PIctures

Ok so I finally got my camera to hook up to my computer! So here are some pictures from the day Blake left!

Our Hero

Wow has life changed in the past week! Blake left for Afghanistan and my mom and I drove across country with my car. And this next year will surely be a hard long one!

Last Thursday we got up and had to pack our entire apartment up and be moved out by 2. Jan, LaMar, Blake, and I got it all done by 12:30. We were ahead of schedule and having fun spending time with Blake. My mom came in that night and we all went to eat and just hung out. We had to be at the company at 6:00 am on Friday morning. So 4:30 came real early! We left the hotel at 5:30 and this is when I realized today would be the last day for a long while that I would wake up with my husband by my side! When we go to post we unloaded Blake's bags and headed to the company. When we got back there it was just a swarm of camouflage! They had their 1st formation and were told to go get their weapons. While everyone, which is about 250 soldiers, got their weapons out we were able to spend our last couple of hours with Blake. It was fun to be taking pictures with him, and all of our friends, and I was happy that Jan and LaMar were able to see Blake in his environment with all of his Army buddies! At about 10:00 we were told that they were going to be marching to their buses so we had to say goodbye! It was hard! As they started to walk away... we were told that we can to the buses and be with them! So we had just cried our eyes out and we get to go see him again, and say goodbye once more. As we get to where they are going we are able to spend another hour with him. We tried to talk about everyday things, but its just so hard to smile on such a sad day! We all knew that Blake would be okay and that he would be coming home to us. But just knowing that we wont be able to talk or see him for the next year is heartbreaking. As they get ready for their final formation we all say our goodbyes once more. This time it is a little harder because we see him getting on the bus and we cannot hug him anymore. But of course Blake has a last name that starts with an "A" so he is the 3rd person called. As we walk to the bus to see him get on we realize that we will have to wait for every soldier to be called to get on the bus. Remember Blake was 3rd and there are about 250 soldiers leaving. So once again we get to talk to him for about 30 to 45 minutes more. And say goodbye for the 3rd time. This is when it started to get truly painful! He was in the bus holding my hand and I couldn't do anything! I couldn't hug him one more time, I couldn't kiss him one more time, I wouldn't be in his arms for another year! Blake just kept reminding me that he was going to come home and that I had nothing to worry about. Yeah right Blake! I have nothing to worry about!! You are going to war overseas and I cant see or talk to you! How am I not supposed to worry? I was trying to be strong for him but it was just so hard! This was my 3rd time saying goodbye to him! As the bus started up for them to take off I was holding Blake's hand not wanting to let go. But as I saw the first bus start to leave I had to let go and just pray that the love of my life would be okay and come home to me!

Blake and I never knew that this deployment and that goodbye would be so hard! I guess I was in denial a little. As I sit here I cant help but wonder what he is doing and what he is going through! I have got to talk to him about 3 times since he left, which was a week ago. Right now he is in Afghanistan. I cannot say exactly where he is, but he wont be in actual combat until sometime August I believe. I promise to update the blog and let you know how he is doing. And when we can start sending packages I will let you know, and give you the address. Blake is amazing and I know that he is loved by so many. And I thank everyone that is praying for him!

I will post pictures later, my camera isn't connecting with my computer so I am trying to get it fixed! As soon as I can get pictures up I will!

17 days left

Well this is a sad blog to post! Since we got home from leave we have been packing our apartment, putting it in storage and getting ready for the deployment. We pretty much have everything out of the apartment except for the furniture. So this weekend we will have a truck and will be moving everything else out of the apartment.

Last night we went to our final pre deployment briefing and we have his address which I will be emailing to everyone, I do not want to put it on the blog. But at the meeting last night we were told to watch what we say about our soldier and where is he. The only thing you are allowed to say is Blake is in the Army and he is deployed to Afghanistan. They don't want their location to be revealed to anyone. So I just thought I would share that with everyone.

Blake will be leaving from Fort Lewis on July 11th. So from today we only have 17 days. I cant believe that we are counting down days now. For so long we would say next year or 6 months now we only have 2 weeks. Its sad but I know that he will be safe and he is excited to go. Also we were told last night that we will only get to talk to him once a month. And that doesn't always mean on the phone. It might only mean that we get an email from him once a month. Their goal is to get the soldiers to be able to talk to family weekly but they aren't sure that will happen. So if you don't hear from Blake don't be alarmed and please try not to get upset. If something bad happens over there I will be the only one that is informed and I promise that I will let everyone know as soon as possible. I will also keep you updated on what I hear from our Captain's wife. So his deployment is coming up fast so try to get your phone calls into Blake because his phone will be shut off the last week he is here. And again please pray for us because this is starting to become real and its getting harder by the day.

