It's Official

I just got off the phone with one of the ombudsmen from Scott's command and the dates we heard last week are the official ones. Barring a sandstorm or other unforeseen circumstance, we'll have no problem spending most of his 96 hours of liberty with him. He'll then have two to five days of demobilization processing before he'll be flown back to Green Bay. Actually, there is a slight chance that Scott would leave Gulfport a day or even two before Gianna and I!

The Countdown Begins

Gianna and I made a paper chain today. There is one link for every day until we board the airplane. (You'll notice the photo is intentionally cropped.)

One day down...

He's Coming Home!

We have a narrow enough date range that we felt comfortable booking flights so we can meet Scott down south when he comes home! I am not able to post any specifics online, but feel to free to call me or (or any of the parents) for details.

Scott is still based at the same location but he doesn't spend much time there these days. He is off on 2-3 day "adventures" at least once a week. We still don't have a date for his return although the around Easter time frame is still being tossed around, so I was reluctantly thankful for another snowfall this week. As I've posted before, I had been telling Gianna that Daddy would be home in the spring. Then we had an early heat wave and nearly all of our snow melted; we had a couple of 50 degree days, so she was convinced it was spring. It would be easier if we had a date so we could make a count-down craft project or something. (I may have missed my calling as an elementary school art teacher. I'm enjoying glitter glue and tissue paper more than most, I think.)

Another Run

Scott ran in the Black History Month 5K race in 23:55. The guy next door, whom he goes to mass with and runs with, finished in 21:15. One Seabee finished behind him. They were the only three from his battalion to run in it. He's guessing there were a few hundred participants.

Daddy's Little Girl

Since Gianna was born,

Daddy has had big plans for his little girl.

He has told her that she can grow up to be

a nun, a pediatrician, or both!

Gianna playing dress-up with her friend Isabelle at daycare.

Our Sweet Valentine

Scott asked that I take Gianna to The Pearl, an old-fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe, as a special treat so I really wasn't expecting anything else, but not only did Scott have these absolutely beautiful flowers sent to me for St. Valentine's Day, he also sent Gianna her own flowers! She was over the moon! I'd have included a picture of her flowers but she loved them so much she just couldn't bear going anywhere without a "Daddy flower" so one carnation, rose, or daisy at a time the basket was emptied. Honestly, I love my flowers, but his sending flowers to Gianna was so unexpected and so sweet--it took my breath away! What a great daddy!

On the Road Again

I don't think Willie had the Iraq desert on his mind when he recorded that song but that is where Scott is headed. His construction project ended today and he was told that as of noon tomorrow, he will be back driving convoys. While there is certainly an increased element of danger to the job, being "farther from the flagpole" appeals to Scott. Leaving base means leaving the command and all the annoyances of being under constant scrutiny.

Obama's Change

Over the weekend, CNN reported that Obama is delaying Iraq troop withdrawal. During his campaign he promised to have us out of Iraq in 16 months, yet he is now asking for military leaders to propose other possibilities. Current options include 19 and 23 month scenarios. Apparently after he talked with top military leaders and Def. Sec. Gates, he is no longer interested in a time table. How’s that for change we can believe in?

Don't get me wrong, while I don't think we should have gone in the first place, I don't support a phased withdrawal in Iraq as the troops would be more vulnerable with each phase. Regardless, there have not been any major changes in Iraq since the campaign. Since I don't think he was ignorant of the reality of the war as a senator, all I can figure is that he knew then that the 16-month time table wasn't realistic but he also knew that a promise of phased withdrawal would help get him elected. I guess I can at least be grateful that he is now willing to listen to military leaders to ensure the withdrawal is responsible.

Read the full Story
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/08/iraq.afghanistan/index.html?iref=newssearch

Super Sleuths

I felt as if I had just become a character in a Dan Brown novel as I grabbed a pen and began scribbling code words into a hastily drawn grid. When the phone went dead, I was to contact another source to get details needed to crack the cipher...

Scott had details he was allowed to share as long as he did so in a way that was not recognizable to anyone other than the recipient. Additionally, he was told that it couldn’t be easily researchable. (There went our standby of using Catholic feast days!) So, he put together a grid of clues that worked together to give us date ranges for various locations. Remarkably, there were no dates or locations in the code!) After 30 minutes (and couple of Google searches) Bill and I successfully determined that Scott IS COMING HOME! He’ll be home before the date his initial orders included (June 21) but there is still plenty of time to arrange for Gianna and my flight. Unfortunately, that is as much information as I can post right now. As time draws nearer, I’ll post what I’m able. Don’t worry, I’ll write in complete sentences; no super decoder ring will be necessary.

Birthday Celebration

At long last, last weekend the family gathered to celebrate Gianna's birthday. We met at West End, a pizza joint Scott and I used to enjoy when we were dating. In fact, it is where we first discussed our wedding plans. Although Daddy was certainly missed by all, the party was a festive celebration complete with party hats (that Gianna insisted everyone wear) and a Dora cake (yes, that is supposed to be Dora!).

Joining the Rank & File

Before the project began, another E6 (sailor with the same rank as Scott) who had not yet been a crew leader on a project, requested an opportunity to be the lead on the project Scott is on. (It wouldn't look good come evaluation time to go home without a project under his belt.) Scott, not the world's most reticent leader--but close, happily stepped down so the other sailor could have his chance. So now Scott is busy cutting metal for the siding project. I guess it is really dirty, itchy work because of all the metal filings.

Pray for Clouds.

Happy Groundhog Day! Growing up in Sun Prairie has influenced me in many ways. Not the least of which is my annual excitement over February 2nd when Jimmy peaks his little head out of his burrow and predicts an early spring (if he doesn't see his shadow) or a long winter (if he is scared by his shadow and retreats into his burrow).

A few months ago, when the weather was just starting to turn cold, Gianna asked when Daddy was coming home. Trying to put things in terms she would understand, I explained that Daddy would be home in the spring. [Thanks (?) to Dora's Fairytale Land Adventure, I knew she understood winter turning into spring.] News on his actual return date is sketchy at best, but it seems that there's a good chance he'll be home to see the actual first day of spring. Now, if only I could get the Navy to use Jimmy's timetable!

P.S. Phil has nothing on Jimmy.