The Longest Day

Like Jason has previously posted, he left on Wednesday. It was a long, emotional roller coaster kind of day, with many "hurry up and wait" moments. The time change of the flight gave a us a little more time together which was nice. We played together as a family and got some silly pictures with Daddy. The kids were extra hyper.


The actual send off was an interesting experience. We arrived and waited. Then they loaded up the gear and the soldiers onto the bus and drove to the loading dock. I had to follow in the car. Then we sat at the loading dock (the children and I stuck in the car looking across the tarmac) as the soldiers inspected, inventoried and loaded up about 50 yards away. We ended up waiting in the rain, inside the car for almost an hour and a half. Yea, it was loads of fun. I tried not to be angry since it was a difficult time for us all.

Finally we moved to the Green Ramp (a big, hangar-like building) where we got to get out of the car and wait with Jason inside. There were many families with little kids and so Brendan and Eva had someone to play with. They were really enjoying themselves.


Jason and I talked about fairly mundane things in order to not give in to emotion. They announced that the plane boarding would be in half an hour and Jason said that he wanted to say goodbye early. I could see he was getting choked up.

Outside he hugged Brendan first, then me, then the girls and then me again. It's a good thing the kids didn't cry because the parents did. I reassured him that we'd be okay and that we loved him very much. Brendan, his usual blunt self, told Jason not to cry. "Soldiers don't cry," he said. It was hard to let go but I did. We turned around and headed to the car. I tried to focus on other things during the drive home. Stupid song came on the radio, "Right Here Waiting For You" by Richard Marx. I turned it off.

At home, the kids recieved their goodbye present from Daddy. Eva got a Tinkerbell doll (LOVES it), Darby got soft lovey doll which she now sleeps with and Brendan got the most exciting present of all. Jason bought him a HUGE Star Wars Lego Tank. He was ecstatic!! Too bad I made him give it back to me and not open it until after school the next day. I knew he'd never go to sleep if I let him open it right away.



After the kids went to sleep was the hardest. I watched a show and went to bed early. A friend told me that on the first night of deployment, you shoudn't sleep on your side of the bed (you'll just feel lonely), don't sleep on his side (you'll just feel pathetic), sleep right in the middle and take up as much of the bed as you can. "Make the bed your own," she told me. And I did. And I felt better.

Travel to Afghanistan

Jason here. Earlier this week I left Christine and the kids to begin my tour in Afghanistan. I was actually supposed to have left a week earlier but the flight was pushed back for some reason. When the day finally rolled around, we loaded up the rest of my gear and headed to Fort Bragg for a roll call and then the load up. When we arrived we were told that the flight was pushed back another 6 hours, maybe more. So we went back to the house to wait. We then got a call 2 hours later telling us to be there in an hour. Go figure.

After various stops along the way, everyone made it to a place called "Green Ramp", where waited to get on the Air Force plane that would take us to Bagram. We were told that we would have 2 or 3 hours to hang out. Oddly enough, the kids had a great time. They ran around with the other kids in the gigantic hanger. It was good to see them enjoying themselves. Christine and I sat down talking about things, but emotions were so close to the surface that we had to be careful to hold things together. Time passed way too quickly at Green Ramp. I wanted to grab the clock and smash it.

About a half hour before it was time to load up, I just couldn't take it any longer. I knew that if I waited until I had to walk onto the plane I would embarrass myself. I wanted to say my goodbyes outside, away from everyone. I am glad I did. The tears flowed. The kids didn't get it (heck, I don't really get it). After some hugs and kisses and goodbyes I watched Christine and the kids make their way across the parking lot to the car. I pretended to make a phone call while I composed myself before heading back inside.

Pretty soon the plane arrived and everyone walked across the Tarmac to board the gigantic C-17. Flying in a military aircraft is unlike any other flying I have ever done. Oddly, we had to check in our knives and Gerbers and stuff before the flight for safety reasons. We also got the same pre-flight briefing that you would get on a civilian flight. But during the flight everyone just laid down on the floor and tried to get some sleep. They also had the "no battery operated" stuff during descent rule, but no one listened.

We landed in Rammstein, Germany for a 4 hour layover and then completed the flight into Afghanistan. Once we started in our descent, the pilot turned off most of the lights and we had to put our flack vests on. Sitting in the pale green glow while we descended into a war zone was an eerie feeling. We landed, got off the plane, and made our way over our complex to do some paperwork and get our living quarters. By this time I had been awake for about 36 hours and felt like a zombie.

