Ahhh ... Leave ....

I had an amazing 4 days with Sebastian, and am now safely back home, after an 8 hour drive.

He needed to spend time with a few guys in his troop who came home early due to injuries and have had a hard time re-adjusting, and then to spend some time with his family. He spent 20 years separated from his family and has only recently re-connected with them. The relationship is still fragile, and he doesn't mix "me" with "them", which is a decision I respect.

As predicted, there was a lot of laughter, a lot of talking, quite a few hugs, and a whole lot of Wii !!! Wow, are my arms sore! (From the Wii, not the hugs) I actually stopped on the way home and purchased one for myself, to prepare for future visits. :-)

We are both, for our own reasons, proceeding slowly with this relationship, taking the time to "get it right", and make sure we don't rush anything. I think this is good for us, and good for the relationship.

Of course, add to that the whole "half way home" brain (he is still, mentally, there as much as here).

The good thing is I didn't have any expectations for this visit, really, and as a result I am very happy with the way everything went. It was very comfortable from the first second he opened the door, like he hadn't been gone for 6 months. Everything just absolutely clicked. There was no awkwardness, not treading on broken glass around each other. It was just absolutely comfortable, absolutely right.

We went shopping, we picked out some furniture for his new apartment, he showed me the furniture he had already ordered. We got groceries, we cooked, we drank wine (OK, and a decent amount of Jameson's), we talked. He took me to the regiment and showed me around, introduced me to whatever guys were there. This, it seems, is a big step for him, the first time he has taken "a woman" there since his divorce quite a few years ago. Knowing the military community, I am sure there was lots of speculation and rumour after we left. But I really don't care!

I had also forgotten how lovely and firm a handshake the average soldier has. I appreciate it, for I hate a wimpy handshake, but my hand was actually sore by the time we left!

He goes back again way too soon, but the coutdown is on to home for good. He should, if all goes according to plan, be home before Christmas!!! What a wonderful present that will be. :-)

~ Happy Dance ~

He is back on Canadian Soil.

SOOOOOOOOO Happy right now.

He has one more flight to get home, and because of circumstances it is a few more days before I actually get to touch his face, but he is back in Canada.  And really, him having a couple of days to himself to re-adjust is probably a good thing anyway.

But for the next couple of weeks, a lot less of this:

and a lot more of this:



and this

and likely a whole lot of this



Red Friday ~ Support the Troops ~ Support the Families

John Conlee - They Also Serve

I was at an FSG Meeting (FRG in American) last night. We had our meeting and a wine & cheese in the Reginmental Mess at the Armoury. After they were done their tasks, the soldiers who were there came up and joined us, including the soldiers that were out on 3-08, and one soldier who leaves shortly for an African Country.

I was moved by how important thy felt what we do in the group, supporting each other and the families, was to them being able to do their job. We often, I think, feel we are doing it for each other, but it really does matter to them to know that thier families have a support. While we were still there, they planned an informal "Pub Crawl Night" as a fundraiser for our group ... but we weren't invited along ;-)

Bless the soldiers, bless the families.

And bless those boys last night for not leaving us any leftover food or wine to deal with! :o)

Red Friday ~ Operation Cooking For Soldier On

From the website:  http://www.operationcookingforsoldieron.com/ 

I have started doing a fundraiser for Soldier On. It is a cookbook that I have compiled with 250 recipes from Military members and families all across Canada. It is currently in the process of being printed by Rasmussen Company based out of Winnipeg and I have reps all across Canada that are taking preorders for the cookbook.



Each cookbook sells for a minimum $12 donation and the profit will be sent to the Soldier On Fund. The picture above is the cover on the cookbook and has many different sections. My favorite one is the Care Packages section, which includes recipes that will keep to send to the troops overseas.

Soldier On is a non-profit organization that allows ill and injured military personnel to have the resources available to them to continue leading an active and healthy lifestyle. It supports these personnel in being able to achieve their independence. With the money raised, it allows them to purchase prosthetics, wheelchairs and anything else the injured may need to develop new skills and achieve their goals.

My husband and I met Jody Mitic at the Army Run in Ottawa in 2009. Jody ran the half marathon with prosthetics, it was truly inspiring and that is how I came up with the idea of a cookbook as a fundraiser. This is how I feel as a Military spouse I can help raise awareness for this amazing program!

To date there have been a total of 1500 books that have been ordered with proceeds of over $9000. As well, Soldier On has approached me to ask if this could be one of their third party fundraisers. I believe that with the help of my reps and the support of Soldier On, there will be more success in the future.

