The Social Studies Fair-o-rama

In our local schools students between the grades of 4th-7th have to take part in a social studies project/fair. For 4th grade it is optional extra points to take part in the Fair, but the older grades must. We figured if Cody had to write a 2 page paper and his grade could use a boost he might as well go full out and do the fair as well, then next year when Cody and Michael both had to do the fair they could switch and revamp each others projects and make things a tad easier since we could possibly be PCS-ing (permanent change of duty station) at that time and not really be able to dedicate the weeks it took us to get these done this past fall. Each student taking part had to write a 2-3 page essay on their subject (which has to be approved by their teacher), it also had to include a title page, table of contents, an abstract 2 paragraphs about what their essay will include, the main body of 2-3 pages, a conclusion page and then the bibliography. All in all it was between 8-9 pages.............for a 4th and 5th grader? Ya it seemed like a lot of work to me as well, seeing as not ONE OUNCE of this work was done or taught in class before this....yea. Then to accompany this, each student had to memorize their speech, and give it in a three minute oral presentation in front of the class and then judges in the auditorium, and be open for 3 minutes of questions....again...ya, a lot for this age when...once again none of it done in class, not even a single book from the library came home on either boy's subject. Then they had to purchase a tri-fold board from the school and have it decorated and chock full of information from their subject, and have a center piece. The board and center pieces alone took hours! Now you know the school said "The Student is to do the work but parental help is suggested". Suggested? My little heart broke when I saw the caliber of work some students turned in because of no help at home. One young lady turned in a piece of card board she colored on with crayons! She was so embarrassed. She sat with her head hung during the presentations. I literally teared up. If I hadn't helped these boys would have turned in something almost as sad. I can't believe that the school requires so much work to be done at home and none in class where the teacher could teach them A) how to properly research a subject B) how to write a research paper C) how to prioritize the information going on their boards D) how to give an oral presentation. They were judged on things ranging from the quality of information to creativity, artisticness, how well organized it was as well as their oral presentation and if they stuttered and so on. This project stressed me out! It stressed them out. I spent about $60 per boy on this between printer ink, paper, art supplies, gas to Alexandria to get the art supplies that aren't readily available in this area. There are families who could not afford this, don't have access to the Internet or a printer and don't have or GIVE the time needed to help their student to this level. Believe me the school and school board and I had MANY conversations about this, espesically since this state is failing in literacy and mathematics but is shoving a massive language arts/social studies project down the students throats and not teaching them how to do it but requiring the parent too. At this rate I might as well home school them! Now, mind you, my kids did AWESOME! What else would I expect of my boys? They picked subjects they loved, they studied hard, they spent endless hours prepping for this and then me and my little OCD self helped them organize it, type it, edit it, help them memorize it, did all the hot gluing, all the spray painting and things that a 9-10 year old at the time should not be doing. On the morning of the presentations Michael was sick, sick, sick. Good old Strep throat and fever were kicking his little bootey that morning and he was FORCED to come in and present or take the F with or without a doctors excuse note. Really?? Ya. So on the way into the fair he wanted to do it all himself and went to lift his center piece out of the car as I was getting Aidan in his stroller. The conversation went like this.
Michael "I'm gonna get this and take it in."
Me "No, no, no, hold on baby, I'll get that it's heavy and glass you don't wanna drop it, hold on."
Michael "I got it"
Me "No!!!! Michael no! Don't"
Michael "Mom! I gottttt...iiiiitttt--AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
As the glass center peice smashed to the ground and shattered. Poor boy! He burst into tears as the giant glass bowl filled with blue jello (to represent the ocean filled with hand crafted clay penguins, orcas, and marine life with varied shades of blue jellos we worked a good 6 hours on the previous night). He was devastated. This picture was taken after I cleaned up as much of the jello and glass as I could from the parking lot. Despite the fever, little to no voice due to the strep, and being upset over looseing his center piece he gave a great preformance! I was so proud of him! You can see the fever in his eyes here. Poor guy! Cody really didn't care about placeing at all. He just wanted to get those extra credit points but doing the board and presentation and so he gave it his all and ended up making 1st place in his categorgy! For a hot minute Michael was jealous and then he was the sweetest big brother and congratulated his little brother. After the fair that day Michael went home sick with me and sick or not....this is what my sweet oldest boy does..........he takes care of those around him! His little baby brother was sick too and this is how he spent the afternoon, like a Momma bear. I had to pretty much FORCE him to let me take care of my own baby. lol this boy will make an amazing Father one day. When Cody took 1st in his category two of his best friends from football took 1st in thier category as well which meant they would all move on to the Parish (county) level. Cody really didn't care if he was moving on, but wasn't going to complain so off we went a few weeks later to Parish levels and low and behold....he took 2nd..lol So this meant once again moving on to the regional levels in Natchitoches. YAY!! Natchitoches! Any excuse to spend the day there. However this was going to make it diffucult for a bunch of us Mommies, seeing as soccer season was in full swing and this was going to take place over an hour away on a Saturday DURING soccer games for Michael and Matthew. Thank Heavens for good friends! Mary had the brillant idea to switch kids! She took my two soccer players and I took her son Kameron and another boy AJ with me. This worked out wonderfully! I got to take them and spend the day with the three Amigos doing their projects. We had to kill about 3 hours between presentations and judgeing so I took the boys around town doing our favorite things. Ice cream from "The Louisiana Purchase" store, lunch at a seafood place, and Fort St. Jean Baptiste. They had a blast! They learned how the French Soldiers used to live, they got to try and start fire with flint and charcoal material, play old school marbles, and hold an old musket. It was a great afternoon. Had to sneak a picture of Aidan and I in there! When judgeing rolled around Kameron and Aj (who were a team) did end up placeing. Cody however did not. I held my breath for a second waiting to see how he would deal with the fact that his buddies placed and he didn't and this is what came out of his mouth...." I'm done??!! SAAAAAAA-WEEEEEEETTTTTTTT!!! I'm done, I'm done, no more social studies fairs wooooot woooottttt!!!" LOL evidently he was fine with it! This project did end up teaching us a lot. A lot about how the schools here are pushing too much on students they have yet to teach these things too, requiring the parents to basicaly do the projects for them, how to win and loose gracefully, and how my military family always surprises me with it's support of one another! I couldn't have done this as smoothly without the help of another fantastic Mommy who took my boys and cheered them on during thier games and trusted me with her son. She made sure my boys had just as much fun with her and her kids as the other kids with me had that day. It was all in all a really fun experience. An experience I am NOT looking forward to repeating next fall but I don't really have a choice in that do I... lol Now that I've bragged on Cody and all that he did over those weeks I have to make sure I slip this in there too. Michael graduated from the D.A.R.E. program here and man oh man was he proud! I was too! This boy really has his priorities straight and I am so proud of him! <>