We love all of you!!

My Blake...

I cant believe that it is already May. Monday we go to our pre deployment briefing! It makes me so sad to think about Blake deploying. I know that he is fighting for my freedom and I know that he loves being a sniper! I think he believes he has the best job in the Army. It crazy to think that in August Blake and I will be married for 2 years, but he wont be here to share that with me. I cant imagine not being with him for my birthday, or Thanksgiving, or Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, his birthday and all the rest of the holidays! I cant imagine how things will be without him for a year! I cant wrap my head around us not being together for that long! People change so much in a year and to think that we will be a year older when he returns home is hard. I appreciate Blake so much! He is the most kind hearted person that I know. And he is so excited about going to Afghanistan. I want him to go because I know how pumped he is but on the other hand I have that wife mentality that it just isn't fair. Why does he have to go? I knew what I was signing up for when Blake asked me to marry him and I have to take on the roll of the military wife, not a civilian wife! Times are hard when your married to a military man but even though I will have to be away from him for a year I wouldn't have it any other way. All I can do is look to the Lord and my friends and family for the support that I will need for that year. I love and appreciate my Blake so much! I love you baby!

The Update for the Summer

Blake left for Yakima today for 10 days. He will get back May 16th. Then on May 18th we have a Pre-Deployment Briefing where we will hear whats going on for their deployment. So hopefully we will have information for everyone when we come home to Alabama and Missouri. So the big question is when are we coming home?? Well today we found out that our dates will be changing. So we will be in Missouri the last week of May and the first week of June. This can change!!! Don't forget we are with the Army. We hope to see everyone while we are there. I think the only Saturday and Sunday that we will be in Missouri is May 30th and 31st. So we cannot wait to see everyone! After that week in Missouri we will go to Alabama. We plan on having a pool party at my parents house and we hope to see everyone while we are there.

Ok so i know everyone is wondering about Blake's deployment. So far we have heard that he is deploying July 14th. But this could change to July 6th. Last month the date was July 6th. So we are just saying sometime in the first two weeks of July. Blake is excited and cant wait to get over there. I will be going home and hopefully finish school! On May 18th they said that we might get the address to where Blake will be in Afghanistan. So if we do find I out I will let you know when we come home. So i think that is about all i have for right now! Cant wait to see everyone!! We love you!

Our Getaway Weekend

Well tomorrow is Blake's 25th Birthday! So I knew Blake was going to have the 10th-13th off from work and I planned a trip. I told him that we were going somewhere for the whole weekend. All he knew was it was in Washington. So Friday when I got off work we headed out for Mt. Rainier. It is only about an hour away from our house so it wasn't a bad drive at all. When we got there he thought we were going to be staying at a hotel, but to his surprise I had rented a cabin for us. It was absolutely perfect! We didn't get any service on our cell phones, so we couldn't talk to anyone. The peace and quiet was truly needed for the both of us. We went to dinner Friday night and hung out in the room for the rest of the night. The town that we were staying in, was so little! Like there were only 5 family owned restaurants, a general store, and a gas station. So that is how little! Saturday we went and got breakfast and I had already had a reservation for us to go horseback riding! It was so much fun! We rode for about an hour and a half. We stopped at 2 spots that were so gorgeous! And after that we went to Mt. Rainier National Park. Sunday we also went into the National Park. There was so much snow! The snow was taller than our car. They had it all pushed to the side of the roads! It was a lot of fun! We got home this morning around 10:30. We had a lot of fun and cant wait to go back! Here are a few pictures from the weekend!

Update on Blake...

Sorry guys... I don't think I am going to get Blake on this computer and write about NTC. But I did find some pictures of him that his team lead Whitaker took so I will post a couple on here. Pictures from NTC at Fort Irwin, California.

The 2nd picture is of Blake and his team leader Whitaker, the 3rd picture is Blake and his friend Massaro (these are of course their last names because that's what they go by in the Army, which is funny because that is how i know most of the guys in his unit, by their last names not their first names) The 4th picture is Blake in his truck! Blake and his team leader Whitaker had to drive this truck out to their mission and the truck had no windows and no roof. And of course on their way out, it started raining, which turned into hail. So funny story... but they were not happy! The 5th picture is of Blake shooting a guy jumping out of a window, since they were only training he didn't actually kill someone but he will be killing in Afghanistan.