Welcome Home Abraham!

Today we had the honor of welcoming home a young Soldier after his graduation from Basic Training. He joined the Army under the Split-Training Option so he will either finish his Senior Year of High School or pass the GED soon. After Graduation or getting his GED he will go on to AIT for his training. His MOS is Infantry. He was very happy to see the flag line when he came off the plane. Lots of hugs & handshakes after he was saluted by the Vets among us. There were 15 bikes & our pickup truck to escort his family to their home about 20 min away....we look pretty impressive going down the freeway with flags waving! The neighbors can hear the rumble of the pipes while we are still out a bit. We were all very impressed with this young man...please keep him in your prayers.

U.S. soldiers help get needed surgery for boy

U.S. soldiers help get needed surgery for boy
By Katarina Kratovac, Associated PressArticle Last Updated:10/22/2007 02:37:39 AM PDT

BAGHDAD — An Iraqi boy born with a rare congenital defect captured the hearts of a group of U.S. soldiers who stumbled upon him in a farming village southeast of Baghdad.
The 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment decided to help. Six months and two intricate surgeries later, Ihaab Najim Mohammed, 5, has a chance at a full, healthy life.
Born with an obstructed bowel condition, Ihaab was taken to a Baghdad pediatric hospital when he was three days old. At the time, surgeons created an opening, a stoma, on the abdomen, so Ihaab could pass stool.
But as he grew, the stoma could not keep up. Ihaab's health worsened and he increasingly faced severe infections.
Unemployed and with seven children to care for, Ihaab's father, Najim Mohammed, 40, could not afford the $3,200 reconstructive surgeries he was told his son needed.
Ihaab languished at the family's home in the tiny farming village of Hollandiyah, named for Dutch engineers who constructed the area's canal system some 12 miles southeast of the Iraqi capital.
He was plagued by anemia, stunted growth and the discomfort of having a bag attached to his abdomen to hold his intestines.
"No one knew exactly what, but we had to do something," said squadron commander, Capt. Jimmy Hathaway, of Fort Benning, Ga.
The U.S. soldiers got in touch with a hospital in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, where a team of Iraqi doctors agreed to perform the surgeries on Ihaab at no charge.
The next hurdle was to get Ihaab to Najaf. Driving was impossible; the roads through the volatile area south of the Iraqi capital were too dangerous.
Hathaway's soldiers appealed to the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, who offered to lend them his own aircraft. The Iraqi Ministry of Health also helped with the hospital logistics.
By early June, two Black Hawks, two Apaches and a Medevac team were ready.
But Ihaab wasn't. He was crying, afraid to leave his mother, Badriya, behind.
"He was scared at first," Hathaway said, describing how Ihaab sat in his father's lap in the helicopter. "We had to stop and refuel, and he seemed to relax after that. He seemed to be having a good time near the end."
The first surgery, on June 17, went well, Hathaway said, but Ihaab still had to carry the colostomy bag. He returned to Najaf for a second surgery that completed the reconstruction, and on Oct. 8, the stoma was permanently closed.
Ihaab has been recovering in Najaf and is expected to come home soon.
First Lt. Christopher Sweitzer, who flew with Ihaab to Najaf, said the journey was extraordinary. Sweitzer's 489th Civil Af fairs battalion is attached to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, which is in charge of the area south of Baghdad.
"But only when I see Ihaab running with other children ... When I see this, then I will know that our team took part in something special and allowed a child to have a full life that will endure for long after we are gone from here," said Sweitzer, 34, of Maryville, Tenn.

BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!

Here's another side of our troops that you should see.....just having a little fun.


Rock down to Iraq

A NOTE TO SHARE FROM A SOLDIER

I met a new Army Mom on Cafe Mom a few weeks back....her daughter had just started BCT at Ft. Jackson which is where 'The Communicator' went. I got her daughter's addy & sent her some cards plus I made her a card with a personal note of encouragement & thanks. I received a note in the mail & thought I would share with you all.

Dear Mrs. Dxxxx:

I am so thankful for all of the encouragement and especially for the cards! The are absolutely lovely and so creative! I would love to hear back from you and receive more! My time at Basic is going good. I'm really enjoying it and achieving a point of myself I had never seen before. I really hope your son enjoyed it too and that he is doing well. What company was he in during basic? I'm in XXXXXX. Once again thank you so much for the lovely cards and for keeping my mom company over the Internet.

Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
:) J

ORPHANS IN IRAQ

This is a followup on the story about the special needs children in the orphanage that I told you about the other day. I implore you to watch this video especially if you don't understand what we are doing in Iraq. It is a tough story to see but it does have a good ending. I would also like to suggest that you contact CBS news to thank them for such coverage & encourage them to continue to show this side of the war to give it some balance. PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU DO TODAY!
Here is the article to go with it.

SHOW THE MARINES SOME LOVE & SUPPORT

I ran across this in my travels this evening & knew I had to share it.....

Roundtable with Col. Simcock, Commander USMC RCT-6 Posted By Grim
We spoke with Col Simcock of Regimental Combat Team 6 on the same day as the bombing in Samarra. While the conversation was overtaken by events, it was one of the best we've had. The transcript is here.

RCT-6 has a blog, by the way.

After the jump, how Anbar is succeeding... how we need fewer heavy weapons and armor than ever... and how the Colonel wants you to support our Marines. The short form? He wants email.
I trust you folks can provide some email.
(read more)

THEY CONTINUE TO AMAZE YOU!!!!

This will be my good news for the day.....tho it comes with a tissue alert. GOD BLESS AMERICAN & THOSE WHO SERVE HER.

