CABELAS

Dear Gabe,

Your order from Cabelas came in today.  I'm off tomorrow so I will be taking it to the post office.  I'll be insuring the boxes just in case anything happens to them.

I found the Thanksgiving card I bought for you.  I figure we have so much to be thankful for each and every day so I'm going to send it to you anyway.  I saw Obie, Shannel's cousin, at the store today.  He says 'hi', and to make sure you drop by when you get back in town.  Marilyn called this evening as well, for your address.  As you can tell, everyone around here misses you a lot.

It was bone-chilling cold today.  It got to 4º today with the wind chill factor.  I had to help with a trailer audit in layaway, and I FROZE my toots off!  It took me hours to warm up.  It was so cold this morning even the frost didn't want to come out.  That was a good thing because the defroster on Big Red isn't working so I'd have to scrape the windshield off and drive with the windows open to keep the inside of the windows from fogging up.  Oh boy, this is going to be a fun winter I can already tell.  But thats okay, I'm still ready for it.  Its Christmas I'm not prepared for!

And can you believe that in just a month it will be 2006.  Are you ready?  Thats a silly question, ready or not, here it comes.  I'm ready.  The coming of the new year means its that much closer to your homecoming. 

You're probably getting sick of hearing this, but be safe, stay safe, wear your fireproof man panties, and hurry home.  Miss you, love you always,

Mom

THANKSGIVING 2005

HAPPY THANKSGIVING GABE!

I'm glad to hear you and the troops had a nice feast.  I wish you all didn't have to be there, but since you are, its nice to know that efforts are being made to make you as comfortable as possible.  That is comforting to me and the others back here.  We will set a place for you at the table because you are always here with us in our hearts.  Love you, miss you.  Be safe,

Mom

DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

Dear Gabe,

So I'm wondering, are they giving you guys a nice dinner for Thanksgiving?  I hope so.  I'm going to have the girls do the turkey this year.  I really wasn't in the mood, but they need to learn to carry on the traditions.  Friday we'll do a deer roast to celebrate the harvest.  That is another tradition I want them to take with them.

Rocky has given her permission for you to smoke while you are there.  But she has a condition.  You cannot smoke a pack a day.  She has worked the math and determined that if you smoke a pack a day for a year, you will have 3 feet of tar in in your lungs.  Not a very nice picture huh?  3 feet of tar, that sounds really serious, so keep it to a minimum okay?

I keep thinking about your friend and his family.  Its bad enough to see the numbers of the casualties going up each day, but its heart breaking when the numbers aren't anonymous.  Each number reprepresents someone's son or daughter.  And in this case, a close friend. 

Dad will be sending you the name and number of an ex Scout.  The guy says that you should never hesitate to call him if you ever need to talk to someone whos been there, done that.  He'd love to talk with you.  Everyone is so proud of you and if you listen hard enough on a quiet moment you might hear all the prayers that are constantly being said for you and everyone there with you.

Take care my son.  Missing you, Loving you... Always,

Mom

JUST GOT YOUR LETTER.

Dear Gabe,

Its funny how quickly joy can fade to sadness.  I just opened your email and was so happy until I read about the loss of your friend.  I am so very sorry son.  I wish you hadn't been there when it happened, it must have been awful to see such a thing, but at the same time I am glad that he had a close friend near by so he wasn't alone. I'm grateful that you were with him.

I'm sitting here trying to write something comforting because thats what mothers should do in times like this, but Gabe, my hands are shaking so bad I can barely type, which is just as well because I can't see too well right now. 

I will try this later.  For now, know that I love you and I pray each night for your safety and that of those who serve with you.  Knowing that some were lost does not weaken my faith.  My faith is my strength.  So don't worry about us.  We're fine.  You just take care of yourself and your guys, and come on back home safe.

I love you son, and miss you.  May the Great Spirit watch over you always.

Mom 

SONY CYBERSHOT

I picked up a camera for you.  Its a Sony, which makes very nice digitals as you know.  I only got one memory stick for now, but I got tons of rechargeable batteries and a recharger (plus the camera came with a recharger) as well as a car adapter.  Art is charging all of the batteries right now so you should be set to shoot when you get them.  Remember... don't just point and shoot.  Find the story through your lens.  I can't wait to see the stories you find.

I'm still in a ho-hum mood.  Don't know why.  Its almost Thanksgiving.  I have the next 3 days off.  I get to watch the Broncos stomp the Cowboys (I hope!) on Thursday.

I wish you would write.  I wish you would read your email.  I wish I would stop worrying!  Ugh!  Thats it, you're grounded!  Tell your captain, or major or general or what ever the heck they are, that your mama says you have to come straight home right now!... 

No, don't do that.  You guys go save Iraq, and then come home safe.

Miss you so much.  Love you,

Mom 

ps: I got the newsletter from your brigade thingie.  It was nice to read it.  I wished you were in one of the pictures.  Thats so cool how they could get that thing all set up over there.  Those newsletter guys rock!  You can tell them I said so if you ever see them.

Love mom 

THE CHOCOLATE IS IN THE MAIL!

Dear Gabe,

I'm sticking two more boxes in the mail this morning.  There is a pair of green knee pads in one of them.  And some disposable razors... and eye drops!  I don't know what you need or want so I just went through the store and grabbed stuff I always wanted with me when I was camping.  Got you a hotrod magazine... no, wait, I think it was a LowRider magazine... oh, whatever!  And a sketchpad and some pencils.  Theres a bunch of stuff.  Keep what you want, share with you buddies.  And let us know if there is something specific that we can send you.

