Forgive My Soapbox

So, maybe I shouldn't share my views or vent...but if not here, then where? Tonight I picked my kids up from daycare and there were two nice ladies and we got to talking. Their husbands are currently stationed in Afghanistan and as soon as they said that I instantly felt terrrible for them. I don't like the fact that Jaylon's in Iraq. It's dangerous. But it's not nearly as dangerous as Afghanistan and 5th Brigade has lost 15 soldiers since deploying in July. These ladies have children and they are worried about their husbands. I have several close friends who have husbands in Afghanistan and they are so worried about them. These ladies that I spoke with tonight said, "What are they doing there? Chasing after bad guys in caves? They weren't prepared for what's happening over there right now...I want them to come home." Now, to my point. Right before Jaylon left I asked what his brigade's overall mission was. Countless meetings and he couldn't tell me. These ladies were wondering what their husbands were doing over there...the whys, the whats, whatever. And then I get on my email and read this article. And I guess it just bugs me that a bunch of politicians get together and toss out numbers like 30-40,000 more soldiers like they're talking about jelly beans and not men and women and families being separated and lives being lost...and we (the families left behind) are asking each other what our spouses are even doing? They talk about "raising the troop level" as casually as raising the temperature in their office. And why do I get the sense that it's the expense that bothers them more than the actual cost to the families who have had deployed loved ones multiple times? There is something wrong with this picture. That's all. I'm not saying yay or nay about "the war." I just wish that when President Obama or Joe Biden or Senator what's-his-face get into a hemming and hawing debate about "adding more troops" they could have huge posters of the kids who are missing their dads in front of their faces...and maybe it would mean more than just ordering out more human beings to dodge faceless, cowardly terrorists who plant roadside bombs and then run and hide.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091001/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_afghanistan

Weekend Recap

This past Saturday Jax had 2 soccer games. As I was putting him to bed the night before I asked if he was going to play really good. He looked at me with his big, beautiful eyes and said, very seriously, "I hope I have stretchy legs. When I have stretchy legs I run really fast!" He got his stretchy legs about half way through the first game. He played goalie for the first half of the second game and he was awesome. He dove at the ball like a professional! Jay had a good time running on the turf. Do we have a future football player perhaps? Not if Mom has anything to say about it!

Just a glimpse of everyday life and chores.

Boys

Dear Jaylon,
Baby Z is starting to grow a nice head of hair. He sat up today for about 5 seconds while I took this picture. Isn't he yummy? I love Jay's grin and Izaac's dimpled, chubby hands.

This is their full cowboy get-up from Mamie. I heard a rumor that they will be getting hats soon. Jay prefers to wear his boots with shorts. I'll get a picture of that for you. I threw away his favorite yellow shirt. It was getting so tight I couldn't fit it over his head- and very stained. I didn't bargain on him refusing to wear his yellow shorts now that he's missing his yellow shirt.

We miss you.

Another Soccer Video

First Soccer Video

Fall Soccer

This Saturday was Jax's 2nd soccer game. He is so fun to watch play. He is fast and aggressive and plays with his heart. I filmed faithfully and right after I ended my last video he scored a goal. It was an awesome goal and he was so excited. I overheard the biggest kid on his team saying to his Dad, "That kid is the smallest but he's the fastest and he scored a goal!" Jax is my tender child- the one who cries at the drop of a hat. But he took some really hard hits and kept playing. After the game he told me he got hurt a couple of times, "but I didn't even cry!" I am so proud of how hard he tries!

I thought Jax showed remarkable focus on the ball- he was so determined and competitive. It really was awesome!

When Life Gives You Apples...

We skipped church and decided to go to a cider festival instead. Who knew that an ENTIRE orchard of apples could be picked over in 90 minutes?
{Greedy pickers}
We wandered the orchard and eventually found a lucky tree with lots of apples. Before we found this tree it sounded more like an Easter Egg hunt. Lots of searching and an occasional shout, "I found one!" That's ok. Fortunately it doesn't take much to entertain children and once we found our golden tree the kids went to town and I came home with loads and loads of apples. The whole point of this exercise was to make cider. However, the line to make cider was longer than Disneyland. No kidding. Hours and hours long. So what do I do with all of these apples and no husband to eat pie with me? Thank goodness for friends! As we were searching we came across this tantalizing, loaded tree. Off limits. Talk about forbidden fruit. I'll admit it...my integrity was tested.

We had a lovely, sunshiny day.