From a Chaplain in Iraq .

"I recently attended a showing of "Superman 3" here at
LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorioum we use for
movies as well as memorial services and other large
gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood
and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began
before the main feature. All was going as planned until
about three-quarters of the way through the National
Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000
18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would
be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and
everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course,
that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the
first place.

Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention,
eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The Soldiers
continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the
same point, the music stopped. What would you expect
to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter as
everyone sat down and expected the movie to start.

Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier
stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then
a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of
a thousand Soldiers

'And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er
the land of the free and the home of the brave?'

It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in
Iraq . I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving
you here.

============ ========

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins on 5/14/07.

GOOD NEWS FOR MONDAY

Being I have been awake for awhile I have had time to look around.....here's some interesting reads so far.

Never underestimate the value of a little dirt.

Scouting Is Alive In Iraq

And I found this bloggers write up on Army Wives which says it better than I prolly could.

More TV good news......

Nuts for Jericho campaign works.....Jericho is saved for next season

Isaiah Washington fired from "Grey's Anatomy"

They're Proud to Serve

This was in our paper today.......
In Iraq, semper fidelis
Despite the public's waning support for the war, Marines' morale remains high.

and then I had this emailed to me & thought it was worth sharing.....
Groups Turning Against al-Qaeda and Joining Forces With Coalition


I never heard from 'the boy' today so not sure where he is tonite.

Have a good week everyone.

Card Contest deadline coming up....& BLOG CANDY

Less than a week to go to enter Kyla's contest....they must be received by May 15th. Prizes are Gift Certificates for Stampin UP & eclectic paperie. Good luck to all entrants.

Make sure you check out my Other Blog....have been putting pictures up & make sure you try to win the blog candy.

Needing Father's Day cards right now....must send out by end of May. Also if you can get some cards to me by Monday for Armed Forces Day that would be greatly appreciated by me as well as the troops. Just a card with some words of encouragment & appreciation is all you need. Let me know you are sending em so I can hold off my shipment. Thanks

Another way to help with Cards for the Troops

More exciting news. Another wonderful person by the name of Laura O'Shea has made another offer to help out with the Cards for the Troops project. This will allow non-cardmakers an opportunity to help out. She makes cards to sell & has set it up to donate a card to the troops for each card sold. If you do not want to buy a card for yourself she will give a 20% discount for cards purchased to donate. Check out her site, Whirlpool of Imagination, for more information. This will go thru the month of May......hope you can help out.

Card Contest in Progress

EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE!!!
I got an email from Kyla Maestas (a Stampin' Up Demo from WY) telling me she not only wanted to participate in the Cards for Troops project but she wanted to know if it was ok to promote a contest to get more cards to send. Well what do you think I said?? YaHOO! The contest is officially started today & all the information you will need is on her blog, Kyla Maestas~Sweetwater Designs. RUN, RUN, RUN to go check it out. Good luck to all.

NO HALLMARK STORES IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN!

I am a member of Operation Mom, a support group for families & friends of active duty servicemembers. My only son (our only child actually) is in the US ARMY. We send packages overseas to the troops (we get names from families & friends plus we have contact names over there who hand goodies out) & also put cards in the packages to them & for them to send home to their loved ones. Cards needed right now are All Occasion Cards (Happy Birthday, Thinking of You, Hello, Friend, Missing you & kids cards for them to send to their children at home) by end of June (next mailing will be end of September). These cards should be blank inside for the service member to write inside to their loved ones, must be with regular envelopes...back of card tucked into envie (no clear ones please) & if you do do dark paper please put light color insert so they can write on that. We always want Thank you cards from you TO the troops....with a personal note inside (thank you for your service, you are in my prayers, hope you come home to your loved ones soon, etc). Due to security issues these envelopes (envelopes are not required for the thank you cards to them if you don't want to put them in one) must be unsealed & if you would like a response (no guarantee on this as they are a bit busy over there but I did get 2 cards at Christmas & several emails this past mailing) you can put your return address on the envelope or include your email address inside (I have been getting emails). We can also always use Sympathy cards. This would be a great way to use the swap cards you accumulate. If you are interested in participating please email me with any questions you may have or to ask for the address to mail the cards to: pfcrensmom-cardsfortroops@yahoo.com (please don't disrespect the troops by using this email to send spam!). This will be a year round project. http://dddzstmpn.blogspot.com

Hallmark doesn't have stores in Iraq or Afghanistan

I am a member of Operation Mom, a support group for families & friends of active duty servicemembers....my only son (only child actually) is in the US ARMY. On March 24th (if you can't make this date then send for next mailing which will be end of June) we will be sending packages overseas to troops & would like to put cards in the packages. I am requesting Easter cards & Thank you cards from you TO the troops....with a personal note inside. Due to security issues the envelopes must be unsealed & if you would like a response (no guarantee on this as they are a bit busy over there but I did get 2 responses at Christmas) you can put your return address on the envelope or include your email address inside. I am also sending cards (blank inside) that the troops can use to send home to friends & family (ie:birthday cards, miss you, thinking of you, thank you cards & just because cards) ....don't you think the moms/dads/aunts/uncles, etc would love to send cards home to the little ones?......these will need envelopes but they do get free postage. We can also always use Sympathy cards. This would be a great way to use the swap cards you accumulate. If you are interested in participating please email me at pfcrensmom-cardsfortroops@yahoo.com & I will answer any questions you may have & give you address where to send the cards. I am hoping to do this year round as we send packages multiple times of the year.

Thanks goes out to Sarah who has posted my blog on her's asking for donations to Cards for the Troops. Check out her blog....some great ideas to see.