I went and had my photo taken for a passport. You know it can't be pretty when the girl doing the picture taking takes a look at what came out and says, "Hmmm, well I have seen worse." She then thoughtfully added the comment that I should keep in mind I'd probably be showing it after a long flight, and I'd likely be looking very haggard then.

A funny for this lovely Friday.

So, they are just now figuring out we've got people over there. It was on the news when they left. Aren't our politicians, even those in opposition, supposed to be aware of what is going on with our country? http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2003/03/24/50136-cp.html

My heart and soul have been nourished by all your support and offers to help in some way. So far, my son is having a grand time. They spent 24 hours in Greece on the way over, and if you knew what a history buff he has always been you'd have an idea of what a dream come true that was for him. They spent a complete day touring and seeing the sights. He called us from his hotel in Greece. He said that he's always considered Vancouver Island the most beautiful place on earth, but after seeing Crete he has to think maybe it comes pretty close. They did have a few scary moments when they were mistaken for Americans, and yelled and cursed at in Greek. He said even a grandma type was chasing them, screaming at them.

He called this morning from his final destination. He said it is, of course, like a whole different world. This is what he signed up for, the adventure and the actual military work. It's not just exercises any more, it's the real thing and he couldn't be happier.

I am going to call my doctor tomorrow. I think I need to be on anti-depressents. I guess it is a combo of this awful war, my son being over there, and not not sleeping but I am so weepy and irritable. I was in our corner store yesterday, and the owner told me that she is keeping Kevin in her prayers. I burst into tears. I felt so foolish. I have a favourite online home, I haven't been there in days. I have no interest in the usual things, and I feel like I'm just going through the motions to get through the day.

I would like to thank all of you who have posted supportive messages to me, especially  prairierose , someone I've never even "met" before. I know I am by far the only person who has worries right now, and I am sadly guilty of not offering support to many of you who also need it at this time.

I have before me a quiet hour, or at least it should be an hour or so before the little ones wake up. Scott and Divy are BOTH off to b'day parties this afternoon. I think I'll pop onto my message boards, see how everyone there is doing.

Tomorrow is the day. The day my firstborn, my son, my heart, heads over to the Persian Gulf. It has finally hit me. Since I've found out he was going, I knew it of course, but I didn't totally face it, yk?

Thank you all for your support and comments. They really do mean a ton to me. 

For some laughs, check this and this and this out!

It is real, it is happening. My son is going to the Persian Gulf.

They made it home. At 2 a.m. I'm glad I told him to call no matter what time they arrived. To see what they had to deal with, read this.

It has been a while, hasn't it? And no, I didn't disappear because of the picture posting I did  that mortified me! I can deal with that I guess. Especially seeing as there wasn't anyone offended enough to write me nasty mail.  

It is actually a very nice reason why I have been quiet. I had a visit from the No. 1 son and his girlfriend. They left Edmonton Monday night and drove all night through nasty storms that had them crawling along at 60 klicks, instead of the 110 they would have been doing had the roads been good. The snow was coming down so thickly Kevin said he could barely see 10 feet in front of them. Seeing as how they hadn't had any sleep, I guess it was a pretty frightening trip. They arrived here Tuesday morning. Kevin was told he had to be back in the Edmonton area by Friday (today). They were going to leave last night, drive all night again, and be home this morning. The weather had other plans. The highways out of the mainland to Kamloops were shut down. They ended up leaving at 5 this morning, even though the road wasn't opened yet, hopeful that it would be by the time they got there. They took the 7 a.m. ferry, and would have headed out of Vancouver around 9 a.m. I watched the highway reports, the road reopened at 9:30. They were lucky! I hope the trip home is not as awful as it was coming here.

I saw on the weather channel that it was -39C in Edmonton this morning, -49C with the windchill, can you even imagine??? When he gets to the desert, it will be about that, but without the - in front. Big difference!

The date Kevin is leaving for the Persian Gulf has changed three times already. Now he isn't due to leave for another week or so. He just wants to get over there. He is all gungho about this trip, it is what he has trained for, what he signed on for and all that. I am very proud of my boy.

Have I talked about the new baby we have? She is a teeny wee thing, 3 and a half months old and still not 7 lbs. She looks and acts like a newborn. Except she sleeps all night. Bonus! She is a very quiet little one, rarely makes a peep. So far she really reminds me of Divy. He didn't seem to wake up until he was 4 months old, only long enough to suck a bottle down, just like her. She had pneumonia when she arrived, but seems to have recovered fully from that. The other kids all are crazy for her, they argue over who gets to get her a diaper, soother, etc. She has fit in with the family nicely.   

We had snow this morning!! Ok, so it snowed for about a minute and a half, but I can say we had snow! I think they got more on the mainland, so Kevin would have been driving through it as soon as he got off the ferry. The kids would be thrilled if we got enough they could play in. Or even enough that it put some white on the ground. I guess I should hunt for toques and mittens, just in case.

Pizza night tonight, no cooking or cleanup. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.

Yesterday was a very exciting day for Divy. He met his new baby brother. BB was born just over two weeks ago, and is the cutest little guy! Div's first comment was, "I already gots two brothers, I wanted another sister", ROFL! After holding him, he decided having another brother was pretty cool.