My precious husband...

Did you see the most wonderful things that my precious husband wrote about me?? Wow...he just never ceases to amaze me! I recently went on my Walk to Emmaus...it was absolutely amazing!! (but that's a different story)...anywho, the letter he wrote me was the most beautiful letter that I've ever gotten from him...more precious than the love notes he wrote me from the Middle East 6 years ago when he was "courting" me, more lovely than probably any note or card I've received from him over the past 5.5 years... He is an absolutely wonderful man that I adore...what in the world am I going to do without him for 6 months??...I guess for one, I will take deep breaths and rely on God's grace and mercy... He's also just so wonderful with the kiddos...these are three of my favorite pictures ever...you can see so clearly how much he loves our boys and how much he loves them...

Well, I started this, but it's time for Lost...and time to wake Kelly up...so I guess I'm off...
Candace

P.S... (is there even such a thing on a blog???)... My parents are coming into town this weekend to help us finish the shower that we took apart a year ago this February...here's a cute picture of Kelly starting the destruction...and I guess I'll have to post one when it's finished...

Well it's official now, I will be deploying to the Persian Gulf this summer. I'll get there when it's just getting good and hot. It's been 5 or 6 years since I've experienced 120+ degree weather.
It's weird the internal struggles that a man goes through. On one hand, I don't want to go. I don't want to miss birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgiving, Christmas. I want to be here to take Brendan fishing and build things with him. To take Corbin camping and watch him continue to grow and learn. I want to be here to help Candace love them and discipline them. Most times they take things a little more serious when it comes from dad. I want to be here to work in the yard with Candace, to take after dinner walks, to talk into the night, to make love to her. Pray for Candace and the boys in my absence.
But, on the other hand, I am looking forward to the deployment. There is nothing that makes a man feel more alive than to be doing what he was meant to do. To have a clear goal and purpose. To suffer and sweat and work with a team of men toward a common goal. When you spend every waking moment with a group of people, they become your family. I joined the military to make a difference, to help those who can't help themselves, to have an adventure, to serve. Now I am getting that chance again.
I also know that God will use me where I am being sent. I know that it will be a time of spiritual growth for me. Pray that I will have the courage to listen to what God has to tell me and follow
where he wants to lead me.
Kelly