The unseen costs of war

As I was walking around the naval base in San Diego today I began to notice something unusual, wheelchairs. At other hospitals wheelchairs carry very pregnant women and elderly people too sick to walk. Today I saw them whizzing around with 18-25 year old, Oakley sun glass wearing, my biceps are bigger than your legs occupants.
Each of these men were born with fully functioning legs that had carried them across end zone lines and finish lines in the not so distant past. They carried them into the recruiters office to swear an oath to defend our country. They carried them onto the plane bound for Iraq or Afghanistan.

Unfortunately a explosion or an accident while fighting a war has taken both of their legs above the knee before the age of 25. As they whizzed by today in their wheelchairs or limped by on prosthetics I could not help but hope that the cause has been worth it. Too often I count the costs of war in dollars or deaths, but not in the people who live with the permanent scars. Long after the last soldier leaves Iraq or Afganistan, after we have moved onto another President, another war, or another "breaking story" on CNN. These Sailors/Soldiers/Marines/Airmen will still sit in their wheelchairs or limp with their prosthetics. We owe it to them, to their sacrifice, to be judicious in when and where we fight.

Love Them

Emily, Kahalia, Jules, Chaci
7/27/10
Group shot after going to see Jacob take off his shirt, umm, I mean, Eclipse. That's why we went... we went for the story line. Definitely.

Just a note to say, I don't think I would have survived these past few months without these girls. These girls visited me when I was on bed rest before having Charlotte. Kay drove an hour out once a week during the craziest winter ever-- and Kay is from Atlanta. She doesn't do snow.

They came to the hospital when I was admitted. They came when I had Charlotte.

They made me dinner. They made Peter dinner.

They cried with me. They laughed with me.

They went to see Eclipse with me.

They've visited Charlotte. They've held her while I was away.

They've called. They've texted.

They've been fantastic friends.

And I love them all dearly.

Norfolk, VA

Pictures from 7/17/10


Caleb and Peter checking out the planes. Caleb was most impressed. Peter and I were just hot.

I'm sure there is a name and details about this plane. To me, it's just large.

I love Caleb's smile here. Too cute.

Double straw action at IHOP

Caleb and I made the trek down to Norfolk in the middle of July to see Peter while he was on rotation at the Naval Hospital there.

The morning we were supposed to leave, I woke up with a fever of 103.5 and thought I was dying. (OK, that's a bit dramatic, but, let's be honest, it's me we're talking about here...). I tried really hard to put on my big girl pants and pull myself together. What should have been a 5 hour drive ended up being close to 10 hours and Pete had to come rescue us at the end, about an hour outside of Norfolk. What a good husband!

Luckily, I felt better the next morning and we were able to tour the base and get a feel for the area. Caleb definitely approved of the Naval Shipyard. The first time he saw a ship he said (direct quote here), "That's a big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, boat."

All in all, we liked the area and wouldn't mind living there next year if that's where Peter matches for residency. Although, we did get reprimanded for being Yankees (a fact of which we are very proud, thank-you-very-much) and we were told the area was "ghetto" because there was a shooting there five years ago.

After living in Philly, I think our "ghetto" radar is a bit off, since the area looked very nice to us. Somehow, I think we could survive. Unless the person was shot because he was a Yankee.

Then we're in a lot of trouble.

Jersey Shore, Knickerbocker Style

WATER!!!

"I'll go in if you go in"

That's one cute kid, if I do say so myself. And I do. I say so.

I love that older cousins will always be the ultimate source of knowledge.

Peter's Aunt and Uncle go to Ocean City, NJ each year for a week. We figured, "What's a vacation without our presence?" So we went down to spend an evening with them. Lily and Caleb had so much fun, and Caleb cannot stop asking about when he is going to the "shore" with her again.

He's so from Philly.

Has Anyone Seen Caleb?

This is a sampling of what I am greeted with, should I lose track of Caleb for a moment or two (or three, or twenty, or...)

"I'm pullin' weeds, Mommy. Just like grandpa."
7/9/10

Honestly, I do some weird things, but I have no idea where he picked up putting eye shadow in his ear.

Silly me, I didn't actually think I was going to USE that makeup, did I?
7/10/10

This one is legit on Caleb's part. I told him to go play outside while I packed his bag for the YMCA.

But I swear, he was only outside for 10 minutes.
7/8/10