Washington DC Trip!!

Sorry, I didn't post these sooner!! Here are the pictures from the retreat to DC!!!

Changing of the Guard/Arlington National Cemetary






The Pentagon





Jefferson Memorial







A view of the White House!!



National Memorial Mall











Botanical Gardens












The Capital, Dancing in the capital, views from the capital








The Holiday Ball the day after the retreat...

Happy Anniversary

JOHN & KANDY!!




Wishing you both many more happy years together! I'm so glad that I get to witness God's glorious ways in your lives and marriage!!

I love you both!

Medical Board Evaluation

Is what I had done today...It was a very intimidating situation at first...I walked into the office with the big nice wooden desk and a full bird retired Colonel as my doctor reviewing me. He talked to me and asked for my medical history, we talked about the pain, he had me do some range of motion exercises...and then he sat me down and asked the question I've been dreading the absolute most. What do you want? I told him I didn't know, I could go either way and be just fine. And then he prodded me harder, he wasn't going to go with that he wanted a straight forward yes or no answer...I wasn't ready for it, I knew it would come but I didn't think from the first person I saw. He wanted the cold hard facts and he wanted to know what I wanted right then, I hemmed and hawed, tried and fought to keep my tears down and then I blurted out I guess I will go. He went on to say that the board in Texas will be the deciding factor of the process, that most likely I'll get 20% of my base pay times 2.5 years...and that will most likely be my severance pay, a lump sum check handed to me...I guess the Army's way of saying, sorry we broke you, hope this helps, down do the duffel bag drag...thats what happens in basic when a Soldier gets recycled or kicked out they have to drag their duffle bag out of the company area in front of all the other Soldiers. I cried when I finally got to sit down with my counselor... I told her I feel as though I'm a scum bag Soldier because I can't maintain the Army physical fitness standards nor can I maintain the weight standards. It hurts to do my daily job, even though its just sitting in front of a computer, and no, I probably couldn't carry my weapon or ruck sack or wear my gear to protect myself in a wartime setting. It would hurt, I'd drag and get left behind...I know Mom's upset, she wanted me to finish out, I think she's scared that I will come home with nothing and be broken in need of medical care. My heart hurts for her, cause I know she's upset because she wants the best for me and wants me to be taken care of. I know I will get medical coverage for my neck from the Army, maybe even some money from the VA. The Chaplain's continue to reassure me that I will have my GI Bill in full since I'm getting medically chaptered out. My conversations about this whole topic always end in tears. I want to go home and start some kind of life that isn't as painful as it is working day in and day out here. I want to stay, though too...I don't want to leave my team, I've finally built GOOD relationships with my co-workers and everything has gotten MUCH better, especially having Zeke here and all. I know if I stay everything will be alright and I know that if I go everything will be alright, no road will be easy...but God never promised or even hinted that it'd be easy...He just said He'd be here with us every step of the way. I prayed before I went into see the doctor that God would guide me where He wants me. I told God I'd praise Him if I stay and I will praise Him if I go. Its time to start trusting God. I do believe He wanted me to say I'd go; Or else it wouldn't of been the only option that was bouncing in my head. I've given it to God, there are reports that will be written about my health, and suggestions on what to do with me. So I leave it to God with what He wants done with me. I pray for all of those that my paperwork goes through their hands. I'm officially an Injured Soldier now. My office is fighting to keep me, instead of me being assigned to the Warrior Transition Unit, if that happens, I will belong to the Wounded Warrior Battalion...and I won't work in my office any longer except for special duties...I don't want that. I asked my Commander to keep me, and I've asked my Chaplain's as well...We are fighting together to keep me in my office, no matter how long my stay in the Army is now...Stay tuned for more updates, I have a full day physical coming up on the 19th...I have to fast and they will do blood work again..pls pray for me, last time I almost lost it when I had to do that.