Aidan's 1st Birthday

Nana and Grandaddy came all the way from Orlando for Aidan's 1st birthday since Daddy has to be in Afghanistan this year. We were so lucky that both Gramma and aunt Kelly came too! It was like a mini family reunion! It was wonderful. As previsouly posted we also celebrated Michael's 11th birthday late so that he could have them there for his party as well. It was a really fun experience. Very bitter sweet for me! My little tiny man has gone from being my teeny tiny baby boy To a big boy............. As a parent you love to see them grow but how does it go so fast?!?!?!? This last year as sped past us and while I love every new little thing he has learned I already miss feeling his little breath on my neck as he nuzzles into me, I miss seeing him root around when he was hungry looking for skin, I already miss the way he would sleep in my arms for hours and yet I love looking over at him now watching him walking around the edge of the couch stacking blocks! His birthday weekend was definatly a fun filled one but also a little more work than I had expected what with soccer games for the older boys, ER visits for Aidan, Cody and myself, house guests (yay!!!) making sure we had time for Daddy online, a double birthday party and all the prep work that this all required. I was so very lucky that my in laws were there to help! I hardly had enough to keep me busy. Someone of them was always wisking up a chore and helping me or keeping kids entertained and out from under my feet! Man I wish we lived closer to family and yet I love our military life where we move all over..lol This post and the next will be massive picture overload.....I don't know why I bother telling you that...almsost all of my posts are! Gramma holding her birthday great grandbaby! I'm ONE!!! Grandaddy getting down and playing with Aidan at the boy's soccer game. Aidan and Grandaddy Skypeing Aunt Amber, Uncle Jordan and Cousin Hunter. the Robot cake I made for his party. Nom nom nom! Aidan and Grandaddy playing at Chucke Cheese Looking at his Nana...lol like..WHAT DO YA'LL WANT NOW??? lol we were annoying him with the camera just a bit me thinks! Fever started to rear it's ugly head and despite being sick grandaddy could get him to smile anyway!
/cutesassafrass/Vdaypartythroughsocialstuidesfairregionals162.jpg" /> Playing with his gift from Gramma. Man he loves these!! This video makes me giggle. I was totaly dillusional and thought I would have time to make two birthday cakes and cake pops for these parties and was in the process of it when we Mom said Dad would enjoy eating some of the cake bits I didn't use, so we sat them in a bowl on the ottoman and Dad was nibbleing them as he went in and out of the room, at some point Aidan crawled off and we found him standing at the ottoman devouring the entire bowl..lol it was really cute.

