Time Together

We have spent so much time together lately, I wish it was like this all the time, but I will take as much as I can get right now. We went to a El Paso Paranormal Society event tonight at Evher Sage, a New Age place on Dyer. It's new,,, They showed some video taken at the latest investigation they've done, it would have been better if I had been able to tell people to shut up or go outside and visit and take their noisy kids with them. Those of us really interested in the video couldn't hear it.
We stopped the Iron Horse,, which I frequented when it was the Hondo Pass Lounge, then Wizards, it was a real biker bar back in the day, now it's a pretend biker bar with just a few real ones left. We ran into a friend walking in and I stood outside visiting with her for a few minutes; before I could walk in Steven came back out and said it was dead for all the cars around. So we came home to feed and he went back without me, I told him I doubt he wanted to hang with his mother on Friday night, he said it was ok if I went too, I declined. I just want him to be safe, I worry about him.
Steven leaves in 11 days, I'm greedy I want that time, but I know he has others he should spend time with too, but he's my baby dammit,, and I want his time! He spent a good part of today with a dear friends daughter, I hope they really enjoyed themselves, they went shooting,,,
Ah well,, night!

Getting Ready To Go

We spent a three day weekend in Chicago with his Unit and family members for the first of 6 Yellow Ribbon meetings. These are meetings to get the family ready for the soldiers deployment. The meetings go as follows:

1. Meeting with family and soldiers together (June 14, 15, 16 Weston Inn, Chicago, IL)
2. Meeting with family only (tentatively 60 days after deployment, location not set)
3. Meeting with family only
4. Meeting with family and soldier
5. Meeting with family and soldier
6. Meeting for soldiers only

I don't know why I was surprised to see so many other parents there, I've been through deployments before but not for my son. There were so many young, single, soldiers, like my son, who had a mother, a father, both, or grandparents, etc. Some of the wives and husbands were so young, and with tiny little ones; and of course a few who were extremely pregnant and will be delivering while their husbands are gone. My heart just broke for them, and I remember being in my mid to late 20's during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I seemed so much older them but really only 2 or 3 years older than some. You could see the fear in their faces as they learned about wills, living wills, life insurance, how to handle a military death and funeral, taking care of bank accounts, property, children. It's suddenly so real.

 Ever since Steven told me he volunteered for this deployment I've been pretty matter of fact over it, it is after all, what my family does; we serve. But going to this meeting suddenly put it in my face; my son is going to war! With all the talk of draw-downs, I just want to ask our President why he sending so many more over there if we are drawing down???? Ft. Bliss has lost more soldiers in a month than in a year suddenly, I don't like that.

I've started this blog to have a place to record my thoughts and feelings; so will be happy and others sure won't be. So far the schedule is this:

1. July 11 - leave for Blacklick OH
2. July 14 - leave OH for Ft. Hood TX
3. Sept. 4 - leave for Afghanistan 

I doubt I will write every day, for now anyway, we'll see what happens. I have so much running around in my mind, that I have to put it somewhere and I don't want Steven stressed about it. I know he can't know I am in anyway upset or worried, or he will be distracted. I want my son home safe and sound; I love him too much to even entertain an alternative.