I Just Cant Wait

Well... Anna Claire is off! She headed to the coast with her bestest friend's family for the week. She is only a couple of hours from Scott, so she will be the first one of us to see him. He is driving from Fort Jackson to Hilton Head to see her tomorrow morning.
My alarm went off at 5am this morning. I made sure Anna Claire had everything packed. We made sure she had her hair braided just tightly enough that it could withstand ten hours of travel. We went over the traditional "be sure to use your manners" talk. Then, I took her to her friend's house. After a hug, "I love you", and wave good-bye...I was on my way. I came back home to a completely empty house.
I thought about all the preparations I would have to make to be able to leave Sunday morning for Fort Jackson. I was almost relieved that I had almost two whole days by myself to plan for the trip. I mean, the bathrooms needed cleaning, clothes needed washing and packing, bills needed to be paid,... and on and on! It seemed like my list of chores went on forever. I actually made a checklist. I wanted to leave nothing unattended! As the clocked clicked away, so did my list. By noon, I had almost everything completed. I even found time in there to go get a haircut-(I probably shouldn't have made time for that one, but that is a whole different blog!)
Ok...so now what? My clothes were packed and my house was clean... I would just have to sit and wait. Let's just say I don't wait very well. (Maybe that is why I teach four year olds- go, go, go!)
I talked to Scott, who was already beginning his weekend off, and he told me he had met my blogger friend, Laura, in Wal-Mart. Her husband Kevin, is at Chaplain School at Fort Jackson, too. She was already there... and headed to the beach for the weekend. That got me to thinking about all of my other new friends I would get to see in person this week. Would Sunday EVER get here?
Well... no! I can't wait til Sunday. When Trevor called this afternoon, I found out his camp dismissal time. I got back on Mapquest and charted another course. I am leaving at 9am in the morning to pick up Trevor... in Mississippi... and heading to Fort Jackson a day early! I will spend a little more time in the car, but I will get a whole extra day there! I can't wait!
I will have the opportunity to see my husband, meet my new friends in person, and spend some time with Trevor. We are going to a picnic on the Fourth of July with the other Chaplains and some of their families. Anna Claire will be joining us at the end of next week for a couple of days at Fort Jackson. Hmmm...I see new blogs and pictures coming! Until then- God Bless! -Heather
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Less Than a Week

It is Monday! Normally, I wouldn't follow the word "Monday" with and exclamation point... but today... I am thrilled it is Monday. By the time next Monday rolls around, I will be in Fort Jackson with my husband! I am counting down the days!
I usually love the weekends. Who doesn't, right? Lately, with Scott away, my weekends seem to stretch on forever. Why do the weekends seem so much lonelier? Maybe it is because our pace slows down. Maybe it is because weekends are our "family time". Maybe it is a little of both... or a lot of both!
I found myself wandering aimlessly around the house on Saturday afternoon. It was as if I was just looking for something to do. (It certainly wasn't because there was a lack of housework. I had enough laundry to keep me busy for three days! I had one kid that just returned home from Church camp and another preparing to leave. Dirty camp clothes... ugh!) I walked into the kitchen and paused for a minute to look out the back door. As I stood there noticing a lawn in desperate need of some rain, I could almost picture Scott throwing the football with Trevor and Anna Claire. I could picture him hiking it under his arm as he went over to the grill to check on supper. I really miss him. I opened the door, sat down on the back steps, and felt my eyes begin to fill.(There is something about my back steps that does it to me every time. I guess I will have to quit sitting there!) Not wanting my kids to see me upset...I stood up, came back in, and went to the freezer to see what kind of frozen pizza we had! Back to reality!
I talked to Scott for what seemed like hours Sunday. We talked about our plans for the Fourth of July. We talked about Trevor and Anna Claire's camp schedules. We talked about the services each of us had attended that morning. We talked about movies. We talked about Army uniforms. We talked about the "heart" he has for our soldiers. We talked about the new friendships we have made. We talked about everything... from the largest to the smallest details! Usually... I talk, and he listens... but this time...we talked! I love to hear him tell me about the friendships he has formed with some of the other guys in the Chaplaincy. He told me that Sunday was his longest, loneliest day. We were both anticipating the beginning of the new week. At least during the week, we all stay busy!
Next week, however, I won't wish for speedy days. I want to enjoy every minute I spend in Fort Jackson. The kids are excited about next week, too. Anna Claire can't wait to see Scott...such a Daddy's girl. Trevor can't wait to check out every aspect of life on an Army Post. I cant wait to meet (in person) some of the new friends I've made. Most of all, I just can't wait to see my husband again!

Wide Awake...Again!

Well it is late again and I am wide awake... again. My husband is away...Fort Jackson South Carolina at Chaplain School with the US Army. This is my first blog, so here I go...
I am relatively new to military life. My husband, Scott, officially joined the Chaplain Candidate program last October. He is serving in our local National Guard unit, working full time, and attending seminary. He has approx 2 years of seminary left ... and a few more online classes... before he will have enough hours to accession to the Chaplaincy. Eventually, we will be in the Army full time. It is all in God's timing! Tonight he is ten hours away!
I had never even read a blog until about four days ago. It was late, I was lonely, and I began searching the Internet. I sat down and clicked around on different sites, nothing really catching my eye. I came across You Tube and thought I would waste a little time there. Why go get in bed... a big lonely bed? I sat for a moment and randomly typed in "Army Chaplain." As I scrolled down the page, I saw what appeared to be a three year old little boy. Being the Preschool teacher that I am, he immediately caught my eye. As I clicked on his page, I noticed a caption that said his song was for his Daddy at Chaplain School. As I read the posting date, I realized that I must have found someone that had something in common with me... a soldier away from home!
I posted Rachel, the wife, a comment on the video and told a little about my husband. It turns out that our husbands were indeed in the same place and had met. A fellow Chaplain Candidate's Wife! I had never met one of those before.
Rachel and I shared stories via e-mail about our husbands, our trips to Fort Jackson, and our children. We talked about the struggles of feeling alone in the journey as a CC's wife. We agreed to pray for one another. Then she introduced me to what has become an addiction- THE BLOG! She told me of other Chaplain's and wives that had blogs. The new friendships of the fellow wives that have been brought into my life these last few days have been such a blessing! It is so amazing to have someone else that "gets it!" I found so many great pictures of my husband! Most of all, I found the encouragement of other women going through the same journey in life that I am on. God has shown me an awesome support system! So tonight I am here... hoping to tell just one more wife... hang in there...you are not alone... and God is good!