We ended the birthday weekend back in the ER with a fever of 105.3 and miserable, Cody had the saliva gland issue and I had walking pneumonia..lol but we still had a GREAT birthday weekend with our Nana (where did all the pictures of you go?????)
HA found one!

Grandaddy, Gramma and our super sweet Aunt Kelly who put up with allllll the crazys in the house..lol poor thing was over loaded with kids all over her and she just smiled and loved it all. Thanks again to Matt's wonderful family for making sure that we got to celebrate these birthdays together! I have the most amazing in laws ever! I am so thankful for the families I have! My Brothers and Sisters all called to wish the happy birthdays and sent gifts, I wish we had been able to all be together and most of all wish Matt could have been home for it but I am so grateful for skype and yahoo messenger and getting to see and hear him even if it was short we got to share it with him! I can't wait to share with you the photo shoot that we did for his 1st birthday with Amy Delia Smith from Seraphino's Photography! Just you wait!!! It's worth it !!! Happy Birthday to our youngest Mr. Aidan!!!

Birthdays, Birthdays

I feel like a bad Mother, I'm so behind on posting about the boy's birthdays that it's already Matthew's birthday today and I have yet to post about Michael and Aidan's. Opps! I kept holding off because our wonderful Nana, Grandaddy, Gramma and Aunt Kelly were coming for the party! Michael was so sweet! He decided to hold off on having a party for himself so that he could have one with them on Aidan's 1st birthday! Just goes to show how much he loves his Nana and Grandaddy. So my sweet eldest son Michael turned 11 in January. Have I mentioned how amazing this boy is? Michael has had a rough school year. We had some issues with behavior and grades until I finally caved and allowed his doctor to put him on ADHD medication. This has taken me years and years to allow. I'm a firm believer in behavior modification and consequences (good for good actions, bad for bad actions) instead of medicating as a first option. Well...once the grades became absolutely abismal I felt as if I was doing him a disservice and tada............F's have gone to B's and D's are up to A's. Things aren't perfect, but seeing the pride on his face as he brandishes his progress reports and report cards at me is helping ease my worries over medicating him! Michael is the 1st of my son's to say things like "ooooooooh" and "Ahhhhhhh" over the "most adorable thing Aidan has ever done! Isn't he just the cutest baby ever Mom!" He is always begging to be allowed to put his brother to bed for me and feed him. He's such a great big brother. 11 years ago I became a Mother and this boy has taught me so much since then! I love my Michael! The only, and I mean ONLY thing he really, really wanted from me was a Harry Potter cake. So I attempted it. ATTEMPTED! It turned out pretty well in my opinion for my 1st fondont covered cake! Michael was so sweet and understanding when we didn't get to go skating for his party but instead hit up Chuckee Cheese, even more understanding when his little brother Cody ended up having to end the party early with jaw pain ( which we found out was actually a swollen and infected saliva gland in the bottom of his mouth when we had to go to the ER later that night) ... and very understanding that Aidan having his birthday that day meant sharing everyone attention. I'm so grateful for this boy in my life. He makes me so happy and he is defiantly a huge help to me . Happy late birthday to my Mikey Bear!

Varying Degrees of Seperation

This is a subject very close to my heart and something frankly I just need to get off my chest.
I am going to attempt (ha, ya because I never offend anyone) to do this without offending friends or family.

