25 September 2008
A letter from Daddy
Malachi will occasionally get letters from his Daddy. He likes to open them. He'll listen pretty closely and answer out-loud the questions Micah is asking. Here he is picture from a few weeks ago. Malachi is reading a letter from Daddy when we went out for dinner at Applebee's. He likes to read it by himself and will make-up what he thinks it says. He usually says, "I'm in Georgia, in soldier classes" and "It's hot here".
Coon Rapids Dam
A couple days ago Audra, Rae, the boys, and I went to the Coon Rapids Regional Park. We saw the dam, ate a picnic lunch, and played on the playground. It was a lot of fun!!!
A picture of Micah?
Someone please help me out here! There is a website of pictures from Ft. Benning, and I can't determine if it is Micah in the picture! You'd think I could, but the soldiers all look the same and this "Micah look-alike" is also wearing a hat and sunglasses. Harpel family...I'm trying to go by his size, long face, smaller hands, and big smile. Is it him? Here is the website:
http://www.soldierschapel.info/2-58.html
Scroll down to:
Fox Company - Grad 05 December 2008
Simpson Range 25 Sep
And then take a look at pictures #19 and #20. He's the one with the big smile on his face. Is it Micah?
I KNOW it's his company so even if it is not him, at least I can see where he was, what he was doing, and whom he was with today! You can keep checking the site periodically for more photos of Fox-Co.-Grad 05 December 2008. He might be in more! Pretty cool!
http://www.soldierschapel.info/2-58.html
Scroll down to:
Fox Company - Grad 05 December 2008
Simpson Range 25 Sep
And then take a look at pictures #19 and #20. He's the one with the big smile on his face. Is it Micah?
I KNOW it's his company so even if it is not him, at least I can see where he was, what he was doing, and whom he was with today! You can keep checking the site periodically for more photos of Fox-Co.-Grad 05 December 2008. He might be in more! Pretty cool!
Red Phase Done, White Phase Has Begun
The letters from Micah has been few these past couple of days but I did receive a couple with some good information. First, let me brag and say that Micah is doing physically awesome! They did PT testing and out of the 57 guys he's with, he finished 6th. The testing includes a 3 mile run, and lots of pushups and situps. They were also split up into groups of four, driven out or walked out into the middle of nowhere with a map and cooridnates and they were to find four or five markers. Some groups did not find all the location markers but Micah's group did. And most excitingly, he is official out of the "Red Phase" and onto the "White Phase". This means phone privelages are given back, although I didn't get a phone call this past Sunday. It also means a little more freedom and more in depth training.
He is happy to be getting my letters so we can conversate. The first stack of letters he wrote me were very one-sided and he had a ton of questions that he now is getting answers to. That definately helps emtionally!
On the kid side of things, Zach is going into a big boy bed in a few weeks. He is really trying to communicate and I can understand most of it. Malachi is my little buddy and he understands pregnancy #3 and is excited to help me with baby Anna. He is also excited for his cousin Ruby to be born! It is a fun time with the kids. I just wish they could understand the situation completely and be able to communicate with their daddy. I am 25 weeks along and completely "popping".
And finally, the gas chamber was the most terrible thing Micah has ever done! He said it was a total of 15 minutes, 5 of which were without a gas mask. He said you wanted to vomit but couldn't. Your eyes and skin burned. Your nose ran like a facuet. Your mouth would not stop salivating. And the you felt like you couldn't breathe but had to. Micah said guys were freaking out. At least it's over!
He is happy to be getting my letters so we can conversate. The first stack of letters he wrote me were very one-sided and he had a ton of questions that he now is getting answers to. That definately helps emtionally!
On the kid side of things, Zach is going into a big boy bed in a few weeks. He is really trying to communicate and I can understand most of it. Malachi is my little buddy and he understands pregnancy #3 and is excited to help me with baby Anna. He is also excited for his cousin Ruby to be born! It is a fun time with the kids. I just wish they could understand the situation completely and be able to communicate with their daddy. I am 25 weeks along and completely "popping".
And finally, the gas chamber was the most terrible thing Micah has ever done! He said it was a total of 15 minutes, 5 of which were without a gas mask. He said you wanted to vomit but couldn't. Your eyes and skin burned. Your nose ran like a facuet. Your mouth would not stop salivating. And the you felt like you couldn't breathe but had to. Micah said guys were freaking out. At least it's over!
17 September 2008
The Caring Soldier
This is a testimony of who Micah is, and I love him for it!
Micah has two drill sergeants that are married with children. The drill sergeants are there like 18 hours a day. Because Micah is curious as to how they balance work and family in the Army, and because he just has concern for other people than himself, he asked them one day, "When do you get to see your families?" Their response was "Why the F--- do you care?" Nice. Later they did come back and thank him for his concern. Now he is referred to as "The Caring Soldier" so if a drill sergeant asks where the caring soldier is, he has to stand up and respond to the call. Funny.
