Don't Watch the News

Everyone gives me the same advice, "Don't watch the news." Last night while checking the news online, I saw that there were 2 huge explosions and heavy gunfire in Kabul. Eric quickly yelled at me for reading the news. I wasn't worried because the news made no mention of Mario's camp. But when Mario called a few minutes later, he was surprised I didn't mention it. He told me, "You might hear about an explosion here in Kabul, but I am fine." He said it woke him up and he had to report to his office immediately.

It's been a tough week for Mario. His office is overcrowded. I think it went from 2 guys to 7 or 8. So there isn't sufficient computers, desks, chairs, etc. They had to start working 12 hour shifts and having a day shift and a night shift just so they had some space to work. Mario wanted to see both shifts so he was going to try to work 10 am to 10 pm. But that only lasted one day. He hated it. So he is back to the 8 am to 8 pm shift. It would have been nice if he were on the night shift so then we'd be awake the same hours. But his commander wanted him on the day shift since he is the OIC. Mario is tired and not feeling well. He is cold at night in a tent and apparently 1 of the 13 of his roommates doesn't like the heat on.

Mario got our first package and is asking for more. I really don't know what to send. I offered to order a desk and chair off Amazon.com and have it shipped to him. Then he could just bring his personal little Acer computer into work and set up his little work station. He got a laugh (only time I have heard him laugh since he left.) He suggested maybe some big white buckets, one for a chair, one for a desk. Hopefully his shop will get a new office next month. But with the increase of troops, their new office may have to get converted into sleep quarters. I also hope that Mario gets a container soon, last I heard, he was 29th on the wait-list.

Battleship

Yesterday when I was cleaning out the game closet, I came across the game Battleship. I was surprised to find that it was rated for ages 7 and up. I thought about pulling it out and showing the twins how to play since they will be approaching 6 1/2 soon. But then I remembered how much I don't enjoy playing games with young kids. I know that is terrible to say, but it is so much more fun to play with Eric and Erin who don't require any assistance and they can play adult games. So I quickly shoved the game back into the closet and thought to myself, "I will wait until next year to teach them."

But then Zach asked me the dreaded question this morning, "Will you play a game with me?" Since my kids have become addicted to electronics lately, I felt that I should play a game with them so they don't ask to play with my ipod, the computer, or wii. So I asked what game. He responded with Life. Oh my gosh, I hate that game. It is so much more complicated than what I remember as a kid. You have to stop to pick a career, then a salary, then get married, then buy a house, etc. I have played it a few times with the kids but it is not fun with 6-year-olds. So that is when I remembered the Battleship game from yesterday. The boys were excited to try a new game...best part was that it is only a 2 player game. So I figured I could teach them and then walk away. I helped with the first game and then walked away while they started their second game. It didn't take long before Nathan tried to cheat. He decided he didn't want to play anymore so Zach asked if I would play. I admit, I wasn't excited about it. But it actually was really fun. I thought that I would destroy Zach in the game because I had a good strategy. Apparently Zach's was much better than mine, because he "killed" me. He had sunk all 5 of my ships in the time it took me to sink 2 of his. So much for my "no-fail" strategy.

What's wrong with this picture?

Mario put up this great pot rack for my pots and pans. Unfortunately he uses it for a dryer for his Camelbak also. Mario doesn't do much to annoy me, but this really irritates me because he leaves it there for days to dry. Now Eric seems to have followed in his father's footsteps. I can punish Eric though. Hehehe (as Nathan would say)

Braces

Well, I have had my braces for about 8 months now. I have no regrets other than I should have done this years ago.

Today was an exciting day for me. Dr. Leber filed down the rough edges. He asked me if he could do the top teeth too even though I don't have braces on top. I can't believe the difference that it made. My teeth are straight and now they are working on evening out the bottoms and also my bite. I wish I could get them off before Mario comes homes in August, but it probably won't be until closer to Christmas. But it is not bad because the only time I remember that I have braces is after I have eaten and I can feel the food stuck in them.

Quiet Sacrament Meeting

Let me start out by saying I would rather teach a child to read than teach him/her how to tie shoes. That has always seemed like a task that is better left to Mario. But with him gone and one 6 year-old still not tying shoes, it was left to me to teach Zach. For some reason Zach chose Sacrament meeting to learn. I looked over and noticed him practicing. So I tried to quickly show him the "bunny ear" method. That is not the way I learned but I assumed it was the easiest. He just was not getting it. But he was very quiet (unfortunately not reverent) while practicing over and over again. Finally I decided to teach him my method (the right-handed way and Zach's left-handed) and he got it right away. He spent the rest of the meeting perfecting his new skill. Hurray! No more tying shoes.

