ONE MORE MONTH!

Dear Gabe,

We're getting so excited about your visit... just one more month.  And I finally get to hold my little Grandbaby!  Oh, May is going to be a very good month!

People around town are getting excited as well.  Your friends are all popping in to the store to check up on you.  I'm not making any commitments for you.  I figure if you want to get together with them you can arrange that on your own when you get here.  I will warn you though, you will probably be bombarded with calls.

Anyhow, we'd like to lock in the tickets for Kayle and Zachary as soon a possible.  If we don't hear otherwise from you by Friday we'll go ahead and stick to the original dates I sent you.  The main thing is that we get them here in time.  We can always change their return date if we have to.

One more month son.  I shall probably drive everyone nuts as it gets closer to the date.  Until then, take care and be safe.  Miss you, love you always,

Mom~

GOT AN EMAIL FROM DOC

Dear Gabe,

I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me when I opened up my email this morning.  Doc Colling had written.  It was a wonderful letter.  He is walking with the aid of crutches, his arm is healed although he still has limited flexibility (based on his past determination I doubt that will be a problem for too long), and although he still must use shades when he goes outside, his vision is perfect.  Truly amazing!

Mettie returned to Washington state today.  He is in Seattle.  Its not quite home, but its some much closer which will make it easier on his family and friends to be with him.  He knows he's home.  I have faith that he will break free of the fog that contains him soon.

I was making phone calls today for reference checks at work and I spoke with a lady who works at the Pikes Peak Hospice, which is where Grandpa Ron spent his weeks.  She knew who I was talking about as soon as I said 'big Indian'.  She even remembered all of you kids.  It was nice talking to her.  I was finally able to thank her after all these years for the wonderful care Grandpa received there.

The kids are on Spring Break this week.  I tried to talk Wal-Mart into giving the associates a week off for Spring break as well but they turned down my request... scrooges!  We're driving up to Breckenridge or some where around that area on my day off.  Dad has Friday off so we may try to do something then too. 

Hope your day goes smooth and safely.  Miss you.  Love you always,

Mom~

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE

Dear Gabe,

I wanted you to have this picture because it says so much.  This polished wall is part of the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC.  Both of your Grandfathers served during it.  My Uncle Hashin paid the ultimate price with his life during that war.  Your father, who is reflected behind the words knows first hand the cost of freedom, as do you.  So now, not as a mother, but as an American, I thank you for your service and the price you continue to pay for our freedom and that of the people of Iraq.

Be safe my son.  Miss you, love you always,

Mom~

BRONCOS CHEERLEADERS

Dear Gabe,

A couple of Bronco cheerleaders were at Walmart this afternoon and they autographed this poster for you.  They said to thank you for them, so... Thank You.  The Bronco's may not have made it to the Super Bowl, but these two ladies are World Class!

Be safe, always!  Miss you, love you!

Mom

LOVE YOUR NEW RIDE!

"Ramblin Randy" (yours) on the right

 

You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Winston Churchill

Dear Gabe,

I've been watching the news this morning and it terrifies me.  History in the making they say.  History?  Who can think about future history at a time like this?  This is reality.  Your reality, Iraq's reality.  Agh!  Stupid reporters!

So anyhow, I know you're busy.  Just wanted you to know that we are constantly and continuously thinking of you and praying for you.  Even when you find yourself in a dark moment, you are always in our hearts and prayers.  Be safe son.  The Good Lord and the Great Spirit watch over you.  Miss you. Love you always,

Mom~

Letter to War

Dear Gabe,

I don't know many people who said as a child that they wanted to be a soldier and go to war when they grew up.  That was certainly not in your plans.  You always wanted to be a soldier like your daddy though.  You wanted to drive tanks, and fly in helicopters (P'hueys were your favorite), but you never said anything about war.  And yet there you are, smack dab in the middle of exactly where I wish you didn't have to be.  Life is funny like that sometimes.  Can you hear me laughing?  No, I didn't think so.

I heard a song today and it made me cry, so I listened to it again, just so I could cry again.  It felt good to cry because I knew that the song had a happy ending.  I felt so much comfort in knowing that. (Mark Schultz - Letter From War)

Take care son.  Be safe.  Missing you so much.  Love you always,

Mom

SCOUTS CROSSING

Scouts Out   photo by Gabe

This picture is so cool!  I just had to post the painting that it reminds me of.  I flipped your picture just to make the comparison.

George Washington Crossing the Delaware     painting by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze

SWEET DREAMS.....

Sleep well son.  Dream of home, of peace, family and friends that love you.  Dream of your country that is so proud of you.  Be strong, fight well and rest easy afterwards with the knowledge that in this life you have already made a difference to not only to your country and those who eagerly await your return, but to another country and its people who will soon know what they only dreamed possible... freedom.  Love you always,

Mom~

nightmares

Dear Gabe,

I love that when we 'chat' you have more time.  It still doesn't seem like enough but I'm content.

What I hate is the nightmares that now haunt your nights.  I wish there was something I could say or do to make them go away because you need a good night's sleep to be able to function sharp.  I hope you find time to go to church or at least speak with the chaplin.  And pray often.  Speak to God, speak to the Great Spirit, speak to your Grandfather, speak to them all.  Speak to us... our hearts will hear.  It will help.  Walk it out, talk it out, shake it out.  Don't try to keep it in.  When you talk about the nightmare, you are the one bringing it on, not the other way.  You gain control over it.  It will lose its effect to sneak up on you while you sleep because you can summon it when ever you want. 

And if that doesn't work, I'll send you a poster of some boobilicous super model... just in case.  That should give you something better to dream about.

Hang in there son.  R&R is just around the corner.  Miss you, love you always.

Mom