Merry Christmas Around the World

We are fortunate this year to celebrate the birth of our Savior in East Tennessee. We have balanced our time between both sides of the family as we have shopped, baked, eaten, laughed, and worshipped. It has been wonderful, and we have tried to take advantage of the time as we are well aware we may not all be together next year.

    Melting Snowman Cookies (found on Pinterest)

We would like to wish a Merry Christmas and many blessings in 2012 to our friends and family around the world. To our family we do not see often, we love and miss you dearly. To our friends in harms way, we are praying for your safety. It may be difficult to get into the Christmas spirit while surrounded by camouflage and sand, but we hope you can draw near to the Father despite the circumstances.

Granny's Christmas Tree

We feel especially blessed to be in a financial position where we can give to others. Many military families are not as fortunate during the holidays. As always the more I get involved on post the more I learn about programs and organizations that assist the lower rank enlisted soldiers and families. I am amazed at the generosity of the American people. Sometimes it feels as though the citizens of our country take for granted the life our military provides. However, every time I learn of another program my faith is renewed.  Even yesterday morning Fox News was highlighting the giving efforts of Jack Daniel's "Operation Ride Home" that funded a soldier from Ft. Campbell and his family transportation home to spend the holidays with family in Massachusetts. Traveling is an expense that many cannot afford at anytime during the year. Thank you to those of you who support and financially back these programs. They mean more than you could ever know to the families who benefit from your generosity.

Mike's gifts this year have been focused around the Ranger School packing list. Our fellow infantrymen understand the extent of the items required, and if not for Christmas I'm not exactly sure how we would complete the list. (Many people think that the Army issues soldiers all the equipment needed. Though enlisted soldiers do get most of what is required, officers get very little and are expected to purchase their own.) My family has had a difficult time accepting this. They want to buy normal items, and give Mike gifts to open. Instead I have forced them to give him Visa gift cards so he can purchase things like ACUs, winter boots, and 550 cord. Also my Granny took his list to Wal-Mart and bought items like deodorant, toothpaste, foot powder and my favorite a box of trash bags. Not normal by any civilian standard Christmas gifts, but he's thrilled. I got a new sewing machine that I will showcase when I start my projects in January!! I also received a TV to hang in my kitchen!

From left: Sarah, Popaw, Mike's mom, Mike, and Mike's dad

We will be heading home next week for some rest and relaxation before the new year brings the start of my new job and the infamous Ranger school. I feel that we may be hesitant as we look to what 2012 brings. We will keep you posted all the same.

A Very Blessed Day

First, we'd just like to say.....




HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK!!!


Over Veteran's Day weekend we received some devastating news. Our friend (from Mike's IBOLC squad), Lt. Nick Vogt, was critically wounded while serving in Afghanistan. It was a rough day to say the least. I think we were in shock. We all know the consequences of war and Nick is not the first of our friends to be injured, but we almost lost him. It hurts still to write this.

We immediately praised God for his life, and prayed that He would continue to heal Nick. We prayed for the medics, the doctors, the transport teams, his platoon and soldiers that were with him, his family, the list went on and on. We prayed for every person that would come into contact with Nick. We also began spreading the word that prayer warriors were needed.

Thank you to those of you who have prayed. I know his family, though Mike and I do not know them personally, are grateful for each of you. We are excited for his progress made thus far and are very happy for him today. What a blessing to be able to say such simple words as happy birthday!

Some of you have asked how you can send cards and words of encouragement. You can send cards and letters to his parents, and they will give them to him.

The Fisher House
Attn: Steve and Sheila Vogt
24 Stokes Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20814-5078

Also you can "like" the public Facebook page Nick Vogt Family to get updates and learn specific prayer needs.

This is a great article about Nick.

The other great news is that Mike will be attending Ranger School in January! It has taken over a year to achieve this so we are very excited.  We have exactly one month to prepare. To our family, please have lots of food ready as we need to fatten him up during Christmas.

Mike will be going with a close friend. We are glad for that and pray they will be in the same group to encourage one another along. Being together would make such a huge difference in both performance and perseverance. Also, I now have a battle buddy (wife) back home that will be going through the same experience. We are planning lots of decorating and DIY projects while the boys are away....

To Memere's house we go...

We went to Destin for Thanksgiving this year. I think when we say that, it sounds like we are going on vacation. Like we are that couple from the movie "Four Christmases" that always take a vacation and skip the holidays with family. It makes me laugh. In our reality, Mike's grandparents retired there so we are afforded the luxury of seeing the ocean every now and again. This year it was important that we make the trip(....like I would ever complain about going to Destin.)

Back in April, Mike woke me up one morning after he got in from PT. He said, "I think Pepere died last night." I sat up immediately and said, "why do you 'think' that?" He had gotten on Facebook and seen a status update posted by his aunt that basically said Pepere had passed. It was very odd to me that this is how we would find out such important information, but I guess these are the times we live in. With Twitter and Facebook, information travels fast, and unfortunately in cases such as these, there is no sensitivity where normally needed. So Mike called his father to confirm what we already knew. It was not an easy call, and later Mike's dad apologized for not calling sooner. He had to prepare himself to deliver the news, and he, like us, didn't expect it to be on Facebook. We traveled to Destin for the service. It was wonderful so see the entire family, but terrible under the circumstances. 

Colonel Clovis Proulx (Pepere) spent 30 years of service in our Army. Though stricken with Alzheimer's , he was proud for the moments when Mike graduated from college and commissioned as an officer, following in his footsteps. (On the way home from these events he kept asking why they drove so far just for lunch.) Mike wore his uniform to the funeral service for Pepere, and it made Memere cry. I believe Pepere was honored. The service was interesting... Pepere was probably cursing from Heaven. I can picture it. If you knew him, you probably can too.

In July, we all traveled to DC. Pepere found his final resting place in Arlington. It was very humbling to be in that cemetery among some of our nations bravest and best. We will be traveling to DC again soon, and I'd like to see his tomb stone. It wasn't completed when we were there. I also wish I had gotten a picture of Mike saluting. I probably should have taken the picture even though it would have been totally inappropriate. At least I would have had that moment. 

So spending Thanksgiving with Memere and the family was especially important this year. Not everyone was able to be there, but it was very nice. The weather was beautiful; I miss warmth. (Its pouring down rain and I'm freezing at the moment.)

                                         My Only Picture with Pepere. He knew me that day.

                                              Mike with Pepere and Memere after graduation.

Also during Thanksgiving week, Mike became a 1st Lieutenant! Last Friday, I attended his promotion ceremony and placed his new rank on his shoulder. This promotion is not huge (its based on time served- 18 months- rather than merit) although we will celebrate the small victories along with our friends who were all promoted as well. Congratulations to our friends around the world who have also been promoted!!!

On a side note.......I will be sending Christmas cards out this week so everyone will have our new address soon. Also, I'm collecting addresses from friend and family who have moved this year. If that is you, please email me. Thanks!