On separate notes, Eric is the new Deacon's Quorum President and our ward has a new starting time...8 am. Thank goodness I am a morning person.

Countdown

Crazy day today. I needed to be in 3 places at once. So my twins missed out on a Chuck E Cheese party. Before you feel too sorry for them, we have been there at least 5 times in the last 8 months.

Only 176 days, 4245 hours, 254729 minutes, and (the twins favorite one) 15283761 seconds until Mario leaves Kabul. One day when I figure out how to put a countdown clock on my blog, I will.

As far as seconds goes, my twins are constantly asking me how many seconds in a year, or 10 years, or 100 years, etc. I never know, so I am not sure why they keep asking. I can't wait until they learn how to multiple and they can figure it out themselves. By then, I am sure they will lose interest.

Friday

I just wanted to let you know I beat you in our race to "legally" bring a firearm into sacrament meeting. Church was a blast (Mario had to explain that this was meant as a pun because of them all packing heat at church. Despite what he says, I am not planning to carry a firearm to church.) There is a small group of us but everyone is super friendly.

I upgraded my room to a hard billet. That means I'm now in an actual building and out of the tent. I felt only a slight inkling of injustice when I was packing up and moving out when there were a few others in the tent that have been there for weeks. But you know me, I don't settle and I was very assertive. Really, the NCO I helped get on base yesterday felt inbebted and managed to find an open bunk for me. He also helped me drag my bags over to the new room. I no longer have to walk through mud to get to the latrine. A good example of taking care of the troops and they'll take care of you. The new room, however, is packed with almost 30 of us in an area the size of our family room (with our luggage too). I feel bless to have it.

I had the thickest cheese burger of my life today. I also had a large bowl of dark chocolate ice cream; Baskin Robins, no less. I can't wait for another bowl after dinner.

Lunch Meltdown

My boys go to half day kindergarten and so they normally don't eat lunch at school. But when the whole school is on half day, they eat lunch at school because it is 4 hours instead of 3. Make sense? Not really I know. They go longer on half days then on regular days, so I love half days. Anyway, my boys usually bring their lunches to school instead of buying. But last time they decided to try buying lunches. Zach liked it, Nathan did not. Their teacher sends home a note several days early asking if they are buying or bringing. Zach chose to buy tomorrow.

Here's the email from his teacher today:

Hi, Terri!

I was in the middle of explaining what our reading groups were going to be, when I discovered Zachary was starting to cry. (I didn't know reading groups could cause such trauma!!) After researching the issue, Zachary says he wants to bring lunch tomorrow instead of buy it. Will you talk to him later and see what he wants to do? We'll double-check with him tomorrow, and send your money home then if he does, in fact, bring his lunch instead.

You all hang in there!

=) Sharon Beck

Camp Eggers

I got a call yesterday afternoon from Mario saying he arrived safely into Kabul but couldn't talk because he was borrowing someone's iphone. I think everyone has an iphone except for us! I am so jealous.

Anyway, then I got a call from Mario at 1:30 am telling me that he made it to Camp Eggers fine. He was excited because the first person he met from his shop was a Captain from Utah. Mario quickly found out that his office has several LDS.

The following are parts of an email from him about his accommodations and first impressions. I spared you the mushy stuff.

Terri,

I'm getting settled a bit. I won't kid you, I was really struggling earlier. I didn't have high hopes for this place, but it was worse than I imagined when I first got here. I'm in a dirty and dark tent. The other guys in the tent don't clean up after themselves. When we went in to eat and I saw that the quality was a bit poor, it all started to hit me; cold tent, far from home, cafeteria food, communal bathrooms, six months, six months, six months. I couldn't eat much of my food and it took all my self control to not lose it.

After meeting the folks in the shop I feel a lot better though. There are three practicing LDS guys in my office, all of them cool. The other folks in the shop are great too; very friendly. They still don't have space for me and the other two guys I came in with. I'm actually using someone else's computer. The office helps me forget a bit that I'm not in the US. They weren't prepared for all of us at the same time so they're hoping I take a week or so to in process. They are literally asking me to make myself scarce for a few days. I don't know what I'd do with myself: eat, gym, eat, gym, what else???

