation at the Hot Springs Jazz Society’s annual membership dinner and dance, as president Bob Seekatz thanked him for his service on behalf of the United States. Throughout the evening, blog readers and other friends congratulated Wayne on his return. He’s probably never been hugged and kissed by so many mature ladies since his arrival at the Dallas airport when he came home on leave in September!

The house is relatively quiet again, except for Angel, our canine boarder who has been a guest while Wayne’s grandmother has been out of town.

Debra, Wayne’s adopted aunt who enjoyed touches of Wayne’s humor throughout the weekend, is also still here making plans to move to Hot Springs in the near future. She and I are leaving today, headed to Florida to finalize plans for Wayne’s rehearsal dinner. My guess is we’ll drive through Louisiana close enough to drop off the computer he left at “Momma’s house.”

Minus 131 Days - Joy Unspeakable and Full

2006-01-29T04:56:00.000-08:00

After Wayne and Lauren arrived yesterday, we eached gulped down chicken salad wraps before heading to the theater to see Queen Latifa's new movie, "Last Holiday."

In this delightful remake of a 50-year-old flick, a mousey New Orleans department store employee who learns she has a terminal illness decides to turn her "Book of Possibilities" into "Book of Realities." Her last wish is to be cremated, saying, "I lived my whole life in a box. I don't want to be buried in one."

After the movie, Lauren spent a couple of hours discussing wedding dreams from her notebook of possibilites with my talented friend from Louisiana, Debra Lindley. A few feet away, Myron stroked the carpet with his new Scotty Cameron putter by Titleist, which he says he 'bought as a present for himself to celebrate Wayne's homecoming!' Around the corner in the office, Wayne finished a couple of online quizzes for a college management class before it was time to dress for the evening.

To celebrate Wayne's official homecoming to Hot Springs, we made reservations at Chef Paul's restaurant, rated 3 Diamond by AAA and winner of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence.

Refined sophistication is tempered with personal touches to create a comfortable ambiance at this popular dining destination. Guests are seated amidst specially commissioned paintings by Carole Katchen, one featuring Chef Paul Uher (pronounced "you-er"), andChef Jeff, brothers who own Chef Paul's. Katchen used the restaurant as a background to feature special friends in other paintings. Paul's father's shaving mug collection from around the world accents the decor.

During dinner, Chef Paul visited with us for over an hour, describing his recent appearances at Harrods of London and a castle in Scotland. Laptop in hand, he also introduced us to Uher Cookin’ Wild, a weekly 30-minute wild game cooking show he hosts on the Men’s Channel and Healthy Living Channel.

Born in upstate New York, Uher described his hard-working parents as 'the best in the world.' His mom was a soprano with perfect pitch and a innate knack for details. Uher's dad followed his own dream by getting into the restaurant business at age 52, after having taught mentally challenged children for 20 years. Paul and Jeff obviously inherited their parents' legacy of hospitality, which we enjoyed last night.

"I can say without qualification," he recalls proudly, "when my mother and I did a party together, there was never, never, never a time things didn't go perfectly."

And things certainly went perfectly for us. Elegantly satisfied from the meal and thoroughly inspired by our host, we headed home. Each of commented how our evening at Chef Paul's seemed like a real-life continuation of the movie we had seen earlier in the afternoon.

The beautiful irony, as I told the others in the car, is that when I interviewed Paul last year, all his recent accomplishments were just dreams written in his own spiral notebook. Now, his possibilities are becoming realities.

Congratulations, and thank-you, Chef Paul!

Minus 131 Days - HE'S HOME!!!

2006-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

Wayne and Lauren just arrived!!!

We're on our way out the door to the movie....

Minus 132 Days - An Ever Present Help

2006-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, there just aren't any easy answers. Like yesterday, when my Inbox was peppered with emails about the unexpected death of a highschool classmate whose husband found her 'sleeping' but couldn't revive her.

While we're giddy, anticipating Wayne's arrival to Hot Springs tonight, spouses of other returning soldiers are having a tough time, at least as evidenced by recent chat room and blog posts:

"As for me, I’m just waiting on the call from the lawyer’s office to sign the divorce papers. I had a crying spell last night about 4am. I couldn't stop crying…It hurt really bad. I try to keep my mind on other things, but somehow he enters my mind."

"Just trying to get back to some kind of normal here... I would like to say it's easy transitioning back to regular life, but it's not. Hubby is still on active duty since he signed up for a year of work at our armory…It's got my nerves shot totally."

"I'm so tired of things being so dang complicated."

"The last 18 month deployment has altered any sort of sense of time for me. I still feel as though Dear Husband just got back in country some days. Isn't that weird? He will have been home for an entire year in March… I will also admit here, that I am still "tired". He has been home for a year and I am tired from the deployment. That is unlike me."

In your prayers this weekend, please remember our military families who are readjusting to civilian life, wounded service personnel who are recovering, kidnapped journalists like Jill Carroll whose families are praying for her release, as well as all the military folks who still serve around the world on behalf of the United States.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace [His empowering presence to equip you to be who you were created to be and to do what you were created to do] comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-18)

(Photo courtesy of All in a Mouse's Night.)

Minus 133 Days - Coming Home

2006-01-26T04:47:00.000-08:00

One week ago today, the Associated Press reported the last of the soldiers with the 155th Brigade Combat Team returned home.

The brigade deployed a year ago with 3,500 Mississippi Guard soldiers and others from across the country.

The final group, including unit commander Brig. Gen. Augustus Leon Collins, had been expected to arrive earlier in the week but their flight was delayed. The Sunday death of Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah, Kuwait's emir, had temporarily grounded all flights in and out of Kuwait.

About 75 members of the brigade landed in Gulfport on Thursday. The others had arrived in waves since just before Christmas.

The return marked the end of the largest Mississippi deployment since World War II.

"It is a magnificent day," said Maj. Gen. Harold A. Cross, Mississippi's adjutant general.

Cross said the 155th did more than just fight while in theater.

The soldiers worked in construction, engineering and also set up a farming cooperative in a region that had never been farmed before.

"They stabilized a critical area," Cross said.

Collins, the first black general officer of the Mississippi National Guard, was promoted while deployed. He was offered leave to help family members on the Coast, but he waived it.

The 155th had 24 members killed in Iraq. Fourteen were Mississippi Guardsmen.

The group that arrived Thursday was a mixture of soldiers from across Mississippi and the country.

Maj. Lawrence House, a Mississippi National Guardsman living in College Station, Texas, said he has been deployed before, but this one was different.

"I am ready to be home," he said. "This is my third tour, but it is the first time I returned to a wife."

His wife, Cristy, was the only spouse at the Gulfport hangar Thursday night.

Most families were at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, where the soldiers were transported immediately following their arrival.

Here's the good news from here:
Wayne and Lauren are coming to Hot Springs tomorrow for the first time since his return from Iraq!!

WAHOOOOO!!

P.S. A little birdie just flew by and said Happy Birthday greetings are in order over at Blackfive.

Minus 136 Days - Real Fear

2006-01-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Wayne and Lauren called yesterday afternoon while driving home from a sales convention in Dallas, adding a new chapter to the continuing influence of Cindy Smith’s letter of thanks which quietly appeared in our mailbox last Wednesday.

“It was awesome!” Wayne began. “First, the emcee read Mrs. Smith’s letter from the stage. Three thousand people were already cheering when they asked me to stand and be recognized. If that weren’t enough, they invited me to say a few words to the audience. What started out to be 45 seconds turned into 5-1/2 minutes.”

“I talked about fear,” Sgt. West continued, “or at least the perception of fear. Most people we talked to at the convention had expressed a fear of cold calling, or talking to people they don’t know. From the stage, I said , ‘Let’s talk about real fear. Real fear is leaving with a convoy of military vehicles at 2:30 in the morning because you heard the #2 Al-Qaida guy is holed up in a village two miles away and your job is to go get him.”

“Real fear is being stuck up through a hatch, headed down the road to that village in pitch dark, seeing only what’s visible through the green glow of night vision goggles…then BOOM! A bomb goes off right in front of you, and the guys in the vehicle straight ahead are bouncing around like ping pong balls.”

“Real fear is hearing your commanding officer call you on the radio and ask if you can get around the disabled vehicle. Real fear is knowing it’s not a question of ‘Can I get around it?’, but
‘Do I want to get around it?’”

“In the split second when you know it’s just you and God, you still have to overcome real fear and move ahead. But being afraid to talk to somebody you don’t know about your business? That’s just a chemical surge in your brain. It’s not real fear. It’s an illusion.”

As Dr. Laura says, "Now, go take on the day!"

(Posted in Mudville Gazette and Basil's Blog.)

Minus 137 Days - Good News Sunday

2006-01-22T04:37:00.000-08:00

Around the country, military moms take their support roles seriously. Some moms, whose own soldiers have returned from active duty, quickly and eagerly adopted other units, knowing firsthand that support from home helps can save lives by improving troop morale.

Meet Karen, known to our online military family chat room as "Tig's Mom." She recently organized a classroom project for children to decorate Valentine cookie to send to the troops:

I took tons of cookies donated by local bakeries--along with tons of frosting, sprinkles, etc--to 5th Grade Classes at a local elementary school. These kids who have helped in the past are the most patriotic and amazing kids that I've ever had the honor of helping support our troops.

Well, it was a Huge Success!!!!! What fun! Exhausting. but FUN! Some of these cookies are gorgeous!!! I did have to make another trip to the store to buy some more sprinkles, gel writers, M&Mall 's and Red Hots to decorate the cookies. But we made it through! Another volunteer and my neighbor assisted me, and man, am I glad they helped.

Although it was quite a bit of work, it was fun. The kids had a blast and did a great job. Some of those kids were very creatively begging to eat the cookies, 'They are tempting, they smell wonderful and look yummy too!'

We had over 250 Cookies decorated by about 120 or so kids. The kids also created a lot of Valentine Cards for the troops to send in the packages. Their bulletin board is quickly being covered in letters back from the troops.

Of course I took some pictures! And so did the photographer for a magazine that's doing an article on my organization. This is going to be terrific, I'm sure.

When I had stopped at the Marine Recruiter's office earlier in the week, he gave me a huge stack of posters for the kids. They were excited about that! We're also going to set up a date and time for the Recruiter and his boss to go visit the kids class. Fifth Grade is a little early for recruiting, but these kids are so patriotic and thrilled with any Military Person, the air they breathe will be great, let alone seeing them in person. LOL

I showed the kids the flag I received from one of my adopted Marine units, they loved it! Little do they know that 1st Sgt is sending them a signed flag by all the Marines too! We read letters from the Army, Navy, Marines and Airforce to the kids as well, I'd been saving quite a stack for them.

A good time was had by all, and the troops will love the goodies made by the kids. "Love is Sweet, sometimes Sticky and Crumbly, but very SWEET!"

I remember two particular college interns who assisted my own fourth grade teacher. They made geography come alive by serving food samples from different countries...chocolate from Holland, caviar from Russia, etc. It's not beyond possibility the seeds they planted helped develop my love for travel and ultimately my career as a travel writer. Imagine what good seeds Karen is planting in her class!

If you're inspired to help, but don't know where to start, begin by reading about Soldier's Angels, a project started in 2003 by the mother of a soldier who, upon his return from active duty in Iraq, expressed concern for other soldiers who didn't receive letters or packages from home. Now, thousands of volunteers affiliated with the non-profit organization support thousands of adopted military personnel.

Congratulations to you and your wonderfully patriotic kids, Tig's Mom! And thanks to Soldier's Angels everywhere.

Minus 139 Days - Who Is Cindy Smith?

2006-01-20T03:35:00.000-08:00

Many folks either called or emailed to comment on yesterday's post, an inspiring letter of thanks penned by Cindy Smith, which she had quietly dropped off in our mailbox Wednesday.

After having read the post, a mutual friend, Jennifer Hamner, replied she might know the mystery author:

"One Cindy Smith is a good friend of mine. The letter sounds like the Cindy I know. Her husband is Dr. Bruce Smith, and she teaches at National Park Community College.

Cindy and Bruce have three sons. One, who is doing a residency in Jackson, Miss., graduated with our son, Jonathan. Another is a lawyer in Little Rock, who graduated with our daughter, Mary. The third son still goes to medical school at Fayetteyeville.

Cindy is a wonderful person. I'll call her to ask if she wrote the letter, then have her call you if she did."

A few hours later, a meek voice on my cell phone simply said, "Hi, this is Cindy Smith."

"Hi, Cindy. This is Wayne's Mom," I answered. "We were so blessed by your letter, Wayne asked me to give you his cell number so that he can thank you personally."

"I just felt like we don't say 'thank you' enough," she continued, "and since I see the sign when pass by your house, I decided I could at least thank Wayne."

Cindy cried. I cried.

And yes, it really does make a difference when people take time to say thanks. I've got a few 'thank you's' to catch up on myself.

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue,
but the parent of all other virtues.
~ Cicero

Minus 140 Days - Cindy Smith Thanks Wayne

2006-01-19T04:18:00.000-08:00

Someone named Cindy Smith signed the letter she dropped off a letter in our mailbox yesterday. As far as we can tell, Myron and I don't know the woman who penned these words of thanks to Wayne:

You do not know me, and I don't actually know you, but I have seen the "Welcome Home" sign in your yard, and I feel compelled to write this letter to you.

I want to thank you for your service to our country
and to the world.

Because of you and thousands of men and woman who have gone before you, the United States remains a free country. Because of you, I can write you this note; I can worship my God in the church I choose; I can send my children to the schools I choose so that they can get the education for the jobs THEY choose, not the jobs chosen for them. Because of you, I can do anything I am brave enough to try, because YOU were BRAVE enough to serve. Because of you, there has not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Because of you, there is the hope of freedom and democracy in the middle east.

Thank you for protecting me and my family. Thank you for serving our great United States. I have prayed for you and all the servicemen and women, and I will continue to do so until all are home safely with their families. I am thankful that you are now home with your family, who also sacrificed during your absence.

I thank you on behalf of all free people in the United States and around the world. May God bless you and your family.

Sincerely,
Cindy Smith...in America,
Home of the Free, Because of the Brave

(Posted on Mudville Gazette and Basil's Blog.)

Minus 141 Days - Update on Jill Carroll

2006-01-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, we ran a post about Jill Carroll, a freelance journalist for the Christian Science Monitor, kidnapped in Iraq.

The Monitor reports today Carroll's captors have issued a statement demanding the United States free all Iraqi women prisoners within 72 hours – and are threatening to kill Carroll if this demand is not met.
Al Jazeera television aired a brief, silent video apparently showing Carroll speaking to the camera, but without broadcasting her voice. Several American networks also have aired the video.

Read the entire story here. And pray.

Also, we need to make a correction to our story about Les Bingham, Wayne's "Biker Babe" aunt, who cycles long distances for fun.

Les and her cronies didn't bike 300 miles. They rode 444 miles, the entire length of the Natchez Trace Parkway--from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. The group speculates they may be the first to ride the complete stretch of the National Scenic Byway and All-American Road since the recent completion of the final 13.5 mile segment in the Jackson area.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Minus 142 Days - A Chocolate Legacy

2006-01-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

Milton Hershey,
courtesy of Tim Manners, Editor of Cool News Reveries:

The brand name "Hershey" is all but a synonym for "chocolate," but reality is that Milton Hershey made his fortune on caramel, relays John Steele Gordon in a Wall Street Journal review of "Hershey," a new book by Michael D'Antonio. Actually, Milton Hershey's first job was as a printer, which he hated. But then he "went to work for a candy maker in Lancaster, Pa.," where "he found his life's work." His entrepreneurial spirit first led to "candy shops and small wholesale operations in Philadelphia and then New York, but both failed." It was only after he "began making caramels according to a new formula that produced a rich, creamy version of the confection" that he hit his mark.

