I'm finally home after a great weekend in San Jose at Scrapbook Island! I love visiting stores over and over again because it truly is like going to see friends! This was my third visit to the Island this year! Thank you to everyone who comes to class and is so enthusiastic and so kind... you all are such a blessing to me. It's such a beautiful area... I love the mountains in the distance from my downtown hotel.
Love seeing Erin and Madeline and Doris and my WWFBFF, Anna-Marie!
And a big thank you to Melannie for my thoughtful birthday gift! I love it!
There are lots more pictures of all my cute students in the album on the side... I treasure you ALL!!
Any time now the internet on my son's FOB in Iraq is being shut down in preparation for leaving Iraq. I've come to rely on seeing his green dot pop up on Facebook everyday. Even if we don't talk, I at least knew he was ok.
This has been a totally unexpected blessing! When he went to Iraq, I thought it would be an occasional email or phone call or Skype, but I have loved and cherished being able to talk to him almost everyday! I will miss him and it A LOT! We got to Skype today in anticipation of losing that contact...
Today we received the news that they are most likely not coming home early as they had been told. They are probably going to be serving the rest of their one year deployment in Kuwait as a contingency force in case they are needed in the region. It could be something like 25,000 troops in Kuwait... not a good thing. The other bummer is that they cut off the mail early, so now they won't have Christmas presents and all until well after Christmas. I know that these things happen in the military but this whole thing has been handled really poorly. Leaving Iraq is the largest drawdown since Vietnam so it's a very complicated endeavor. I just wish they didn't make premature announcements of the plans. I also wish Obama had not announced that the troops would be home for Christmas! There are a lot of very disappointed soldiers and families out there!! I wonder if this will make the news! Please pray for the troops morale.
I'm looking forward to going to Texas tomorrow to teach at Crop Paper Scissors in Waco. It will feel strange to be that close to Ft. Hood but not have Brandon there! It will be great to see Emmalie and all the gals at CPS though. A little birdie told me that some are coming all the way from Georgia and Houston and the Dallas area for the classes! Can't wait to see you all!
I'm so sorry to hear that Brandon will not be coming home. What a disappointment. That's so horrible of them to get everyone excited and then do that. Maybe they will change their minds again.
I'm glad you had a good time in San Jose. They seem to be a really nice group of gals there and I know that is a good thing.
Stay safe and well and get some rest before your next trip.
Posted by: Deb J | November 09, 2011 at 07:00 AM
Glad @ San Jose but not about Brandon and the rest that are not coming home as announced. If this were publicized, then the media and the public would rebroadcast and at least the troops might be able to receive some Christmas goodies, since they have been short-stopped by the change. If grieves my heart that 25,000 military people WILL NOT receive Christmas blessings from their families and loved ones. This is just wrong!
Posted by: Giddy | November 09, 2011 at 06:29 PM
Keeping Brandon and your family in my thoughts an prayers!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Renee D | November 10, 2011 at 03:59 AM
Wow, with a title like WWFBFF she's carrying a heavy load!! Praying for your loved one's safety as always:) - BTW like your new FB pic xx
Posted by: Esti Erasmus | November 21, 2011 at 04:30 AM