not in vain.

So, it has been a while since I've last blogged. As many of you can imagine, I have been quite busy.
School ended a month ago and June flew by! July is gearing up to be quite busy as well! I have a trip to Norfolk, NE to take today to see my dad and step-mom for her birthday. Tomorrow we are traveling to Ida Grove, IA for a wedding of one of Sarge's cousins. Monday we are going to Battle Creek, IA to see Chris's family some more and to celebrate our dear country and the freedom we all enjoy and take for granted. The next Saturday is Chris's family reunion (because we NEVER see each other!) that his mom is hosting!!! I love these family reunions. They are always fun! The weekend of the 16th may be busy as it is my dad's birthday on the 17th. The 23rd we are celebrating Jacob's 4th birthday - hopefully Sarge will be home by then!!!! (he better be!) and by the 30th - i am hoping we will be on our way home from our vacation traveling around iowa.

Over the past few months there have been so many things that have happened too! My brother and his 2 kids came to visit a couple weeks ago and my mom surprised me by flying in as well!
The girls had a birthday in April - Bradee is now 2 and Taylor is 9. The birthday was great, but a few days before the party, I remember thinking that things just wouldn't be right without Sarge. He has never missed a birthday of one of the kids yet . . . well, this isn't entirely true. Jacob's first birthday Sarge was on AT (Annual Training for the National Guard) in California so me and the kids went to Florida! We had a party when we all got home which was nice so technically, Sarge has never missed a party here in Iowa, until this deployment.

Which brings me to my next point that I alluded to in the first paragraph. Deployments can suck something fierce. I have totaled up the amount of time Chris and I have been separated due to deployments and the number totals . . . . . keeping in mind we've been married not quite 11 years . . . . . . our separation totals . . . . . .3 years. Think about getting pregnant (for you ladies reading this) and having a baby and then your husband leaves and doesn't come back until that child is 3  years old! Now, granted this time has been separated across 4 deployments ranging from 6 months, 7 months, 9 months and 15 months.

Now, for my soap box. I get a lot of people asking things like "why are 'we' even over there?" they say things like "we should just get out of there and keep our troops home" . .. . things along those lines.I know that there are people that don't understand what that means to someone like me. To say that to me it is like saying that what my husband is doing and what my family and I sacrifice is worthless.

For those that ever feel like saying this -  think twice. We have a purpose of being over there. It is to defend those that cannot defend themselves against the tyrants of the world. We are trying to help. The news media isnt and doesnt show the good that is going on. What good would that do? It would actually mean that the decision to fight this war was worth it! I understand that there are many soldiers dying - but if there wasn't someone willing to die for you and your freedom, you too would be under and tyranny. Year after year, war after war - people die. I have been fortunate enough that my husband has returned safe and sound from each of the deployments he has been on and I fully expect him to return back home from this 4th one. If something awful should happen between now and then - I am prepared to handle that. I had to be before he even left. But his potential death - along with all of the other deaths that have been and will continue to be are not in vain.

This is why we have bar-b-ques, fireworks and parades coming up. To say that those that have fought, are fight and will fight do not do it in vain.

Thank you.