Tis the Season

Thanksgiving is over and behind us and now we move forth (or are shoved, I can't decide) toward Christmas. This time of year is always a blur to me. I think that with work this year may be worse. I have five seperate engagements next month and Rob and I are talking about going to Tahoe to celebrate my birthday and our Christmas. That means that the 15-17 we are in Tahoe, and come back to Monterey only to leave the 21st for Ft. Worth. Speaking of the birthday... I turn 22 in 10 days. As busy I have been lately it feels like it is sneaking up on me. I should circle it on my calendar or something so I don't forget it!
Mom tells me Mae is army crawling like a pro these days! She'll be walking by the time we get there!! (not really) She is very talented though. She pulled herself up onto the edge of the table. That's brilliant for a 7 month old! I can't believe she is 7 months old. And will be 8 when we see her! She's growing so fast. I have baby, baby pictures of her I was looking at last night and it was so amazing to see how much she has changed in the past 7 months. We can't wait to come home and see her, and if everyone else is there, I guess we'll see them too... 24 more days!!

are you kidding me?

There was a letter to the editor in the Monterey Herald titled "Get the Military Out" that is blowing everyone's mind around here. Apparently some moron woman wrote in saying that DLI is just a conspiracy to cover up that it really is a place where the FBI is training men and women to kill other people. (are you kidding me?) And that Ft. Ord and POM are tricks by the government to buy up all of the land out here to make it so the military members are the only ones who can afford to live out here. (again, are you kidding me?) Sincerely, moron woman

Well I would like to use this to reply to Ms. Moron.
Let me start off by saying that your letter did not have one ounce of truth to it. It is obvious to me that you have never seen past the gate of POM. If you ever did manage to slip in, you would notice that there are no firing ranges, no grenade training, no anything cool like that. It is a school, you blubbering idiot. The FBI is an organization that can be described as the top police of the country. They do not care what is going on at DLI. They have very little to do with our military. Especially, the military out here. As far as your second rambling, there is nothing I would like better than to pack up and move. I would give up most of my possessions to tell you and all of the people like you to kiss me between the back pockets as I drive out of town, but right now my husband has a job to do. Never mind that the job he is doing will probably take him away from me very soon so that he can go and fight to protect your dumb butt. Lets just forget for a second that people like my husband train and train hard while they are in a school like this so that one day they can spend at least 10 hours of their day every single day working to make sure that we are safe. And that this is a 24/7 job. Do you think that I am bitter when people like you start running your mouth without taking into consideration all of these things? You better believe it sister. We miss holidays, birthdays, anniversarys, ball games, and family gatherings all the time so that you have the liberty to say ignorant things that critcize my husband and our friends. With all of that out of mind for a sec, I will simply point out the fact that we are not millionares. While you sit writing your huffy-puffy letter in your 2.5 million dollar home, we sit over in Seaside making an E-5 paycheck stretch as far as it can possibly go. And we are the only ones who can afford this place? Military members shop in special stores like the Commisary, because groceries at Albertsons are too damn expensive. Yes, Monterey is beautiful, but what is the point when we can't spare the money to buy gas to go and see all of these beautiful things? Lady, let me close with this: the day that we get to pack our house and say goodbye to this place forever will be one of the greatest days of my life. Not because it is so expensive. Not because it isn't beautiful. But because we will finally be rid of a city that is so chocked full of their own self righteous beliefs that they can't see that these are real people that are fighting, and these are real people that are dying, and these are real family members left behind. So when you go and rest your little head in your safe and comfy bed tonight I hope you can't get out of your mind the picture of men and women over seas standing gaurd, sleeping on cots, and getting shot at every day just to make sure you feel safe writing hate mail from your dining room.
Sincerely, Proud USAF Wife

Six kicks.... bottom

In six weeks from today, at 12:30 to be exact, Rob and I are headed home! In ten months, 3 weeks and 4 days we will be leaving California for good! We have already been out here for over six months of a year and a half tour! That is worth celebrating. If only we knew where to after San Angelo... And for the last bit of information, I will be 22 in 27 days. That, my friends, is crazy.

They wouldn't be walkin' in Texas...

I took these pictures this morning outside the Chapel. Every single stinkin' morning there are close to ten gigantic wild turkeys gobble-gobblin' on our front steps. I told Inge, our secretary, 'They wouldn't be walking around this close to Thanksgiving where I come from!" I tell you, if I had the stomach to defeather one of these beasts I'd save myself a good $20 or $30! I guess I'll stick with the ones Alberston's or the Commisary provide free of feathers. And it's not just the turkeys. The deer back home made it a point to get across the street quick, fast and in a hurry. Not here. These deer are huge and will stand in the road and stare you down. They dare you to hit them. They'd probably find an enviro lawyer and end up driving your car off. Crazy Californians...
Six weeks until the homecoming!!!

Yeah, she's adorable!

"The Lord is a Geek."

Words of wisdom from the younger Drew Denham. My little brother is so funny. Not always in the 'haha' way, but always funny. Right now he's totally into the guitar. He's a total rock star! Which is really funny, because we should have seen it coming. There is a video of my chubby brother strumming a plastic guitar and singing 'Don't break my hort. My aachee breaaakeee hort. I jus don't thank he'll understand.' from years ago!
I was sitting in my office today thinking about what to put up on the Chaplain's bulletin board for Thanksgiving. I decided on a large cornacopia and in yellow cursive 'Give Thanks'. It looks very nice, but it immediately brought my little brother to mind. I love that kid. I am so thankful, looking back, that I had him growning up. He was so funny as a little boy. It's weird to think that he'll graduate next year (God willing). He seems like a whole different person when we go home now. Not quite a grown up, but definitely not my chubby baby brother. So I thought I would give him these words.
Little brother, I love you
and I always will.
Even though you're a freaking giant,
your my little brother still.
Although we are states away now,
And it seems like I am so far,
Call me if you need me
And I'll be there by plane,
By bus, or car.

LOVE YOU DREW!!

November : )

Today is November 1st! It is almost magical. It means light in the night is over (which was a big success, by the way) and we can creep slowly into Angel Tree and Tree Lighting. It also means there are only seven weeks until Christmas and Rob and I coming home. It feels weird to think that I will have been away from Texas for six months! And Rob hasn't been home since Maelie was born and that will be like 8 months! I can't tell you how excited we are to be coming home! We miss family. It's going to be a crazy between mom and terry and going to Oklahoma to see Rob's aunt and uncle, but it's nothing we aren't used to. It would be nice if they were closer, but where's the challenge in that?! It's a 26 hour drive from Monterey to Fort Worth, another 50 minutes from my mom's house to his mom's house and about a 3 1/2 hour drive to his aunt's house, and of course another 26 hour drive back to Monterey. And this is all in about 13 days.
Bring on the Holidays!!