All my love
Emily
"I know I'm a Princess because my Father is the King of Kings."
*Have you thanked a hero today?*

Marriage Retreat in Florida

Florida was AWESOME! Beautifully sunny days, time on the beach playing in the ocean, seeing a NASA shuttle prepped for launch, scuba diving at Epcot, it was a GREAT time. Thursday night among all the fun, gave me a VERY sobbering reminder of why we do what we do, I'm getting choked up just thinking about it again. We ate on the Epcot property at the Nine Dragons Restaurant, but our reservation was an hour away from the close of the park. Needless to say, we were still inside when the nightly fireworks display started to go off. I was at the end of the table next to our "newlyweds" as I dubbed them. Unfortunately, he's also not too long back from the War, as were all of our Soldiers there. The Soldiers we took are all wounded veterans from the Iraq war. Anyway, the fireworks upset him and gave him flashbacks so bad, he had to get up from the table. I waited a few seconds before alerting the chaplain...after that one by one all of my warriors left the table but two. As I looked down the table during the grand finale' One Soldier had his spouse's arm around him and he was still shuttering at every boom. It tore me up. After the fireworks I looked down to my 2 remaining warriors and their spouses...they were communicating through it and it was nice to see the women so actively involved in helping the men they love through such a trying experience, needless to say, we left after that. I heard later one of the men asking their wife how they left the table; as soon as he stood, he felt literally back in the war and had thought he'd low-crawled out of the dining room to the bathroom where all the men stood together. His wife reassured him that he had walked out. The mind games in these warrior's minds are very real...our jobs here in the rear are more important than I had ever imagined. These guys, gals, and their spouses need someone to come home to who will help them piece it all back together all the while allowing in the new pieces of change that the war brings to peoples lives, especially after such long deployments...please keep these Soldier's in your prayers, along with those who are waiting in the rear for them to come home. I'm here and willing to help, keep me in your prayers as well too please, CH Munson and I have one more retreat this upcoming week Monday-Thursday at Washington D.C. and Arlington National Cemetary...I know there will be more sobering moments during this time as well! Please enjoy the pictures from Orlando, I have more pictures, but for the sake of my Soldiers and their wives I have left out the other photos. There is a picture in front of the shuttle with me and two men, Those are two of my Chaplains...on the right of me (the taller of the two) is CH Conner, he and I were in Korea together; on the left of me is CH Munson, an amazing man of God who every day is there working one on one with all of our Iraqi war wounded warriors at Eisenhower Army Medical Center.

ACE IS THE PLACE, even in Florida!!



We got to see Shuttle Atlantis prepped for launch! We got to get in as close as the family members do!!! This was a special VIP tour we were surprised with once we got down to Patrick Air Force Base!! We had VIP seats for the launch too, but, it conflicted with our scuba diving/Epcot plans so we declined the tickets for the launch, and thank goodness, it was postponed both Thursday and Friday, maybe it'll launch today?!






We went scubba diving in The Living Seas Aquarium! I got to swim with Sting Rays, Sharks, All kinds and sizes of fish, and even TURTLES!!!








A beautiful day at Epcot!!












We stayed on Patrick Air Force Base...it was walking distance from the ocean...here's a few beach shots day & night!!

I need your prayers

Good morning my friends and family,

I'm writing you a short little segment while I'm on my lunch at work, I need your help. I made my first appointment for my medical board evaluation...dont stop breathing, I'm not coming home...yet. This is the steps I have to take to figure out if the Army will hold onto me or let me go. I'm nervous. My NCOIC said they asked him if he wanted to stay or go. Quite honestly, I'm torn. I'd love to come home, boy would I ever, to see Jackson, babysit him, to spend some much needed time with my sister-in-law. Just be there for my family...but I'm needed here too. And I'm not set up to get out of the Army right this moment. I'm not covered now if I leave for health insurance (which I will DEF. need for my neck and weekly visits to my chiropractor) along with I'd lose my pay, and possibly not get all of my GI Bill money. There are a LOT of questions I have before I can make a choice and its all so overwhelming inside...I guess what I'm saying is I need God's still small voice to calm my scared and shaking spirit, and to guide toward the way that He wants me to go. I want to come home, trust me I do, but I'm scared of not having my degree and coming back to attempt to find work and support Zeke and I on our own...We all know I can't go back to mom's for a LONG period of time, she and I are great when we don't live together, so moving into an apt or getting a house is Zeke & I's best option...just gotta find a job that will help me to pay rent and oh btw go to school to, to finish my degree. Oh man, I'm nervous and I dont even go until December 14th...0830...

In need of your prayers and hugs,
Emily

Southern Hospitality....YEA RIGHT!