Its been real cold lately.  Its time to get that fireplace going.  It was in the 20's last night.  It won't be as cold today but there is a chance of snow.  I'm hoping.  I haven't been out with my camera lately.  Its hard to get excited about photography right now since my little lens is out of commission.  But I still have my zoom!

Ugh... Rocky is practising on her snare drum.  Its only 7am and she's beating that dang drum.  I'm going to practise a little of my own if she doesn't quit!

Miss you Sugar Booger.  Love you!

Mom

 

OTHER JOURNALS OFFLINE FOR A SPELL

Dear Gabe,

Just so you're not wondering, I've taken all of my other journals offline for a couple of days in protest of AOL's using my journals (and everyone else's) to spam my readers with banner ads at the top of my journal.  I bought and paid for this space, and they go and sell the top of my journal to a bunch of advertisers.  How tacky is that!?

I'm off for the next 3 days, yipee!  I only work 4 days a week, but I work hard.  I forgot how rigorous my job could be.  Okay, its not like what you do... but its tiring.  I'm just glad I have a 3 day weekend (in the middle of the week of course) to look forward to.  That makes it bearable.

Art and Cord had their first best friends vs. boyfriend/ girlfriend thing.  Remember how you, Brinton and Eric used to get every time someone got a new girlfriend?  These guys have been best friends since grade school.  They'll be fine, but it was sad to see their feelings hurt.  I was proud of the way they handled it though.  They're both good kids, they'll be just fine!

Well, bed calls to me.  I must answer.  Hopefully dad will be able to order your computer this weekend.  Hopefully you'll get it before Christmas. 

Take care my son.   Miss you, love you always.

Mom

MS VAL AND JENNIFER and a letter from Bubbah

I just got off the phone with Gabe.  I'm still laughing.  I was telling him that my friend and her beautiful Army Reserve daughter were planning on sending him a letter, and how the daughter was going to spray it with perfume.  Gabe was excited about that part because he really likes the daughter.

"And then they would address it 'From Bubbah', so if the guys in the mailroom start laughing and pointed to you, you'll know why." I warned.

"Oh no, that would not be good," he said, "Tell them not to do that, that would be bad." He was silent for a second, then said:  "Tell them if they send me a perfumed letter and put Bubbah as the sender, I will send them a pair of my underwear.  And I would make sure I wore it for a week before I sent it so it would be all smelly and dirty!  And I would sign it 'From Gabe'."

Hahahahaha!  I wonder if I should warn them?

I told Ms Val, and after conferring with Jennifer they decided that a letter from Butch (Bubbah) would probably not be a good idea in respect to threat of dirty drawers.  I do not put any future orneriness past them though and you should probably be on the lookout for any anything from Colorado that isn't addressed in my handwriting  Gabe... Just thought I'd warn you. 

Miss you, love you...

Mom

ON VETERANS DAY

A Pittance Of Time (click on title for video)
Written by Terry Kelly © Jefter Publishing - SOCAN

They fought and some died for their homeland.
They fought and some died, now it's our land.
Look at his little child; there's no fear in her eyes.
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who went over.
In peace may they rest, may we never
forget why they died.
It's a pittance of time.

God forgive me for wanting to strike him.
Give me strength so as not to be like him.
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips,
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists.

But two minutes I will bide.
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who went over.
In peace may they rest.
May we never forget why they died.
It's a pittance of time.

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home.
They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own.
There's a price to be paid if you go, if you stay.
Freedom's fought for and won in numerous ways.

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls all over.
May we never forget, our young become vets.
At the end of the line,
It's a pittance of time.

It takes courage to fight in your own war.
It takes courage to fight someone else's war.
Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell.
They bring hope to foreign lands that hate mongers can't kill.

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who go over.
In peacetime our best still don battle dress
And lay their lives on the line.
It's a pittance of time

In peace may they rest,
Lest we forget why they died.
Take a pittance of time.

(Click here if link in title doesn't work)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN and other stuff

These are your little sisters' Halloween costumes.  Rocky said she was a Firefly and Becca was a pixie.  I think they were both mutant flying Oompa Loompas.  We set the cider out again, and had the fireplace in the driveway.  It wasn't as cold as it was last year, but it was still chilly and the fire was real nice.  The kids had to decorate for me since that was my first day back at work.  They did good, except for all of the stuffed animals they 'hung' from the roof.  All of the poor little kids that came by totally freaked when they saw them.  They probably all had nightmares about their stuffed animals in the gallows!

I haven't heard from Shannel, but she should be a mommy by now.  She was due on Monday, but that came and went.  Poor Dave really wanted his grandbaby to be born on Halloween.  He's so excited, its cute!

I'm really enjoying work now that there is no stress.  I still can't believe how many people didn't even realize that I was gone, let alone quit!  Hmmm, not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing.  At any rate, its nice.  My first paycheck was a joke though... it wasn't even for 4 hours!  Zack was bragging about how his check was bigger than mine.  Yeah buddy, maybe now, but not for long!  Hahaha!

Your dad is thinking about going elk hunting this weekend since I drew a dud.  I have to work so I won't be going with him.  Darn!  I so wanted to get up before the sun and run up and down the mountain, pausing only to throw myself into the cactus patch.... NOT!  My season is over, thank you very much!

Well, I'm off to the post office to mail my grandbaby some things.  Man I wish I could give them to him in person.  I can't wait to see him and hold him, and squeeze him and kiss him, and totally spoil him!

Miss you son, be safe.  Love always,

Mom