I had one success already. One of the guys that will be working in my shop was billeted outside the compound (it really isn't that dangerous- green zone). I went over to one of the tents inside the camp and found and empty bunk and then went to the billeting office to have him brought in. He was one happy Sergeant. He thanked me for the effort.

There are some activities here that will help. There is a branch that meets Friday afternoons for service, sacrament meeting and Sunday School. The members meet for lunch before the service. The branch also has FHE on Monday evenings with a lesson or activity. The office has movie night in the office Thursday evening and since there are so many LDS folks, they can somewhat control what is watched (PG). Friday and Sunday morning are off time.

The job is interesting and it really isn't technical like I thought. It will be interesting and everyone in the shop likes the work and the others not in biometrics wish they were.

I met my Col, an Army guy and he is level headed and calm. I will have about five folks working for the shop, maybe more and so far all are cool.

I can call you from the office; perfectly legal.

This is my address:

Mario Perez

CSTC-A, CJ2

APO, AE 09356

Don't add anything else on the address label. DO NOT put my rank, nor put Afghanistan on the label. You may begin the care packages immediately. No need to put toletries since there are shelves of that stuff from everyone elses packages. I look forward to art and stories from Nathan and Zachary and letters from the rest of you.

Love,

Mario

Kabul

Mario has been at Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan for the last couple days. But today he left for Kabul and should be arriving shortly. We have been very fortunate with communication so far. He has been able to use the morale phone or call on Skype a couple times a day. Our times are exact opposite so when he is getting ready for bed, we are getting up. Hopefully Skype will work well in his new "apartment." He was told that he could pay a fee to have internet in his room. I am excited because Verizon just announced yesterday that they will start allowing Skype on some of their cell phones next month. Mario is excited to start his new job and do his 180 days and get home.

We are all doing well here at home. The kids seem to be in good spirits and Eric doesn't seem to be as worried now. I looked up statistics to share with him. Less than 100 airmen have died in the whole Iraq/Afghanistan conflict. Out of the 100, only a handful were officers and most of them seemed to be pilots who crashed. So that seemed to ease Eric's (and my) worries. I am glad Mario is not a pilot. I think the worry from him flying would shorten my life by a few decades.

Life is good and I have no complaints. Wait till tomorrow and then maybe it will be different. But for now, I have been sleeping well and I am still feeling at peace. I am grateful to have 4 great kids to keep me busy and keep me company.

Email from Manas Monday 2/15

Hi Terri,

I hope you slept well. I imagine you're on the treadmill right now.

All is well here at Manas. My luggage made it. I had dinner...not bad but I wasn't very hungry. I'm settled in. Except for O-5 and above, we are all staying in a huge tent. There is room for over 200 troops in this tent, but there are only about 100 or so in our group. I got a bottom bunk.

I just took a shower in what is pretty much a tent and container combined. It was heated and the water was warm. I was the first one to try it and as soon as I did a bunch of folks went over. Don't worry. The ladies have their own tent showers.

I will most likely be traveling to Bagram tomorrow and possibly even make it to Kabul. We'll see. I'm not in a hurry since my 179 clock started today.

I met a guy that will be going to my shop. He's a major with more seniority, so I probably won't be the OIC. Not worried about that one bit.

I'm sorry to hear Nathan is having a hard time with my absence. I hope you'll be able to strengthen your relationship with him and help fill the void.

I love you and will try to find a morale phone.

Some of the folks here are buying cell phones locally (AAFES) for about $80 and no monthly charge. All incoming calls are free and family back home just get a long distance plan ($10 monthly). When the troop here is ready to talk, he just texts a message and family knows to call. We'll have to consider this. I also know some folks get internet phone service (I think it might be thru skype also). It costs about $3-4 monthly.

I love you and miss you very much. I'm counting down the days... 180 and a wake up before I split kabul.

I love you.

Mario

Germany

Mario arrived safely in Germany this evening. He was able to use his computer to call me on Skype. So we were able to talk to him for about a half hour. Mario seems to be in good spirits. He will be leaving for Manas Air Base in a couple hours. He may spend a couple days there before heading to Afghanistan. But at least his 180 days begins when he arrives at Manas.

I am proud of myself because I didn't cry once at church today...not even a tear. Mario's blessing that I will be able to control my emotions was a big part of that I am sure. We have a new Sunday School teacher who is great and I felt the Spirit strongly in Relief Society. So church went well with the exception of two wiggly 6-year-olds in Sacrament meeting.

