A time for Reflection

Tonight at midnight, in our religion Wicca, begins the end of the old year. Thus, it begins a time of great reflection for me. First, it is a time when I look back on the old year and thing about what's gone, what is coming. Of course, it's ingrained in me to do this on December 31 as well. Next comes the birth of my son. A miracle to me. Then comes the anniversary of my grandfather's passing, followed not long after by my own birthday. And then we have Thanksgiving.

November is a month that I believe will be far beyond emotional for me. We are celebrating the holidays with family and soon after we will begin our second deployment. There is a lot to go back and be thankful for. A lot of strength to draw from this past year.

Today we will celebrate Monkey's birthday a little early. We will take him out for trick or treating for the VERY first time! And, we will vote. There is a huge mixture of the past and future in today.

So, tonight at midnight we will put out our cakes and drink to offer those of our family that have passed. We will reflect on our year and far beyond that I'm sure.

What do I hope for the coming year? I hope for strength. Not to survive this next deployment and not even that it flys by. I know that it won't. My request for strength is that we can appreciate every day. We will be apart, but we will still love each other. We will still be parents to our son. Those are things that need to be appreciated.

I also hope that I can not only find strength, but that I can learn to live in the moment. I've always wished to be able to do this better and I'd like to really find that ability.

This month, I hope, will be filled with posts about the milestones we reach. There are so many. I've past up so many without blogging, mostly about Monkey. But, I think that I'm in such a different place than I was one year ago. I'm ready to truly relish every moment.

Home to pack

Stupid Iraq ... *gag gag puke*

McH got five hours off today to come home and pack. Thankfully most of the things he needed to pack are with him at this school, so he really only had to pack about a half of a duffel. So, it didn't take too long. Five hours goes pretty quick, but we tried to make the most out of it. (I made him scarf lunch down in the car so we didn't have to bother with eating during OUR time lol) Mumble loved it, but did not love it when he realized "Da-Da" was gone when we got him - he'd fallen asleep. Sleeping is a whole other issue.

So, anyway, I snapped a couple packing pictures ... Do you love the messy garage?!

Potty

These pictures would be so much cooler if they were real! Oh, and if my bathroom were clean LOL By real, I mean if he really was using the potty for more than a chair ... there is a diaper on that cute tush!

... just turnin' the page, mom ... do you really need to take pictures?!
....
All Done!

Dancing machine!

Our little monkey LOVES to dance!

Day at the Pumpkin Farm!

I finally found a pumpkin farm! It's about 45 minutes away, but it was worth it! Not the same as bundling up and enjoying hot apple cider, but we still had fun! We actually had a hard time getting Mumble to leave the parking lot!

There were hay bales set up for "hay jumping". Mumble wasn't too sure about it though. He took a few steps through it, but for the most part ...
he ...

preferred checking out the girls LOL

He did love the tether ball!
We also painted a little pumpkin.

Painting more with daddy.Tried hard to get a nice picture, but he rarely sits still! Here he is with his dried pumpkin!

To compare, this picture is from last year on his first birthday! (Thanks for the idea, Ruthanne!)

I wish this video was from his first run through the maze, but it's like his tenth LOL I forgot about taking a video. I really didn't think he'd go through it without us, but this is actually the first time one of us went in with him. The first time he got out he had to run over to the young girl taking tickets and give her a high five!

We had a really great time and ended up finding a really great restaurant on the water. We're also thinking about heading up there next month to cut down a small Christmas tree since we'll be celebrating early this year when most of our family will all be together.

I love my SARGEANT!!!

McH was FINALLY promoted to sargeant!! There are two things (other than previous rank and years of service) required to be promoted to an NCO (non-commissioned officer). The first is to go to the Board, which is, I believe, similar to defending a dissertation. You go in front of a panel of ... higher-ups (lol) and have to defend why you should be promoted along with your knowledge of your job and the Army. Well, McH went to the Board the week I brought Mumble home from Guatemala ... July of '07!!!

The second requirement is to have enough points. You get points, typically, from college or online (Army) courses as well as the courses you go through in the Army and any commendations you receive. McH had an issue with his points. Part of it was there was a problem with who could actually record the online course points he had, another part is that the number of points required for promotion change monthly. Well, while he was in California in training, the points dropped and he had enough without even having his other points turned in, so he was promoted!! YAY!!

So, basically it means that he now has more responsibility. He was promoted a couple of months ago to Corporal, which is basically for people who haven't met one of the two above requirements. More responsibility for no extra pay LOL But, I think it's given him a good taste of being a sargeant.

Needless to say, I am very proud of him! Though, he did get a talking to because he failed to thank me in his speech (that was basically, "I've got nothin'" lol). But, I know how much he appreciates my part in this!

He was officially promoted on 1October, however, his pinning ceremony was yesterday. I get the privilege of promoting him, though, I let Mumble get the "punch" in. It is tradition, that those at his new rank or above get to hit him. Before they went to ACU's (the new uniform), the rank was a pin. The tradition was that you "run the guantlet" and the other soldier's would line up to congratulate the soldier promoted. Those with the right rank would hit the soldier where the rank was ... oh, and they didn't put the back onto the pin. The "hazing" was "outlawed" a few years back, though most ignore it. McH says it's a right of passage. Well, now the rank is velcro, but it doesn't stop several from giving a punch to the new rank.

One of his idiot sargeant's punched him in the ribs. If I hadn't been worried about what McH would've said and hadn't been holding Mumble, that jerk would have had a few choice words from me! Anyway, here's a few pictures from the day!

This is the beginning of formation. Those being promoted had just been called up.

McH is the second from the right.

The second Lieutenant is motioning for me to come up for the pinning.

Here Mumble and I are waiting for the first two to be pinned.

Our turn. You can't see it well, I had forgotten that pictures were being taken, but Mumble is "punching" daddy's rank LOL

The newest NCO's.

Formation finishing up.

New Haircut!!

Hi all, well I finally chopped off my hair!! YAY! So, here are a few pictures!

Also, when I was getting the pictures off McH's camera, I found some more of my great helper. If he can climb something, then he's all about helping!!