So... I went to Kadie's today..and then we went to Target...nothing out of the ordinary, until I went to start my car at the end of our shopping trip. It started alright, I heard a bang or pop if you will, the car started running and stayed running long enough for me to see smoke coming through my vents, and so, I shut my car off. I walked around to the hood, asking Kadie to stay back. I had no idea what I was going to find under my hood. When I popped the hood, the picture above is what I'd found. I saw the tear in the lining on the underside of my hood lid. I knew what looked like a spark plug had popped out. So I called SSG Mooney. I figured, he's a guy, and my boss...he'll surely know what to do. Well, he was over an hour away so he suggested calling my 2 senior most Chaplains. Both are handy with cars and would most likely be more than willing to come give me a hand. I thanked him, and then first tried the installation NCOIC of Chaplain Assistants SFC Stokes (he likes to play with cars and work on them!) He was willing to step away from his homework and come help me out. While we waited in the the strip mall parking lot in front of Petsmart I kept the hood popped...I'd say it was at least 45 mins when SFC Stokes got there to help out...Note that NOT ONE PERSON stopped to ask if we were ok...2 females with a car hood popped, come on people I know back home for a fact at least a dozen people would have stopped...so I dont know where the Southern Hospitality lies, but I've yet to find it here in the year that I've been here. Anyways, SFC Stokes conclusion was that the spark plug is not stripped and is actually looking very nice. He says whoever did the tune up before I bought the car, didn't tighten them down well enough. He tightened it down as much as he could, he was one extension short of being able to use his ratchet to get it tightened all the way, so I have to head over to his house tomorrow after work and he'll finish the job and check the rest. Bless his heart, going out of his way on his weekend off to help one of his Soldiers...now thats taking care of Soldiers! A HUGE HOOAH And thank-you to SFC Stokes and his family for the help!

Update on my health:
I'm still overweight according to the Army (no surprise there) so they now (my new command) have correctly enrolled me in the Army Weight Management program. I went this week for blood tests to check for diabetes and my thyroid. I'm sure we have nothing to worry about, but when I mentioned Grandma having Diabetes, my doc wanted to be sure to check for it. Plus its protocal for the program. While I was there, I met my new primary care doctor...(I could never get appointments except a month out to see my doctor and thats just ridiculous..so I asked for a new one) He checked into my Medical Board process, for some reason they didn't acknowledge it, so he resubmitted for a new one. He told me I should hear something in less than 2 weeks...If not, I am to let him know. Still seeing my chiropractor once a week, and I'm so very thankful for him...It helps, for the week. My Chiro says its just going to take time for it to improve...I'm still waiting.

ALSO!!!! I've become the new credit card holder for my office. Which means...I am in charge of all purchases made for the office...which includes hotels, restaurants, transporation, etc for Wounded Warrior Retreats..which means..I have to be on the retreat! So...with that in mind, I leave Wednesday for Orlando am gone most of the week, then we turn around and leave early next week for Washington DC and will be there most of that week!! HOW SWEET IS THAT?! Then I'm back here for a week before its Christmas already and am on my way home!! Not only will I get to see and hug my brother and sister-in-law for the first time since July (feels like forever ago!) I'll get to be with my nephew for his first Christmas!! WOOHOO!!! And my momma for christmas and her family..but I'll get to see my BOYFRIEND! Thats right my devoted friends...I've...no We've rekindled an old flame, I've been praying all month for God's direction (even longer than that, but I'm not gonna say how long God and I have been wrestling with this) with Jeff and I...last night it became official, we are dating...again...so I will leave you with this inspirational story, so fitting that it would be the weekly inspiration emailed to me this week!!

"HOW GREAT LOVE IS"

Once upon a time there was an Island, where all the feelings lived;
Happiness, Sadness and all the others including love.
One day it was announced to the feelings that the Island would sink,
so all repaired their boats and left. Love was the only one who stayed.
Love wanted to persevere till the last possible moment.
When the Island was sinking, Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love, in a grand boat,
Love said "Richness can you take me with you?" Richness answered "no I can't."
There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat and there is no place for you here. Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity please help me?" I can't help you love.
You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness let me go with you?" "Oh......Love I am so sad I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy she did not even hear when Love called her! Suddenly there was a voice "Come Love, I will take you."
It was an elder. Love felt so pleased and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name. When they arrived on dry land, the elder went her own way Love realizing how much he owed the elder asked Knowledge, another elder "Who helped me?"
"It was Time" Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered,
"Because only Time is capable of understanding How Great Love Is.

Barbara Smethurst
albar@smethurst2405.freeserve.co.uk
www.SomebodyCares4U.com
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