It's a Niece!!!!!!!

Rebecca Lynn Marden

7 lb. 10.5 oz. 20.5 inches

Congratulations to Jason and Daniela . . . .

Folding Laundry . . .

Since Yubby and Julie wrote great notes about where they were I thought I would also add my thoughts to how it changed our lives . .

I was folding laundry, my daughter was 2 1/2 (probably napping) and my husband had gotten home that spring from Army National Guard boot camp. I really couldn't believe what I saw on the screen, I thought that if that was really what they thought it was, it would somehow have a ripple effect and reach us in a way it might not have a year before. And then we got a call and in a flash Caleb was on Active Duty for the first time - 9 months guarding the local airports until the TSA was trained. So much for the new job and possible promotion . . . .after that it was the big one for us . . a year in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with Caleb spending days and nights watching and guarding the terrorist prisoners there. . . . this was way more than I bargained for (especially now that we had 3 year old and 3 day old children waving the bus good bye). We started in the "One weekend a month, 2 weeks a year" group . . and I had run out of cute answers for "I thought the National Guard only helped in hurricanes!!"

So, I became a military wife, and joined a support group and figured out DEERS and Tricare Prime Remote - no base near here to take advantage of! - and we have some wonderful bittersweet memories that we wouldn't trade for anything. (Like the night Caleb called me at 1am from the neighbors house because he was 2 days early home on leave and didn't want to break into the house and scare me.)

It helped so much that we had made the decision for him to join the Guard together, we felt it was the right thing to do when he did it and I am immensely proud of how Caleb said "I signed up to serve, do you think I wanted to just train and do nothing? I mean I didn't want this to be what happens to our country but really . . how can I say sorry! not what I signed up for - because it is what I signed up for?"

I think that what is really hurtful about the current complaining American attitude towards this war is that some people think they speak for all soldiers that are serving, and yet many soldiers have the best attitude of any. No one wants to fight, but they signed on to serve in the way they are asked to and that they have trained for . . lets let them do that.

PS: And by the way - we have proudly and happily sent him off to do hurricane releif too!

This video was made for Caleb, Josh and Jason's parents for their 30th anniversary - please keep Josh and Holly (and 4month old itty-bitty) in your prayers since he just arrived back in Iraq for another year and she is due in January with their first child. . . .

Beach Week 2007

Hi all from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. . . . we are chilln' our way through a vacation with friends Brian, Val and Aly Young and Caleb's sisters Laura and Caitlin. Here we are playing mini-golf one night.