Sack Lunches

***My girlfriend, Kristy Erickson, posted this story on her blog and it hit home so I wanted to post it on our blog for family to read and enjoy. After Andrew finshed basic training he had to return home in full uniform. While walking from one terminal to the next he had one guy spit on him, then 10 minutes later as he was standing in line for a quick bite the man behind him said, "Thank you for all you are doing." and paid for his meal. I am very proud of my husband and the sacrifice he makes to keep his family,home and country safe. Thank you soilder of mine.***

SACK LUNCHES....

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read; perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.

'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time..

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base. His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.

'She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq, it's almost like you are doing it for him..

'Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked.

She turned and went to the front of the plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks.

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seat-belt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.

'I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who looked 20 was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to depart. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.

'Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'

Something fishy

The guys decided to go fishin' but I guess success depends on your definition. If catching "anything" at all means success then...yes, it was. If catching something bigger than the worm you used means success then, no it was not. After they decided to call it a day and proceeded to get out by the river bank they noticed a huge head and tale imerge out of the water. It was an alligator!!! Luckily they decided against noodling and came out with all limbs. After a little research I found out that in Georgia there is actually an Alligator hunting season from August to September. How crazy is that!

Introducing Lt. Wheeler!!

It's official, Andrew has gradutated OCS and is now a Lietenant. Our Bishop, Andy Anderson, from Hawaii drove 8 hours to be there and pin him. That was so kind of him and we trully appreciate the Anderson's friendship and support. I feel bad that we couldn't be there but we are very proud of our soilder and miss him very much.
He's got the ID card to prove it too!!! Looking very dashing with a few other gradutates at the formal. I feel really bad that I couldn't be there, I already suck as an officier's wife. I will do better once we are able to be in at least the same state.

What's new with Drew...

This picture was actually from a week ago. Even after having every soilder empty their pockets while in the field to make sure no one was stealing blanks they still were treated like little children and had their rooms torn apart and raided. Such is the retarded-ness of the Army.
This was from Monday. Andrew and EJ wanted to document how lame their FHE/"Man-date" was and so took a picture to prove that not only were they on a homo date but they were the ONLY ONES in the theatre too because they were at a kids movie. Just in case you are wondering...they watched "Christmas Carol." They succumbbed to full gayness and even wore the 3-D glasses!!!

Hence forth to be known as"Gladiator Beast"

The rules of combatives are you have to start out on your knees and no punching for obvious safety reasons but Andrew turned out to be the winner!!! There was a Ranger guy that thought he was pretty hot stuff but Andrew beat him with an arm bar. Look at that face...I'd hate to be staring into those eyes...wait I have, AND I just laughed. Just kidding, excellent job babe!!! Very proud wife of "Gladiator Beast".

More soilder fun...

This is Andrew's description of the picture:
"Playing the opposition force today. I'm hiding in my semi-fortified position. We're pretending to defend a downed aircraft that we shot down so that we can brag about it on al jazeer tv. "
Field food:( Yuck!!! The over processed orange slim looks gross. You couldn't get me to touch that with a ten foot pole. Trinity killed me when she said it might taste better with ketchup.

Happy Halloween!!!

Unfortunately I had to work at Walgreens Halloween night but at least I was able to help get my girls dressed and snapped a few pictures before heading off. Christine was a hippie, I was some sort of pixie fairy, (I swiped the costume from PK-she wore it last year in Hawaii), PK was a PCC dancer from New Zealand, Trinity was a fairy/Cher??? maybe, Anaiya was a princess, and Cyri obviously is a cute little bay-bee.
Striking a cheesy pose.

I hope they grow back

I thought I had made myself clear when I told my girls to never cut their hair with scissors, apparently I wasn't clear enough and Anaiya thought eyelashes were the exception. I find her Sunday morning with 3/4 of her right eyelashes gone! The pictures don't even do the damage any justice. She must have closed her eyes when doing it cause most of the top and bottom lashes are gone and cut the same. After half an hour of crying and getting the stink eye from me she asked me if I was still mad at her. Of course I tell her I am, then she goes on to say, "Mommy, to-maw-woe you will love me again cause that's what mommies do." and MY HEART MELTS and I can't follow through on all my threats of locking her in time out forever! Then I call Andrew thinking, for some reason, that I might get some consouling and he just goes, "well, you gonna cut off the other side so it matches?" UH, NO! Such a guy response. I don't even know if eyelashes grow back!