Feeling Blessed

Mario is on his way to Germany this morning. After spending the night in the terminal and talking to a few of the other deploying airmen, Mario was feeling pretty blessed. He recognized a guy from his training in Wyoming and immediately went to talk to him. He said it was evident the guy had been crying. The guy had his deployment canceled and was looking forward to taking his wife on a special Valentine's Day date. Then Friday night, he got a call and said that they found him a new job and he needed to be on a flight Saturday morning. The poor guy knows he is going to Kabul but has no idea where and what job he will have.

Mario spoke to a single mom who was stationed in Japan. She got notice that she was deploying 5 days ago. She had to leave her dishwasher loaded with dirty dishes and a washing machine loaded with laundry to catch a flight to the mainland to drop off her kids at her mom's house before deploying.

Mario talked to another airman who spent weeks in Florida to train for her deployment job but then had it changed at the last minute. So all that training was for nothing.

With Obama's troop increase, some career fields are going to 6 months deployment and then home for 6-12 months before redeployment. Fortunately, Mario is not in one of those career fields, but with the frequent changes in the military, we never know. Four out of the six officers in his office are deploying this year.

There were at least 100 airman that were with Mario waiting to board the plane for a deployment. He only spoke to a few. I am sure there are many more stories like the ones above. It made him realize that we are really blessed. We have life very easy. It also makes me realize how much we need to appreciate the sacrifices these military men and women are making for us. I am so thankful for these sacrifices and so thankful to live in a free country. Sometimes I take that for granted and then I remember what Mario's grandparents went through in Cuba and I realize how lucky we truly are.

On a separate note, Zach has never fasted in his short life. But last night he told me he wanted to fast for daddy. I thought he would forget, but as he was getting out of the shower this morning, he reminded me that he was fasting. So it gave me the opportunity to teach him how to fast. When I asked Nathan to go out of my room for a couple minutes so Zach and I could pray to start his fast, Nathan said he wanted to fast also. But then when he found out that fasting means not eating, he changed his mind...maybe next month.

Finally Here

Well, the wait is finally over and I am optimistic that the 6 months will go quickly. I think the 3 months leading up to the deployment will prove to have been the hardest. The anticipation and anxiety were a bit overwhelming at times. I know the best part will be when Mario has been back for a couple months and we have all forgotten that he was ever gone.

I recall attending a Relief Society meeting in Hawaii when we first moved there. The speaker was a retired military wife who talked about how she loved the military and that she wouldn't trade any of her experiences. She said that deployments were difficult but that she appreciated them because she saw tremendous growth in her and her children. I think that will be the case with our family also. It is funny how a meeting that I attended at least 7 years ago brings me peace now.

I am grateful for the comfort and peace I feel today. I know it won't be an easy day and I will probably tear up when people ask me how I am doing. But overall, I feel a great sense of peace. I am grateful for the blessings Mario gave me and the kids on Sunday. I am also grateful for the blessing Mario received from his father last month. Mario was promised that he and our entire family would be protected. While praying last night, Mario felt the Spirit overwhelmingly telling him that we would all be fine. What peace and comfort the Holy Ghost brings to us during difficult times.

Wish it was only a dream

I woke up this morning wishing that Mario's deployment was only a dream. I am not so lucky. The Air Force has already changed his job for Afghanistan. He was supposed to be an aid to a civilian. But because of Obama's troop buildup, they need to put him in a new slot just created and something that needs to be filled right away. Since he has already been trained, he will be the Officer in Charge of a biometric lab at an Army base in Kabul. This job doesn't even require the NATO training that Mario had in Norway. It just shocks me (I'm not sure why considering it is the government) that they would spend all that money to send Mario to Norway and then send him to a job that doesn't even require the training. Mario at first tried to fight the change but was unsuccessful. Now he seems to have come to terms with it and hopefully will like his new job. I think that the base he will be at will be better because it has more amenities. Also the church services are on this base. He would have had to travel each Friday to attend church. So for that reason alone, I am glad that he had a job change. He leaves early Saturday morning. Nate and Zach have a basketball game that morning soon after he leaves. Hopefully I will be able to make it through the game without crying. All the other wives there have seen their husbands off on many deployments, so maybe I will get some sympathy or maybe they will think I am a baby and I need to suck it up. I think they all agree that the first deployment is the hardest. I was asked to substitute in primary the next two Sundays. I told the primary president that I would do it, but I explained the situation and that I will probably be a wreck the Sunday after he leaves. So she asked if I could just teach this Sunday. Now I feel bad and I want to commit to teaching, but I also know that I will probably need a couple days to regain my composure after he leaves.

