Counting down...

Allan's tour of duty is winding down. I just got an email today from the Family Readiness Officer telling me the window in which his return date will fall. I can't wait until he gets home, not just because I can't wait to see him... but because I know that he won't be going out again. This is his last tour! While I count down the days to my son's return from Afghanistan, I am reminded of those who are just starting on their tour of duty; 400wakeups, and of those who've been wounded; Russ Moseley, and those will not be returning; wade's world.

I'm freakin' EXHAUSTED!

Today was loooong and stressful. I couldn't wait to get out of work today - I don't know if it was because I didn't get any sleep last night or because I was already emotional and therefore wound pretty damned tight, or if it was just the perfect storm of everybody having a bad day at once, but the vibe in the office was icky, there were too many things happening at once, and tension was HIGH all day. I can't wait for tomorrow to be over and done with - a week off sounds downright blissful right now! 

Scott Jerome Wilson March 31 1959 - July 29 1996

Scott, on the floor playing with Allan & Jake
(that's my grandmother in the background - the two of them are buried side by side now)

Today I'm thinking about my husband. It should  have been his 52nd birthday. He wasn't a scholar, he wasn't a saint, but he was the best husband I could have asked for, and the best daddy Brittany will  ever know. It's been a long time since he left us, but I still miss him, and especially on anniversaries of his birth, our wedding, and his death, I still get melancholy. This weekend Brittany and I are going to take George to Escondido to visit his grave site. It's a shame that it's the only way he'll ever know his grandpa. I'm sure Scott would have been PROUD of our little Bear. In my imagination I can see the look on his face now. I can hear him reminiscing about when Brittany was that age, and laughing about how he used to put some eye-catching thing or another in the middle of the coffee table (it was square) just so he could laugh as he watched her go 'round and 'round trying to figure out how to get close enough to reach it. He would have been endlessly fascinated by George.

Roscoe: Before & After

Roscoe is generally a rambunctious & rowdy dog. We like to call him Dunder-dog, because - well let's just say he was chasing butterflies when God was handing out smarts. He is however very loyal to his master George. We figured out that while Roscoe got here first - he was intended to be the Bear's dog because he was facinated by him from the moment he came home. Yesterday, I caught the two of them playing together under the dining room table:

You want the rawhide?

I don't know, it looks pretty tasty...

I think I'll keep it for myself!

 Today, however was a rough day for our Rascally Roscoe. Today the Grim Snipper caught up with our hero! He'll never be the same again. Poor Roscoe!

The pain...

The loss...

The indignity!

Isn't he just too cute for words?!

What?! No privacy even in the BATH?!!

Oh well - get on with it then.

...and over we go

For those of you who don't FB...

Allan and his friend Chris posted some pictures from Afghanistan the other day. Here are a few...