Thank you to all the reps across Canada who put in very dedicated hours in making this such a huge success. As well, thank you to all those who have purchased a cookbook and supported our injured soldiers!

Jennifer Corbett
Project Manager

To order, please go to: http://www.operationcookingforsoldieron.com/contact/ 

"Lucky Me" by Helene Cronin (Thank you to our troops)

From SpouseBuzz.com:

Lucky Me describes the gratitude of Americans who realize they are fortunate to be safe at home, protected by the men and women who are deployed in war zones and uncomfortable situations far from home. It is available by digital download on on CDbaby.com and iTunes.com, and 25% of Helene’s proceeds from each digital sale will be donated to Soldiers’ Angels.

The song is a true story based on Helene’s trip back from a seemingly unsuccessful networking visit to Nashville with her songs. Standing at the counter at the airport, she happened to strike up a conversation with the soldier standing near her. He mentioned he was headed back to Iraq and asked where she was going. “I'm going home,” she said. “Lucky you,” he replied.

His response hit her hard. “How lucky AM I,” she thought, comparing her destination to his. “I had just been handed a gift in what he said to me.” The conversation stayed her head as a song idea for two years before she sat down to write. “Then it just poured out,” she says. This summer, after some rewriting, she recorded a simple guitar/vocal demo of the song in Nashville.

Date nerves on steriods ....

OMG.

We have a "firm" date that Sebastian should be home on leave, and it is coming up in that awful/wonderful fast/slow way these things do.

I need to loose weight.
I need to clean my house.
I need to get a bunch of work stuff done so I can take off for a while.
I need him in front of me RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND so I can touch him and know he's OK.

*breathe*

OK

This is like first date anxiety times 10.  Most of my "relationship" with Sebastian has been on MSN and web cam.  Admittedy, he has seen me on web cam looking pretty horrid - in my PJ's, fresh out of the shower and un-groomed; after a workout, hair in a pony and needing a shower .... but OMG, to be with him.

I know he is not going to care, that our friendship/relationship is not based on how hot I look (or don't), but still, my tummy is all butterflies right now ...

*breathe*

I know, like a lot of things, the anticipation is stressful, and once the event gets here ... as soon as I touch him ... everything will be fine.

I just have to make it until then

*breathe*

There are a couple of things going on right now that make this reunion a bit more important, and a bit more loaded.  Things I can't talk about right now, but things that are on both our minds, things that I am sure will work out for the best, it is just not obvious right now what "the best" is, or how sucky the trip there is going to be.

*breathe*

Red Friday - Support the Troops

27 September 2010   Trouty, Newfoundland

Combat Engineers, Corporal Johnny Chisholm (left) and Sapper Shane Parr (right), Combat Engineers from 4 Engineer Support Regiment, Gagetown, New Brunswick and Chris Hiscock, a Heavy Equipment operator contracted by the Newfoundland Government, survey their progress in moving dirt in preparation for bridge building in the small community of Trouty in eastern Newfoundland.

The military was asked to assist with civil powers after Hurricane Igor passed the southern shores of Newfoundland knocking out power and washing out numerous bridges with over 200mm of rain.

28 September 2010     Trouty, Newfoundland

With team work, Engineers from 4 Engineer Support Regiment, in Gagetown, New Brunswick and 56 Engineer Squadron, from St. John’s Newfoundland, assemble a Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) to reconnect the small community of Trouty when the main bridge was destroyed in Hurricane Igor.

Operation LAMA (A) 02-10 is the Canadian Forces (CF) joint response led by Canada Command and conducted through Joint Task Force Atlantic (JTFA) to the devastation caused by Hurricane Igor to southern and eastern Newfoundland on 21 September 2010. The domestic humanitarian relief mission incorporated Canadian Forces land, maritime and air assets to deliver much needed assistance to isolated Newfoundland communities cut off by severe road damage.

More than 1,000 members from the Air, Land and Maritime components of the CF, in coordination with the Federal Government of Canada and the Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, are engaged in multiple tasks on Op LAMA (A) 02-10, including: delivering critical supplies such as food, water, medical supplies and fuel; providing medical evacuation; assisting in moving power crews and materials to repair power grids; delivering generators and re-supplying fuel to main communications nodes; assisting with bridging and road repair and transporting engineering analysis teams.

 

All photos Canadian Forces Combat Camera