One of the things that is a constant frustration for any wife or loved one of a deployed Soldier is listening to someone else complain about how hard it is for them to be seperated from their loved ones. I won't say that you don't miss him/her while he/she is on their business trip, working out of town for an extended period or otherwise out of town camping/hunting and so on. I'm certian that you do. However if I have to hear one more time how hard it is being alone for a weekend, or 6 weeks while he/she is gone giving a seminar, or how you miss him ever so while he's in Korea and you can "totaly sympathize with you on how much you worry and how hard a deployment must be, because he's been gone x amount of weeks or months just like Matt", is NOT in any way, shape, or form the same thing as a deployment. Nor is a Navy deploment or Airforce deployment the same thing as that of an Army one. Does that make any branch better than the other? No, could we all do our jobs well without the other. No. However, your spouse or significant other on a ship the size of a small city, with AC/heat, internet, phones and chow halls to choose from and a deployment of 6 months or so is slightly different than 12-18 months in Iraq or Afghanistan, hikeing mountians, shoveling snow, looking for IED's and insurgents. Dodgeing bullets or having to ACTUALLY fire a weapon on someone, a real person, not a paper target.
While yes, the men and women who join the military are CHOOSING to do so, and they know full well that they have a high likelyhood of deployment it is not the same thing as your loved one taking a job in Utah (5 hours away) or even on the other side of the country, having internet contact daily, or cell phones where you can get a hold of them in an emergency, or have them rush home if need be. Choosing to work out of town for a job weather it is long or short term is different than serving in the military, and even in the military as I said there are different degrees of seperation.
I won't say mine is harder than yours. That I miss my husband or worry about him more than you do. I will say however that hearing complaints about how hard it is to be a geographicaly single Mommy while your husband goes hunting and you totaly get what I'm going through, might not be the best idea. It takes all the strength I have to not let you know how I really feel..lol
This rant is not meant for those wives who's spouses serve as firefighters, police, coast gaurd and other jobs such as this on a daily basis living with danger. The seperation is different but I'm sure the worry and stress over them is the same. There are some jobs that are dangerous such as oil rigs and so on that require you to work away from home a lot. Again dangerous, but the seperation is not the same. Pretty much everything else, I have a hard time hearing how hard it is or how it's "totaly the same thing you and Matt are going through, my kids are going through the same things!"
Did your son cry before bedtime because he accidently came across the news and how a suicide bomber killed 33 people in a blast in Afghanistan tonight? Asking " was Dad was anywhere near that? Was he ok, have you hear from him yet!" (see this is why they are NOT allowed to watch the news).
Or having school teachers call you to say that your son was crying on and off for an hour while having to write a paper about your hero and he just missed Dad so much it was too hard to write?
How about when Baby looks at the computer some days like the man smileing back is a stranger and other days points to pictures, says "Da Da!" and kisses it? Did you worry tonight when you went to bed if you would wake to uniformed men knocking on your door to tell you he won't be coming home?
When the phone rings and you just can't get it to it fast enough, do you worry that that might be his last call and you just missed it? Or that maybe he REALLY needed to just hear your voice because today was "that bad"?I'm not some dooms dayer, I don't think Matt will die. He's a capable Soldier. Wait, scratch that, a fantastic Soldier. I have faith in his skills. However sometimes his skills may not be the reason something bad could happen to him.
We get emails almost weekly informing us of Hero's we've lost from this unit. It makes things a little more real. I guess what I'm saying is, that when you are having a crappy day and think that his deployment or seminar or hunting trip is the same thing as others......take a step back and just ask yourself, how many people do you personaly know who died last week, last month, this year who died doing what your spouse/loved one is away doing, or how many times your child worried about life or death over thier parents job. Like I said, I'm not saying I miss him anymore than you do. Or that my life is harder or some lameness like that. Varying degrees folks. Just don't tell me you can sympathize or empathize with me unless.....well unless you just read through this and STILL think you can.


Just sayin!
>

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

Quotes from Matthew

After school last week Matthew is telling Cody and I how he learned about the letter U at school.

"U like Unicorn?" Cody asks jokingly
Matty makes a face like (Ew) and says "ya, like UUUUUUUnicorn, ew I hate Una-corns'es, them Una-corns'es has that thing Corn thin pops out of thems skins on their head, you know, like a ice scream scone? No I don't like Una-corns'es"

~Snort~

ohhhhhh Matty!

After a new hair cut where I got 1950's rockabilly bangs cut Cody says to me "Um Mom, I don't think thats really working for you. Ya, no it's not. "
LMAO!
Another one from Cody "Mom. You know those weird ladies on the "Real Housewives" show? Your makeup looks like theirs today, kinda like a clown. But it's ok, you still look pretty".
All I can do is laugh and shake my head and hug that kid. He kills me !

This Marvelous Monday Morning Is Brought To You By Daylight Savings Time And The Color STUPID!