Even then it wasn't easy. Milton Hershey's distribution strategy began as "a basket on the street" and then evolved into a "pushcart," Chipwich-style. He struggled until one day "a British importer happened to pass through town, tasted the caramels and placed a big order." From that day forward, Hershey's enterprise, The Lancaster Caramel Company, "was on its way." Before long, Milton Hershey had built a 450,000 square-foot factory, and he was rich, rich, rich! The chocolate chapter didn't begin until 1893, when Milton visited the Chicago World's Fair, where J.M. Lehmann, a German candymaker "had installed a small chocolate factory, where the fair-goers could watch the entire process as cocoa beans went in and chocolate bars came out." After the fair closed, Milton bought the factory, "lock, stock and barrel."

The idea of a chocolate bar for the masses was a new one at the time. Indeed, "until late in the 19th century, chocolate was mostly consumed as a drink by the upper classes, for it was expensive to process and solid chocolate tended to be gritty and unpleasantly strong." Milton also noticed that the "Cadbury family of England, who were Quakers, had established a factory out in the countryside and built an entire community around it, a chocolate utopia ... He founded the town that bears his name, paying for many of its public facilities, but it was his encouragement of workers' home ownership that ensure that Hershey, Pa., would thrive and avoid the pitfalls of renters-only company towns." He also "built a school for needy children." Ultimately, of course, Milton Hershey's legacy is this: "Today, Americans eat more than three billion pounds of (chocolate) a year, 11.7 pounds per person."

Of course, our pledge to Eat Less/Move More does not include Hershey morsels. I can't even imagine the temptation of living in a real chocolate city like Hershey, Pennsylvania!

Minus 143 Days - Movin' On Monday

2006-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

Wayne’s Aunt Les is a serious biker. Every Saturday, she gets up at the crack of dawn to pedal a real bicycle. Like 30 miles or so. Fast. And she's done it for the last 18 YEARS!

When I posted our New Year’s mantra, Eat Less / Move More,
Les commented:

Girl, Get a bicycle, ride every day hard for 45 minutes, and I promise, you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight, enjoy the beauty of God's creation and have fun,
all at the same time.
GOOD LUCK WHAT EVER YOUR PLAN!
Lifestyle is the key word!!!
LGB

I once had a friend who imbibed too much too often. On a particular occasion, her husband cautioned, “Look, alcohol is OK as long as you just have one or two drinks,” to which my friend replied, “What’s the point of drinking then?”

I'm convinced, Les is a bike-aholic. Why cycle just one or two miles at casual speed when you can go to the next TOWN faster than than a car in traffic?

Just before Christmas, Les and a few other addicts in her support group rode 300 MILES of the Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville, Tenn. to Jackson, Miss., just for FUN!

Her latest comment on the blog: “Maybe I could book tours up and down the Natchez Trace for people who want to lose weight by cycling?????????????????" LGB

Any takers?

P.S. I might try it, just to wear cool leggings like Les has on in pic #2. Click the picture for a better view!

Minus 144 Days - Good News Sunday

2006-01-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

1. The Dow hit 11,000 Monday.

2. I probably ate 11,000 fewer calories last week than I did Christmas week.

3. Wayne called a few minutes ago to let me hear the sound of the surf in Florida.
That's especially good news, knowing he's standing on beach sand instead of desert sand.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1

Minus 145 Days - Saturday Heroes 1

2006-01-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

As a child, Wayne never slept late on Saturday mornings. Soon after sunrise, the pitter-patter of happy feet running down the hall signaled our little caped crusader was headed to the tube for his weekend fix of heroic video action.

"Nana nana nana,
nana nana nana
nana nana...BAT-MAN!!"
became the household anthem. Soon, we made our own jokes, like,
"Holy Alarm Clock, Honey! It must be time to get up!"

Life isn't so simple anymore, but our need for heroes is stronger than ever.

Now that our Wayne is home from Iraq, someone suggested we could devote one day a week to sharing stories of courageous men and women still deployed. Great idea. So, here's our first installment of Saturday Heroes.

We'll kickstart the series with a story from Black Five, an award winning Veteran blogger who inspires us all with his category of posts called, "People You Should Know."

Read Saving Private Ali, the story of one combat medic's heroic efforts to save an Iraqi soldier...mostly in the second half!

If you or someone you know has a story to share, email it to us using the address found in the sidebar. We'll post Saturday Heroes 2 next week.

P.S. Wayne called bright and early this morning with this jab, "I'm on my way to the beach today. What are you doing?"

(Wayne and Lauren are traveling with her parents to make final arrangements for the wedding this summer.)

Posted on Mudville Gazette.

Minus 146 Days - The Best Hook-Ups

2006-01-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

(First, a follow-up to yesterday's post about cell phone records for sale: Here's the
CBS News report aired last night.)

Before Wayne deployed to Iraq, we became pseudo geeks. We learned about GPS, web cams, Voice Over Internet Protocol, etc.

To save time, I looked to real gurus for advice and expertise. My bookmarks now include CNET, Boing Boing and Kevin Kelly’s Cool Tools.

One list I missed first time around was
10 Greatest Gadget Ideas of the Year, published December 31 by the New York Times, and billed as 10 of 2005's best small,
sweet improvements in our electronic lives.

The list includes:

1. Voice Mail VCR
2. Folding Memory Card
3. Front Side TV Connector
4. Bigger Than TV Movie Camera
5. Downloadable TV Show Archives
6. Outer Button Flip Phone
7. Free Domain Name
8. Modular DVD Screen
9. Family Portrait Burst Mode
10. Hybrid High-Definition VCR Tape

Click here for the full story with links.
(Short free registration required, but worth it.)

WNW, Minus 147 Days, Pt. 2 - Cell Phone Tell Phone

2006-01-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

Did you know your cell phone records could be for sale online?
Click here and here to explore.

Ameriblog has the full story.

CBS News is scheduled to report on the cell records privacy scandal tonight (1/12/06) on their evening news broadcast.

P.S. For more references, Google "buy cell phone records online." If anybody pops the dough to buy your own records, just to see if it works, be sure to let us know the results!

Minus 147 Days - Showers of Blessing

2006-01-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

When Wayne was still in Iraq, one of the things he said he missed most was long hot showers.

With Wayne and Lauren's beach wedding now on the summer horizon, we’re all thinking about water these days. As in: Drink more water.
Eat less. Move more.

Still, the first place I get to move more around here is in the shower,
just to get the water where I need it. Whoever built this house obviously didn’t have the same affection for the therapeutic experience Jerry Tucker describes as some vague memory from childhood, which perhaps returns when visiting someone who lives in an old home.

You turn on the shower and the water washes over your whole self as if you are standing under a warm-spring waterfall. It is generous and therapeutic. The spray is heavy and hard, enough even to work muscle cramps out of your back, enough to wash the conditioner out of your hair, enough to leave you feeling wholly renewed — enough to get you completely clean.

According to Jerry, many people now hack their showers — or customize them, if you prefer. “You can take your shower head down, pull the washer out with a screwdriver, and remove the offending intrusion that is restricting water flow. It can be a tiny second washer or it can be a hard plastic piece. Just pop it out and replace the washer. Sometimes it is necessary to trim it out using a pen knife.”

“Using such strategies,” he contends, “you can increase your water flow from 2 gallons per minute to 3 and even 4 gallons per minute. You can easily clock this using a stopwatch and a milk carton.”

One of my favorite fantasies is a strong water pressure from a
light up shower head!

What a great wedding present…!

Minus 149 Days - Journalist Jill Carroll Kidnapped in Iraq

2006-01-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

The Boston Herald reports this morning Jill Carroll, a 28-year-old freelancer for The Christian Science Monitor, was kidnapped Saturday in Baghdad, when gunmen ambushed her car and killed her translator. She had been on her way to meet a Sunni Arab official in one of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods.

After initial reports of the kidnapping on Saturday, The Associated Press and other news organizations honored a request from the newspaper in Boston and a journalists' group in Baghdad for a news blackout. The request was made to give authorities an opportunity to try to resolve the incident during the early hours after the abduction.

Jill Carroll's ties to a paper with "Christian" in the title was also a likely concern when dealing with Islamic fundamentalists, noted one editor who had agreed not to publish a story on the incident. "That could put her life more in danger," the editor said.

Carroll's parents live in Ann Arbor, Mich. She moved to Jordan six months before the Iraq war started "to learn as much about the region as possible before the fighting began," she wrote in the February/March edition of American Journalism Review.

"All I ever wanted to be was a foreign correspondent," she wrote last year in the magazine. "It seemed the right time to try to make it happen."

Please join us in prayer for Jill's safety and a quick release from her captors.

He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
(2 Samuel 22:48-50)

Minus 150 Days - Eat Less. Move More.

2006-01-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

My insurance agent squirmed when he delivered a copy of my new longterm care policy. Slightly stuttering, he said, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to get the preferred rate I quoted you."

"Anything wrong?" I asked, secretly dreading what I knew was coming.

He slid the paper toward me, using that silent technique salesmen hope will make it better if they don't have to say it outloud.

One word: WEIGHT.

After I shared the story with my sister in Atlanta, she suggested since we've all decided to eat less and move more these days, we could form a Family FUNactics Club, with our first objective to build "future firm figures!"

"The good news is," she encouraged, "this is something you can really do something about!" (That's what I love about my sister!)

If you're interested in charting progress with us, here's the form we used. I guess we'll update it every week or so during our 150-day start to a new lifestyle, despite the fact one of my friends says when you exercise, fat itches!

Whadya say, Santa?

P.S. That's our grandson, Connor on his knee!

Minus 151 Days - Good News Sunday

2006-01-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe in Wayne's New World, we’re only 151 days away from Wayne and Lauren’s rehearsal dinner and wedding. Their precious “Save the Date” card, designed by Lauren and her mother, arrived yesterday. So far, it's looks as if we'll be able to work the trip into our schedule. (smile!)

In other news, Mrs. Greyhawk shares Fiesta Gold, the story of one military wife’s opportunity to throw the football through a target 15 yards away to earn a hefty contribution for the USO and an opportunity to speak to her husband in Iraq via satellite. Read it the surprise ending here!

Michael Yon has issued a Call for Veteran Volunteers to help create an ongoing forum to publish news from the front lines. Get more information here.

Some Soldier's Mom reports over 1000 soldiers from the 3rd Brigade will return to Fort Benning, GA, tomorrow! She's also got a great homecoming story. Jump over and leave a word of encouragement here.

It's a beautiful day here in central Arkansas. Around here, naps on Sunday afternoons aren't optional; they're required.

Minus 152 Days - The Best Blonde Joke Ever

2006-01-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Now that Wayne's home,
I figure
we can lighten up
a little bit.

Over at Biggie Fries, Josh shares the best blonde joke ever!

Enjoy the weekend!

155th Brigade Combat Team: 2005 in Review

2006-01-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, the 155th Brigade Combat Team transferred authority of their area of operations in Iraq to the 2nd BCT, 4th Infantry Division from Ft. Hood, TX during a ceremony held at their headquarters in Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. The 4th ID is the same unit responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein on December 13, 2003.

Formal transfer of authority signifies the 155th has completed their role in Operation Iraqi Freedom III. For these nearly 4000 soldiers, including Wayne, the fighting is over.

During their deployment, the 155th BCT was responsible for operations in the provinces of An Najaf, Karbala, North Babil and Eastern Al Anbar.

Our soldiers helped to stabilize security in the north Babil area, better known as the "Throat of Baghdad,” part of the former "Triangle of Death". It was here they performed some of the most difficult combat operations. As a result of the success of the 155th BCT, this area is showing great signs of progress:

* Over 1500 terrorists captured
• More than 28,000 weapons seized, and
• Over 18,000 pounds of munitions, including 8,000 pounds of explosives, destroyed.

The 155th was a major supporter during Iraq’s first three free and democratic elections.

• In January 2005 Iraq voted on their first provincial government.
• In October, the constitutional referendum passed with astounding numbers of Iraqi’s turning out to vote.
• The December parliamentary election showed remarkable numbers at the polling stations. In the three provinces where the 155th BCT responsible for security, voter turnout topped 83 percent.

The 155th BCT worked with the new Iraqi government, mentoring them and teaching them the ways of freedom and democracy.

* Provincial Reconstruction Development Committees were developed in Najaf and Karbala. These committees comprise Coalition Force Soldiers and members of the Department of State, who worked with the local governments to prioritize reconstruction efforts to better meet the needs of the people of the area.
• Due to the 155th BCT’s active involvement in local communities, almost $100 million was committed to projects to improve electricity, sanitation, healthcare and education for the Iraqi citizens.

Under supervision of the 155th BCT, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) made tremendous strides in competence and professionalism. Ultimately, Coalition Forces ultimately played a support role in the security of Najaf and Karbala, assisting the ISF only when needed. The citizens of these provinces can now be confident that their security forces will continue to protect them as they have done for the past year.

For the next 90 days, soldiers will reunite with their families and their communities. The Brigade will resume their “Weekend Warrior” drills in May.

(Information courtesy of SFC Kevin R. Reeves.)

A Letter of Thanks from Wayne

2006-01-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Well, I must say I have never been so excited to see a new year in my life! Still, 2005 will never be forgotten.

It was the year boys from all over the country became men who pulled together as one unit to conquer a common enemy. Although it was real and even fun at times, it was never real fun. There was always another place we would rather have been.

A wise woman once said -- actually she said it three times, "There is no place like home!!" So to every one of you who supported us from here at home with letters, shoes, food, shoes, magazines, shoes, prayers, shoes, school supplies, etc., and more shoes, I give you my deepest appreciation.

Your prayers were felt all year long. Ya'll helped pick us up and push us forward when it got hard.

Thank you for encouraging my mother all year, too. This blog was like therapy for her. So thank you for visiting the site and loving on her with comments all year. We have made a lot of good friends in 2005.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year and pray that 2006 will be joyful and exciting and full of life! We love you guys.

Take care,

Wayne
Sgt. West, Donald W

Don't Ask. Don't Tell.

2006-01-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

The combination of warmer mid-day temperatures and the effort to load all his gear into the back of Lauren’s SUV made it warm enough for Wayne to take off his coat just before we left Camp Shelby.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, sticking his chest out, and pointing to a spot just above his pocket, “Take a look at my new Combat Action Badge.”

“Do I want to know what that’s for?” I asked sheepishly.

“Probably not,” he winked.

On 2 May 2005, the Army’s Chief of Staff approved the creation of the new award to recognize soldiers who demonstrate and live the Warrior Ethos.

Warrior ethos compels soldiers to fight through all conditions to victory no matter how much effort is required. It is the soldier’s selfless commitment to the nation, mission, unit, and fellow soldiers. It is the professional attitude that inspires every American soldier. Warrior ethos is grounded in refusal to accept failure. It is developed and sustained through discipline, commitment to the Army values, and pride in the Army’s heritage.

This subdued cloth version on an olive green base cloth shows the bayonet, grenade, oak wreath and border of the bar embroidered in black. The metal version is a two-inch silver badge consisting of an oak wreath supporting a rectangle bearing a bayonet surmounting a grenade, all silver. Stars are added at the top to indicate subsequent awards.

