fun with dan and wanda

that would be Chaplain (LTC) Minjares and his lovely wife. they held a Christmas reception in their home this afternoon for the Unit Ministery Team. i won't lie, it was awkward at first but everyone ended up talking and eating and having a great time together. it is always nice to see the installation commander out of uniform and able to socialize with everyone like she's just a regular person, when in the military world she is the very top of the chain on this base. it's always nice to meet the higher-ups in an informal setting like that. it makes you realize that they are people, which sounds stupid, but it's easy to forget that they are real live people and not just ranks. i think that rob and i have been very blessed in a lot of subtle ways with this job and one of them would be that rob has gotten to meet alot of higher-ups, at least in the army, that he wouldn't have met otherwise. being able to meet people from the c-3 to the installation chaplain, the commanding officer to the installation commander. it's not anything that will mean anything for rob's immediate job or rank, but i think that it is always really important to have this sort of experience for the future. i also think that being in the place has given me alot of great information on the role of the wife. my very new, and very good friend Arlena is teaching me alot about the different ways to get involved and get information that you may need on base. my friend Jodi (& Arlena) shows me the way of an officer's wife, and what's expected of them as well as where to draw the line and not abuse your husband's rank. these women, and many more, seem to almost be grooming me to what i should be if Rob does choose to go to OTS. they are showing me the ropes of how to be the 'grown-up' wife as opposed to the younger, less structered wife that alot of new, young military wives reflect. i am very fortunate that i have had the opportunity to watch these women and learn from them.