our wonderful weekend

Well, those four days we had with Jeremy were about as wonderful as they possibly could have been. We ran some errands as a family, went to see a movie, had good friends over for dinner, visited with more friends at a piano recital, attended Seth's last baseball game of the season, enjoyed a lovely Sunday morning service, and had a fabulous birthday dinner for Jeremy. It was a busy weekend, but not really rushed. We just had so much fun being together, and Reuben almost acted as though Daddy had never left.

Somehow we were able to get through the whole weekend without falling apart all the time, in fact...it wasn't really even a temptation. Frequently enough I'd watch Jeremy do something and the reality that this could be the last time I ever see him do that would cross my mind, but I was always able to just acknowledge that ugly reality and then promptly cease to dwell on it. The evidence of God's grace and the prayer support of many is rather overwhelming. Even when it came time to say our final goodbyes, we were both calm and collected. Tearful, but not falling apart. Frankly, I don't understand how that was possible, but it happened.

This morning I got this e-mail from Jeremy:

Good morning everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that I was just promoted from E-3 (Private First Class) To E-4 (Specialist).I really didn't expect to get this promotion until later this year, (even as late as the Christmas, New Years time frame) so I was really surprised and excited to get it this early. This promotion gets me a little more money each month and gets me one pay grade closer to sergeant, but it really doesn't give me any additional authority or responsibility. Even so I was pretty happy.

While I'm typing I guess I'll fill everyone in on what's going on out here. We have a couple of last minute things to take care of and then we'll be off to Kuwait. We have to have all our personal stuff packed and moved out by 4:00pm on Friday, so I'm thinking that we will either leave late Friday night or in the small hours of the morning on Saturday.It's getting closer all the time, and I'm glad. I'm ready to just do what we have to do and come home. I think we'll be spending two to three weeks in Kuwait and then we'll fly into Baghdad International Airport and then chopper into our FOB (Forward Operating Base). While we're in Kuwait we'll be acclimating to the heat and re-qualifying with all our weapons. Beyond that, I don't know what we'll be doing, but it shouldn't take two weeks to do the ranges that we need to do. I'm really not looking forward to the heat, and I fully expect to be a heat casualty at some point before the year is over (that doesn't mean that I think the heat is going to kill me, I just think I'll probably pass out or something like that at some point). Just to give you an idea of how hot it can get, they have recorded a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit in Iraq. That's a little toasty.

Well, I'm going to sign off for now. I think of you all often, and I'm sorry that I haven't been better about returning e-mail or snail mail.

Have a good one!
Jeremy Minter

It's now only two weeks away from my due date, which incites a mixture of relief and hesitancy all in the same moment. I'll be so glad to not be pregnant any more, to hold this little one in my arms instead of my abdomen. But...I don't quite have everything ready for her to come yet, and...well, childbirth kinda hurts and so that's a little bit of a downer. On the upside, Jeremy may be able come home on emergency leave when the baby's born. It may not work out, but it's something to hope and pray for.

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:7