Life here......Procedes

Well, philip has been overseas now for exactly one week. And we have actually heard from him twice since he's been there. He sounds great! He loves it, his job, his living conditions, be it very strange and unliveable in my eyes of course. But he trained long and hard for this, and he is ready, willing, and able to do what he has been sent to do - fight, serve, defend. What a noble man he is turning out to be. I am beginning to understand the saying, "The few, the proud,...." boy do I understand the grit of it. To hear his explanation of his surroundings, the dirt floor he's sleeping on, walls with broken board and nails; and him laughing at it, telling me he loved it, I don't need to worry about this young man. He is where he needs to be right now. He is where he both wants to be, and where I believe, the Lord wants him to be. He is forever in the safety of the Savior's loving arms. No matter what happens to him, whether he be hurt, there or home, he is a child of God. And this is what he chose to do. He trained hard, very hard for it. The enemy can bruise his flesh, but never his soul.

He called to talk to his Dad again lastnight, and I heard his Dad laughing. What a good sound that was. I know he worries, of course, that is his flesh and blood. He's lost a daughter at the age of 15, so the ripeness is still there. This is like sending the lamb to the slaughter. But this is a well-trained Marine. I just hear the fearless laughter in his voice. And Frank tells me the stories he was telling him on the way back to NC, and it's refreshing for us both. I need to fly his flag.

Marisa is wearing his Marine graduation ring. She adores her big brother. She is my sentimental one. The one with the big heart. She was so thrilled when he called, she just ran to me with the phone. He wanted me to make sure I told all of them "hello" for him. He is such a great brother. I was blessed to have this young man in my home. This kid put ketchup on everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. I can't begin to tell how much of the stuff we'd go thru. That and hot sauce. He even got Chrissy on the stuf. She puts hot sauce on everything. He ate me out of house and home. Never turned his nose up at anything I'd make him. Always asked for seconds. Was never without manners or respect. A true gentleman. His parents raised him right. And he listened.

I sure miss him. It's going to be a very long tour without Philip. This has been a long week. We didn't expect to hear from him, and were fortunate enough to get two calls, thankfully. Now, we wait for the next call or email. Hopefully, we hear nothing on the news from his area of a deathtoll on the military.

Festa Italiana is this weekend, and I've been battling yet another migraine - crap! Here's for trying anyway! Oh, and One Sweet World is playing downtown tonight. All in one place, go figure. Gotta give it a try, right? Maybe. Anyway, hope you have a better weekend.