Mom – Day 103
The blog has had over 5,500 hits since I started it – the day prior to day 365, 323 entries thus far. I am still not sure how much has changed in Afghanistan. Reading the news, Iraq is still dealing with suicidal car bombers. The killings yesterday of the doctors that just wanted to help the less fortunate were killed because the Taliban believed that they were trying to convert “their people” into Christians and that they were spying for the Americans.
What about Adnan Shukrijumah who has lived in the U.S. for 15 years? How can he have so much hatred for Americans? The person I admire for speaking up against these horrible actions by the Muslim is Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She has received many death threats for her comments criticizing the treatment of women but she continues to speak up.
Zach I love you
xoxoxoxoxox
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Day 104
Mom – Day 104
Today we called Zach and got in touch with him to tell him that he just bought his first vehicle, his first Jeep. He was so excited.
- I copied the following from Zach’s Facebook, I found it amusing.-
n. mraining
Derives from the words rain and mud. When in Afghanistan there is no rain, the dirt and dust can become unsettled. Then whether its wind, cars or people walking this dust goes up into the sky. Staying there for periods of time until suddenly it rains. This chemical reaction of H2o+Mud= Mrain.
I watched today the show on Fox about “Honor Killings” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,598689,00.html
Dallas, Texas - A father killed his two daughters because they were dating Mexicans, non-Muslims. It was heartbreaking to see the poor mother on television, wondering how he could do this to his own daughters. The father disappeared (he is from Egypt) and their son now lives in Egypt and told his mother that his sisters didn’t deserve a headstone because of what they did. – how sick –
There are many articles on this. I started reading some of the article at frontpagemag.com but I didn’t finish it
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/08/06/symposium-islam%E2%80%99s-war-on-women%E2%80%99s-sexual-pleasure/
that reminds me of the cover of TIME magazine (August 9th edition) where this young woman had her nose and ears cut off by the Taliban because she tried to escape from her abusive husband and in-laws. CBS news (cbsnews.com) has a news clip that discusses Afghanistan and the abuse of women. Again, this is so difficult to understand because it seems so disturbing.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Today we called Zach and got in touch with him to tell him that he just bought his first vehicle, his first Jeep. He was so excited.
- I copied the following from Zach’s Facebook, I found it amusing.-
n. mraining
Derives from the words rain and mud. When in Afghanistan there is no rain, the dirt and dust can become unsettled. Then whether its wind, cars or people walking this dust goes up into the sky. Staying there for periods of time until suddenly it rains. This chemical reaction of H2o+Mud= Mrain.
I watched today the show on Fox about “Honor Killings” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,598689,00.html
Dallas, Texas - A father killed his two daughters because they were dating Mexicans, non-Muslims. It was heartbreaking to see the poor mother on television, wondering how he could do this to his own daughters. The father disappeared (he is from Egypt) and their son now lives in Egypt and told his mother that his sisters didn’t deserve a headstone because of what they did. – how sick –
There are many articles on this. I started reading some of the article at frontpagemag.com but I didn’t finish it
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/08/06/symposium-islam%E2%80%99s-war-on-women%E2%80%99s-sexual-pleasure/
that reminds me of the cover of TIME magazine (August 9th edition) where this young woman had her nose and ears cut off by the Taliban because she tried to escape from her abusive husband and in-laws. CBS news (cbsnews.com) has a news clip that discusses Afghanistan and the abuse of women. Again, this is so difficult to understand because it seems so disturbing.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Day 105 Dad
Well what a day we talked to Zach for a little bit he was excited as we told him that we were going to look at a Jeep for him today. We also were talking about getting a new car for Lisa and he was insistent that we should stay with the Subaru. Interestingly enough, we bought a new Subaru, Lisa was hoping for a VW Jetta but the numbers just worked out on this. I hope it is ok for her, but I really do like the new Subaru! But the crown jewel of the day is the Jeep a very nice family owned the Jeep and even gave Zach a better deal than it was already. He now owns a 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sport! I know he will be excited about it and it runs nice and the price was right.
It felt good, a new car and Zach has his Jeep plus we got to talk to him! It was so nice he was excited and packing more bags to leave.
You are superman, I love you bud!