I just want to say I am proud of my husband for being known as the "religious guy" and now the "caring soldier". A lot of soldiers could be referred to by a lot of different things. I am thankful everything that people say about Micah is honorable and true! Except that he's also referred to as "The Old Guy With the Hot Wife" too. I don't know if that one is so true! :)
Micah has two drill sergeants that are married with children. The drill sergeants are there like 18 hours a day. Because Micah is curious as to how they balance work and family in the Army, and because he just has concern for other people than himself, he asked them one day, "When do you get to see your families?" Their response was "Why the F--- do you care?" Nice. Later they did come back and thank him for his concern. Now he is referred to as "The Caring Soldier" so if a drill sergeant asks where the caring soldier is, he has to stand up and respond to the call. Funny.
I just want to say I am proud of my husband for being known as the "religious guy" and now the "caring soldier". A lot of soldiers could be referred to by a lot of different things. I am thankful everything that people say about Micah is honorable and true! Except that he's also referred to as "The Old Guy With the Hot Wife" too. I don't know if that one is so true! :)
Basic training starts to get interesting
Micah wrote that they did medical training last week which makes them equivalant to First Responders by the end of it all. Micah said his EMT training was very helpful and all the guys wanted to be paired up with him because of his previous experience. They had to stick each other with IV's and Micah ended up getting poked three times until his partner got Micah's vein.
He also said that they did the gas chamber today, Wednesday. I had a lot to pray about today with the gas chamber and my father-in-law's surgery to remove cancer. The surgery went well and I can only hope the gas chamber went well too. I don't even know how to imagine a gas chamber but just the thought of it makes me think of grown men vomitting. Am I right, anyone who may know?
They also have been throwing some grenades. Blowing stuff up was one of Micah's favorite things to do! I know his brother-in-law JP can testify to that. When they were roommates before either of them were married, they did a lot of blowing stuff up. After they got married, they still did/do their fair share of blowing stuff up. He said it was pretty fun.
He also said that they did the gas chamber today, Wednesday. I had a lot to pray about today with the gas chamber and my father-in-law's surgery to remove cancer. The surgery went well and I can only hope the gas chamber went well too. I don't even know how to imagine a gas chamber but just the thought of it makes me think of grown men vomitting. Am I right, anyone who may know?
They also have been throwing some grenades. Blowing stuff up was one of Micah's favorite things to do! I know his brother-in-law JP can testify to that. When they were roommates before either of them were married, they did a lot of blowing stuff up. After they got married, they still did/do their fair share of blowing stuff up. He said it was pretty fun.
07 September 2008
Pictures of the Boys
Here are some pictures of the boys playing out at my folks house, where we are temporarily living. They have lots of fun outside and one of Malachi's favorite things to do is catch frogs and toads!
Collapsing and...Vomiting!
Okay, I got a couple letters from Micah and will highlight the info he put in it. What really stuck out to me is all the collapsing and, yes puking that the guys in his platoon are doing! Micah has not done either but apparently the drill sergeants push them until one or more of them either collapses from heat stroke or pukes...whichever comes first! They are running and walking with their gear and this is when the guys lose it!
*He got more gear including a helmet, bulletproof vest, and a gun.
*His platoon is called Reapers 3rd Platoon.
*A captain stands at the front of the lunch line and quizzes the guys, and if they get the questions wrong, they have to do a ton of pushups and then go to the back of the line. Fun!!!
*Church service and the pastor were really good this past Sunday!
*He's got good drill sergeants that let them go to the bathroom whenever they need/want. Hey, apparently this is a big deal and anyone who was in the military might attest to this!!!
*He's in the "A" class for physical training. This is good and the best class to be in. He is doing well physically, thank you all for the continued prayers. It's still very hot down there, unlike our weather. Please be praying for their safety in the heat and humidity.
*He got more gear including a helmet, bulletproof vest, and a gun.
*His platoon is called Reapers 3rd Platoon.
*A captain stands at the front of the lunch line and quizzes the guys, and if they get the questions wrong, they have to do a ton of pushups and then go to the back of the line. Fun!!!
*Church service and the pastor were really good this past Sunday!
*He's got good drill sergeants that let them go to the bathroom whenever they need/want. Hey, apparently this is a big deal and anyone who was in the military might attest to this!!!
*He's in the "A" class for physical training. This is good and the best class to be in. He is doing well physically, thank you all for the continued prayers. It's still very hot down there, unlike our weather. Please be praying for their safety in the heat and humidity.
01 September 2008
A Surprise Phone Call
God blessed me and the boys with a very surprising phone call this evening. It was from Micah! He only could talk for what was literally a minute to a minute and a half but it still was wonderful to hear his voice! The boys got to talk to him for a split second too! He said he left Friday for basic, and that he was required to make the phone call to let us know he was alright and that he was indeed in basic. That was all that was said, besides the drill sergeant in the background yelling what the soldiers should say to their families.... , "It's hot, I'm in Georgia, GOODBYE,GOODBYE, GOODBYE!!!" it was pretty funny!