In keeping with the spirit of the Warrior Ethos, the Combat Action Badge provides special recognition to Soldiers who personally engage the enemy, or are engaged by the enemy during combat operations. The bayonet and grenade are associated with active combat. The oak wreath symbolizes strength and loyalty.

Congratulations, SGT West!

If there were a Weather Action Badge, I think they should give one to Mike Hollingshead, who has been chasing storm clouds for years. See some amazing storm cloud photos here.

Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One

2006-01-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

One of my Baptist-preacher-grandfather's favorite hymns was
"Count Your Blessings."

This morning, while searching 2005 travel photos to use with a story,
I ran across this picture taken last April at the studio of artist
J. D. Challenger in Taos, New Mexico.

A huggy, Santa sort of guy, Challenger’s spirit is reflected in his eyes—-deep blue pools of compassion.

When he saw me standing teary-eyed across the room, Challenger walked over, put his hand on my shoulder and promised to add Wayne’s name to the hundreds of other soldiers already posted on his Blessing Wall.

I’ll email him today to let him know how very blessed we really are to have Wayne safely home again.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

(Refrain)
Count your blessings,
name them one by one,
Count your blessings,
see what God hath done!
Count your blessings,
name them one by one,
And it will surprise you
what the Lord hath done.

New Year's Day 2006

2005-12-31T22:01:00.000-08:00

Photo taken at Matagorda County Nature & Birding Center

Movement in Space
A poem by George Monta

Time, elusive arbiter of destiny,
Crucifies thought while parading through my conscience,
A value to be conserved, to never waste:
"Keep the 'oil' bright and thus be wise,
Imperfect One."

Time, concoction of demented measure seekers,
Show me the meanings of my urgent need to measure,
Why finite man, escaping to infinity,
Must count the measureless steps,
While spouting thoughtless thoughts,
Spouting scientific pratings with the assurance of priests
Who mesmerize the simple and slay the wise.

Time must be the power of man to move,
And in the moving to perceive his motions
With their meanings:
Time, existence, the framework
Of a Timeless cosmos,
Motion, heat, a bird in frightened flight,
A half remembered primal Light,
The Child's dreams and then the Night.

Oh, Man of time-bound sense,
Release your grip
On Time's deceptive surety.
Relax your hurried pace; tomorrow surely comes.
'Tis the watching makes you miss its slender hope.

Spring is tomorrow's other Life.
Awaken, bound off across the hills of dreams,
Back or forth in the sea of Time,
Not counting clouds or clods,
Man is as God if he but opens half his strangled grip.

Love not time, it's not what it seems to be:
It simply sings its web into the meshes of man's mind
Who finally dies; Time's finale.
And then the Morning's light again.

Let go of Time. It authors not one word.
It measures not extent of good or bad,
Of God, or man.
It binds man's soul to food and rent,
It keeps the Nomad in his tent.

Let go of time, breathe deep
The Power freedom's birth must bring.

The Morning Star reflects
The Song that we must sing!

© 2005 George Monta

Dr. George Monta, my friend and mentor, lives in North Carolina with his wife, Adaire. A WWII veteran of campaigns in the South Pacific, he taught in high school and college for 25 years, and pastored two churches for 12 years. Currently retired, he and Adaire now travel and teach.

Dr. Monta will help to officiate Wayne's wedding in June.

To see the Army's 2005 Year in Photos, click here.
(Hat tip to Some Soldier's Mom.)

Wrapped in the Arms of Love

2005-12-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

Among the women most happy to see Wayne's safe return was my mother, affectionately known to everybody as GG. Over the years, her prayers and encouragement have carried our family through many valleys, but perhaps none more personally intense than 2005.
Thanks, Mom.

Somebody asked, "What are you going to do with the blog, now that Wayne is home?"

I'm still not quite sure how to answer that question. How do you say goodbye to the thousands of visitors we've met here this year, or to all the friends we've made in the extended milblog community?

We could start counting the 158 days to Wayne and Lauren's rehearsal dinner and wedding at Seaside, Florida.

In the mean time, I'll just start working on my taxes...

Day 344 - What You Say Is What You Get

2005-12-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

Journalists walking with me through the Matagorda County Birding & Nature Center last month couldn’t understand how a tree could make a woman cry.
(Click on the tree to get a better look. Use your Back Button to continue reading.

Well, who else but a military mom would think, That camo tree reminds me what my son will look like holding his arms out to hug me when he comes home in a few weeks?

Did I see it before it happened? You bet.
Did anybody else get it? I doubt it.

Despite more than fifty years of investigation, the issue of whether, and to what degree, language influences thought is still hotly debated. According to Dr. Debi Roberson, professor of psychology at the University of Essex, recognition of certain colors is influenced by the words you have to describe them.

The relativist theory may help to explain, for example, why some native English-speaking children, familiar with the rainbow of colors in the Crayola 64-pack, actually can tell rust from brick and moss from sage, while children who grow up speaking languages with fewer color names lump such hues together. Or why tribes without names for numbers cannot count.

Most authorities agree whether or not a language distinguishes between green and blue influences the perception of these colors. By extension, language influences the way we perceive the world.

Although the Korean language makes no distinction between the singular and the plural, native Korean artist Do-Ho Suh straddles the divide between the singular and the collective in his sculpture,
Blue Green Bridge.

From a distance, Suh's Bridge looks like one solid mass of color. The perception of two colors, blue and green, is dependent solely on the viewer's movement through space to gaze more closely on the work.

Journalist blogger Michael Yon explores how perceptions are influenced by pictures and words by comparing two slide shows—both accurate, each limited in scope. Although the differences are subtle, perhaps purely rhetorical, Yon believes the consequent impact, and how it influences public opinion, is something closer to cataclysmic.

It’s interesting to compare these two montages. The first from an unattributed source, perhaps even a work of propaganda, shows people at their best, braving terrorists to vote in Iraq, then dipping their fingers in the purple ink, and smiling with pride, strength and hope. The second montage by MSNBC, conveys the ultra-violence of nature against man, the cruelty of man against man, and helps explain why we want the world to be more like the impression we are left with after the “propaganda” montage.

Curious? Click here to read his entire post and watch the two montages.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy provides this formula: “Large differences in language lead to large differences in thought."

Maybe that’s why the Bible applauds Noah, who acted by faith when he built the ark, since rain wasn’t yet in his weather vocabulary.

Day 343 - On the Fifth Day of Christmas

2005-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

Having reported back to Camp Shelby Monday, Wayne called yesterday afternoon while standing in line to complete another assignment in the long list of requirements for demobilization from Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Mississippi Army National Guard.

Just now, Wayne called again to say he has officially signed out of the base, permanently closing the door on his 16-month chapter of active duty.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOO!” he shouted. “It’s REALLY over now!”

Wayne went on to say he and Lauren are driving back to Louisiana to make preparations for a “Meet Wayne” party at her parents’ home tomorrow night.

During his four-day pass for Christmas, Wayne started the round of holiday visits with Myron and me at the home of Blair and Leslie Bingham, my brother and sister-in-law who live in Jackson, Mississippi.
In honor of Wayne’s homecoming, the Binghams served our traditional Christmas breakfast on the morning of the 23rd.

Click here to watch a short video of Wayne introducing our favorites:
(This is my first try at vlogging. After opening the link,
click the Play arrow...maybe more than once.)

Padow’s Country Ham
and
Aunt Les’s Famous Christmas Cream Cheese Braids
Shared with her permission!

Dough
1 c. sour cream
½ c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 pkgs. dry yeast
½ c. warm water
2 eggs, beaten
4 c. all purpose flour

Heat sour cream over low heat. Stir in sugar, salt and butter.
Cool the mixture to lukewarm temperature.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast into warm water. Add a pinch of sugar to the water to aid the yeast’s growing. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Add sour cream mixture, eggs and flour. Mix well. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, divide dough into 4 parts. Roll each part onto a well-floured board, making 4 rectangles.

Filling
2- 8 oz pkgs of softened cream cheese
¾ c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/8 t. salt
2 t. vanilla

Combine sugar and cheese in a small bowl. Add egg and vanilla.
Mix well.

Spread ¼ of the cream cheese filling on each dough rectangle. Beginning on the long side of the rectangle, roll dough in jellyroll fashion. Pinch short ends and slightly fold under. Place rolls seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Slit each roll about 2/3 of the way through the dough at 2 inch intervals to resemble a braid.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size,
approximately one hour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Cool slightly and spread with glaze.

Glaze
2 c. powdered sugar
4 Tbls. Milk
2 t. vanilla

Day 342 - All Over But the Shoutin'

2005-12-28T14:48:00.000-08:00

The pair of police officers who stopped to steer traffic around my car
15 miles outside Hot Springs last Monday night were especially eager to help fix the flat tire once they learned I was en route to Mississippi for Wayne's homecoming from Iraq. Having completed their own stints of full time military service, Corporal Bryan Ray and Officer James Tallent of the Malvern, Ark. Police Department assisted me with courteous professional efficiency, asking in return only that I relay their thanks to Wayne for his service on behalf of our country.

Back on the road by 7:30, I knew it would be midnight before I arrived at my brother's house in Jackson, 100 miles north of Camp Shelby.

When I finally showed up, Wayne's fiancee, Lauren, and his two cousins, Kimbell and Blair Marie, were monitoring his flight into Bangor, Maine on the internet.

By 1 a.m., text messages were flying, and all us girls were squealing with excitement, knowing Wayne was finally back on American soil for good.

Wayne called as soon as their plane reached the gate, filling us in on the soldiers' schedule until we could see them at Camp Shelby. Relieved and tired, I headed for bed, while Lauren and the cousins stayed awake, chatting with Wayne until nearly 3 a.m.

Two hours later, we crowded the bathroom, slapping makeup on sleep-deprived eyes and gulping coffee to jumpstart the adrenaline we needed for the early morning drive to Hattiesburg.

Once in the car, it was hard to be calm or quiet. We skimmed through a Jock Jams CD, looking for appropriate music to play on our boom box when the soldiers started getting off the busses.

Halfway to Hattiesburg, Lauren's cell phone rang. The troops were on the move from Gulfport to Camp Shelby, scheduled to arrive from the south at nearly the same time we would arrive from the north.

"I can't believe it's almost over," Lauren whispered, breathy with anticipation.

By 8:30 Tuesday morning, we were inside the gate at Camp Shelby, never realizing we passed right by 268 soldiers who had arrived in busses minutes earlier.

In a few more minutes, we joined hundreds of friends and family members huddled against the wind whipping between the barracks on 31st Street. Girlfriends strutted in stilettos, children lingered on the lawn and parents cradled their coffee during the final hour of waiting.

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY!" read the next text message from Wayne on Lauren's phone. "WE'll BE THERE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES!"

Word spread through the camp like wildfire. Children were hoisted to strong men's shoulders. Women pulled out their tissues. Families poured from the warmth of the hospitality room to greet their soldiers.

"They're coming!!" someone shouted, wide-eyed and wishful.

For a split second, everything went silent as ears strained to hear the escort siren. Friends and families scurried to line the road where the busses would eventually park.

Suddenly, thunderous applause and raucous cheering split the air. The first bus appeared! A once orderly crowd now bounced around like BB's dropped on a concrete floor as families frantically searched for their loved ones.

One by one, much too slowly it seemed, soldiers stepped off the bus. Lauren spotted Wayne by the pillow tucked under his arm.

The next few minutes seemed like a parenthetical segment of an old movie...blurred by tears, silent because words wouldn't do, intensely close...
all in slow motion.

We waited patiently and respectfully while Lauren hugged Wayne, who was still clutching his proverbial pillow. At the end of that precious moment, Wayne turned to the family, threw his arms out wide and announced in characteristic Wayne-O fashion,
"OK, let's have kisses! Step right up, folks!"

Recently, I told one of my friends how hugging Wayne that day felt like a funeral in reverse. Instead of burying him, I received my son back from the grave. Waves of emotion held in check all year came gushing out. Each time I tried to pull away, I sobbed uncontrollably, thinking of other mothers whose sons didn't come home alive. Finally, when it seemed like enough, I passed him on to the rest of the family.

Eventually, everybody got their turn with Wayne before we walked with him to pick up his belongings.

On the way to the barracks, we passed our friend, SFC Kevin Kelly and Wayne's battle buddy,
SGT Patrick Bacon.

I hoped to have met many more of the men from Alpha Company who spent the year at Camp Dogwood with Wayne, but everybody had already wrapped up, prepared to make their individual journeys home for Christmas.

And what a Christmas it was. A new friend, musician and blogger,
James Hooker, sent this original song as a gift to all of us:

I wrote this for Wayne and all the other Waynes. Just got it uploaded...All Over But The Shoutin'.

Merry Christmas from me to you and Wayne and all the other Wayne's Moms and Waynes...
or sumthin' like that!

Thanks, Wayne.

James Hooker

(OK, if you didn't listen to James's song, here's the bait. He's co-founder of Grammy Award-winning "The Amazing Rhythm Aces" and current bandleader for Nancy Griffeth.)

More tomorrow...

(Linked at Mudville Gazette.)

Day 336 - Hallelujah Chorus!

2005-12-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

What does THIS smile say??

Five hundred thrity-five days after Wayne reported to active duty, he returned from Iraq this morning at 6:02.

Words cannot express our joy at his homecoming, our gratitude for his service, our humility for his safety.

We'll check in tomorrow, once I get to a high-speed internet location, to share more pictures of the glorious reunion!!

Thanks again, over and over, to all our family and friends who prayed with us and for us during the last 16 months.

Day 334 - One Day Closer

2005-12-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

Our subdivision is a popular drive-through neighborhood for light-seers during the Holidays. We're taking advantage of the extra traffic to show our appreciation to all those who have supported Wayne and us during his deployment this year.

Actually, we're all so excited, we feel like dancing, so we're taking lessons from THIS GUY at the Air Force Academy!

Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle ALL THE WAY!!

P.S. If you didn't click on "THIS GUY," go back, do not pass Go, and do not collect $200.

Day 333 - Changing of the Guard

2005-12-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

An historic 70 percent of Iraqi voters turned out to vote in their most recent election.

According to Jack Kelly’s commentary today in the Washington Times, the first person to vote in Babylon in the Iraqi parliamentary election was 65-year-old Jasim Hameed, who is wheelchair-bound.

"I'm here at this early hour because I want to challenge the terrorists who want to kill the democratic process in Iraq and I want to encourage the healthy people to vote," Mr. Hameed said. Because Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, threatened to kill those who cast ballots, Mr. Hamid was risking his life.

In a communique issued election eve, Mr. Zarqawi vowed to "ruin the democratic wedding of heresy and immorality."

The threats were not idle. The police in Babil Province caught two brothers with 72 mines and improvised explosive devices who planned to plant them on the approaches to the polling stations, reported an Iraqi correspondent on the scene.

Despite the threats, turnout was so great, the hours for voting had to be extended in many places to accommodate people waiting in line.

Be sure to watch the video of Iraq’s election posted by blogger journalist Michael Yon.

(According to the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office, less than NINE percent of Arkansas voters cast ballots in the statewide special election held last week!)

One military recruiter posts a particularly good list of other things our soldiers have helped to accomplish. (I’ve saved this one in the sidebar under "Reference Helps.")

Finally, here’s a timely reminder from Some Soldier’s Mom, the blogger mother of an injured soldier, encouraging us to include wounded warriors in our Christmas card lists. It's still not too late to zip off a few words of encouragement!

Here's the address...