It felt good, a new car and Zach has his Jeep plus we got to talk to him! It was so nice he was excited and packing more bags to leave.
You are superman, I love you bud!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Day 106
Mom – Day 106
The numbers are getting smaller!!!! Zach has told us not to send boxes anymore because he is not sure if he will receive them. (Zach only gets mail every now and then because of the outpost he is at) It is so nice to hear that we shouldn’t send boxes anymore, that means the time is coming soon that he will be out of there. Many people have helped me in many ways to include sending Zach boxes. There was a time that it was getting very expensive to fill up the boxes with what Zach needed and then to mail out the boxes. Zach always had boxes because every week someone sent him a box. At least once a month Zach received a box from Aunt Lisa and Uncle Lee, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jay (his godfather), Barbara and George, and Madrina (his godmother, Aunt Julie) and Uncle Richard. He also received boxes from Rachel who coordinated DKG (a group of women educators) to put together boxes and knit helmet liners for soldiers, the VFW, and countless of others. People sent him newspapers, the Maine flag and other things that mad him feel at home.
Not everyone sent boxes, some people helped with prayers, by being there for my family, and the list goes on. But I do want to mention my sister Julie, Zach’s madrina. I am not certain but I think she sent a box almost every week. She always thought about what she was going to put in the box. She told me that she would pick up things that she thought he might need or want and then send a box. I know that she sent him Mexican candies that made him think of his childhood with his grandma in Mexico. She would send him movies, games, rosaries and prayers, snacks that were good for him and provided him what he needed. She thought of so many things. I use to say that my kids wouldn’t have any pictures of their childhood if it weren’t for my sister. She has always been the reliable one to make sure Zach got what he needed. I never had to worry because she always made sure Zach had what he needed and what I needed (to include the countless phone cards). – Thank you Jules - Zach is blessed to have so many people around him that care for him.
Zach I love you
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
The numbers are getting smaller!!!! Zach has told us not to send boxes anymore because he is not sure if he will receive them. (Zach only gets mail every now and then because of the outpost he is at) It is so nice to hear that we shouldn’t send boxes anymore, that means the time is coming soon that he will be out of there. Many people have helped me in many ways to include sending Zach boxes. There was a time that it was getting very expensive to fill up the boxes with what Zach needed and then to mail out the boxes. Zach always had boxes because every week someone sent him a box. At least once a month Zach received a box from Aunt Lisa and Uncle Lee, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jay (his godfather), Barbara and George, and Madrina (his godmother, Aunt Julie) and Uncle Richard. He also received boxes from Rachel who coordinated DKG (a group of women educators) to put together boxes and knit helmet liners for soldiers, the VFW, and countless of others. People sent him newspapers, the Maine flag and other things that mad him feel at home.
Not everyone sent boxes, some people helped with prayers, by being there for my family, and the list goes on. But I do want to mention my sister Julie, Zach’s madrina. I am not certain but I think she sent a box almost every week. She always thought about what she was going to put in the box. She told me that she would pick up things that she thought he might need or want and then send a box. I know that she sent him Mexican candies that made him think of his childhood with his grandma in Mexico. She would send him movies, games, rosaries and prayers, snacks that were good for him and provided him what he needed. She thought of so many things. I use to say that my kids wouldn’t have any pictures of their childhood if it weren’t for my sister. She has always been the reliable one to make sure Zach got what he needed. I never had to worry because she always made sure Zach had what he needed and what I needed (to include the countless phone cards). – Thank you Jules - Zach is blessed to have so many people around him that care for him.
Zach I love you
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Day 107 Dad
It is still morning we are at the hotel on our way home, I remember almost a year ago we were with Zach at a hotel and this was before he was headed to Afghanistan. I am going to stop at some of the same stores today that we stopped at then on our way home from a Patriots game. I wished I could have waken this morning and been back there, but I am glad I didn't. I want to see Zach but now it is about being out of Afghanistan. Then he was headed there and a year seemed so long, now he is preparing to leave and this month and a half seems so long. Time is a relative thing it is all a matter of what is going on and what is important now time to move quickly is important.