Concealed Weapon Permit

I have completed the basic handgun course. I was amazed at the totally normal people in the class. There were senior citizens, young people, and a very nice couple. Tomorrow I will take the course to get my concealed weapon permit. Wow, I can't believe the differences between the California and Arizona laws. In my opinion, California is nuts about all their laws. It is definitely not a gun-owner-friendly state. I had to wait 10 days to purchase a .22 handgun. Then another 10 days when my handgun needed replaced. Arizona is the exact opposite. You can walk in and purchase a gun the same day. Then, I could walk around town with a weapon as long as it is not hidden unless I have a permit. It has freaked me out a little when I see people carrying guns around. I can't even imagine all the people concealing them. Just look for the bulges in their pants or shirts. All it takes is an 8 hour course and $60 paid to the state of Arizona and you too can carry a concealed weapon. That is a bit scary!

Anyway, Mario asked me to take the course even though I don't really plan to tote around a gun (except they really do make some nice, leather concealed weapon purses...might be worth carrying it once in a while so I have an excuse for a new purse). Mario asked his boss for the day off tomorrow to watch the kids while I go to my course. He told his boss where I was going and told him I am taking the course so that I "will be legal now." He insinuated that I carry a weapon now illegally. I thought that was so ridiculous. I have never met anyone from Mario's work, but I can only imagine what they think of me.

My real intention in taking the course is so that I can learn the laws of Arizona and know when I am legally allowed to use my gun. Plus it doesn't hurt to get some practice with the experts and the more I learn about them, the more comfortable I am handling them (remember my blog about my first shooting experience...I locked myself in the truck and didn't want to get out at the range. I was so scared).

I did recently have an experience at church where I was wishing I had a gun. I walked into church and in the foyer was a man wearing a trench coat with non-church clothes underneath it. He had a fanny pack under his shirt. I almost took the kids and walked back outside. But Mario was already inside and so I went to look for him. When I found him, I asked him if he had seen the guy with the trench coat. He said he had and that the guy was really nice and helped set up chairs. I couldn't believe Mario wasn't nervous about this guy. Anyway, turns out he was homeless and was invited by a homeless woman to attend church with her. I felt bad for being so scared of him but I have always had this fear of someone walking into church and shooting up the place. I know, call me crazy! But I would feel safer knowing that some of the men (or women) at church are carrying some concealed weapons to defend us in the event that ever does happen.

Fighting over Dishes

Eric and Erin having been fighting the past month about doing dishes. The funny thing is that they are fighting over which one gets to do the dishes for dinner. Mario and I just sit back and enjoy. It started with another attempt at getting the kids to do a better job with chores. Yet another chore chart was created. Mario was very pessimistic and thought this chart would last about as long as the others...maybe a week or two. But we are going on our second month and the kids are going strong. This time is different because I pay them more than I have in the past. They each get $10 a week for chores but they only get paid twice a month (when we get paid). Eric recently made a deal that if I add $5 a week he'll babysit as often as I need him to. I didn't think that was a fair deal for him but I did decide to add the $5 for times when I just need to run a 15 or 20 minute errand. Otherwise he gets $5 for each time he babysits.

So back to dishes, on the chore chart they each are asked to do dishes 3 times in one week. I didn't assign specific nights. So they both want to get them done at the beginning of the week. I didn't raise procrastinators I guess. They call dishes early in the morning because I won't let them call them the night before.

Other chores include each washing one load of laundry, sweeping and mopping, cleaning the bathroom, cleaning out the car, dog duty, trash, vacuuming, clean room, and practice piano.

They pay their tithing and then put half into savings. I tell them they can spend their savings but only after they tell me what they are saving up for and not just a impulse buy when we are at the store. Eventually they need to add in mission, college, and car savings too. Right now they both say they want to save up for a Nintendo DSI.

Trilingual

When Mario became a RAS officer, he started getting paid an additional $350 a month for speaking Spanish because it was required for his new job. Mario has been wanting to take the Portuguese test also since it is pretty close to Spanish. But he kept putting off the studying for the test. Since he is getting ready to deploy, he decided to go in and take the test anyway. He was so excited when he scored well enough to get an extra $250 a month for Portuguese. That will go straight to the kids' mission accounts.

So now I can say that my husband is trilingual (at least as far as the military is concerned).