Dionysus--My God of Wine

This just cracks me up!

In celebration of Halloween, Buck's battalion had a Halloween "fun run". (As if running is fun!) The battalion commander "strongly encouraged" the guys to dress up, and in the Army, that translates to, "you will dress up".

Buck went as Dionysus, The God of Wine. (It was the cheapest costume we could find at the PX.) The grapevine headpiece makes me chuckle every time I look at this picture!

Families were invited to attend, but it was about 35 degrees, and started at 6:30 in the morning! Needless to say, I did not drag my rounded self, or my sleeping child out of his crib before 6:00 in the morning to stand, for over an hour, in the freezing cold!

Fortunately for Buck, he's used to it. That's what he does every morning Monday-Friday. Just not usually in a flimsy robe!

Hitscherhof Farm Festival

Just to warn you...this one's loaded with pictures!

Today we took Brady to the Hitscherhof Farm Festival. We went with some good friends and the kids had a great time. At the festival there were several booths set up with food, drinks, pastries, different crafts and antiques and hand woven baskets. There was a corn maze and hay bales for the kids to play on and pumpkins providing the perfect photo opportunities every where you looked. It was the perfect day to get out and enjoy the bounties of fall!

Before we left we took Brady outside to run around and I was able to snap a few pics...

Welcoming Fall!!

What is it about Fall?

So many things to love.

The crisper, cooler, cleaner air.

The extra spring in your step.

The feeling of excitement....Something's coming. Things are a changin'.

Anticipation.

The smell of new books and school supplies.

Football!

Holidays to celebrate.

Time with family, gathered around the table.

A good, warm bowl of gumbo on a cool afternoon.

Pumpkin patches.

Precious kids dressed in their Halloween best.

Cozy sweaters.

Carmel apples.

Fall festivals.

Adorable decorations to put out in the yard. (Oh, how I do miss Hobby Lobby!)

The beautiful colors of the changing leaves in contrast with the clear blue sky. Just makes you stop and take a long look at God's goodness and the beauty with which he blesses your life, doesn't it?

Another year coming to a close.

A new one, full of life and possibility coming to fruition.

So many memories to look fondly upon...so many more yet to be made.

Enjoy every falling leaf, every cool breeze, every sunny skied day!

Wordless Wednesday

Big shoes to fill...

In Honor of the Fallen

Okay...I just might ruffle some feathers here, but after leaving Landstuhl Regional Medical Center today and witnessing what I witnessed, I just have to get it off my chest.

Today was not the first time. Every, single, time, that I've had an appointment at Landstuhl, to include the appointments I had when I was pregnant with Brady and all of the trips after he was born, as I have been entering or exiting the hospital, multiple buses and vans are parked at the emergency entrance, which is also one of the main entrances to the hospital. Waiting for those buses and vans are more medical personal than I have ever been able to count. Okay? So there's some buses and vans and lots of people? What's the big deal? The big deal is what's being unloaded from those buses and vans and what's waiting to be unloaded, or who's waiting rather.

Inside lay the wounded, mangled bodies of the bravest men and women I have ever seen. Men and women who just arrived in Germany from Iraq and Afghanistan to fight in yet another fight...the fight of their lives. Men and women who are facing the most difficult, challenging, darkest days of their short lives because they have lost their ability to walk, or hold their new born baby, because they no longer have legs or arms. Men and women who will never again see the light of day or hear their wife whisper in their ear because they have lost their sight or ability to hear because of the concussion from an IED that detonated next to their vehicle. Men and women who are fighting for their lives and who might not live through the night. Men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers...

I believe that you should give credit when credit is due. Michael Jackson was arguably the greatest artist of all time, yes. I myself have danced and sang along to many, many of his hits. I LOVED watching him perform. He was THE master of his craft. I'll give him that. But, really?

People could purchase tickets to his memorial service?! All I've seen on the news since he died was coverage of his death, tributes to him and now this memorial circus. Enough is enough. I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the world has stopped turning! Why is Jackson's death, as unfortunate and untimely as it was, taking precedence over more important news. Why is this guy, who's never done anything to serve his country, or the "fans" who have followed him religiously for years, or anything or anyone other than himself the only piece deserving of coverage on the evening news?!?!

What about the 5,021 men and women who have died for your freedom, your life, liberty and your pursuit of happiness? Those men and women died not because they overdosed on pills they had to take because they couldn't cope with life, but because they VOLUNTEERED, to put themselves in harms way so you and I could continue to live life as we know and love it. And who could blame them if they did need pills to cope. How do you suppose that Michael Jackson would do if he had to spend days, months and years of his life away from his family, in a tent, or sleeping on the top of his car, or on the side of the road, in 150 degree weather with no air conditioner, and the sound of bullets flying by his ear or the crack of mortar rounds as the sounds of his alarm clock, watching his buddies that he's bled with, sweat with, laughed with and who have become his brothers, scream in pain as they've lost their legs, or arms, or held them in his arms as they took their last breath. My guess is that he, along with all those other "celebrities" we worship, wouldn't last a week.