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

But before you sign off, take a minute to smile while reading about War News Radio, a weekly half-hour show broadcast on the Swarthmore campus station, and podcast over the Web, where it draws as many as 3000 listeners a day. The show’s stated aim is to “rediscover the voices of real people” in Iraq.

Interviewed by The New Yorker, editor Amelia Templeton, a senior history major, estimates that she has spoken with twenty-five Iraqis over the past year, and now, as she said the other day, “it’s a bad idea to ask me about Iraq unless you plan on listening for a while.”
(Full story here.)

Today’s Wayne update brought to you by the letter K.

Day 332 - Message of Thanks from LTC John Rhodes

2005-12-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

Wayne serves with the 150th Engineer Battalion, a part of the 155th Brigade Combat Team (link includes video of partial homecoming), which also includes the 155th Infantry Battalion. Many wives and mothers of these soldiers have become my friends this year through online conversations on military family discussion boards.

This is the final message from Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes, who will be one of the last soldiers with the 155th to return to the States in January. We send prayers for all those who continue to serve with him until their safe return to American soil.

To the Families and Friends of the 1-155th IN BN
(Mississippi Rifles):

As we begin to depart Iraq, I want to express my appreciation for the overwhelming support we received during this deployment.

I have had the privilege of serving with the best that America has to offer. It is truly remarkable what these great soldiers have accomplished. They have endured being away from their families for almost eighteen months; served in a hostile environment where they encountered hostile attacks regularly; mourned the loss of their comrades; and suffered through the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Yet through it all, they have remained dedicated to their mission. Iraq is a better country because of their efforts. The Iraqi citizens will always remember the generosity demonstrated by these professionals.

These soldiers crossed the forward edge of freedom and faced the dangers of war to preserve America's way of life. They did not risk their lives for fame or fortune. They did it because this is who they are and what they represent. America is the "Home of the Brave," and I've had the honor of serving with them. These soldiers are the modern day "Mississippi Rifles" who have carried on the great traditions of this proud Infantry Regiment.

I thank the fine families of these soldiers. Your efforts are as commendable as those who served in Iraq. No one understands the hardships of war more than a soldier's family. For 18 months, your lives have been disrupted as you have had to bear the burden of taking care of your family. You have been forced to assume the role of both Mother and Father and provide comfort to your children. Your resilience and courage during Hurricane Katrina is a true testament to us all. You have fought the harder battle, and I am forever grateful for your enduring support. From day one, we were in this all together and your contributions were vital to our success.

I thank our wonderful Family Support Groups and Family Assistance Coordinators. You were the critical link between us and our families. I relied often on you to communicate with the families and media back home. Every time we asked for assistance, you delivered. During Hurricane Katrina, you went above the call of duty by contacting our family members and making sure they were safe. You brought relief for many soldiers who went days without knowing the status of their family. You functioned in a major role for this battalion, and your efforts were essential to our success.

I thank our communities for their great support. We received countless letters, cards, and packages from friends, churches, schools, and community groups. Your generous donations served a critical need and provided comfort to our lives. Many of you provided school supplies, candy, clothing, and other items for the Iraqi children. These children will always remember the kind acts that you displayed. There was never any doubt that the people back home supported us and kept us in their thoughts and prayers. This constant reminder was a major factor in maintaining our morale throughout this deployment.

I thank the Mississippi National Guard for providing comfort and assistance to our families in need, especially during Hurricane Katrina. You made every effort to locate and contact our family members, cleaned up storm debris in their yards, and coordinated lodging for those who had to relocate due to damages. You were also there to assist the families of our fallen comrades and soldiers who were seriously wounded. It was a great comfort knowing that you were available to support in any way.

I thank the local media outlets for regularly publishing and broadcasting many of our stories over the past year. You greatly supplemented communication with our loved ones and friends back home. You kept the public abreast with our situation and accurately informed them about our experiences. We and our communities are grateful for your contributions.

Lastly, I pay tribute to our fallen comrades. The most difficult thing that I encountered during this deployment was contacting the family members of these fallen heroes. It was a true blessing to talk to these families. I was in awe of their enduring strength and tremendous courage. They provided me encouragement and the will to carry on with our mission.

As we leave Iraq, a part of us will always remain here. A sense of guilt is felt by each surviving soldier; wondering why he was privileged enough to be reunited with his family, and 11 of our brothers were not? Only GOD can answer that question. Each one was special and unique to us. They left behind young wives, small children, and a host of friends. They sacrificed everything to give a better life to other people. They are heroes because how they lived and what they believed. They answered the call of duty and devoted their lives for America.

America is what it is today, because of the Almighty GOD and people like these outstanding soldiers. Their spirit will always live through us and their legacy will carry on through the Defenders of this great Nation. We thank GOD for allowing them to share their lives with us and ask that HE will continue to bless their families.

OUR PROUD HEROES
(Click on names to read more about each hero.)

SPC Daniel Varnado

SPC Bryan Barron

SGT Drew Rahaim

SGT Timothy Osbey

SGT Shane Pugh

SPC Robert McNail

CPL Audrey Lunsford

SSG Saburant "Sabot" Parker

CPT Tom Miller

MAJ Greg Fester

LT Robert Oneto-Sikorski

We few, we happy few,
we band of brothers;
For he today
that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother.
William Shakespeare

Thank you again
for your continued support.

JOHN M. RHODES
LTC, IN
1-155TH IN BN, 155TH BCT
COMMANDING

(Thanks to Lynn of Senatobia for many of the soldier's pictures.)

Day 331 - Thank a Soldier Week

2005-12-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

The day after Iraqi elections, the folks over at Mudville Gazette published the text of a speech by Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, encouraging Americans to participate in
Thank a Soldier Week.

As a member of Congress, I have had the unique opportunity to visit your battlefields and witness your many successes. Each week, you are capturing terrorists, rebuilding communities, and giving people around the world the chance to experience opportunities that only exist in free nations. Although the media rarely reports your victories, I strongly believe that the American people recognize that you are making tremendous progress.
<...>
The threat of terrorism is not temporary and your service will remain essential for years to come. We will continue to stand behind you and to entrust you with the duty of protecting our country and our families. As you resolve crises and destroy the enemies of democracy throughout the world, you reflect precisely why we must prevail in this war. You are the definition of decency, the embodiment of excellence, and the meaning of strength. Your presence abroad is securing our safety at home.

American soldiers are risking their lives all over the globe defending America's interests and defending the freedoms that many of us take for grantedDuring Thank a Soldier Week (December 19-25), we join Townhall.com to encourage Americans to stop for a moment and give thanks to the men and women risking everything for us. Messages to Thank a Soldier will be randomly distributed to soldiers separated from their families during the holiday season.

To thank Wayne personally, post a comment. Wayne usually checks in daily.

Day 330 - O Christmas Tree

2005-12-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

As a token of Christmas cheer and support for Wayne, this picture of a patriotic tree was sent from Kim Everhart, former volunteer coordinator for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. The tree is one of seven Christmas trees decorating her home on Lake Hamilton .

“I have to tell you, I am not a blogger fan,” she began her email. “I have never gotten into them. But I thoroughly enjoy yours, though I feel like I am peeking into your diary. I’m attaching a photo of Monte’s red, white and blue tree that we always put in his office here. Also, Chelsea collects nutcrackers and her middle name is Liberty, so when I saw the ‘Liberty’ nutcracker (the same as your 2005 one) I bought him! Weird, huh?”

Although Camp Dogwood is being closed, kudos are still pouring in about the great job performed by soldiers of the 155th Brigade Combat Team under the command of Brig. Gen. Augustus Collins.

Collins' soldiers confiscated enemy weapons caches containing 18,000 munitions, which has helped to reduce the effectiveness of terrorist attacks in the area.

"We've taken a lot of the things that the enemy was using against us to try to kill or hurt our soldiers," Collins explained, "so now they don't have as robust an inventory of things to use as they once did."

Collins said Iraqi soldiers and police are taking a larger role in security operations in his area of operations. In fact, the Iraq police and army now have responsibility for security in the city of Najaf, he said.

"They have done a great job," Collins said, "as far as being able to provide a safe and secure environment for the people of Najaf." Many buildings have been renovated in Najaf, and the markets are open, he said.

"Everything is going in the right direction as far as Najaf is concerned," the general said, noting that religious pilgrims have begun returning to Najaf to visit its famous shrine.

Collins said his troops helped to renovate part of the Najaf Teaching Hospital that now treats 400 patients daily. And after renovations, the city's soccer stadium reopened in October for a game between the Baghdad and Najaf clubs, he said, that attracted 20,000 spectators.

We're proud of the legacy our soldiers are building with the people in Iraq. In a short email from Wayne this morning, he said despite some projects being on hold right now, things are moving in the right direction.

More than two-thirds of Iraqi voters turned out in the country's landmark election, according to first estimates Friday. The smattering of violence didn't appear to discourage Iraqis, some of whom turned out wrapped in their country's flag on a sunny day and afterward displayed a purple ink-stained index finger.

Day 329 - A Personal Message for SGT Wayne West

2005-12-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hey, Wayne!

We just want to know one thing...

click HERE .

Day 328B - Five Weird Habits of a Quirky Journalist

2005-12-13T17:58:00.000-08:00

OK, I’m not sure how I missed it, but ArmyWifeToddlerMom tagged me a few days ago with the “Five Weird Habits” meme.

Before I started to think about my answers, I had to look up “meme” to make sure I knew what I was doing.

Meme (meem) n.
A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

OK, here goes:

1. When I read a newspaper, I read it front to back, one section at a time. When finished, I reassemble the entire paper in sequential order. I will share the entire newspaper; I do not share sections of the paper while I’m reading.

2. I don’t borrow books, because I like to highlight sections and write in the margins.

3. I balance my checkbook at least once a week.

4. I prefer a good fountain pen to any other writing instrument.

5. I sleep with three pillows--one under my head, one between my knees and one hugged to my chest--next to an open window, a bottle of water and the same travel alarm clock I bought to take with me to the hospital when Wayne was born, 22 years ago!

...and this is the best thing I could think of to pass the time waiting to hear the next piece of news from Wayne.

Day 328 - Find Us Faithful

2005-12-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

For the past several days, our email boxes have been flooded with news announcing the arrival of the first two waves of soldiers returning from active duty with the 155th Brigade Combat Team. During their tour in Iraq, the soldiers conducted more than 500 operations ranging from the brigade level down to company- and platoon-level participation.

Brig. Gen. Augustus L. Collins, who commands the group, says since February, his unit has been responsible for security and stability operations in Babil, Karbala and Najaf provinces, with a detachment in eastern Anbar province.

After praising the soldiers for their military as well as their humanitarian efforts in the region, Collins said, "For the last 11 months, I've had the opportunity to serve with the absolute best soldiers that the United States has to offer," Collins said. "Every day they surprise me with their level of commitment."

Collins expressed his sentiments toward the soldiers who have given their lives. "Words can't express the grief that we have," he said. "Those soldiers were our friends. We fought alongside of them. We miss them, and they will always be heroes in our eyes."

(Read the entire interview here.)

All of us, including Wayne's newest newphew, Connor, have found something to chew on in anticipation of Wayne's arrival sometime during the holidays.

Recently, my father sent the lyrics to a song one of his choirs sang at a Thanksgiving performance. While re-reading the words today, I meditated on the the sacrifices of our faithful soldiers.

Find Us Faithful
by
Joh Mohr

We’re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road,
And those who’ve gone before us line the way,
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary—
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace.

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
Let us run the race not only for the prize;
But, as those who’ve gone before us,
Let us leave behind us
The heritage of faithfulness,
Passed on through godly lives.

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone,
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind,
May the clues that they discover,
And the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road
We each must find.

O, may all who come behind us find us faithful;
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe;
And the lives we live
Inspire them to obey.

O, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

And just as importantly, we're grateful to all our faithful friends and extended family, who are making the last leg of this journey with us.

Day 324 - With Bright Shining Faces

2005-12-09T05:32:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to tell who’s most excited about Wayne’s return. One thing’s for sure, we all love Lauren Ritchie, Wayne’s fiancée who has stood the test of a year’s separation during his deployment. The couple is engaged to be married in June at Seaside, Florida.

Lauren is the queen of encouragement and a joy to be around. Last year, she spent the entire holiday season away from her family to give Wayne as much time with his family as possible before he reported for active duty at the end of September. From October until January, Lauren traveled thousands of miles back and forth from Minden, LA, to Hattiesburg, MS, just to see Wayne whenever he could get off base from Camp Shelby.

Throughout the year, Lauren has warmed our hearts with her love and shined like a beacon for Wayne. Now, she glows with anticipation, awaiting the return of her soldier, her friend, and her love.

We love you, Honey. And we’re grateful to your parents, Lynn and Jim, not only for rearing such a fine young woman, but also for so warmly welcoming Wayne into your family.

You can visit Lauren's blog to post good wishes here.

Day 323 - We're All In Our Places

2005-12-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Once we went public with the nutcracker parade, it caught on like crazy. Kids have brought nutcrackers. We’ve bought extra nutcrackers and shipped them to new collectors in other states. Folks have written to ask for information about specific nutcrackers. It’s all been great fun.

Here’s the latest to the 2005 collection…The 2005 Official Myron McCormick Nutcracker! Complete with stylish golf bag and silver beard, this wooden specimen is sure to be a crowd pleaser for years to come.

Another longstanding tradition in our family is sharing "stuff." My mom leads the pack in this category. For as long as I can remember, she always shared the little sample size toiletries from fancy hotels she visited. As I grew older, she shared make-up samples, which were always kept in a special bag in her powder room. Later, she shared big stuff, lke jewelry and furniture and special treasures that had belonged to her mom.

Not unlike a lot of kids, I grew to appreciate many of the things she gave me only after I had kept them a while. I can’t even remember when Mom gave me this painting. My guess is the artist probably saw a marketing opportunity in the early 70s after Tony Orlando released his smash hit, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.”

For whatever reason, I’ve hauled that little six-inch canvas through every move of the last three decades, just because I liked it. Ironically, it wasn’t until after Wayne deployed to Iraq I even noticed the tiny yellow ribbon painted around the tree trunk.

Yesterday, I replaced the real yellow ribbon tied around the tree in our front yard one last time before Wayne comes home. Back in July, wind whipped Uncle Sam’s legs to the ground and shredded the ribbon from its post. Today, our man out front stands in the melted sno!w, waiting patiently for our soldier to make his grand entrance as a veteran instead of a soldier home on leave.

And we’re ready. Yes, we are.

Day 322 - 155th BCT Coming Home

2005-12-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

From The Clairon Ledger:

Associated Press

PASCAGOULA — Most members of the 155th Brigade Combat Team will be home by Christmas, says Gov. Haley Barbour, with others back no later than Jan. 15.

Currently, there are about 4,000 members of the 155th deployed to Iraq and 14 have been killed since they deployed in January. The unit is made up of about 3,500 Mississippi Guard soldiers and others from across the country.

Barbour visited the unit's outposts as part of a tour of the Middle East with three other governors during the Thanksgiving holidays.

"I went to forward bases where four units of the 155th are based," Barbour said during a meeting Monday with the editorial board of The Mississippi Press.

"I bet I saw 1,500 of the 3,500 (in the unit). They thanked me for coming, but there was no place where I would have rather been. What they told me that Friday was that most of their mission has been taken over by the Iraqis. Two of the four base bases are not going to reopen, one of them is going to reopen under the Iraqis, one is not going to reopen," he said.

