Just an Average Week

After a long day of Army life, this is what I come home to.

LOL.

I mean honestly.

Otherwise, its been a fairly uneventful week.

I did a story yesterday on some Paratroopers that have been going to one of the local schools to read to the kids and help out in general. The story will be in the Alaska Post tomorrow if you are interested. It was fun, we sat on the floor and did 2nd grade math during circle time... which left me wondering about my math skills.

I was having casual conversation with one of the kids when he mentioned his dad had died in Iraq. I choked up and luckily one of my fellow Soldiers changed the topic. The reality of Army families dawned on me in that little classroom, and my heart broke into a million pieces. I know the risks and the sacrifices, but hearing it out of a child's mouth was borderline traumatic.

I was supposed to do a 9-mile mountain hike thing, and jump out of a black hawk (which I even did pre-jump for) this week, and both were cancelled due to all the SNOW. Arggghhh!!!

I managed to slide on the road and bounce my poor car off a curb on day 1 of said snow, and about five minutes later my feet, fully equipped with combat boots, when up over my head as I slipped and busted my ass on the ice-covered concrete. Lovely. Welcome winter.

Today I covered a story on the cav wives as they all dressed in their husbands ACUs -trimmed with pink- and the LTC put them through pre-jump, a mock door exit and rigged them up in chutes. It was full of fun and giggling and good Army-community craziness. I did freeze to death the whole time, suited in full snivels and all.

All this while Spc Steve is basking in the sun in Georgia on TDY. Hurumph.

Really, I feel like I'm starting to get settled in to my job and the family seems to be adjusting well, even to the snow. We went out and got big coats, which helps. And I cant tell you how many times Ive had ice shoved down my pants by the boys... I'm not sure which one is 5, but both seem to get equal amount of pleasure out of my freezing behind. Mys has been clocked in the face with a few snow balls and is taking it like a trooper, much to my dismay. Its ok though, because I know where the boys sleep...