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.