Adam Left Today

Well, Adam left today. He got home early on my birthday on May 2 and surprised me with some beautiful lilies. He also bought me a camcorder for my birthday which I am very excited about. He felt bad that it was really a present for both of us, but I think it is just what we need to keep Griffey and Adam connected. I really don't want Adam to miss out on anything that happens with him.

This past week went by very quickly. On Saturday and Sunday, Adam spent a lot of time sleeping and recuperating from his training in Astoria and on Monday we went to his mobilization ceremony and then went to a little random waffle place in downtown Eugene. We spent the first part of the week around my family and at our new home relaxing, which is really just the studio at my dad's house. Then, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we stayed at the Village Green sleeping in and lounging around watching tru tv and a&e (Adam's favorites.) We also spent this time with Adam's family in Cottage Grove.

Yesterday, Friday, was bittersweet. We woke up knowing it was our last full day together for probably a year, but we decided to try and make the most of it and enjoy all the time together we had. We slept in and went out to lunch before coming back into Eugene from Cottage Grove. Then we did a bunch of random errands, got Adam's laundry done and packed up all his gear, and, of course, did a little retail therapy. We both got new shoes, because new shoes make Adam happy! He also bought me some new prego shorts, which was very sweet and all his idea.

Today was really hard. We woke up at 5:15 and I drove to Corvallis while Adam tried to get some sleep. Neither of us slept last night. It was not easy to sleep knowing what was waiting for us when we woke up. Anyway, Adam had to be there at 6:45 to check in, but he didn't actually leave until around 9:30, so I waited with him and we went back and forth between being sad at what was to come in this next year and happy as we reflected on our lives together, Griffey's upcoming arrival, and life after the military.
We agreed that I should leave before Adam got on the bus and drove away. That would have been way too hard for both of us and we were happy at the moment, so we finally said our goodbyes for now and I left before he got on the bus. There were a bunch of firetrucks and motorcyclists who showed up for their departure. I was impressd and appreciative of their support.

It is so hard to understand why we have to go through this, but I know there is a reason and I know that we will one day look back on these days and understand and appreciate how we overcame these trials. We keep reminding ourselves that this is just a tiny speck in the whole span of our lives and from this situation, we will become stronger in the long run. I do know for sure, that Adam and I will be so much stronger in our relationship once we overcome this. I didn't know we could be closer, but I know that we will be that much more welded together in our marriage and family.

As sad as I am right now, and as sad as I was this morning, I am confident that everything will be okay for us. It is just hard. I wish that Adam and I could switch places because as tough as it is for me here, he has it so much harder. I have my family and friends and church and everyday comforts here with me, but Adam doesn't have any of that, plus he is in scary and stressful situations everyday with a bunch of smelly guys and an uncomfortable bed. It breaks my heart that he won't be able to be here with Griffey until he is 9 months old. So, I am going to do my best in staying strong for him and supporting him.

I hope that everyone will feel comfortable emailing him and communicating with him, because he will certainly need it. Once he gets his address, I will put it on the blog next to his email address. Any support that can be given to Adam is greatly appreciated right now.

Adam's Mobilization Ceremony

Here is some info on Adam's Mobilization Ceremony. The actual article is at:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonatwar/2009/04/updated_info_on_41st_bct_mobil.html
Anyone is welcome to come.

Here's the Oregon National Guard press release, with time-and-place info for the mobilization ceremonies, now two weeks away:

The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Tigard, will conduct four mobilization ceremonies the first week in May in preparation for training at Camp Stewart, Ga. then deployment to Iraq.

The ceremonies in Portland, Bend, Eugene, and Medford will give local communities an opportunity to wish the soldiers well as they depart on what is the largest deployment of the Oregon National Guard since World War II. Nearly 2,700 soldiers from Oregon and five companies of soldiers totaling 700 personnel from Delaware, Massachusetts, Nebraska and New Mexico will spend about two months training followed by 10 months in Iraq.

The public is welcome to attend the ceremonies:

Monday, May 4, 2009 at 9 a.m.
Lane County Fairgrounds Performance Hall
796 West 13th Avenue
Eugene, Ore.

The following units will mobilize at this ceremony:
Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of Springfield, Ore.
A Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of Springfield, Ore.
B Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of Corvallis, Ore.
C Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of Gresham, Ore.
D Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry of Hillsboro, Ore.

Griffey Can Hear Us!

I just read our little baby tracker on the top of our blog and it says that Griffey can now respond to noises from the outside! That is so cute and exciting! I am going to go try something. Maybe some country music! Haha, I will get him started early! Adam would definitely not approve of that! That would be funny if he came home and Griffey loved country music because Adam cannot stand it!

Selfish!

