Meko Seizure #7

Well.. today Lonnie got to see Meko have a seizure.. it was his first one and it was a little nerve wracking for him I think. He didn't know what to do, and to stand there and watch your dog go through that was not easy for him. It did not last that long and he got up and walked home.. with help. We started taking the dogs for walks when Lonnie got home and he had done really well before.. so we went on a little bit of a longer walk tonight.. guess we wont do that again. My poor little booboo... I wish these would stop !!! (Mia had to be in the picture too)

Lonnie is HOME !!!!!

Tonight we went and got Lonnie from the airport in Naha !!!!! He had a very long trip to get here... He left Afg. and flew to Kuwait.. then it was on the the USA !!!! He got in on June 18th and had to wait until the 20th to start his journey home to Okinawa.. it was nice that he had a direct flight from the states to Japan and then to Okinawa !! The kids and I got picked up by a friend of our and headed for the airport.. We were met there by some of the guys in his old shop that came out to welcome him home !! It was really nice and he didn't know about it.. we made signs and started yelling when he walked through the doors ... straight into my arms !!! I had been teary all day, but did really good when I saw him :) It is so good to have him home !!

Military Wife....

She packs. She moves. She follows. Why? What for? How come? You may think she has lost her mind. But actually, she's lost her heart. It was stolen from her by a man. A man who puts duty first, who longs to deploy, who salutes the flag, and whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband..., she will remain his Military Wife.

Article in Jolly Roger,

This is a article that my brother Erik wrote, I am such a proud big sister!
A Soldier’s View by drwilden
This is a post that a SSG Hydorn (my former squad leader) , wrote for the Jolly Roger:

After my first deployment to Iraq I saw a counselor and I think I actually made it to three appointments and decided that I didn’t need to talk to some stranger that had no idea what I had seen over the course of the last year. Making a conscious choice on my own that I would talk to my battles about everything I saw and did make it a whole lot easier. As I talked and shared war stories they would give their own perspectives and experiences. Doing this began to alleviate some of the guilt I still had inside myself about losing a soldier on December 10 2005 and two others wounded in the same attack. I think the hardest thing for any leader to do on a day like that is to put one of your own soldiers into a black bag and zip it up to never see them again. SGT Julia V. Adkins was the 45th American female killed in Iraq and the 50th of all countries under MNCI. I remember the MEDEVAC crew chief asking me for my KIA and me telling him that I was going to take her back to the FOB. I can still close my eyes and see every part of that day vividly in my head, and hear the dead calm over the radio when I reported two WIA and one KIA to the company TOC.
Everyday of the rest of my life I am positive that this type of recall will stay with me. Just like other events that occurred earlier in 2005 that will always be part of that instant recall in my head. They aren’t nightmares or flashbacks; they are my memories of traumatic events that affected fellow soldiers and their families and will stay with them for the rest of their lives as well. We cannot turn away from them even as they have moved onto the next place. Trying to forget them in a drink, a pill or other substance is not what they would have wanted. We need remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their battle buddies and their country. That is simply the least we can do for them and continue to fight in their honor whether it is on a battle field or in our lives after military service. Because they planned on living a life after their service, they had bigger plans for themselves before their lives were brought to an untimely end.
We all have an expiration date, however none of us are privileged enough to see it. There is no two minute warning or countdown to beat a buzzer. To live life to the fullest is the greatest way to memorialize our fallen comrades. Not to turn away from the memories and avoid thoughts of the incidents that took them from this earth. If you remember the day before the incident it wouldn’t be so painful to think about it would it? I don’t get caught up in the exact moment our battles lost their lives, but I remember the incident. I think about the times that were more enjoyable and memorable. Our lives continued on after the exact moment our battles stopped. Continue to live and not travel down a path of self destruction.
I will say that I drink exponentially less than I did before I left for my first combat deployment. Maybe it’s due to a loss of tolerance but I can’t convince myself that is the reason why I don’t drink that much. When I sit down and think about it, it comes down to one thing, drinking makes things blurry to me and when it gets blurry I don’t like it. Don’t get me wrong I like my Shiner Bock, but I don’t polish it off by the 12 pack. Besides I’m getting older and well the metabolism isn’t what it used to be.
The biggest change I have seen in myself after being down range is my fight or flight response is heavily weighted toward fight. I think most of us that have ever been on the two-way rifle range would say that if you don’t shoot first you will quickly be on the wrong side of the power curve. But those skills may not be necessary every waking minute when we are stateside. I will say that I am not going to switch off just because I am stateside just due to many incidents that occur even here in the states. I do have to watch when a heated debate makes me want to punch the other guy in the mouth though. Recognizing this allows me control my emotions a little better than ignoring it and letting myself get into a position that I cannot control.
The best advice that I can offer anyone in a similar position is that ignoring it will not make it go away. Simply live your life the way that our battle buddies’ would have wanted us to continue in our lives. I guarantee you that they would not want you washing their memories away. It’s okay to miss them and wish they were still here with us. Do them honor by doing it right not just for them but for you as well. For those that are still in harms way I wish the best and for those who have moved on I wish you much success in all your endeavors. And pass on the lessons you have learned to all who will receive them. This is how I make it through each day without those battle buddies who now look down from above and cover us each and every day.
SSG Erik M. Hydorn

One Flaw In Women Women have strengths that amaze men..... They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in.. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give. HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH

My mother sent this to me today.. Thank you !

4th of July

This year on the 4th Kayleigh and I went to Torii Beach where we met up with most of our friends for a BBQ. We had a nice time laughing and enjoying each other on this great Independence Day ! Nick was here on Kadena with his friends waiting for the fireworks to start. We left Torii to come back to Kadena to watch the fireworks from the house. Lonnie got to spend this great American Day in Afghanistan.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY AND THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE AND DO SERVE !!