No, those men and women that I saw being unloaded from those buses today were suffering so that freedom seeking people all over this globe could have a better way of life. So that Michael Jackson could stand on a stage, and wow the world. So that he could earn millions upon millions of dollars, live in the lap of luxury and then piss off all that God was gracious enough to bless him with. They were there today so that his fans could sit at one of his concerts and scream out their undying love for him and worship him even in death.

But, for them, there are no hysterical, screaming fans to greet them. No pomp and circumstance, no "friends" reading pre-written, carefully planned speeches, no songs being sung, no grand stage upon which their broken bodies were wheeled. For them, there are just men and women, who like them, have volunteered to serve a cause far greater than self. And thank God for those angels of mercy, who's hands will mend those broken bodies and lives back together. Thank God for those men and women who have sacrificed their bodies, their lives, so that we can continue to sit comfortably on our couch and mourn Michael Jackson. Men and women, who have accomplished more in their short years than Michael Jackson could have in 1,000 years.

Men and women like SPC Robert Ehney, PFC Scott Messer, CPT Andy Houghton, 1LT Leif Knott, 1LT Laura Walker, MAJ Brian Mescall and SSG Matthew Taylor just to name a few, who are the best of our great nation.

A Soldier's Prayer

God our Father,

Help me to remain true to my ideals during my service to my country.

Help me be what is in America, the land of the free.

May I realize that I represent what our country stands for.

My uniform is a symbol of duty and valor both in peace and in war.

I take up arms to defend what all Americans hold dear:life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Grant me the strength to live according to these ideals, the courage of my convictions, and the resolve to endure whatever dangers threaten.

With you at our side I fear no evil and resist every enemy, secure in the knowledge that you hold me in the palm of your hand.

Amen.

HA HA HA...

First OFFICIAL Swine Flu Death...

Baumholder

Oh, Baumholder. The quaint little village that we call home. It sits in the midst of a beautiful landscape, on a rise in the hills. There's not much to it, but I must say that I do love it, and the view from my window. I look out into those hills and see the fingerprint of God. It's absolutely beautiful...bathed by the sun, blanketed in the snow, lingering in the fog. Before coming here I was awfully skeptical. Anyone I knew who had been here hadn't had the greatest things to say about it. I think that's because they didn't take the time to get to know it, or appreciate it. While true it may not be much to see at first glance, once you take a closer look, take the time to learn the history, and believe me there's much history here, you can't help but fall in love. I did a little research and found out a thing or two about this little village and thought I'd share it with you.

For about 6 decades Baumholder has been a town of two nations. Germans and Americans live together as one. Our respect for one another has created and atmosphere of harmony and a place that is more than just a residential township. Baumholder began humbly as a farming community; families have tended to this land for centuries. Throughout those centuries, this town has suffered the destruction of war, occupation by foreign forces and starvation. For most people, Baumholder, a town of roughly 7,000 inhabitants, is just a place, somewhere in Germany, and for most of them it holds all the negative aspects of a troop training area (there's also a German training post here). However, there's much more to this town that's been around since about 500 A.D. if you take the time to stop and look.

I took a walk around town a few weeks ago with my friend, Monica and Buck and I took Brady to the lake in town. Along the way, I got a few great pictures. I thought I'd share them with you, along with a local favorite of ours...spaghetti eis from the Eis Cafe, a little ice cream shop in town.

This is my favorite picture of the bunch. We just happened upon the back of this old church and I snapped this shot...what's so cool about it is that I recently bought a watercolor print of this exact picture at a bazaar!

Spaghetti Eis...Not what you were expecting? It's vanilla ice cream put through a press to look like spaghetti. It's piled on top of whipped cream and topped with strawberry compote and coconut shavings...YUM!

I think this is the courthouse.

A window box alive with the color of spring.

I couldn't resist photographing these little girls. Each of their personalities came out in the photo. Can you guess who's the leader of the pack?

The Hotel Berghof...where we spent our first night in town upon arriving in Germany. The beds are not made for pregnant women in their 3rd trimester! :)

An old tower that's stood the test of time.

The view from our window.

The lake...

Brady really enjoyed feeding the ducks and running wild around the lake!

By the end of the trip, Brady had worn himself out and was in no mood to pose for pictures! :)

Feeling the Funk

So...it's been a week since I've posted. That's because I haven't really felt like it and because we really haven't done much to talk about. We're just waiting...and waiting....