On the ride down to Quinnapiac University I asked Lisa what my brother Al might think about Zach being a cave rat. A cave rat is the right size guy who can maneuver in a small cave sometimes with just a weapon and a flashlight. It was very common in Vietnam where Al and so I guess because of the type of warfare in Afghanistan it is common again. Al passed away in 2001 but I think he would wonder why young men were still at war. I know however that he would have been proud that his relative had taken up the cause of Freedom a cause he believe in so deeply and fought for so bravely. He would be the one family member who could clearly understand what Zach is going through, I wish he could be here to counsel Zach when he returns.
It is a sunny day and I smile and try to be happy I am happy but not complete and won't be complete until Zach is out of Afghanistan and home safe and sound. I so much want to give him one of bear hugs this morning. As I worked out in the Hotel gym I thought about my promise to him, I have to get busy and drop some more pounds by Christmas. Maybe then we will be visiting some schools with Zach as he decides which one he will attend.
You are superman and you are my hero. I love you Zach!
On the ride down to Quinnapiac University I asked Lisa what my brother Al might think about Zach being a cave rat. A cave rat is the right size guy who can maneuver in a small cave sometimes with just a weapon and a flashlight. It was very common in Vietnam where Al and so I guess because of the type of warfare in Afghanistan it is common again. Al passed away in 2001 but I think he would wonder why young men were still at war. I know however that he would have been proud that his relative had taken up the cause of Freedom a cause he believe in so deeply and fought for so bravely. He would be the one family member who could clearly understand what Zach is going through, I wish he could be here to counsel Zach when he returns.
It is a sunny day and I smile and try to be happy I am happy but not complete and won't be complete until Zach is out of Afghanistan and home safe and sound. I so much want to give him one of bear hugs this morning. As I worked out in the Hotel gym I thought about my promise to him, I have to get busy and drop some more pounds by Christmas. Maybe then we will be visiting some schools with Zach as he decides which one he will attend.
You are superman and you are my hero. I love you Zach!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Day 108
Mom – Day 108
Today I thought of Zach a lot because Dal and I were at a lacrosse camp with Eline (our host daughter). Zach loves lax and I know that he will attend a University that has lax. It wasn’t that long ago that Dal and I were going to his games. I look forward to seeing him practice outside with his stick.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Today I thought of Zach a lot because Dal and I were at a lacrosse camp with Eline (our host daughter). Zach loves lax and I know that he will attend a University that has lax. It wasn’t that long ago that Dal and I were going to his games. I look forward to seeing him practice outside with his stick.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Day 109
Mom – Day 109
We spoke to Zach today for 1 hour and 47 minutes☺ How nice to speak to him for so long. I am so glad that I had some phone cards so we could just speak. I want to say that we purchased some AT&T International phone cards at $25 a piece (we purchased two of them) only to find out that each card gave us only about 40 some minutes each, that is about 50 cents a minute!!! What a rip off, I was disappointed with AT&T.
We asked Zach why we haven’t heard from him but he has been busy on missions and again he has not had any Internet opportunities. He said that he had to clear out some caves and what he said he didn’t like was the spiders. We had a conversation about the Camel spider, yuck. He also mentioned how his old team leader is back (the one that was shot, he wanted to be back with his team). He also said how it has been raining (I told him about the flooding in Western Pakistan where many have died).
On a happy note, we spoke a lot about things Zach wants to do. We spoke about his ideas about college and his dreams for the future. We spoke for a long time about all of this. Today was a nice day.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
We spoke to Zach today for 1 hour and 47 minutes☺ How nice to speak to him for so long. I am so glad that I had some phone cards so we could just speak. I want to say that we purchased some AT&T International phone cards at $25 a piece (we purchased two of them) only to find out that each card gave us only about 40 some minutes each, that is about 50 cents a minute!!! What a rip off, I was disappointed with AT&T.
We asked Zach why we haven’t heard from him but he has been busy on missions and again he has not had any Internet opportunities. He said that he had to clear out some caves and what he said he didn’t like was the spiders. We had a conversation about the Camel spider, yuck. He also mentioned how his old team leader is back (the one that was shot, he wanted to be back with his team). He also said how it has been raining (I told him about the flooding in Western Pakistan where many have died).
On a happy note, we spoke a lot about things Zach wants to do. We spoke about his ideas about college and his dreams for the future. We spoke for a long time about all of this. Today was a nice day.
I love you Zach
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