Barbour said the unit members and commanders told him that they have accomplished their mission so successfully that what they were doing a few months ago is being done by the Iraqis.

Barbour said he believes there will be fewer American troops involved in Iraq because of what the units have accomplished and because the Iraqis are being trained more and more.

"Their (the troops') attitude was very positive, because they felt so good about their success," he said.

"They felt so good because they accomplished their mission. Some of them are still in harm's way. One of our bases is in a place that's still difficult. But the other three, the same report, over and over. And we saw Iraqis coming in to the base patrols coming into the base. It was really good, very good to see them.

"They made me feel a lot better that the success that's being had is going to mean a whole lot fewer Americans there.

"The length of the Iraq conflict has caused some members of both parties in Congress to call for a timetable to begin withdrawing U.S. forces from the country.

Barbour said a slow withdrawal would work better than setting a specific timetable.

"I think if the people in Congress went to Iraq and saw what I and the three other governors saw, that their attitude would be that we should withdraw troops from Iraq down to the level of need and they would see that that level is going down," he said. "There will be fewer soldiers in Iraq by this time next year.

"You're not going to learn from the American news media, but if they went down there and saw what the four of us saw, they would see that's the right process to withdraw ... That need is shrinking every week."

"Besides meeting with the 155th, Barbour said he also visited with other Mississippi units in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he saw a Gulf Coast Guard unit assisting with earthquake relief.In Kuwait, he said, he saw the 1108 AVCRAD helicopter maintenance unit.

"The same day, I saw their lead element of the 155th Brigade Combat Team. The lead element of departure is set up at a big air base in Kuwait. More than half of them will be home by Christmas."

Day 321 - It's Bout Time

2005-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Four weeks ago, I received an unexpected email from Captain Danjel Bout, Company Commander of A Co, 1-184 IN, 3ID in Southern Baghdad.

Like Wayne, Bout enlisted in the military to help pay for college. The Californian is also a relative newlywed, a son and a brother. And he likes coffee.

Here’s his message:

Last week my company commander’s vehicle was destroyed by an IED, killing CPT Michael Mackinnon and injuring the two brave soldiers serving as driver and gunner. I can say without any shame that I loved CPT Mackinnon. He was a superb officer, a loving husband, and a concerned father and my friend. His loss was a terrible blow to A Company.

That blow was only magnified when our Battalion Commander, COL William Wood responded to the scene and was killed by another IED attack. I can't express how difficult it was to arrive on the scene and have to evacuate these two great men. It is something I have already sealed away in a locked corner of my soul.

Several days later, CPT Ray Hill and SPC Shakere Guy were killed by another IED. They were on a mission to bring educational supplies and gifts to the local children. One again I found myself responding to the scene, and once again two had the sad duty of securing two colleagues for their final trip home.

In the aftermath of all this tragedy, I was given CPT Mackinnon's command, and I am writing this as the new company commander of A Co, 1-184 IN. I’ve wanted to serve as a combat commander for as long as I remember; there is no greater honor than to serve as the Company Commander of an Infantry Company. But I would give it all up if it meant my friend Mike could come home to his loving family. I know that my fervent wishes cannot bring him back to us and that he now rests in God’s hands.

Please keep his wife, daughter and son in your prayers. Because COL Wood, CPT Hill, and SPC Guy all had families they loved dearly, please keep them in your prayers, also. If you have any time left at the end of your prayers, please say a prayer that I may be granted the fortitude and wisdom to lead the men of Alpha Company in our difficult mission, and return them safely home to their own families. From this point on, my every waking breath belongs to the soldiers in my command, so I will not be able to return emails as frequently. But I will do my very best.

Yours in Friendship,

Danjel

If you’re one of the half million readers who trusts CPT Bout’s blog for real news from Iraq, you already know about the father who recently entreated Bout’s compassionate Army medics to to help save his son's life. Read the story here.

So how in red blazes does John Kerry get away with trash talking American soldiers on Face the Nation?

And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the–of–the historical customs, religious customs. Whether you like it or not……

Get your barf bag and watch the video.

Now, send Kerry a message from the mainstream voters!

Day 320 - Good News Sunday

2005-12-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

Even though he isn't home yet, it’s definitely been a “Wayne Weekend” here in Hot Springs.

Wayne’s step-brother, Bret, and his wife, Elizabeth, arrived for their Christmas visit yesterday morning. Having seen Thursday’s blog featuring the Uncle Sam nutcracker, they brought a Desert Camo version to add to the troops.

With the Sharpie we provided for the ceremonial year marking, Bret and Elizabeth personalized their gift by autographing it for Wayne. The Camo nutcracker now joins the historical collection accumulated by our family, mostly one a year for the last 21 years.

Adjacent to the wooden soldiers, our patriotic tree reminds us of the sacrifices Wayne and many others like him continue to make on our behalf.

At church this morning, all the scriptures about Jesus, the Prince of Peace, took on new meaning as I thought about Wayne and our other military personnel. (Many folks in our congregation said please tell you they are praying for you, Wayne.)

This afternoon, at a Christmas concert rehearsal in Hot Springs Village, I met the Cedar Mountain Singers’ emcee, U. S. Army Major General (Ret.) Bill Lefler. A spry gentlman whose 34-year military career culminated in his assignment as assistant surgeon general and chief, Army Dental Corps, Bill spent most of his time introducing me to Sergeant Major Henry Fiske, tenor soloist for the concert.

Backstage, I had just finished rehearsing my O Holy Night cello solo with the concert accompanist when Sgt. Major Fiske walked in to rehearse his numbers. Wearing a bright yellow golf shirt with a U.S. Army Chorus logo on the chest, Fiske introduced himself more like the boy next door than a star soloist who sang at the dedication of the D-Day Museum in New Orleans and who has performed five times in Carnegie Hall.

Fiske opened the floodgates to my heart when he started singing this song from Stephen Curtis Chapman's album called, “For the Sake of the Call:”

When you are a soldier
I will be your shield
I will go with you
into the battlefield
And when the arrows start to fly
Take my hand and hold on tight
I will be your shield, 'cause I know how it feels
When you are a soldier

When you're tired from running
I will cheer you on
Look beside you and you'll see you're not alone
And when your strength is all but gone
I'll carry you until you're strong
And I will be your shield 'cause I know how it feels
When you're a soldier

I will be the one you can cry your songs to
My eyes will share your tears
And I'll be your friend if you win
Or if you're defeated
Whenever you need me I will be here

When you're lost in darkness I will hold the light
I will help you find your way through the night
I'll remind you of the truth
And keep the flame alive in you
And I will be your shield
'Cause I know how it feels
When you are a soldier

We love you, Wayne, and can’t wait for you to get home!

P.S. Maj. Gen. Lefler asked permission to comment on Wayne's service to the country at the concerts Monday and Tuesday nights.

Day 317 - The Official 2005 Nutcracker

2005-12-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how the tradition started, but ever since Wayne was born, we've gotten a new nutcracker each Christmas.

Sometime during the week after Thanksgiving, we always shopped for the current year's nutcracker. Without ever having developed a specific list of requirements, we simply followed our instincts until the perfect wooden soldier virtually jumped up in our faces.

Yesterday was no exception.

I've had my 2005 Nutcracker Radar on for about a week now. Walking through department stores last night, I told Myron it felt like we were getting close, but each time I picked up a candidate, my Knower said No.

Suddenly, somewhere between the blenders and the plate chargers at the third store, I perked up as if someone had actually called my name.

Spinning around, I stood face to face with a wooden army of shiny new nutcrackers. Scanning the array of colors on the endcap display, I spotted a robust specimen dressed in Red, White and Blue.

"That's IT!" I squealed to Myron. "Here's the Official 2005 Nutcracker!"

Eyes brimming with tears, Myron smiled back, nodding gently at our new Guardian of Good Cheer.

Continuing Wayne's tradition, we brought the new nutcracker home and labeled the underside of his stand with the year, 2005. Tomorrow, he will lead the Holiday Army of 21 other nutcrackers collected each year since 1983.

So here it is, Wayne. Hope you approve.

Day 314 - Thank God, It Ain't Necessarily So

2005-11-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

Ask Dr. Bruce Lipton if perception is reality, and you’ll get a scientifically resounding Yes.

Former medical school professor at the University of Wisconsin and research scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, Lipton has written a new book, The Biology of Belief.

After a lifetime of research examining the molecular mechanisms by which cells process information, Lipton proves that genes do not, in fact, control our behavior. Instead, he purports, genes are turned on and off by influences outside the cell. These influences include perceptions and beliefs.

In layman’s language, Lipton’s research shows how beliefs — true or false, positive or negative — affect genetic activity and actually alter our genetic code. In other words, how perception affects reality.

So what?

So what difference does it make to the men and women with boots on the ground in Iraq if the preponderance of mainstream media focuses on seemingly hopeless causes and a growing lack of support for the mission to help Iraq establish democracy?

For one thing, it ain’t necessarily so, at least not to the more than 500 soldiers assigned or attached to the 155th Brigade Combat team who have already re-enlisted during their tour with Iraqi Freedom III.

Not according to Marine Corporal Stan Mayer, either, who says Iraq is not solely a place of death and loss. It is also a place of hope. It is the hope of the town of Hit, which he saw transformed from an insurgent stronghold to a place where kids played on Marine trucks. It is the hope of villagers who whispered where roadside bombs were hidden. But most of all, it is the hope he saw in a young Iraqi girl who loved pens and Oreo cookies.

"We know we made a positive difference," says Cpl. Jeff Schuller of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, who spent all but one week of his eight-month tour with Mayer. "I can't say at what level, but I know that where we were, we made it better than it was when we got there.”

"You really start to believe that you protect the innocent," says Schuller, speaking of children who learned to trust the Marines. "It sounds like a stupid cliché...."

"But it's not," adds Mayer. "You are in the service of others."

According to the report in today’s Christian Science Monitor, many positive stories never make it to print. These are the stories Mayer and Schuller and many like them want to share with the American people - and is also the source of their frustration. Eight months in Iraq changed their lives, and they believe it has changed the lives of the Iraqis they met as well.

Whether or not these notes of grace and kindness are as influential as the dirge of war is open to question, the story concludes. But many in the military feel that they should at least be a part of the conversation.

We agree.

Proud Thanks

Across the world, in far off lands,
On heaving seas, on desert sands,
You serve our flag, you guard, you fight,
Make despots quake and fear our might.
You show the world a fearsome face,
But do it with a noble grace.
The same steel fists that man the guns,
Unfold in kindness to little ones.

How can you warriors fight through the night,
Then hand out food when comes the light?
Unlike other armies, you American G.I.’s
Are not viewed with fear by civilian eyes.

Other nations see this and are amazed
Not us, we know it’s how you’re raised.
Wherever you serve, the world can see,
You’re the fine result of our democracy.

On this day of grace we send our prayer,
And give proud thanks to you everywhere.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66

Day 312 - Is That Underwear on Your Head??

2005-11-26T07:18:00.000-08:00

Wayne sent this shot a few weeks ago after I requested a new picture to use for Christmas cards.

"Somehow, this isn't quite what I had in mind," I said.

Trying not to laugh, I continued, "Just out of curiosity, is that underwear on your head??"

The question got such a huge laugh out of Wayne, we are sharing the picture today in hopes our faithful readers will add to the fun with new captions. Please use the comment section to post your entries so everybody else can laugh, too.

In the mean time, I'll try to figure out a prize for the winner. Hopefully, Wayne will check in to remind me what that thing on his head is actually called!

Day 311 - I Have Never Walked Alone

2005-11-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

When Myron and I returned from the golf course yesterday, we were thrilled to find an Instant Message from Wayne waiting on the screen: “The phone lines are crazy. I’ll call you later tonight.”

Sure enough, just after 8 p.m. last night (5 a.m. Friday for Wayne), our Caller ID registered the unfamiliar number we have come to associate with Wayne. For the next few minutes, he described his Thanksgiving feast.

“For lunch, I had a rib eye steak, some ham, candied yams, dressing and pie. For dinner, it was pretty much the same thing,” he continued, “except the Sri Lankan cooks had prepared two ginormous cakes for dessert. One cake, at least as big as a table, was decorated with a huge mountain in the background. A river flowing from the mountain split into tributaries and watered the entire valley. It was really beautiful.”

Returning to my computer to check late night emails just before bedtime, I found this Thanksgiving letter from Wayne (pictures and links added). We offer it as the fourth in this week's series of letters from soldiers in Iraq:

Another year has gone by, one that will never be forgotten.

An emotional rollercoaster, this year could inspire a new ride at Six Flags. Exciting and exhilarating moments. Adrenaline rushes, speed, alertness in the dark.

And then, there are the long 12-hour night shifts. And the fear of silence that makes you want never to be quiet for too long, because you know what you'll think about—how much longer it is. And thinking about it only makes it seem farther away.

On the other hand, you long for the quiet peacefulness of nothing, just to sit and watch the sun blaze across the sky in a hundred different colors as it bids you goodnight.

The wind blows across a sea of sand, throwing my cowlick into a frenzy, but I don’t mind. It's Thanksgiving Day and I'm alive to see it!!

I have lived every day this year with the sounds of voices to carry me through. Sounds through a telephone or a computer; it doesn't matter. The sounds are from angels 8000 miles away who never have given up and never will give up on me, but have always stuck with me through very tough times. And I am grateful.

I have a mother who knows not how to limit her love for me and fiancee who cherishes the very air I breathe. I am in love. I love life and everything that makes living alive.

I have been stretched past my comfort zone into levels of strain and stress I never knew I could bear nor wanted to try to bear, but I have never walked alone.

I have felt strong and confident, ready to take on the world, and I have also felt weak and corroded. Yet through both, I have never walked alone.

I’ve seen, heard, and physically felt things that have made me tremble in fear for my life, fear that I may not see my precious love again. But faith was stronger than fear, and I have never walked alone.

I am a soldier, a son, a fiance, and a friend. Above all, I am a child of a living God who knows not how to limit his love for me, who cherishes the very air I breathe.

The ground I have walked is holy ground and shall be blessed! And never once have I walked alone.

I am covered by a protection policy that was paid for and signed in blood almost 2000 years ago which says that ‘no harm shall come nigh the dwelling of the Lord,’
AND BY GOD, I AM THANKFUL FOR THAT!!!

Sgt. D. Wayne West
150th Combat Engineers
155th Brigade Combat Team

Day 310 - On Behalf of the Captain of the Host

2005-11-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm thankful for words. All my life, words have fascinated me. Beautiful prose makes me weep. Angry words wound me. Profound speech moves me.

"Epistle" simply means a letter intended to be published and read by the general public. An established literary style as early as the 4th century, general epistles written to churches and individuals eventually became the basis for most of the Biblical New Testament. The main body of the letter usually followed an opening salutation, and was rounded off by more or less personal messages.

This week, we've already shared two letters. The first, from Colonel William Glasgow, described accomplishments of the 155th this year. Monday's letter from Sergeant William J. Rausch provided a clear view of positive changes in Iraq from a solider on the ground.

Our third open letter this week comes from CPT George W. Vinzant, a soldier from Mississippi currently serving with the 155th Brigade Combat Team. The original letter was read in its entirity last month on American Family Radio's Issues Today program. Here are portions of CPT Vinzant's letter (pictures added):

When we came to Iraq, the people here lived under the rule of a tyrant. Today they're working towards a free, democratic state.

