Signing Off

Greetings to all,

What can I say? The two weeks went fast as they always do. For a little while the house was a steady stream of activity once again. We had a lot of fun, Brian saw many of his friends, and I think we were able to relax a little and just take it all in.

We were able to spend a little time up north together which is always special. Special thanks to Aunt Peggy and Uncle Brad for showing Brian the splendors of the Harriett Club, some good cigars, and an exclusive Lake Ada tour. Brian really enjoyed it.

We had dinner together at the "Fireside Supper Club" outside of Walker. While we were there we learned that the owner's (Kathy) son (Carl) was just deployed to Iraq the same day Brian returned to the States (July4). On our way out we stopped by just to let Kathy know that Carl would be in our prayers- she just broke down in tears. We spent some time trying to comfort her and telling her it would be "ok". We certainly understood what she was feeling and I hope we helped. The reality and emotions of all of this comes from everywhere; even in Walker, Minnesota in a little supper-club with nobody else in it. We're staying in touch with Kathy now.

Brian made it back to California on Saturday and is going to be starting a pretty hectic schedule. He'll be in Hawthorne, Nevada and Pensacola, Florida for some work and training over the next two months, and then back to Camp Pendleton for Squad Leader School. We hope he'll be back for the Holidays this year.

And, it's quiet again here as we get on with our own lives. We found out a few weeks ago that we're going to be grandparents. We are so excited for Lindsey and Jason. They are going to be wonderful parents and will be adding a whole new dimension to their lives. I'm sure it will change ours too.

So, life marches on. This whole experience has been quite the rush. While we're so thankful Brian is home and in the States for awhile, we still pray for Carl and everyone else who is still over there. We also remember the sacrifice of those for which this thing will never be over. We owe them a lot.

The Certificate of Commendation Brian received while he was in Iraq is sitting on the coffee table in our living room and I show it to anyone and everyone who walks through the door. Stop by anytime and I'll show it to you. We'd love to see you. We want to again thank everyone for your support and prayers. You did make a difference.

Signing Off

Semper Fi