My first impressions of Bagram is that it reminds me a lot of Fort Bragg. There are roads and cars and buildings. There are military personnel with guns and civilians and Afghani nationals all over the place. Apparently, Bagram is located in a valley under some enormous mountains. I can't really tell because of the dust and pollution that constantly hangs in the air here. In fact, they have a name for the dust: moon dust. It is on everything and is everywhere.

I was pleasantly surprised with my room. It is cozy. It has a bed, a desk, and an outrageously expensive internet connection that I happily pay since it is my primary means of communicating with Christine. Pictures of the family went up immediately, and I look at them as often as necessary which is about 500 times a day. By the way, Happy Birthday Darbs!



All in all, things are pretty good here. Being assigned to Special Forces has its perks. I come and go as I please. I get to wear civilian clothes and get to go to one of the nicest gyms on the base. The food is pretty good and the cafeteria is always open (I will have to be careful with that). The PX (mall) is next door and so is the chapel that has LDS services. Perhaps most important, I work with great people who do a good job.

Soon enough I will be leaving Bagram to make the rounds to the little bases around Afghanistan and the living situation will be much different, but for the time being I am trying to settle in and get organized.

I will say that the one reason that I can rest easy is that I know Christine is back at home taking good care of the family. I feel like I won the wife lottery with her. You are the best, Babe!

Anyway, I will put an end to this travelogue and wish everyone the best.

Darby is ONE!!

Dear Darby Jayne,
Its hard to believe that you are one year old already. This year with you has been wonderful. You are so precious to your dad and me. I love to cuddle with you and make you laugh. Your adorable face makes me smile wide whenever I see it and I have to kiss your chubby cheeks, especially when I go get you after a nap. I know this time is fleeting and I want to enjoy every snuggly bit of it.

Despite being so adorable, you are the most difficult sleeper we have had. You still wake up at night many nights. However, you are a fabulous eater. Seriously, you eat any food I have tried to give you. Pretty soon you will wean and I will greatly miss that one-on-one time with you, but you aren't too careful with your teeth sometimes(if you know what I mean).

You are a mover and a shaker now. You cruise along the furniture and pull yourself up on almost anything. You even go up stairs (YIKES!) and can maneuver out of your high chair (naughty girl). You are still shaky with your steps and aren't brave enough to venture out on your own yet. But I think it is just around the corner. You seem to be always under foot or into something. Good thing Mommy has been through this before and things are pretty safe for you to explore. You crawl super fast but not enough to keep up with Mommy when she's doing things around the house and that frustrates you. Truthfully though, Darbs, your frustrated cry/yell/tantrum is really quite cute and makes me laugh.

Your favorites are books and small noisy toys. I'll often catch you in another room, pulling books off the shelf and flipping through them. It warms this teacher's heart. You also adore remotes and we often find the movie or show we are watching turned off and realize you are chewing on the remote.

Now that you can move, you don't mind playing with your siblings (since you can now move out of the way if need be). Eva makes you laugh all the time and so does Daddy. You love to clap when things entertain you and you make this crazy sound that is a cross between a machine gun burst and a pterodactyl.

You are showing a stubborn streak reminiscent of your brother. Your eyes are the exact shade of your father's and everyone says that you and Eva look just alike (but I don't really see it). Your hair is gorgeous but wild because you won't let me put anything in it to keep it out of your eyes. As of today you have 6 teeth and are undoubtedly working on some bottom ones right now. You have lengthened out and are super tall for your age but still have some chub on your thighs (which I love).

Darby dear, I know you must grow up but try not to do it too fast, okay?

Day 1

Jason left yesterday for Afghanistan. More details to follow. Feelings are just a little raw right now and I don't really want to revisit them just yet. Don't worry though, the kids and I are fine. I am trying hard to keep busy and get back into our routine. Last word was that they had made it safely to their layover in Germany and he'd contact me as soon as he can. Thank you all for your support.

Another celebration

We also celebrated Eva's birthday early since Jason will be gone when she actually turns 3. She's still young enough not to know the difference. She and I will probably still do something extra fun on February 4th but most of the celebrating was done yesterday. Eva kept saying, "Birthday party!!"