Evidently when I woke up this morning I forgot to wipe the stupid off my face, because no matter what happened this morning it seemed each one of my older boy's thought I was stupid or that they were smarter than I was, and I blame this on daylight savings time messing with our Monday. It has to be that or Murphy's law is back to rear it's nasty head. Please Lord say it isn't so!

The morning went a little something like this;

Matty.............His school clothes were laid out on his table ready to wear and given instructions that "No you can NOT wear your old school pants those are too short for you, and the other pants are in the dryer, sorry buddy". I exit the room and move on to the next child only to come back and see him staring at me sheepishly, wearing said high waters and holding his shirt. Mind you, it's been 10 minutes. He's had time.
"Matthew. Did you put on those pants even though I said no?"
He answers me with a very adamant "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo" while obviously wearing said pants. I remove pants lay them in the top of the closet to be given away and hand him the shorts and move on once again to the others. Come back, pants are in hand as he is precariously dangling from the shelf, this pulls it from the wall (housing work order being called in later. Oi ). This time I PUT the shorts on him and leave the room WITH the pants.
All this causes him to miss the bus by mere seconds forcing me to start breathing like I am doing the "wax on wax off, wax on wax off" while chanting in my head "oooooohhhhhmmmmmmm".

Michael..............gets ready with no fussing, no arguments and so on. I was thrilled. He was given the task of (while I was dealing Pants McGee in his room) to unload the clothes from the dyer onto the couch, move the wet clothes over to the dryer and start his bedding in the washer. Perhaps this sounds like a lot for an 11 year old but in this household it is not. My boys do laundry, dishes (ew...we are still working on this!) and take out trash. Next up....vacuuming! I come back down as he's closing the washroom door.
"Michael, you took EVERYTHING out of the washer and put it in the dryer?"
"Yes Ma'am!" smiles proudly at me.
"Open the dryer."
"Uhhh, ooooookkkkk."
The dryer had two socks and a t shirt drying in it. The washer was being run RE washing the already clean clothes. mmmmmmmmhmmmm....deep breaths, deep breaths.

Cody..................."Mom, my tummy hurts"
"Oh man, well if you get sick at school I'll come and get you but you've missed a lot in the last two weeks due to tummy aches, that faux allergy in the eye and the dentist, gotta tough it out today buddy, sorry"
He sighs......"ok"
He then proceeds to the front door with the trash.
"CODY!!!!! Close the door.....Cupcake (the wonder dog) is gonna get oooooouuuu..............tt!!!" (this was all in slow motion, I swear it was..lol)
He slowly looks back at me...........watches Cupcake walk up to him and then BOLT! Once again.............(wax on wax off, wax on wax off). Michael, Cody and I run after her (me holding Aidan. Matthew is sitting in the car in his seat belt glaring at me because he's mad he's wearing shorts). Takes 5 mins to get princess stupid back into the house. Love this dog but really?!?!?!? This is why when we are coming and going from the house she is in the kennel (giant closet with a baby gate big enough for a twin sized bed).
After the dog debacle I hook in Aidan, Cody comes out looking absolutely deathly (faux) ill.
" Mooooooooooomm (insert death rattle voice here) I threw up." as he rubs his tummy. I automatically believe him, as he has NEVER faked vomiting. I walk to the bathroom to see what kind of clean up I may be facing as soon as I get back from the school drop off, to find.............ritz crackers crushed in the toilet, very obviously NOT vomit.
"Cooooooodddyy!"
"What!!!! I just don't wanna go today! OK!!!!". Ya you are making the same face I was. The excuse the BLEEP outta me? Who the BLEEP do you think you are talking too face! ANNNNDDDDD he's now grounded for lieing and being disrespectful. Yup....way to start a Monday son. LOL.

Evidently, I woke up with "Stupid" across my forehead. How else can you explain this morning? The only other explanation is the curse of Daylight Savings and it's evil Springing forward.

This Mommy feels the need for a do-over! AHHHHH kids! They keep life interesting that is for sure!

Photo catch up from Afghanistan

Here I am yet again, perpetually behind and playing catch up. I have wanted to catch up on photo's of Matt and it seems I just keep waiting to get " a few more pictures" to post at one time and then weeks pass getting one or two and then TADA blamo he sends me a million...lol So here we go "catch up from Afghanistan".