Basic Training Begins
So I am pretty confident that Basic Training has officially started for Micah sometime last week, around Wednesday or so. He didn't call me this Sunday, which means he has moved down base from the administrative part to the actual Basic Training. He wrote in a letter he would leave Wednesday or Friday but either way, he would not be able to call until the first three weeks of Basic are over. No phone call means Basic has begun!
I know Micah was happy to start Basic. He was getting so bored of doing nothing all day. They would wake up at 3:15am, after averaging about 3 hours of sleep each night, only to "hurry up and do nothing"--which takes all day long!
I am happy for him to start too. Even though it means no phone call for the next three weeks, it also means the weeks have begun and the countdown to the end of it can begin! I'm not sad about it so much. I just want it to start so it can be over! Get the bad stuff up front and then out of the way! I know it is extremely hot there, so pray for God to let up on the heat and humidity while he is in training all day, everyday.
He said he got his Dog Tags too. It says his name, SS#, bloodtype and religion.
The boys and I are doing very well, considering. God has been pouring out grace and love over us and I am confident, because of this time in our lives, that God truly is for me, He loves me, and can be my All in all. Thank you Lord! The transition for the boys is still fresh, so please pray for them to continue to adjust well. They will go through days of extreme "clinginess" to me. They are still confused as to what mommy and daddy are exactly doing-and where the heck is daddy anyway? Malachi is getting it, but Zach is so young, he doesn't understand where Micah is at all. But I show them pictures of him everyday and they kiss his picture with big smiles on their faces often. They miss him but I know God will get them through!
I know Micah was happy to start Basic. He was getting so bored of doing nothing all day. They would wake up at 3:15am, after averaging about 3 hours of sleep each night, only to "hurry up and do nothing"--which takes all day long!
I am happy for him to start too. Even though it means no phone call for the next three weeks, it also means the weeks have begun and the countdown to the end of it can begin! I'm not sad about it so much. I just want it to start so it can be over! Get the bad stuff up front and then out of the way! I know it is extremely hot there, so pray for God to let up on the heat and humidity while he is in training all day, everyday.
He said he got his Dog Tags too. It says his name, SS#, bloodtype and religion.
The boys and I are doing very well, considering. God has been pouring out grace and love over us and I am confident, because of this time in our lives, that God truly is for me, He loves me, and can be my All in all. Thank you Lord! The transition for the boys is still fresh, so please pray for them to continue to adjust well. They will go through days of extreme "clinginess" to me. They are still confused as to what mommy and daddy are exactly doing-and where the heck is daddy anyway? Malachi is getting it, but Zach is so young, he doesn't understand where Micah is at all. But I show them pictures of him everyday and they kiss his picture with big smiles on their faces often. They miss him but I know God will get them through!
Fort Benning, GA needs some Jesus!
Well I got 3 to 4 more letters in the mail when I checked it this past Saturday. Micah is doing really well, except for getting sick one day. He couldn't say some of the other guys were doing as well.
He told me that a boy/man hung himself on the 19th. He was not in Micah's platoon but it sure affected everyone. Micah really wants prayer for discernment on what the kid's may need that Micah could offer. Could it be something he could say? Or do for them? He has witnessed other guys either leaving/running away and even another young man going a little crazy because he wanted out. The drill sergeants and the military police had to pin him down and take him away. So pray for these young men, Micah and other christians there that could help in any way.
He also said he has had, what christians call, "divine appointments" with two other young men. Basically, God used Micah at those times in those situations with these young men. When you are in those times, you know it was an important, and eternal appointment that God set up, not you!
Lastly, Micah mentioned he and another older guy broke up a fight. Micah jumped on top of "Mike Tyson" and the other man jumped on top of the other brawler, and they stopped it. Wow, lots of action and drama going on in hot and humid Georgia!
He told me that a boy/man hung himself on the 19th. He was not in Micah's platoon but it sure affected everyone. Micah really wants prayer for discernment on what the kid's may need that Micah could offer. Could it be something he could say? Or do for them? He has witnessed other guys either leaving/running away and even another young man going a little crazy because he wanted out. The drill sergeants and the military police had to pin him down and take him away. So pray for these young men, Micah and other christians there that could help in any way.
He also said he has had, what christians call, "divine appointments" with two other young men. Basically, God used Micah at those times in those situations with these young men. When you are in those times, you know it was an important, and eternal appointment that God set up, not you!
Lastly, Micah mentioned he and another older guy broke up a fight. Micah jumped on top of "Mike Tyson" and the other man jumped on top of the other brawler, and they stopped it. Wow, lots of action and drama going on in hot and humid Georgia!
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