Surreality

I've spent quite a bit of the morning texting with Lindsay (wellllll....besides church) and it has been fun for me. We had our first church service in the Crestview Heights school and although it felt a little bit strange to be in such a vacuous space, it was fun. The Lord has great things planned for this church and we are all getting excited to be part of it all. Transitions are all about extending grace and being a peaceful servant and that is a good exercise for all of us to work at.

Life is so surreal sometimes. Occasionally I will sort of slow down long enough to go, whoa, this feels weird, so strange that I can't believe I am even here right now. I had one of those moments yesterday. John had asked me out on a date (ok, before any of you swoon, I sort of pitched a fit the day before to get this date since gentle innuendo didn't work) for breakfast at the Pig and Pancake up in Newport. We sat and visited and had a nice nice time together. Earlier, before we had left home, Matt had called, he was on the base, had just said goodby to Lindsay and was preparing to leave for his final TDY to Iraq. We were avoiding any discussion of the topic so that we could enjoy our date. We headed off to Fred Meyer and while on the way we each got a text simultaneously...we looked at each other, knowing it was going to be Matthew. "Hey im getting ready to leave i just want all of you to know i love you and i miss you already see you in a few months" was his text. I knew that his brothers and sister and Bryce had gotten the same text then...we looked at each other and gulped and answered his text back. We got to the store, got out of the truck and as we were walking into the store, life going on all around us, people spending money, driving their cars, talking to each other, I grabbed Johns hand and said, "at this moment our son is flying off to Iraq," "to war" John replied... it just felt so very odd, anyone looking at us would never know that our son was just deployed to another TDY in Iraq and yet I felt like the world had just shifted.

We've been here before and I don't like it much, but to say we are beyond proud of our son is just such an understatement and to say that we miss him is an even bigger one. I have learned a few things in the years since Matt left and started going on TDY's...One- it isn't about me/us, this is about what he MUST do because it is his job. Two-it is an honor to have a son who serves this country laying down his life for us, for those he loves. He does it because he loves this family and I am so blessed. Three- its harder on him to be so far from home, in a hot land, with lots of odd food and icky things going on, it is something I cannot even imagine and so as far as my petty incoveniences, well, they are so insignificant it isn't funny.

So, I sit here, texting his wonderful fiance' wishing I could be there to comfort her and knowing she will be just fine, she's a strong girl and she loves our boy. Its another surreal moment, Fathers day, Matts not able to call, we are watching golf, and hanging out. It just feels so out of kilter! Ahhhhhh life.....