Congrats Mike

(somewhere I have a million pictures of them but I had to steal one from her FB!)
Most of my life I have been a like a small pebble drifting through water. Mike and I have been uprooted as soon as we have rooted. We have yet to find our place and we know it. Nothing felt so close to that as our home in Utah. When we were moving there the war in Iraq was a new thing. I prayed that our move would give us a chance to put our "money where our mouth was" in supporting the soldiers that were giving us all of them for what we had. It was fate and prayer that moved us next door the Mike and Tina. Mike was a soldier who was going back to serve six months in Iraq(and as shy as my Mike) We took great pride in being able to help Tina out while Mike was over there. They became like family to us. I know we were placed next door at a time when she really needed us(and vice versa) I also know that it is more than ironic that they were relocated shortly after we were. They however were uplifted to a warm and beachy state!! Our lives have gone in different directions for sure. I am thankful all the time for her that her wish of living next to family was answered. I also miss her boys. They were full of energy and trouble, just the way boys should be! I am always thankful for what a military family goes through so the rest of us can sleep at night. So many people miss the point of what a soldier really gives when he(or she) signs up. It is not just about the fear of bullets whizzing by your head. It is also the fear of your family being half way across the world with no way of being helped by you. It is giving up freedom of choice that we all have. They have no choice in where they live, or where life takes them. They can't just quit like the rest of us. The best part is that most of them do it with so much pride and honor. They could teach a lesson to a lot of us.

To make a very long story short....This post is really to congratulate Mike. It seems that after many many years of serving our country. Then many more months of hard studying... he has made Chief. This is a very BIG deal!!!! Thank You Mike!!!! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! We are so grateful for the past 20 years of your life that you have sacrificed so that our family can sleep at night. When I go to a coffee shop, or a grocery store and I feel safe...I think of all the people like you that make it possible. I am so excited to see where this leads your family! Kansas City maybe....(You have my sense of humor so you might find that funny)