While Brendan was at school we took her to the store to get groceries and look at the toys. Jason promised her one toy. Her eyes lit up when she found this rocking horse and she could not be persuaded otherwise, even though it was meant for a child much smaller than she is. At home she tried to rock but she was on her knees. However, she thought it was great and even put it in her bed with her for naptime. Go figure.


Later, we took the family to Monkey Joes, a place filled with inflatable bounce houses and slides. She was wild eyed with excitement. The two oldest completely wore themselves out running around and jumping like madmen. Then we went to eat at a place with a play area and came home to have the real celebration.

We sang to her (which she loved) and then we ate the cupcakes and ice cream.



Darby and Brendan loved the cupcakes and stuffed themselves, one with less mess than the other.


After we were all sugared up, she opened cards and presents. She loved her card from the cousins.


The family present, a stuffed Roo from Winnie the Pooh, was a big hit as well.



We had some friends drop by a little later to bring another present - a Baby Alive doll that has teeth you brush. How fun!


Eva was in heaven. I have rarely seen her so happy as her "Birthday party!" day.

The Soldier Museum

We went to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum (the "Soldier Museum" to Bubbs) last weekend. It was pretty cool. All the military museums we have been to are pretty interesting and very well done. This one was no different. It focused on the parts that Airborne units and Special Operations played in each war of our country's recent history. There were cool exhibits, actual weapons, transportation and uniforms from each of the time periods and many newsreels and videos to watch.


Here is a simulation of the inside of a plane that men would parachute out of. Jason tells me that the sounds they were playing are just like on a jump. It was kind of surreal being in there.

Decorating the walls were posters to buy war bonds and hanging from the ceiling in the the lobby were 2 mannequins strapped to actual parachutes (one from WWII and other from more recent times).


Jason was a part of the 101st Airborne Division when he was enlisted and he was part of the Pathfinder company so these hold special meaning for him. He will now be part of MEDCAP when he deploys.


Brendan and Eva loved investigating all there was to see but since they can't read yet, their attention was somewhat limited.


The life size displays made me realize all the more what previous generations have sacrificed so that I can live the way I do. I felt very grateful for the soldiers who have gone before me as I looked at the exhibits and honored to have my family play a part in this sacrifice now.

Pretty and the Pirate

For church on Sunday, Darby wore a shirt that was one of my favorites on Eva when she was younger. It got me kind of nostalgic and so I took a few pictures of Darbs to compare with the Eva-of-long-ago. Oh my sweet, pretty little girls.
Eva at 11 months


Darby at 11 months


And this was what the Eva-of-today was doing as I was taking pictures of her sister.


Arghh, mateys!

Brendan's life plan

It used to be that when you asked Brendan what he wanted to be when he grew up it was a construction worker. Then later he announced that he wanted to be a truck driver, more specifically a muffin truck driver (like I've said before, I don't know where he comes up with this stuff). Tonight in the car he told his father and me, "When I grow up, I will go to the city's mountain and get a boat and then catch a whale. Then I will be a cowboy and ride a horse. After that I will go on a mission and train Daddy." Quite a career path, eh?

*Update: A few days after this post, Brendan told us that he was going to "fall in love, get married and be a cupcake delivery man". That boy. :)

Happy (early) Birthday!

While family was in town and Daddy was still with us, we decided to have Darby's one year birthday celebration. Well, more like a messy-cake-eater-viewing but that's really all a one year party is about anyway, right?
I tried to make her cake myself and, while tasty, the decorations didn't turn out as I had hoped. Next time I will use a white cake with vanilla frosting, I think.

Darbs, my little hollow leg, started right in after the song and candle blowing (by Dad, of course).



She ate a big piece in no time flat. I gave her some more. I mean it WAS her birthday (sort of). After the second piece, I didn't think she was nearly messy enough so I gave her ice cream.


I think it must have been too cold on her hands because she began to bawl. Uncle Fred told her that it was her party and she could cry if she wanted to. :)

After clean up she got her present - a Silly Sounds remote from the family (which doesn't deter her from the real remotes like I had hoped) and a singing toy from Fred and Alisa. She was so bewildered by it all but I think it was a fun little gathering. After all, its all about the mess, isn't it? And we had 3 messy faces by the end of it.