When we drive down the road the Iraqi children run towards our vehicles waving their hands, why? Because they know that American soldiers aren't shooting bullets at them, but bringing food, shoes, clothes, candy, medical supplies, soccer balls, water, the things they need and the same things they know their own children would want.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. (Abraham Lincoln)

We, as Americans, above all other nations on the earth, ought to understand what's going on this country. Our soldiers die here so that a new nation, based upon freedom, a government by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

This isn't a football game; it's not a pie eating contest or Miss America Pageant. It's a struggle for a way of life, for freedom for a people. Why should we care? Because we're Americans, and we should know what this fight is really about.

I've stood on the ground in Babylon where Daniel stood. I've seen the Euphrates, where Adam, Abraham, Noah, Ezekiel, walked. When I look up at the stars at night, I remember them. I pray for the people of Iraq. I pray for their freedom, for the safety of their families, for their soldiers, for victory and peace in this land.

My love is greater than hate; my faith is stronger than fear, my hopes higher than despair. I will do my part, both as a soldier and a Christian, to help this country to receive the same liberties and freedoms we have at home.

Some would say we're fighting to help an Islamic country, or ‘If they don't believe in Jesus, why should we help them?’

If you believe that we are the Body of Christ, that He manifests his love to the world through us, that our words and our deeds are seeds and reflections of His love, then you must also understand that many others and I are here are planting seeds. I do not despair at the poverty in this place or what the news media has to say. Instead, each day, I do what I can from where I am to see that His love is manifested in this earth.

I may not be able to feed a thousand children, but I can feed one. I may not be able to provide shoes for every child here, but I can provide them for two or three. I might not be able to fix all of it, but I'm going to do my part to fix some of it.

Some people just never get it. The mountains are too high, the storms too large. They never stop fearing. Engaged in daily discussions, their mouths speak fear and their feet remain planted in place. It makes me just want to yell, "Get up and do something! Start moving forward!”

It's not my job to fix the world, but it is my job to minister the love of the Father to it. If I have to carry a weapon to bring freedom to this country, to defend the rights of the Iraqi people, then so be it. I thank God for the opportunity to kick in and do my part.

I'm an adopted child of God, with a purpose in life. His eyes are upon me and I never walk alone.

Day 309 - Creating Peace on Earth

2005-11-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

One of the ways I create peace in my own life is by listening to peaceful music. Finding the right CD is hard, especially because most projects don't deliver 60-90 minutes of peace. Instead, they drag the listener along a bumpy ride of different tempos and changing volume.

Back in August, I attended a conference in Eureka Springs, Ark., where Jeff Greene was leading worship.

Jeff called Monday night to tell Myron and me about his new website, which features two of his new CDs. This morning, I wrapped myself in his beautiful melody called "Going Home." Besides creating a peaceful atmosphere to cradle the dawn of a very busy day, this particularly calming selection helps me visualize Wayne finally stepping off the plane onto American soil.

"Child of Wonder" is Jeff's new offering for babies and younger children. I'm buying several copies for the small ones in our family. In the meantime, his Christmas CD is my constant companion in the car.

You can meet Jeff and find his music here.

Last week, while traveling on a press tour in south Texas, I met a new friend, Cheri Sicard. Author of FabulousFoods.com and FabulousTravel.com, Cheri is a virtual treasure chest of ideas and information.

After talking with Cheri about Wayne and his mission in Iraq, she told me of a project which is dear to her heart. Cheri's book, The Great American Handbook, describes what we, as a passionate citizens, can do for our country today and every day. Lots of copies available for less than a buck apiece here.

Today, I'm grateful for two more new friends. Jeff and Cheri have each enriched my life, helped to make my shopping easier, and are genuinely promoting the cause of world peace.

Day 308 - Misty-Eyed

2005-11-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

I don’t recall ever having received so many Thanksgiving greeting cards as have graced our mailbox this year. Maybe it’s because we’re getting older. Maybe it’s because of Iraq. Maybe it’s because of the year’s tortuous weather. Whatever the reason, people seem unusually eager to express their gratitude for all things good—especially friends.

Yesterday, my sister, Teresa, emailed a family quip, typical of her conversations with Sarah Grace, Wayne’s very bright first-grade cousin from Atlanta.

Someone asked Sarah, "If you won the lottery, what would you buy your daddy and mama?"

Sarah replied, "For Daddy, I'd get him a purple Porsche. For Mama, a gift certificate to K-mart."

During Wayne’s deployment this year, faithful friends and family have recognized the wants and needs unique to this military mom. A thoughtful blog comment. A check. A well-timed hug. A shared thumbs-up. A tear. A song. A handwritten letter sent snail mail with a pretty stamp. Dinner. A book. A phone call. A visit. A prayer.

One new long-distance friend has massaged our friendship in her own special way.

When Myron and I visited Amelia Island Plantation in late summer, we met Misty Sherwood, a Licensed Massage Therapist on staff at the property’s Spa. Before and after our spa sessions, we shared Wayne’s story and this blog site address.

Since then, Misty has become a new friend, a faithful supporter of the troops, and a frequent commenter on our blog. She and her husband, Ron, along with their son, Elijah, have gently found a permanent place in our hearts this year.

Above all, we are a family grateful for friends.

Day 307 - Who Cares?

2005-11-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, while I was tramming between terminals A&E at DFW Airport on the way home from a press tour to Matagorda County, Texas, Wayne called.

Since he sounded a little less chipper than usual, I asked how things were going.

“I’m just ready to come home,” he replied in uncharacteristic monotone.

First Sergeant Kevin Kelly echoed Wayne’s sentiments in an email this morning, saying, “I think the closer we get, the more depressed everyone gets because it just drags along. Everyone here is fine though.”

The Washington Times reports today Lawrence Di Rita, spokesman for Donald Rumsfeld, said commanders are not telling the Pentagon that morale is sinking, although they have long-standing concerns about the press.

"The commanders often have expressed their incredulity at the difference between the progress they are seeing in Iraq and the manner in which that progress is obscured in Washington by the disproportionate focus on the challenges, in lieu of the many reasons to feel proud and satisfied at all that is happening," Di Rita said.

What difference does all the hoopla make? Ask SGT Walter J. Rausch, currently fighting in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division. He and his platoon have penned a message to the American public that may be a lot different from the message you are hearing in the mainstream media.

I’m helping his mom to help get this message out. Here it is from the soldiers on the ground. (Links and photos added.)

Mom,
Be my voice. I want this message heard. It is mine and my platoon’s to the country. A man I know lost his legs the other night. He is in another company in our battalion. I can no longer be silent after watching the sacrifices made by Iraqis and Americans everyday. Send it to a congressman if you have to. Send it to FOX news if you have to. Let this message be heard please…

My fellow Americans, I have a task for those with the courage and fortitude to take it. I have a message that needs not fall on deaf ears. A vision the blind need to see. I am not a political man nor one with great wisdom. I am just a soldier who finds himself helping rebuild a country that he helped liberate a couple years ago.

I have watched on television how the American public questions why their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters are fighting and dying in a country 9000 miles away from their own soil. Take the word of a soldier, for that is all I am, that our cause is a noble one. The reason we are here is one worth fighting for. A cause that has been the most costly and sought after cause in our small span of existence on our little planet. Bought in blood and paid for by those brave enough to give the ultimate sacrifice to obtain it. A right that is given to every man, woman, and child, I believe. by God. I am talking of freedom.

Freedom. One word but yet countless words could never capture its true meaning or power. “For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.” I read that once and it couldn’t be more true. It’s not the average American’s fault that he or she is “blind and deaf” to the taste of freedom. Most Americans are born into their God given right so it is all they ever know. I was once one of them. I would even dare to say that it isn’t surprising that they take for granted what they have had all their life. My experiences in the military however opened my eyes to the truth.

Ironically you will find the biggest outcries of opposition to our cause from those who have had no military experience and haven’t had to fight for freedom. I challenge all of those who are daring enough to question such a noble cause to come here for just a month and see it first hand. I have a feeling that many voices would be silenced.

I watched Cindy Sheehan sit on the President’s lawn and say that America isn’t worth dying for. Later she corrected herself and said Iraq isn’t worth dying for. She badmouthed all that her son had fought and died for. I bet he is rolling over in his grave.

Ladies and gentleman I ask you this. What if you lived in a country that wasn’t free? What if someone told you when you could have heat, electricity, and water? What if you had no sewage systems so human waste flowed into the streets? What if someone would kill you for bad-mouthing your government? What if you weren’t allowed to watch TV, connect to the internet, or have cell phones unless under extreme censorship? What if you couldn’t put shoes on your child’s feet?

You need not to have a great understanding of the world but rather common sense to realize that it is our duty as HUMAN BEINGS to free the oppressed. If you lived that way would you not want someone to help you????

The Iraqis pour into the streets to wave at us, and when we liberated the cities during the war, they gathered in the thousands to cheer, hug and kiss us. It was what the soldier’s in WW2 experienced, yet no one questioned their cause!! Saddam was no better than Hitler! He tortured and killed thousands of innocent people. We are heroes over here, yet American’s badmouth our President for having us here.

Every police station here has a dozen or more memorials for officers that were murdered trying to ensure that their people live free. These are husbands, fathers, and sons killed every day. What if it were your country? What would your choice be? Everything we fight for is worth the blood that may be shed. The media never reports the true HEROISM I witness everyday in the Iraqis. Yes there are bad ones here, but I assure you they are a minuscule percent. Yet they are a number big enough to cause worry in this country’s future.

I have watched brave souls give their all and lose their lives and limbs for this cause. I will no longer stand silent and let the “deaf and blind” be the only voice shouting. Stonewall Jackson once said, “All that I have, all that I am is at the service of the country.” For these brave souls who gave the ultimate sacrifice, including your son Cindy Sheehan, I will shout till I can no longer. These men and women are heroes. Their spirit lives on in their military and they will never be forgotten. They did not die in vain but rather for a cause that is larger than all of us.

My fellow countrymen and women, we are not overseas for our country alone but also another. We are here to spread democracy and freedom to those who KNOW the true taste of it because they fight for it everyday. You can see the desire in their eyes and I am honored to fight alongside them as an Infantryman in the 101st Airborne.

Freedom is not free, but yet it is everyone’s right to have. Ironic isn’t it? That is why we are here. Though you will always have the skeptics, I know that most of our military will agree with this message.

Please, at the request of this soldier spread this message to all you know. We are in Operation Iraqi Freedom and that is our goal. It is a cause that I and thousands of others stand ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice for because, Cindy Sheehan, freedom is worth dying for, no matter what country it is! And only after the world is free, can we hope to have peace.

SGT Walter J. Rausch,
and 1st Platoon101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Day 302 - Letter from Col. William Glasgow

2005-11-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

The following letter to the Editor, written by Col. William Glasgow, Executive officer with the 155th Brigade Combat Team, was published online today by the Brookhaven Daily Leader.

The 155th Brigade Combat Team's deployment to Iraq is rapidly approaching its completion. Approximately 4,000 soldiers from Mississippi, Arkansas, Vermont and across the United States will be returning home to their loved ones. I wanted to write this letter just to let the folks back home know how much the 155th BCT has accomplished during its tour of duty and how much we appreciate the support our family and friends have provided.

The 155th BCT area of operations encompassed two provinces and a large portion of a third province (Karbala, Najaf and northern Babil). Tremendous successes have been attained by the soldiers of the 155th BCT. Numerous weapons caches have been found throughout the area of operations.

Approximately 35,000 artillery and mortar rounds have been discovered and destroyed by the 155th Brigade Combat Team, each one destroyed denying the enemy a potential IED (improvised explosive device). Soldiers of the 155th BCT have detained approximately 1,300 suspected insurgents, with over 500 of those being sent to Abu Gharib prison.

This is only a small example of what your soldiers have accomplished. Many humanitarian aid projects have been undertaken and completed by the 155th BCT. Endless boxes of school supplies and backpacks have made it into the grateful hands of the children of Iraq.

The 155th Brigade Combat Team has suffered casualties during its tour of duty. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers will always remain with the family members of our fallen comrades, and we will not let their sacrifice be forgotten.

In closing, I say to the family members and friends of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, you can be proud of your sons, daughters, husbands and wives who met the challenge here in Iraq and continue to "make a difference" every day. We look forward to seeing you all soon. Once again, thank you for all the support you have provided from the home front.

Day 301 - Standing Ovation for Sgt. William E. Brooks

2005-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Specialist William E. Brooks, 23, was injured March 29 when his Humvee was blown up by a roadside bomb in central Iraq. Both of his legs were amputated above the knees as a result of the injuries.

While Brooks was recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Desoto County’s largest homebuilder and other companies donated goods and services to retrofit his Southaven, Miss., home for him and his parents.

Gutted and rebuilt inside at no expense to the Brooks family by Reeves Williams, the home now includes wider doorways and other features designed for use by someone in a wheelchair. The new ammenities will also serve Sergeant Brooks’ father, who was disabled in a 2002 auto accident.

While the renovation was underway, the family's furniture and other possessions were stored outside in two large container pods, loaned to the family by another local business.

When move-back-in day arrived, volunteers from Southaven’s Trinity Baptist church helped haul furniture and appliances into the newly retrofitted home.

Brooks, now promoted to Sergeant, recently addressed a class of 77 licensed practical nurse graduates Friday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The 23-year-old military policeman with the 155th Brigade Combat team said the encouragement and aid of the medics and nurses he encountered made all the difference. Dedicated medical personnel were by his side "... from the time I left camp until the time I got here," he said.

Brooks also praised Walter Reed and its staff. "When I got here at WRAMC on the floors and the wards, there was always a friendly face no matter what I needed ... [staff were] always willing to help [me] and do whatever was needed to make sure I was comfortable," he said.
(Read the entire story here.)

A few days ago, SGT Brooks posted a comment on the 155th BCT Family Discussion Board:

This is new promoted SGT William E. Brooks, and I want to say thank you to everyone who has prayed for me and my family. To my fellow MP's..I love you guys and can't wait until I get to see you again. OF THE TROOPS, FOR THE TROOPS!!

Willie B

From all of us, thank YOU, Sgt. Brooks.
You make us proud.

(Thanks to The Commercial Appeal for facts about Sgt. Brooks.)

***In other Tuesday Triumph news: Members of the 155th Brigade Combat Team discovered a weapons cache in an area west of Iskandariyah. Nearly 300 mortar rounds (82 mm) were seized and subsequently destroyed.

HOOAH!!

Day 300 - More Good News Monday

2005-11-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to follow yesterday’s post where Bret McCormick shared why Veterans Day is still important, but we'll try.

This morning I read a heartwarming story of the North Jackson Lions Club, a group of compassionate do-gooders who collected school supplies for children in Iraq through the request of one of their members called to active duty in Iraq.

According to the story posted online by The Clarion Ledger, Major Eddy Waller, son of a former governor and brother of a state Supreme Court justice, is serving active duty in Iraq with the 155th Brigade Combat Team, a National Guard unit out of Tupelo.

When the club asked Waller what they could collect to send him, Waller jumped on the opportunity to deflect their generosity to needy schoolchildren in Iraq.

“For Eddy to come back and say, 'Don't send things to us soldiers, but help us with this school we're adopting," Mark Maxwell, Morgan Keegan brokerage executive and Lions Club president, says. "These guys are in harm's way. We're thinking about them, but they're thinking about others…”
(Photo by The Clarion Ledger. Read the entire story here.)

And if you didn't take time to watch this video yesterday, it's worth a couple of minutes Before You Go. (Hat tip to our friend, veteran and blogger-commenter-extraordinaire Duane Vandenburg.)