In early December our guys had an Army Journalist following them around and he just so happened to get pictures of MY hubby! YAY. Believe me every picture I get is GOLD! What was the iceing on this little cake was that in local Fort Polk Gaurdian and Leesville Daily Leader newspapers an article ran that had one of the pictures the journalist had taken of Matt and a quote. Oh happy day! The article does go on for quite a bit but here is the cut and pasted portion that had Matt's quote. And this picture is the one that was used in the article with the subtitle under the picture as it was in the newspaper. (Here is the link to the actual full article. http://www.leesvilledailyleader.com/military/x1499819754/Route-clearance-soldiers-help-to-keep-Afghan-roads-safe-build-relationships)

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Pfc. Matthew Morris, a cavalry scout from Orlando, Fla., assigned to 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment's Task Force Slugger, provides security during a route-reconnaissance mission in the Maiden Shahr District of Wardak Province Nov. 18.

Route-clearance soldiers help to keep Afghan roads safe, build relationships

Afghanistan — For Afghan civilians, Afghan National Security Forces and International Security Assistance Force personnel traveling throughout Afghanistan, clearing routes of improvised explosive devices is necessary to keep everyone safe and alive.
Soldiers assigned to Task Force Slugger's "Apache" Troop, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, conducted route clearance and route
reconnaissance in the Maiden Shahr and Nerkh districts of Wardak Province Nov. 18. Nothing was unique about that day's mission; these
soldiers clear Afghan roads of insurgent-emplaced IEDs day in and day out.
"(For) overall mission success, I believe route clearance is very important. If we weren't out there doing it every day, there would obviously be more IED attacks," said U.S. Army Pfc. Matthew Morris, a cavalry scout from Orlando, Fla., assigned to Apache Troop. "(Insurgents) would see that we are not out there checking that stuff, so they could hit us anytime. It keeps us soldiers safe, keeps our convoys safe and we get our job done. It's extremely necessary."During the mission, Apache soldiers searched the routes for suspicious items that might be cause for concern. The soldiers, who spend hours in full combat gear while looking for anything suspicious, are ready and confident in their abilities.

The kids of course ate this up! All 3 older boys could be seen carrying a copy around with them, to school, football and friends homes to show off how thier "Dad is famous now, he was in the newspaper....two of the even!!" He he. Sigh, oh how my kids make me smile.
Here are a few other pictures that wonderful journalist got of my man! I just drooled over these when I got them (and for weeks after..lol).


This one is my favorite. He's actualy smileing and this is the desktop picture on my laptop. Aidan say's "Da Da" to it all the time.....ya....melt much!


ok so now the picture quality drops....ohh drasticaly as we are back to the good old digital camera in his pocket. This picture cracks me up. This one is of Matt on the plane ride over, he looks like a barrel of sunshine. You know you want to fly with this fella next to you for 16 hours. BWWHAHAHA!


Our guys napping in the airport. Uber comfy!




Well Hey there good lookin, who you lookin at!

Did I say yum yet? YUMMO~


Thanksgiving




One of the reasons I've been waiting to blog about Matt lately is that I was waiting and waiting and waiting for.......a box! A box that had gifts!!!
OHHHHHH...AHHHHHHH! Pretty sparkly things for me??? AWW Yes, even in another country he spoils me! For Valentines he bought me an Ipod Touch, a brand new Camera, and all sorts of sweet lovey things and then this month mailed me a 2 keret Black Diamond (it's not set or polished but ooooooooo it's so pretty and sparkly in person. The cell phone camera does not do it justice. The ring is just to give it something to go off of)
And a bea-U-ti-ful Sapphire necklace.
Yes, I am the luckiest woman alive and NO you can't have him to train your husband. Totaly bragging.....ya, he's rather fantastic!
But the best gift in that box? A dvd. A video of him, hearing his voice, seeing him smile (even if he was getting pummeled) just made my day! WEEK, & MONTH!
Now as you are watching this you will most definatly need the sound turned up, and to finish the whole thing. It's worth it..lol if you are wondering why they are punching the shit out of him....well...they have to make sure the new rank sticks now don't they? Especial 1Sgt. He REALLY makes sure...hehe. WOW he's a big feller isn't he? LOL His wife Jessica and I have become cohorts and buddies and we watched this over and over giggleing and cringeing all at the same time. Ahhhhh to be Army and have such traditions. Good thing Matt and I love all these retarded traditions.....Enjoy! He is now Spc. Morris! YAY

Matt is doing well, tired and working hard and missing being home like crazy but proud to be doing what he feels called to do! We'll keep you up to speed on all things Morris as we can!
Matt's new view.