Hi guys, it's been a long time since I've posted anything, sorry. It has been crazy in our house the past few months! Katie had her week long 8th grade class trip to DC, then was home for two days, had her eight grade graduation.....yes, they have 8th grade grad. here, they make a big deal of it...a bit silly, we think...and then had the much waited for 8th grade dance! The dance was a big hit, all the kids loved it, and the parents all helped out a lot with planning and decorating, etc. They decorated the gym and cafeteria of the middle school to look like a cruise ship! Very cool. The 8th grade parents were not permitted to chaperone, they ask the 7th grade parents to do it! So, we had a reception before the dance and they let the parents go in, see the decorations, take pictures, then kicked us out! Katie had a great time, and we finally came to an agreement on the dress with a lot of help from her Aunts Christie and Terry in Iowa! She is still taking riding lessons during the summer and will start swing choir practice soon. She auditioned a while ago for the high school group, and was happy to get a spot! I've heard from other parents that I better take a deep breath before it starts, because the "parents" aka...moms...have to be very involved! I'll be sure to rest up all summer! She is also still doing karate once a week and will go back to twice a week once Dave gets back and they start going together again. I am so proud that she has stuck with it for so long...it has been about 9 years since she started! Amazing! Ok, so her big crush on one of the boys in her class has kept her wanting to go for the last two years...! Holding out for him this long paid off as they are now a "couple" as you may already know if you are a FB follower!! He is two and a half years older, and I have a LOT more grey hairs, but he is a good kid, Dave and I have known him for years, and he has seen what Dave can do on the karate floor, so he has a very healthy fear of him!!! We'll see how it goes once Dave gets back!! ;O)
Jack finished his 4th grade year just this last week. He is happy to have summer start, as usual, and is looking forward to a summer filled with fishing, swimming, baseball, football etc. He is also winding up his baseball season. The team isn't doing too well, they are 2 and 9. All of the boys are good players, but they just can't seem to get it together when they have a game! Jack has been catching a lot, and pitching too. At the start of the season, he was having trouble hitting the ball, cause this is the first year having his peers pitch to him, but he is coming around and starting to hit well, once he gets a good hold of the ball, he hits doubles and triples! I have had fun watching and yelling for the team! Dave is glad, I am sure, that he is not having to sit next to me and listen to me scream! Hey, it is a mom's prerogative!! Football season starts up the last week of July, when Dave is due back.
SPEAKING OF DAVE COMING BACK--I will answer the burning question that everyone has been asking lately..when is Dave coming home! Well, I don't know!!! I have always felt safe with the thought that another team would go to Afghanistan and take their place, just like they did to the team before them. I figured that with that, it would be all planned and regimented, without much room for changes. WELL, then I get this email from the FRG, and have to say "what a surprise!" I didn't hear about this from Dave first, just got the email today, so I don't know anymore than what is in this email. I actually though that since we hadn't been hearing a lot from Dave lately that is was because they were all busy wrapping things up, but I guess they have more than that to do! Read for yourself-
>
> Please distribute to families.
> Subject: Message from SCO to SQDN Families (UNCLASSIFIED)
> Family and Friends of the REDHORSERs:
> As many of you may have heard, the unit originally ordered to
> replace TF REDHORSE is not coming to Afghanistan. TF REDBULL and my staff
> are currently planning, developing options for many possible outcomes. I
> would like to inform you that we are currently not planning on any
> significant, if any, extension here. In fact the current plan is still to
> RIP under the original timeline.
> Thanks to all of you for your support.
>
> LTC David A. Updegraff
> TF REDHORSE
> Commanding
>
My final words...aaarrrrgggg!!!
Jack finished his 4th grade year just this last week. He is happy to have summer start, as usual, and is looking forward to a summer filled with fishing, swimming, baseball, football etc. He is also winding up his baseball season. The team isn't doing too well, they are 2 and 9. All of the boys are good players, but they just can't seem to get it together when they have a game! Jack has been catching a lot, and pitching too. At the start of the season, he was having trouble hitting the ball, cause this is the first year having his peers pitch to him, but he is coming around and starting to hit well, once he gets a good hold of the ball, he hits doubles and triples! I have had fun watching and yelling for the team! Dave is glad, I am sure, that he is not having to sit next to me and listen to me scream! Hey, it is a mom's prerogative!! Football season starts up the last week of July, when Dave is due back.
SPEAKING OF DAVE COMING BACK--I will answer the burning question that everyone has been asking lately..when is Dave coming home! Well, I don't know!!! I have always felt safe with the thought that another team would go to Afghanistan and take their place, just like they did to the team before them. I figured that with that, it would be all planned and regimented, without much room for changes. WELL, then I get this email from the FRG, and have to say "what a surprise!" I didn't hear about this from Dave first, just got the email today, so I don't know anymore than what is in this email. I actually though that since we hadn't been hearing a lot from Dave lately that is was because they were all busy wrapping things up, but I guess they have more than that to do! Read for yourself-
>
> Please distribute to families.
> Subject: Message from SCO to SQDN Families (UNCLASSIFIED)
> Family and Friends of the REDHORSERs:
> As many of you may have heard, the unit originally ordered to
> replace TF REDHORSE is not coming to Afghanistan. TF REDBULL and my staff
> are currently planning, developing options for many possible outcomes. I
> would like to inform you that we are currently not planning on any
> significant, if any, extension here. In fact the current plan is still to
> RIP under the original timeline.
> Thanks to all of you for your support.
>
> LTC David A. Updegraff
> TF REDHORSE
> Commanding
>