Day 299 - Good News Sunday

2005-11-13T06:20:00.000-08:00

A huge clap of thunder went KABOOM! outside the window next to my bed just after dawm this morning. Even though work has reduced sleep to a minimum the past few days, I bounced to the floor, convinced more than ever I’m a real military mom, since my first thought was how soldiers respond to mortar fire in the middle of the night.

Like a zombie, I stumbled past the computer, just to check whether Wayne might be online. Sure enough, he was. Already 3 p.m. Sunday in Iraq, Wayne and a buddy were scheduled for night shift guard duty. We got to chat for a precious minute and exchange Internet hugs before he had to go.

Scanning my Inbox before heading to the coffee pot, I noticed an email from Bret, my younger stepson who works as a news editor for The Ruston Daily Leader in north Louisiana. Bret is also an aspiring sports editor, now blogging his passion at Strictly Sports.

“I did my column for Monday about Veterans Day and talked about Wayne,” he began. “I wanted you to read it. There are some things in there that I've never told him (and probably should).”

Here’s Bret’s column, posted with pictures I either got from Wayne or took at the Hot Springs Veterans Day parade Friday night.

Veterans Day Still Important

Growing up, I never really paid much attention to Veterans Day.

That's not because I'm unpatriotic, don't care about veterans, am a pacifist or disinterested in history. In fact, I'm the opposite of all of those things.

It's just that many people in my generation took freedom for granted. We didn't love through war, didn't understand many of the sacrifices that were made to obtain the freedom we all cherish.

The closest thing I experienced to war growing up was Desert Storm, which really wasn't a war. Sure, I grew up in the end stages of the Cold War — but people weren't dying in battle then because it was more of a political war.

I didn't have a Vietnam growing up — nothing that profoundly affected my childhood and youth. Therefore, Veterans Day wasn't a particularly noteworthy holiday for me.

Sure, I thought about the veterans of the World Wars. But I didn't dwell, and I moved on.
Over the past four years, however, my life has been profoundly changed. I've experienced war firsthand — the war on terror.

It was my country that was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Sure, the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq are many miles away, but this thing was started on my home soil. Therefore, it matters to me. Veterans Day matters to me because we have people — kids my age and younger than me — dying overseas everyday so that we can feel safe back at home.

This Veterans Day was one of even more particular importance to me and my family. I have a family member fighting in Iraq. For the first time, I'm experiencing Veterans Day for what it truly means.

My stepbrother, Wayne West, is a hero. No, he's no different than any of the other soldiers that are putting themselves in danger so I feel safe in my cubicle at work or on my couch at home. They're all heroes.

It's just this year I had a little bit more of a reason to reflect on just what Veterans Day means to me.

For nearly the past year, I haven't seen my stepbrother. We've communicated via e-mail for a couple of times, but we haven't spoken since we spent Christmas together last year. However, I have been able to follow Wayne's chronicles in Iraq. His mother (and my stepmother), Rebecca, has kept us all up to date via Wayne’s World.

I am extremely proud of my stepbrother, just as I am all of our soldiers.

However, there is something deep in me that glows when I think of Wayne.

His story is truly unique. On the morning of Sept. 11, he was driving from Monroe to Jackson, Miss., to enlist in the Mississippi National Guard in order to gain money to attend college.

Despite being repeatedly warned about the dangers of signing up in the wake of the terrorist attack, Wayne was even more determined to serve his country.

What I realize, and what I hope all of you realize, is there are thousands of stories out there just like Wayne. Many times our soldiers are simply names and faces, but all of them have stories that make them unique and fascinating.

It's because of them that Veterans Day is such a special holiday. We have the chance to simply reflect and honor those who give the ultimate sacrifice so we don't have to.

Footnote: My mom has been visiting here all week. Turns out, she was walking her dog outside this morning when lightening struck the ground a few away, seconds before the sonic thunder which woke me up. Quickly deciding a doggie accident inside would be better than a dead mama outside, she and Angel headed for dry ground through the garage. Only the garage door won’t close now, a malfunction apparently caused from the electrical surge.

For now, we really mean, “Our door is always open!”

Day 297 - Veteran's Day 2005

2005-11-11T04:49:00.000-08:00

In 1938, Congress approved an Act declaring November 11 each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace. Originally known as “Armistice Day,” the day was set aside to honor the veterans of World War I, which fighting ended the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918.

Veterans’ service organizations petitioned the 83rd Congress in 1954 to change the name of the holiday to “Veterans’ Day” in recognition of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who fought to preserve America’s freedom during World War II and the Korean War.

From 1968-1978, the holiday was set to fall on Monday, to give Federal employees a 3-day weekend. President Gerald R. Ford resumed the celebration of Veterans Day on November 11 to preserve the historical significance of the date and to focus attention on the purpose of the holiday: to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Wayne was driving from Monroe, LA to Jackson, MS to enlist in the Mississippi Army National Guard to help pay for college. When attacks on the World Trade Center started, the recruiter called and said he would not allow Wayne to sign up when he arrived. “I’ll send him back home. You guys wait this thing out and then decide what to do.”

That night, citizens from our city gathered for an ecumenical prayer service. After all the priests, pastors, rabbis and rectors had finished their prayers for the nation, they asked if anyone in the congregation had anything to add. Wayne, 18-years-young at the time, stepped forward.

“Father, we ask that you give wisdom to our President and all the members of the houses of Congress to make the best decisions for the good of our country,” he began, “and we ask you to give courage to the parents of those of us who have been called to serve and to protect our freedom.” Three weeks later, he was at basic training.

Now, four years later, Wayne’s combat engineer unit is close to the end of a year of active duty in central Iraq. Amid bombs, ambushes, sandstorms and excruciating heat, the heart of these soldiers strives to return some semblance of normal life to this damaged world, as one newspaper editor said.

"In Wayne’s World, our soldiers provide health care for children. They adopted a school. They deliver school supplies sent from home, and worry there aren’t enough backpacks to go around. They notice children didn’t have shoes, and then collect 1200 pair from families at home. They give out toys and candy and supplies, building relationships and trust in a place where there’s been little to trust for many years."

Several times this year, I’ve had to apologize for being late, like to the interview for the cover story of the magazine this month. “Sorry, but I was talking to my son online. A car bomber crashed through a checkpoint this morning and blew up 100 yards in front of him. He's OK. I'm a little rattled."

If anybody needs to find me tonight, I’ll be downtown at the Veteran’s Day parade, thanking all the men and women like Wayne who help keep my perspective straight.

Day 296 - 150th Awards Bronze Star Medals

2005-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

LT Kimbrough with his Bronze Star Medal recipient dad, 1st SGT Kimbrough

General Augustus Collins recently presented Bronze Star Medals to members of the 150th Engineer battalion. The fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service, the Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration.

The medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the military of the United States after December 6, 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star. To the left, 1st SGT James K. Smith accepts his Bronze Star medal for his technical expertise and inspirational leadership, critical factors in the successful completion of more than 150 combat operations without any casualties.

Awards may also be made to recognize single acts of merit or meritorious service. The required achievement or service while of lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction.

The Bronze Star Medal is typically referred to by its full name (including the word Medal) to differentiate the decoration from bronze service stars which are worn on campaign medals.

The dedication of America's soldiers is probably most evident in reenlistment rates, which continue to exceed the Pentagon's goals more than four years into the war on terror.

Bronze Star Medal Ceremony at Camp Dogwood

Congratulations, Soldiers!
(Posted at Mudville Gazette.)

Day 295 - Who Ya Gonna Call?

2005-11-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

The only thing more colorful than the trees in Hot Springs was our telephone conversation with Wayne this morning.

The little turkey caught me totally off guard with a 284 area code on my caller ID.
"Mornin', May-um," the rather countrified voice drawled through the phone line. "Do yew know who this ee-uz?"

"Help me out a little bit," I coaxed, rolling my eyes trying to guess which new non-sales-call gimmick I had fallen for. "I don't recognize the area code."

"Thee-us ee-uz yer son, Waaaayne West," he continued, unable to hold back the laugh any longer. "HI, MAMA!"

True to form, classic Wayne-o.

The rest of our 20 minute visit, (grandmother) GG and I mostly just giggled like teenagers talking to the most favorite person we could think to interrupt our work day. Wayne, entertaining us on the speaker phone, talked mostly about breakfast, his favorite meal of the day, telling us how much he loves omelets and mangos. We milked the conversation for all it was worth, too, right up until the last phone minute expired.

In case you missed Sunday's post about Project Valour IT, it's not too late to help push Army over the top of their $20K goal to provide voice activated software to enable soldiers recovering in military hospitals from hand and arm injuries to communicate with friends, family and their military buddies.

A short while ago, we received an email from CPT Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss, announcing his wife, Carren, will appear on MSNBC's "Connected Coast to Coast" Wednesday.

Don't know how long she'll be on, but please tune in... The show runs from 1200-1300. That's noon to 1 p.m. EST fer ya civilians out there. My beloved is supposed to be on around 1240, but I will rest assured her looks, personality and general charm will either get her on early, or the show will go into extra rounds like Rocky and the Big Ruskie in Rocky IV.

Go ARMY!

Day 294 - You Are My Son. Shine!

2005-11-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

Late afternoon sunlight streams through the trees these days like Nature’s flash photography. Over the weekend, cars slugged through mountain roads as tourists and natives alike wrapped themselves in a blanket of Fall color.

The sun also smiled on Wayne’s new niece, Taylor Catherine, at her recent christening in Lafayette, Louisiana. Daughter of Shawn and Nikki (West) Moore, Taylor takes the place of her older sister, Reagan Elizabeth, as the newest little Moore.

In Iraq, another mother beamed with joy Saturday when she talked to her daughter, who is recovering from life saving surgery at Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Soldiers from the 155th Brigade Combat Team learned of Hadiya’s congenital heart defect during a routine inspection of a water treatment plant. Through the generosity of Americans, Hadiya (whose name means ‘God gift’) traveled with her father to the United States in mid-October to prepare for surgery last week.

After the operation, soldiers visited Hadiya’s mother to share the good news her daughter had come through surgery with flying colors.
(Read the full story here.)

We pray The Son continues to shine on our own soldiers, until they all come home under the flying colors of the red, white and blue.

Day 293 - Project Valour IT - Good News Sunday

2005-11-06T06:02:00.000-08:00

In anticipation of Veteran’s Day, we join Soldier’s Angels and other milbloggers in friendly competition among service branches to raise money for Project Valour IT. Competition runs through Friday, November 11. (As of this writing, the Navy is still ahead!)

Founded in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, Project Valour IT provides voice-controlled software and laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand and arm injuries or amputations at major military medical centers.

Using voice-controlled software, our wounded heroes are able to operate laptops by speaking into a microphone without having to press a key or move a mouse.

Army CPT Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project, suffered hand wounds while commanding a tank company Iraq. Carren, Chuck’s wife, knows firsthand how voice-controlled software can significantly enhance a wounded servicemember's recovery by giving them a way to send and receive messages from friends and loved ones, surf the Internet, and communicate with buddies still in the field.

"Chuck is much happier now that he is able to blog," she says. "Despite the fact the voice recognition thing can be a hassle sometimes, he is very grateful to have it. He loves to see how many people comment when he posts. This blog is really an amazing thing for him and very instrumental for his healing. Alice and I can only do so much..."

Ready to donate? Find the donation box in the sidebar!

Wondering how to fit your gift into year-end philanthropy? Congress has recently passed measures to encourage increased charitable giving in 2005.

The Katrina Emergency Relief Act provides new tax incentives for charitable gifts made from August 28 until the end of the year.

Take note of two specific provisions of the Act:

• Limits on the amounts individuals can deduct for cash contributions to any charitable organization are lifted through December 31, 2005. Current law limits individual deductions to 50% of their adjusted gross income.
• Limits on the amounts corporations can deduct for charitable contributions for Katrina relief are lifted through December 31, 2005. Current law limits corporate deductions to 10% of their taxable income.

Describing the intent of the new incentives, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) said, "My hope in passing this provision is that Americans' generosity for those harmed by Hurricane Katrina won't mean a tradeoff for other important charitable work in this country."

Donations are accepted through PayPal, a secure third party source for fund transfers. If you don't already have free account, sign up here.

Day 292 - Hello-ho-ho!

2005-11-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Wayne showed up online this morning, asking for gift suggestions to help complete his Christmas shopping online.

“Everything’s being shipped to your house, so don’t be rummaging through the boxes!” he warned with a Yahoo “audible” attached to his text. The Ultimate Christmas Groupie, Wayne always plays “Santa” on Christmas morning, passing out presents to whatever extended family is gathered for the holiday.

In addition to two new daughters-in-law this year, we also have a new grandson on the scene. Add Wayne and Lauren's pending wedding next summer, and we’re experiencing some of the same growing pains as every family who has lots of folks to love! One thing we’ve learned is people are more important than stuff, so through the years, we’ve cut back on the stuff to save time and energy for traveling and hugging. This year will be indescribably delicious if Wayne makes it back in time to don his Santa hat!

One of our family’s Christmas morning traditions is to eat Padow’s Virginia Cured Country Ham on hot biscuits with one hand, and Aunt Les’s famous Cream Cheese Braids with the other. Just kidding about the two-fisted eating, but sometimes it seems that way, since Christmas is the ONLY time of year we eat either treat! (I called to get the recipe just now, but Les isn’t home, and her crew won’t share family secrets without getting permission first, which we understand.)

On another note, journalist blogger Michael Yon reports Bruce Willis has been to Iraq with his band and the USO, and is now following events in Mosul through Yon’s dispatches. “One of the finest and most successful actors in the world, Willis has expressed his desire to support our troops to me on numerous occasions. Read his website to see how strongly he feels about this,” urges Yon.

Day 291 - Until

2005-11-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

New jargon and military acronyms are floating around family chat rooms. Phrases like Reunion Briefing. Words like DEMOB (DEE-mobe, short for Demobilization.) It all means the same thing: Our troops are coming home!

According to the first official word we’ve gotten, some soldiers will be coming home as early as next month.

Others will not be returning at all, except in flag-draped coffins. Latest casualties include U.S. Army 1st Lt. Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski, 33, of Bay St. Louis, Miss., who died in Iskandariyah, on October 31, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol. Oneto-Sikorski was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry, Biloxi, Miss. We send our thoughts and prayers to his family, themselves just recently evacuated to Memphis after they lost their home during hurricane Katrina.

On the same day our Mississippi soldier died, thousands of Iraqi soccer fans were treated to some intense action at the opening game in Najaf Soccer Stadium.

Newly rebuilt by the 155th Brigade Combat Team, the stadium hosted the action in a game which ended in a 1-1 tie. (US Army Photo by SFC Kevin W. Reeves, 155th Brigade Combat Team, Public Affairs NCO)

Around here, we keep the yellow ribbons perked up, praying the rest of our soldiers will maintain the focus necessary to stay safe until the last boot sets foot back on American soil.

Day 287 - Good News Sunday

2005-10-30T22:33:00.000-08:00

The last three days have been jam packed with magazine production. Thirteen days out of town this month have taken a heavy toll on my production schedule, a hole I’m not sure I’m out of yet, but at least I've finished the travel story about Fredericksburg, Texas. What a great town!

During the long hours at the computer this weekend, I heard the familiar Brrrring! of Yahoo Instant Messenger. Usually, it’s the quiet days that bother me, but sometimes written news gets my pulse beating faster.

“I ran over an IED yesterday,” Wayne typed much too slowly for my caffeinated mind. “That was interesting.”