I've been in a funk the last few days. The first almost 5 weeks since we've been back in Germany have passed by so quickly, but about 4 days ago, this began to feel like the deployment that would never end! It probably didn't help that Buck has been delayed a few days. I know, it's been 14 months already, what's 3 extra days? I guess it's just that I thought our countdown had dwindled down to single digits and then we were suddenly back to double digits!

Everywhere you go on post there's 100 guys in uniform, with their babies and holding hands with their wives. It brings tears to my eyes nearly every time! I'm just so ready for that to be us! I miss Buck more now than I have this entire deployment! I just can't wait to see his face when he sees his little man!

Anyway, I'm feeling much better now and and I've decided to come out of my self-induced hibernation/pitty party. We're back into the single digits! Brady's been practicing waving his little flag for daddy. It's the cutest thing ever...I should probably get a picture of that, huh? I'll try to remember tomorrow and post one for ya'.

Wordless Wednesday

I'm stealing the Wordless Wednesday blog idea from my friend Monica...Just pictures and captions! Enjoy...

Brady with his new friend, Oatmeal Bear.

Buck's grandmother, Nana, knitted these little slippers. Aren't they adorable?!

Last week, when the weather was actually nice, we met Monica and her cuties at the playground just down the street. Brady was pooped by the time we left! The playground is his favorite place to go! :)

I think Brady's starting to get scared of Will. Will thinks he can pick Brady up and carry him everywhere! :) Will's 2! :)

Brady in the door of his favorite little "house".

Banana Bread Heaven

Okay...so I try to eat healthy most of the time, but occasionally I indulge my really big, fat, sweet tooth! My wonderful friend Carol was kind enough to have dinner and dessert (which also turned out be our breakfast for two days) waiting for us when we landed in Germany. The dinner was wonderful, but the dessert took the cake, or in this case the bread! The banana bread. Not just any old banana bread; cookies and cream banana bread made with chunks of Oreo's!! Carol is a woman after my own heart! In fact I would say that this banana bread is the second most wonderful thing I've EVER EATEN, next only to Cold Stone Creamery's "Birthday Cake Remix" ice cream. (If you haven't tried that either, go to your nearest Cold Stone... immediately!)

Since devouring the entire loaf in two days (I had plenty of help from a toddler with a sweet tooth apparently as big as mine), I have been craving this stuff! Not just an ordinary craving, but a craving so intense that it has consumed my thoughts to the point that I lay in bed at night wishing I had a loaf in the kitchen. I didn't even have cravings this serious when I was pregnant!! That's sad. I know! I kept putting it off, thinking that eventually the craving would just go away. Apparently not! It's been two weeks and my mouth is watering as I type!

I finally gave in and went surfing the internet for the recipe to my own little slice of heaven. I found it! I went to the commissary and bought all the ingredients to bake it. Now they're just sitting in the pantry waiting for me to craft them into my masterpiece.

Like I need those calories! My husband is coming home in less than a month. Most women would be inducing self starvation or at least noshing on carrots and celery and hitting the gym to tighten up all those little "problem" areas that no one's touched for the last 15 months. Not me. Instead I'm intaking more calories by the end of breakfast than I should have eaten all day! Something is wrong with my brain, or maybe my appetite. Either way, I'm rendered helpless by dough in a loaf pan!

To ease some of my guilt, I'm passing on the recipe to you. Please, don't leave me alone in my gluttony! Bake a loaf over the weekend and sit back as it disappears. Let me know how long yours lasts! Enjoy!

http://www.picky-palate.com/2009/03/naughty-little-cookies-and-cream-banana.html

Blogging Virgin

So...

I'm totally new to this whole blogging phenomenon. I'm a blogging virgin! Until recently I've sworn off reading blogs, posting blogs, facebook, myspace, and anything else that was part of this new age communication. What ever happened to good ole' fashioned letter writing?

Oh...that's right...we're an instant pudding kind of society. We want what we want, and we want it NOW! Just pour in the milk, stir for 2 minutes and put a spoon in it, it's done! So, I've decided to join the rest of you, and reluctantly, join the craze. "It's the 21st century Jordan, get with the program!"

One of the fears that kept me from it until now was that I would bore you to tears! What did I possibly have to say; what was so interesting about my life that you would actually care to know? I still don't have an answer to that question, but I'm sure that at the very least my family will care. I do have a 15 month old, so I'm sure he'll provide me with some good material. And a husband with no sense of direction. We live in Europe, people. Trust me, our adventures together will entertain you! I hope!

So here I am at midnight, (like I have any business pecking away at a keyboard) when I should be enjoying my sleep...a precious commodity when you have a baby. And, it's all for your reading pleasure. So, you'd better be reading! More to come...