Thanksgiving!

Well, our plans for Thanksgiving have fallen through... so we'll enjoy the day together, and then we're going to Holland!

There's a USO trip that sounds incredibly interesting and fun! :)

Christmas Market in Valkenberg Caves, Holland
A Christmas event for visitors of all ages, never to forget...! Under the Castle of Valkenburg is the Velvet Cave, a labyrinth of passages over a thousand years old. Once used as an escape route, they enabled the knights and their warriors to secretly vanish from the castle, and attack the enemy from behind. During the German occupation in World War II, the cave served as a shelter for Jewish people, locals, and American troops. Now, Christmas transforms this underground world with twinkling lights, magic illumination and music. You can shop at stalls with quality Christmas items, and watch demonstrations of Old Dutch handicrafts. Visit the garden in the heart of the cave, to have a bite to eat and try the famous Christmas "Glühwein".
(description from http://www.uso.org/rheinneckar/default.cfm?contentid=218 )

I am looking forward to traveling with Gabe, in Europe, for the first time since the deployment!!

HOMECOMING!!

As most of you know, Gabe has been in Afghanistan for the last 15 months. No, he doesn't come home on weekends... no, I don't go visit him, or live there with him... he's been there, and I've been here. :)

Needless to say, it's been a long road with lots of obstacles (which is pretty typical seeing as how Afghanistan is a war-zone!).... but he's home now!! This first week he has reintegration training every day for half the day. The second half of the day is ours to enjoy!

Due to the time difference, I'm not sure when we'll start making phone calls back home. Right now it's about 3 a.m. for most of you!

Both Gabe and I are still in awe of the fact that it really ended. It felt like a never-ending experience, with no light at the end of the tunnel, and then yesterday we were thrust out. In no way is that a bad thing!! We are both excited to be together, to start living our lives TOGETHER again... He's Home!! Praise God!!

We love and miss everyone!!! Please continue to pray for us as we walk through this reintegration process.

THANK YOU everyone, for praying us through this deployment!!! Your love and prayers were felt daily!! They saved Gabe's life on MANY occassions. Thank you!!!

Welcome to the World, Jake!!

Jacob Hayles McLendon was born on Sept. 12, at 3:01 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz, and is 21 inches long. He's got a full head of hair, which is strawberry blonde, blue eyes, and is just too adorable!!

It's officially... Aunt Lisa and Uncle Gabe!! :)

On my way stateside...

Hey Everyone,

I'm on my way back stateside here in a few hours! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!! It's been too long!! My first stop will be to DC where I'll get to hang out with Justin, see Cindy & James, Mike & Sarah, and the Boohers!!

Then I'm off to Destin... Ashley should be having little Jake around the time I arrive, so that will be very exciting!! There, of course, I'll be with family and friends... my grandparents, the McLendons, my brother and sister and their spouses... plus the church family I grew up in! :)

I will be making a brief stop in Alabama to visit Gabe's mom, and my Aunt/Cousin... and then my dad and I are heading off to ATL to shop for special shoes for my special feet!

And last but definitely not least... I'll be heading to Tallahassee to see my brother at grad school, and then of to UNF to hang out with the Jax crew!! Eady, Bean, Megan, Vicki... I'm looking forward to lots of randomness!! Andrew, Nate, Justin, Elliot, and the rest of the gang ... I'm looking forward to playing sports with you guys again, and catching up!! Good times shall be had! :) I'll be in Jax for a week... and then back home to celebrate my birthday!!

That's right, I'm turning 26! So, I'll be back in Destin for the festivities! Then back to Germany to prepare for HOMECOMING!!!!!

Your husband has been gone too long when...

Okay. Another 720th EOD wife and I went shopping today. We just need to get away and take a breather. Well, as we're shopping we came to the candle section... a section we're quite fond of!!

So, as we're smelling the candles we start to realize that all the candles remind us of one smell. What is that smell you ask? It's MAN. That's right... the "just out of the shower, fresh deodorant smell" that is MAN.

What candles smell like man you ask... well there's leather (but that's a given!), cottage breeze (not kidding... I've got 2 candles next to me and I'm loving it!), ... black cherry, beach walk, autumn gold, dune grass, evening air ...just to name a few. It's sad. It's sad when you buy candles just to have a man's smell in your house again!

SERIOUSLY, we need our husbands home!!! Please bring our unit home... now would be great! :)

the pictures you've been waiting for!

Okay... so, here are the pictures from my Italy excursion with Vicki!!! My 4000+ pictures down to about 300!

to jump start our fun....
Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101678&l=da458&id=25104255

now, vicki was still in school, so back to.... ROME!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101685&l=b0763&id=25104255

and more... pretty much all Colosseum, little Vatican...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101691&l=6ffc3&id=25104255

and more.... the Vatican... and Rome at night...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101701&l=58e7f&id=25104255

And to end it all... a hike... Cinque Terre...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101703&l=e6fd7&id=25104255


ENJOY!!!!

On the subject of re-enlistment...

Whether we re-enlist or not, it's undecided due to new circumstances. This is one thing I know to be true, that the heart of a soldier is strong. It feels a strong sense of duty and pride for country and fellow soldiers.

The best way to sum things up, the best way that I've heard all these feelings put is the very last monologue in the movie Home Of The Brave. Even if you never watch the movie, please read the following and know that it's true to the core of the men and women who serve you, your country, your rights.

“Dear Mom and Dad, I know you don’t understand why I reenlisted. It’s confusing and scary for all of us. I know that. But I have to go back. I don’t want to die, and Jordan didn’t want to die either. And maybe when we went over there the first time we didn’t know what we were getting into. Maybe the leaders of our country didn’t know what they were getting into. Maybe the people don’t want us there. Maybe this whole thing is making it worse. But even after all that I can’t stay behind knowing there are soldiers over there getting attached every day and dying every day. I don’t feel like it’s wrong of me for wanting to go back over there and help them.* It’s a hard job being a soldier. Not just for me but for the people we leave behind. To both of you, girlfriends, kids, husbands and wives, we all carry scars of war. But I know that if I do my part then maybe we’ll get out of there and get home to the people we love just a little bit quicker. I hope this can make sense to you because it makes perfect sense to me. These are my guys and I need them, just as much as they need me. I’m not trying to be noble and brave, but I feel if I don’t go then I failed Jordan, Jamal, and all those who went over with me and sacrificed so much, and that’d be worse then never coming home at all.* I know you aren’t happy with this. But I also know that you love me. I’m going back. And I’m going back to do the best job I know how. And get back to you just as soon as I can. Pray for me.”
*emphasis mine