Reintegration!

Sterling, Nina and I spent some time this past weekend at a reintegration yellow ribbon lunch. I gotta say, it is tough to listen to. I am sure glad they are honest with us but at the same time it is terrifying what we have to look forward to. At this meeting, we were able to ask a panel of professionals and soldiers and a wife questions about coming home and how it will affect our families. They shared a lot of important information. They pretty much confirmed that most, if not all, of these men will deal with some PTSD at some level. I loved that they reminded us to be kind and patient with each other all the time. That we should be willing to listen day or night to whatever our soldier has to tell us. I feel liked Macade is pretty lucky to just be coming home to a clean slate. He has no wife or children to try to re acclimate to. I do hope he does not spend a lot of time alone. Family and friends, I would ask that you all be willing and able to listen, not talk, but listen when he needs someone to talk to. I recall that one man was asked in church how he was doing after deployment. He said he was fine and appreciated the man asking. But then the man asked if he had ever been in a fire fight out there. This soldier lost it in church. He felt like this man had no right to ask him such a personal question. He f-bombed him in church!! Yikes! So, I think it is important for everyone to realize that Cade gets asked some of the most rude, personal, and thoughtless questions on a daily basis when he is home. Let's be part of the solution IF he wants to talk about it. Please don't ask him questions that he may not want to respond to. I am sure it will be an adventure around here for a while, but we are educating ourselves and trying to be prepared. We love you all and thank you all for your support.

Hit and Miss

So, Cade has sent me a few short emails. Mostly just talking about how he is so ready to come home. He is very grateful to everyone still sending packages and letters. You must know that mail day is a good day or a bad day. Please don't forget to send him mail...PLEASE. emails are great but a nice written letter can be packed around with him all day. He wanted me to remind EVERYONE, to please not talk to people about what he is doing there. I know this is tough, cause I want to talk to everyone about it, but please for his safety and protection, do not discuss this with anyone. You can tell folks that he does "route clearance", but nothing more please. He could get in a lot of trouble this way. He says to tell everyone hi and that he can't wait to see you all. Please everyone, pray for an end to this government shutdown nonsense. It wouldn't make even less sense at all for him to be there without pay. Thanks everyone!

No news....at all

OK so he called Nina. I knew I would be second to a girl sometime. She says he was OK. It was a long week and he was tired, but he talked her leg off for an hour or so. ($$$$) O well. Not my worry right? So, the latest, via Nina, is that he is alive and well.

O Cade

Cade is in the middle of a Ping Pong Tournament with Poland.

Who does that?

I heard from the red head

It is funny how I get a little cranky when I have not heard from him in a spell. (Sterling would say it is NOT funny.)
Anyhow, as usual, not much to say. He is just very optimistic about the time going by quickly. He has joined a ping pong club and is pretty busy with that in his down time, I guess. They do some of the darnedest things to pass the time. He still is not getting mail, but is confident he will. So, I send on.
I think he is just getting online long enough to email me once in a while and Nina a lot. So, no pictures coming through for sure.
It sounds like things are a little slower for them right now. Hopefully it stays that way.

Very little out of A.

So, there is very little info coming out of A. I like to think this is because all those dirty little buggers are hiding out of the cold. Macade says, in some short emails, that things are good, cold, muddy and a little boring right now. And that is just fine with me. They spend their down time making odd shaped snow things. (You don't want me to go into detail, I promise.) He has been thinking a lot about what he wants to do when he gets home. I think being here for leave really got him considering his future. He has been given responsibility of his own wrecker, which he is very excited about. AND, he has not received any mail yet. Total downer for me as I have been sending stuff for about 2 weeks now. Hopefully he gets them soon. For now I think he is using the free internet in the rec room to email home and Nina. So, things are good. Our family is doing well. It really did soothe our souls to see him alive and well. Thanks to all of you and your prayers on his behalf.

Another goodbye down!

So, we are getting pretty good at this goodbye stuff. There were hardly any tears even. (Mostly from me of course.) Cade said goodbye to everyone on his own terms. No party or fanfare. Just simply, "I'll see you soon"'s. He is back in Hell. I haven't talked to him personally yet. But I got a quick email from him saying it was ok at the new place. I am pretty sure I will get more info from Nina when I see her. Thanks to everyone that took some time to see Cade. It really meant a lot to him to see you all.
5 MORE MONTHS!