“What happened??” I typed furiously.

“First, the vehicle in front of me ran over it… Then I ran over it… Then the third vehicle ran over it and it blew up right behind him. It was night, that's why we didn't see it buried in a dip in the road."

“What did you do??” I hammered.

“Kept on driving. None of the vehicles was hurt, so we kept moving. When we finally did stop, we all got in a circle and prayed.”

Selah.

And that, my friends, is this week’s Good News Sunday.

(Posted at Mudville Gazette.)

Day 283 - Mess, Motarville and Mastication

2005-10-26T03:10:00.000-07:00

I've got a whole new appreciation for folks flooded by recent hurricanes. Our house was flooded with repair technicians yesterday to help straigten out the mess from a 2-inch deluge of water in our utility room, hall, kitchen and foyer caused by a faulty water pressure regulator and a stopped up drain line. Long sentence? Long day.

During the hubub of yesterday's activity, Wayne called. A little unusual, I thought, especially since I had talked with him online just the day before. After a few minutes of idle chit chat, he spurted, "Yea, we just got mortared. It was close enough for me to hear while I was working out. We all made a beeline for the bunker. Everybody's OK, though."

While I was breathing my prayers of thanksgiving, Wayne continued, "Those suckers just need to back off and leave us alone, 'cause here's what I know: Next week, I can say, NEXT MONTH, I'm coming HOME!"

And what a day of rejoicing that will be!

Wayne also said the seasons have changed in Iraq. Nights are cold, like in the 60s. That's shiverin' weather when your body has grown accustomed to 130-degree heat refected off sun-baked sand. He told me about blankets handmade by Iraqi women he bought as early Christmas presents for Lauren and me. (I gave him permission to use mine until he comes home.)

Over in south Alabama, a cool front put a nip of Fall in the air for the last day of our press tour. When the bird banding group returned to town, we all met for lunch at King Neptune's Seafood Restaurant, owned by Al and Diane Sawyer, the same folks who own Gulf Bay Seafood Grill.

Before you ever eat an oyster at King Neptune's, you drive over tons of crushed and soon-to-be-crushed oyster shells which make up the parking lot surface. General Manager Lane Gilbert estimates the former drive-up-take-out-only restaurant now serves 40 cases, or nearly 5000 raw oysters a week! That's in addition to the 250 pounds of royal red shrimp, a truly regal variety for taste and texture.

Most of our group chowed down on King Neptune's famous Po-Boy sandwiches, offered in fried shrimp or fried oyster varieties. Served with fries and your choice of potato salad or coleslaw, the wide-mouthed experience makes good use of the roll of paper towels parked at the end of each table.

Neptune guru Nick Fawal, who's been with the restaurant for 11 years, introduced us to the bottle at the other end of the table--Busha Browne's Pukka (pronounced Poo-ka) Hot Pepper Sauce. This curious blend of mangoes, raisins, onions, tamarinds, peppers and spices is definitely not for the fainthearted or anybody who hasn't heard of Scotchbonnet peppers! Yes,I was in hotsauce heaven.

We did suggest a more appropriate pronunciation for the condiment might be an Alabama drawl version of the word "pucker." That would make it "PUCK-ah."

(Posted at Mudville Gazette)

Day 281 - A Little Bird Told Me

2005-10-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

The familiar "brrrrring" of Yahoo Instant messenger woke me at 12:36 a.m., just in time to catch Wayne online. Our brief conversation yielded the tastiest morsel of information I could imagine: a tentative date range to come home. We're keeping our fingers crossed, hoping we're actually under 60 days to his return!

Another day in the Alabama sun made for even sweeter sleep last night.

A few hops away, Bob Sargent and his Hummer Bird Study Group have just finished their 14th annual Autumn bird banding event at Fort Morgan State Historical Park. For many birds, Fort Morgan is the final stop before winter migration to the Andes Mountains, and the first landfall during spring migration north. The all-volunteer study group operates a two-week banding station each April and October.

Hummingbirds and other bird species are captured by a thin, black netting along meandering pathways. Once caught, the birds are banded, weighed, measured and photographed before being released unharmed.

Sargent says this year's event has been very successful, with the banding of over 2000 birds.

"We've been able to band a tremendous variety of neo-tropical migrant birds," he says. "Some of these birds are absolutely beautiful."

Day 280 - Flipper Bay and Magnolia Springs

2005-10-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

The American flag at the end of our pier has been replaced by a red flag, warning beach bathers of a moderate risk of rip currents today. Serious shell seekers still combed the beaches this morning, searching for sea treasures deposited in sand redistributed by recent hurricanes. My fondest childhood memories are moments like these--waking up to the sound of the surf, smelling the salt air and watching the sun rise over the sand and the waves.

Red flags didn't stop the dolphins from running with us yesterday as we motored around Wolf Bay in a 50-foot navy patrol boat, just outside Foley, AL. Captain Ritchie Rusell of Dolphin Express Cruises tutored us to the tunes of Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett, teaching us the ways of our water mammal friends. The dolphins must have liked us, too. According to the Captain, our cruise not only produced more dolphin sightings than normal, but it also provided many more jumping dolphins than usual.

Before dancing with the dolphins, we stopped in Magnolia Springs, home of Magnolia Springs Bed & Breakfast. Owner David Worthington is purveyor of classic southern hospitality in this 100-year old home which operated as the Sunnyside Hotel during the 1920s and 30s.
Just up the street is Moore Brothers Village Market, located next door to the former Post Office. The old fashioned neighborhood store was run for 62 years by two Moore nephews: Bill, over the meat market; Jesse, in the store. Longtime residents revere the Moore's longtime traditions of dependability and generosity until the store finally closed in 1993.

Magnolia Springs native Charlie Hauser moved back to his hometown in 1996, after having bought back the family place in 1987.

"One of the Moores co-signed a $500 loan for me to go to college," he recalls. "I never forgot that."

Charlie Hauser re-opened Moore Brothers General Merchandise under the Village Market name in 1998. What started as a meat market expanded to include Jesse's restaurant when the old Post Office property became available. During lunch yesterday, Jesse's was packed with people who have already discovered the elixer of 'love on a platter' served up by the loyal staff at Jesse's.

Having enclosed the space between the market and restaurant, Hauser is now expanding his waiting area to include seated and standing bars, plus five indoor and five outdoor tables for even more casual dining.

Last night's casual dining for our group of journalists was hosed by Chef Greg Buschmohle, owner of Bayside Grille. Before dinner, Alabama Gulf Coast CVB's Public Relations Manager, Bebe Gauntt, presented a gift for Wayne 'in aprreciation for his military sacrifice and service on behalf of the United States.'

"Please tell Wayne how much we value what he is doing, and thank him on behalf of all of us here on the Alabama Gulf Coast," she said. "Congratulations to him and his fiancee on their upcoming marriage, and tell them to come see us soon!"

Day 279 - Coasting Through the Week

2005-10-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on the Alabama Gulf Coast signals hope tourists will resume their annual treks to enjoy the sand and surf. For us, it means we're one day closer to Wayne's return and his wedding to Lauren at Seaside, Florida next summer.

A group of us journalists arrived in Gulf Shores late yesterday afternoon, just in time for a short walk on the beach before dinner at Gulf Bay Seafood Grille, owned by Al and Diane Sawyer and operated by a fiercely loyal group employees, all Birmingham transplants. The casual restaurant lives up to its reputation for some of the finest seafood on the coast, served in plenteous portions with a roll of paper towels on the side.

Classic Southern best describes the culinary style where 'deep fried' is one of the five basic food groups. "We'll deep fry a paper napkin if you want us to!" said BeBe Gauntt, our host from the Alabama Gulf Coast CVB.

General Manager Rodney Calo warned us locals take their seafood seriously, especially oysters. Rest assured, the oysters at Gulf Bay definitely pass the taste test for freshness and flavor.

Before we could catch our breath, the next wave of food arrived. Billed as Neptune's Seafood Platter, the $80 house specialty consists of one pound of King Crab Legs, a one-pound Snow Crab Cluster, a one-pound Dungeness Cluster, plus a pound of Royal Red Shrimp with boiled potatoes and corn. That's on top of four cups of gumbo and a dozen oysters, which we had already eaten. To feed four, it's actually a great deal of food for a great price.

For dessert, Rodney pitched the Deep Fried Cheesecake. Noting our journalistic skepticism, he told us how they dip a dense New York cheesecake slice in buttermilk, roll it in crushed cornflake crumbs and then refreeze it before it is deep fried, drained and drenched in a homemade caramel pecan sauce.

After dinner, we invented a new gastronomic phrase: "I feel gorgeous." Sounds much better than, "I have gorged myself on so much food I can hardly walk."

Day 278 - Big Babies

2005-10-20T03:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I tell people having a son in Iraq is a lot like being pregnant. Time is measured by a different clock. Somehow our situation seems unique. Emotions are unpredictable as the weather.

Yesterday, I got drenched by a couple of emotionally scattered showers.

While I was teaching piano at St. Luke's, a 6-foot-plus blue-eyed young man wandered into the classroom. Right behind him was one of the teachers, Mrs. Bouldin, who introduced the handsome guy under the crewcut as John Paul, her son...the one home from Iraq, scheduled to redeploy to Japan.

Boom! Here came the flood of tears. And why not? I've been praying for this soldier all year!

The late night shower came when I received the following email from Teresa, my sister in Atlanta, sharing her bedtime conversation with Sarah, Wayne's 7-year-old cousin.

Tonight Sarah was very quiet, so I asked if she were OK. She was thinking about Wayne, worried about Wayne, crying for Wayne. When I asked what she was thinking, she responded, "I know he's doing a good thing, but the hard part is knowing he's far away from home and doing soldier work."

As little as she sees or talks to him, they're connected. You've a special boy and I've a special girl.

Wayne was in our prayers tonight...

Yep, Iraqi pregnancies affect the whole family.

Day 277 - Away from Home and Around the World

2005-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

October is a busy travel research month for me. The first week, I spent five days jaw-dropped among the people and places in Fredericksburg, Texas. Last week, eight miles from Seaside, I waltzed through four days at Rosemary Beach, Florida. Far from typical destination travel, this community has dubbed itself “A Place for Giving.”

Unfortunately, neither the cozy Das Keidel Inn Bed & Breakfast nor the welcoming Winston Carriage House was equipped with high speed Internet. You might say blogging sort of fell by the seaside.

The Palm Treo came in handy for sending quick answers to urgent questions during magazine production, and for asking Wayne to keep us updated on his safety, particularly around the time Iraqis would be preparing to vote on their new constitution. I remember the night (their day) of the 15th. I woke up nearly every hour, praying for Wayne and his fellow soldiers.

“Yes, we are safe and, your prayers were definitely answered,” he emailed back.

“Right across the river is a marine firm base, kind of like the checkpoint we have set up out there, and every night, and even during the day, we hear artillery being shot, mortars landing, and watch tracer rounds flying all over the place as those marines are shooting their weapons. We have even had some of the guys say they've seen tracers fly over the river in our direction from them shooting over there.”

“Anyway, the night before voting day on the 15th, my buddy and I had the first shift for guard duty. We had ournight vision goggles, machine gun, M4 rifles, and XS Energy Drinks. Like everyone else, we were ready for anything, especially since we had gotten word some 40-50 VBIEDs (Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Devices) were driving around different FOBs (Forward Operating Bases).”

“Because of a threat the FOB might get attacked, we weren't even going to be re-supplied with a hot meal the next morning. So the intersection that we were manning w! as shut down; no walkers or vehicles period.”

“Well, the night went by, voting day came, voting night came, but not a mortar, artillery, machine gun, or personal weapon was heard. It was surreal how quiet it was. Here we were, expecting it to be the liveliest day and night since we had been there. Instead, we got the extreme opposite. Totally quiet. No cars anywhere. No weapons being fired, even from the marines on the other side of the river. Just total peace.”

That was a few days ago. This morning, news alerts report another US soldier, this time from the 56th Brigade Combat Team, was killed yesterday. Two more were wounded. Although these soldiers are not part of Wayne’s unit, we do pray for their families during this difficult time.

Tomorrow, I leave for the Alabama Gulf Coast to report on areas not affected by recent hurricanes, hoping to encourage tourists to schedule their spring and summer trips now. Don’t yet know about availability of high speed Internet. Stay tuned...

(We'll post this one over at Mudville Gazette to let folks know we're still kickin'!)

Day 258 - Death of a Daily Journal

2005-10-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

SGT Wayne West and SFC Kevin Kelly

Well. it started over the weekend when First Sergeant Kevin Kelly posted this entry to his Daily Journal:

I finished eating and then went back to my can to relax a few minutes and then to try to pack up some more stuff. I had been in there about 10 minutes when I heard what sounded like a hiss and then an explosion. We had someone shoot a rocket at us. It didn't get close to anyone, but it sure got everyone moving around getting into the bunkers. Everyone was safe and sound. Hadn't had that happen in a while so got everyone's senses back. I'll be glad to be back home and be in my house and not worry about something being shot over my house and exploding in my yard. After everything had cooled back down I went back to packing.

And it ended like this:

October 03, 2005 -
SORRY TO SAY THIS IS MY LAST JOURNAL ENTRY

This morning CPT Cager woke me up early to tell me that he and I needed to go see the battalion commander. I got up there to find out that I had alarmed some people by writing about us getting the rocket fired at us. I guess some of the families didn't want to know about that and I apologize if I alarmed you. That is why I said it didn't get close to anyone. There were also some concerns about operations security and what insurgents could gather to use against us.

I honestly didn't think that I was saying something that would cause problems or I wouldn't have said it. I have known people that have been reduced in rank for something similar and that is something that I can't afford for writing an email. No one told me I had to stop writing the journal, but I just can't take that chance of anything being taken out of context or cause someone to be killed or injured. What I think of as not being a security concern could be by the battalion commander or someone else and that would put my career in jeopardy. I will continue to write my daily email but only to my family and close friends back home.

I have been blessed to have met so many people on here that have sent me emails. I have joked around a lot about writing a book and I plan on doing it when I get home. I may only sell 1 copy, but it is something that I have always wanted to do and I think that this is my opportunity. I can promise you in the book though I will give a lot more details than I have on here. I once got an email from my wife after we had talked about a mission one time and then she read my journal entry and she said it was like two different things and it was nice not to alarm people. I have got emails from people from MS, AL, TN, TX, CA, NV, NY, MO and many more states. I will never forget when we had the 36,000 people hit the website in one month. It's great that we got so much support for the battalion.

I have always added to my email that I will write more later or tomorrow, but I won't be saying it in the journal. I hope that everyone has a great week. Thank you for the many thoughts and prayers for the battalion as well as myself. It has truly been a pleasure, but I value my career a lot more than a journal and hope that you understand. May God bless you and look forward to meeting some of you when I get back home. God Bless, Kevin

This is my email address if you ever get the chance to send an email to keep in touch. KevinGolfs AT aol DOT com

No, Kevin. I want the address of the battalion commander.

(Note: For our new or casual readers, SFC Kelly was our lifeline to Camp Dogwood. As I often commented to Wayne, Kevin told us all the things Mommas want to know: What did you have to eat today? What’s the weather like? Sleeping arrangements OK? Did you go to church? How are your adopted children doing? Other soldiers doing OK?)

It’s going to be awfully, awfully quiet now. And now a very long and lonely wait until January. Unless maybe Phil can pick up the slack.

We’ll miss you, Kevin. More than you know.

(Also posted at Mudville Gazette.)