Merry Christmas!

May you all have a VERY Merry Christmas

~Love & Blessings~

Angel & Lobo

"My" Candle In The Window

This week, I read a beautiful poem entitled "A Candle In The Window" by Chaplain Larry Connelly at Sgt. Hook's Blog: This We'll Defend.
I'm not going to re-post it here because I want you to take the time to visit the man thoughtful enough to post something so beautiful for those of us who wait for our Warriors to come home.
I will simply say that the poem refers to the time honored tradition of keeping a candle burning until your loved one returns to you from war.
In the spirit of the season, and that touching bit of poetry, I share with you "my" candle, which has been burning non-stop since the day my Soldier deployed.
Many of you may recognize that you are looking at Saint Michael, the patron saint of paratroopers. I could not think of a more fitting choice to remind me of my AIRBORNE RANGER, than the Archangel who cast the devil down from Heaven into the fires of Hell. Isn't that what ALL of our Warriors are doing? I know mine is...and like all Archangels, nobody does it better. May all of you who fight for us or have loved ones fighting far from home, be comforted this Christmas Season by the prayers of millions across the world for the safety of our soldiers and we who love them.

Goodbye Dan...Thanks for the music.

I've never been the type of gal who, as part of a couple, announces one day, "Oh baby, this is our song!"

But while walking through the PX durning my last days in Ft. Polk with my 1SG, I heard an old familiar song so fitting, by an artist I have always loved...Dan Fogelberg. He recently left this world way too soon from the evils of prostate cancer and I know he'll be missed by many. The legacy of songs he left us however, will last forever.

So, if I *was* one of those girls, these lyrics would be "ours."

"And it's hard to go down easy,

And it's hard to keep from crying,

And it's hard to lose a lover,

In the early part of autumn..."

Watch the video Hard To Go Down Easy

Click the ticket for Dan's Official Web Site

The Mother of ALL Fred Videos

A BIG Hat Tip to that fine gal who graces us with her blog, Bear Creek Ledger and videos like this one:

Home Sweet Home

Got some photo's of my 1SG's room and his FOB today and thought I'd share some of them with y'all.

Granted, this ain't the Green Zone, but I wouldn't be dating a FOBBIT to begin with.

I DO have standards you know!

- Angel Out!

Standing Fast

Let's see...since moving from Kuwait to Iraq 4th Brigade has had 3 casualties in less than 12 days. While this saddens me, as the loss of any soldier does, I am thankful to say that none of those lost to this war are my 1SG's kids.

(He would probably disagree with me on that saying that the entire Brigade are his kids, but that just speaks to the kind of man he is.)

I miss him a lot, but refuse to say that in our emails. Although, I HAVE said that Lobo, my dog misses him terribly - which is kind of funny since Lobo tried to bite him when they first met.

Anyway, that's what's going on with me these days. Hope all of you are well and the Christmas brings you all the Love, Joy and Laughter you deserve.

-Angel Out

National Firefighters Day

Today is National Firefighters Day

Thanks to those who remembered myself and my brothers today...as we remember them.

Short and Sweet

Got a slew of emails from my beloved in the past 24 hours....all good ones.

He's finally in Iraq now and getting settled onto his FOB...not that he'll be spending much time there but you get the idea. Hearing from him after weeks with no contact stirred up all those emotions that I try not to display publically. I'll just say that it's a damn good thing he can't tell if I let a tear or two fall just by reading my emails.

(Not saying it happened...just saying I'm glad he can't tell even if it did.)

One Very Happy Angel Out!

A (warped) Christmas Carol

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

How deadly are your branches!

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas Tree,

You've caused some second glances.

Your M1-G's, Your M-16's

Attached grandes on 203's.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

Those tangos stand no chances!

With 556 and 762's,

And IBA all strong and new,

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

Such pleasure do you bring me!

Yes folks, this is my real tree this year. (Actually, it's a rosemary bush because I like to steal a sprig now and then for my spaghetti sauce.) I'd love to claim this decorative theme as my original idea, but it was inspired by a photo from a few years ago taken on a FOB somewhere in Iraq. (Wish I could have gotten a hold of some mini C-wire for tinsel, but one has to improvise when necessary.) There's also some firefighting gear on "my" half of the tree but I couldn't make that work when re-engineering the song so I left it out. And just so y'all don't think I've forgotten the true "reason for the season," there are several angel, (the real kind, not ones like me,) cross and star ornaments as well. But since I'm making it my personal mission to handle my guy's deployment in a positive, supporting manner, I simply couldn't resist a little something different in my holiday decorations. I'll add more (better) photos as soon as I can get them downloaded but for now, I hope you can appreciate the general idea and maybe even understand how a little humor (even the twisted kind) can help when coping with a 15 month deployment.

Fa la la la la....Angel Out!