I really hate the military right now. This is so ridiculous. I am trying to count my blessings and be strong and brave and all that, but I am really fed up. Adam was supposed to be done with all of this in February. He was stop-lossed and now he is put back two or three years in school when he would have been graduating this summer. I have to live at home with my dad and Adam might not even get to come home when our baby is born.
I am just frustrated because I have been packing up our apartment this last week and it just isn't fair that we have spent the last two years creating a life and home together and now I have to pack it all up and we have to be separated by hundreds of miles right when we were establishing ourselves and creating a family.
I think the military is so selfish. Did they really need one more person on this deployment?? He is in the National Guard anyway. They should be home protecting the nation. The whole reason Adam signed up for the military in the first place was to get his school paid for and now that he is about to graduate, they are ripping his school away from him and he is going to have to start his second language courses all over. I can't imagine how frustrated Adam must be with all of this. I mean, I am frustrated and angry and resentful enough, and then he is actually there at training being yelled at in the face for no reason and running and doing road marches all day. My heart hurts for him. I wish they would just let him finish school.
I hate the military. I should be with my husband. And he should be able to attain his goals now. He has waited long enough.
I know I am just venting, but this week has been really hard. I am without my husband and my home and my bed. I have spent this week boxing up all of our memories and Adam's clothes and belongings. It hasn't been fun.
I don't want pity though, I just want to vent. Adam and I have been doing good at being strong supports for one another. We just take turns breaking down. I guess this is my turn.

San Francisco

Last week was Spring Break and Adam and I decided that we should go have fun with our tax money! Neither of us has ever been anywhere cool for spring break and we thought it was about time that we did something about it. So, we spent a week in San Francisco!

Adam grew up in the bay area, but hadn't been back since he was little and I had only been there once briefly when I was little, so we had a lot of fun exploring the town together.

On the first day we took a 3 1/2 hour tour of the city, just so we could see where everything was at and get a feel for what we might want to do and see more of with the rest of our time later in the week. I always thought tours were just for old people and that they were lame, but we actually really enjoyed the tour. It wasn't too long and it gave us a chance to take in everything and not have to navigate through traffic at the same time.

Here's a picture of us and my little pot belly!

Our first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. It was so much fun being there because we always see it on movies and TV and it was cool to actually be driving over it. Plus, it brought back a lot of memories for Adam from when he was a little boy.

It wasn't very windy in the city when we were there, but it was very windy on the bridge!

We also stopped at the Japanese Tea Gardens in the Golden Gate Park. The gardens were so pretty because everything was just begining to bloom. I guess you can really sit and drink tea there. We didn't, but we did agree that those gardens would be the perfect place to relax. They were so pretty and serene. I had to take a picture of Bubba and Budha. Haha.

Next on the tour, we went to the top of the Twin Peaks and looked out over the entire city. It was so beautiful and it wasn't cloudy or foggy at all! I was enjoying the view of Adam enjoying the view. We had the tour guide point out Candlestick Park, where the 49ers play, for Adam. He's pointing to it in the picture.

We also, of course went to the Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, and Ghiradelli Square.

We also had to buy fake designer glasses on the street because we both left our sun glasses in the hotel room and it was so bright out! And I got harassed by a fake statue! Also, there was an arcade on the pier and Adam took the "how hot are you" test and he was Clammy! haha!

Here's Adam looking out at Alcatraz. We didn't actually take the boat ride out there and tour the island, because we had just watched "Escape from Alcatraz" with Clint Eastwood and it filmed there, so we felt like we had pretty well seen it already. Also, here is a picture of my lovely husband in a silly hat. He loves it when I make him pose with silly props!We also went to Boudin's Sourdough Bakery. Their bread was so good. They also had bread bowls for soup, but we never went there when we were hungry, so we just got a loaf to go. They also make sourdough bread into animal shapes. Here is an alligator, a crab, and baby turtles.For all you Full House Fanatics, I know you will enjoy these next pictures! I looked up the addresses before we left, because there was no way I was going to go to San Francisco and not see the Full House places.

We also stopped by Lombard Street and took the cable cars around the town and through Chinatown.

Here are some pictures of Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge.On the way home, we stopped by the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, CA. We went on a tour and wore paper hats and had lots of samples. I was in heaven!We had such a fun time. I recommend a trip to San Fransisco to everyone. It was so relaxing and it was just a lot of fun. I am very glad that we were able to go on a big trip before Adam has to leave.

Daffodil Festival!

A couple of weeks ago, Adam and I went to the Daffodil Festival out in Junction City. Okay, more like I dragged Adam to the Daffodil Festival because I thought it would be something new and interesting to try. It was definately an odd experience! I have never been to a festival in the middle of the country to celebrate a flower!

Adam had chili and a hot dog, but my favorite part were the cinnamon rolls! They were so good!

There were a lot of pretty daffodils all along the roads and in the yards. It helped me feel like spring was finally coming!

My favorite part was these alpacas! I made Adam stand by one of them for a picture! haha. I thought it was pretty funny. He didn't. He was a good sport though. We both had a lot of fun once we realized how wierd we were because we even went to the festival. Eww. They grossest thing there though was that they made stuffed animals out of Alpaca fur. They looked so gross! And they smelt gross too!

Anyway, it was free and we got a lot of laughs out of the day!

Bad News

It looks like Adam is for sure going to Iraq in May. We are obviously pretty bummed, but we have been preparing emotionally and we know everything will be okay. It is going to be hard and I think this whole ordeal could have been so much less stressful if the military had been upfront with us from the beginning and not given us false hope that he might not have to go. Anyway, that is in the past and we are trying to be positive and keep a larger perspective of the situation.
Adam will be leaving during the first few days of May and he will also be training in Corvallis during April before he leaves in May.
He also gets to come home in August for two weeks when the baby is born. I am really glad that he will be able to be here for that.
We appreciate everyone's prayers and warm wishes and will keep everyone updated on what is going on.