Home at last.......

After 60 hours in the same uniform, over 20 hours in the air, Seth and Eli returned to Reagan International Airport yesterday afternoon. A trip home, showers, time with the wives and a family dinner it was time for bed to catch up on much needed sleep. All is right with the world for the next fifteen days!

Jan's Christmas Letter

December 2007
Dear Good Friends and Family,
It’s that time of year and although I am not in the Christmas spirit, I am home sick with some bug (high fever, everything hurts including your hair follicles) and sitting seems to be all I’m capable of doing. The upside is I am writing a Christmas letter and if it actually makes it into the mail I will have been in touch with those near and dear to me.
2007 will go down in the Lovell household as a memorable year. Seth and his love of four years became engaged last Christmas and we began the year planning another wedding. Eli and Katy, his college sweetheart, had tied the knot in 2006 on August 12 and began their senior year in college as newlyweds. Two weddings in two years can be stressful but because we love both girls and think the world of them, the stress was minimal compared to the joy we felt at the addition of two wonderful daughter-in-laws!
The wedding was planned for June 30 and all was progressing well until the best man, Eli, found out in April that he was being deployed to Iraq. A couple weeks later Seth found out that he was also being deployed. I cannot put into words the pain I felt each time I was told a son of mine was going off to war. You’re talking about a woman who cried in the middle of Wal-Mart the Christmas Ed tried to talk me into buying paint-ball guns for the boys. (They didn’t end up getting them that year but after having a year to adjust to the idea I did give in the next year.)
The boys were scheduled to depart for training in Mississippi towards the end of June. The wedding was moved up to June 9 and everyone kicked in to help. The church was available, the bride and groom and wedding party could all be there, and the minister could perform the ceremony. At the last minute, when nothing else panned out, good friends offered their scenic back yard for the rehearsal dinner. The wedding was beautiful and bittersweet. The minister talked about two people planning a wedding and a year’s separation at the same time. He talked about the fact that God does not promise us life will not be hard but he does give us the tools to deal with life’s difficult times.
This year God has given us wonderful family and friends to support us, to give us hugs when there is nothing to say, and to make us laugh when it seems like there is nothing funny left in the world. He has given us the power of personal conversation with him through prayer. He has given us three wonderful sons and two incredible daughter-in-laws who make us proud each and every day. He has given us each other to cling to when the expected call from Iraq is delayed a couple days and your mind goes to the worst places. And funny as it may sound he has given us ballroom dancing!
In the Spring, Ed and I began taking ballroom dance lessons. We found them challenging and fun. Little did we know what a lifeline they would be. Every Thursday evening from 8:00 to 9:00 we work on our ballroom dance steps. Your body and your mind are engaged and for one hour your mind cannot go to the crazy places. We walk out of the class each Thursday night and look at each other and smile. As our friend Betsy Dishman put it, “what better way to spend an hour than staring into the eyes of your spouse?” It truly is a calm in the storm.
Rule of thumb for a Christmas letter is one page but I think considering the year I’ve had you can excuse my ramblings. This will be going into page two.
Joshua is finishing up graduate school at William and Mary. He is studying to become a school counselor like his mother. I can’t think of a higher honor than to have Joshua join me in this profession. Between his internship this fall at an elementary school and this spring at a high school, a full time course load and an assistantship at the college he is one very busy guy. Now add to this the time he spends traveling back and forth on the weekends to Baltimore to visit the love of his life, Lillian, and I wonder how he does it all. In the midst of all this he finds time to call his parents regularly and visit more than he should. He will be glad when this year is over and his brothers are back on American soil and he is finished school and employed somewhere around Baltimore!
Brittany, Seth’s new wife is keeping the home fires burning in their home in Staunton. She is a full time student at James Madison University and works almost full time at our local emergency room as a tech. Whenever time permits she also runs with the local rescue squad and even if time doesn’t permit she visits her in-laws on a regular basis. She was a wonderful support during Seth’s time in Afghanistan and continues to be during this deployment.
Before being deployed Eli managed to graduate from Bridgewater College in May (unlike most of his classmates he didn’t need to worry about finding a job) and he and Katy bought a house in Gibbsonsville, North Carolina. Katy will begin a three-year doctoral program in physical therapy at Elon University on January 7. That is good news and bad. Good news because it will keep her busy while Eli finishes the last of his deployment and bad because she will start her schooling right in the middle of Eli’s two week leave.
Seth and Eli are scheduled to leave Iraq December 25 for a two week leave. We think they will be home sometime around the 27/28 of December but you never know with the Army. It will be great to see them but somewhat bittersweet as they are not home to stay. Seth had an interesting take on it in his last email home:

“… the thing I am looking forward to the most is something that most people would not guess. I am looking forward to saying goodbye to my parents and my beautiful wife when I return to Iraq. I know this sounds odd, but consider my reasoning. Since joining the military in May of 2003 I have had to say goodbye to my family, friends, parents, and wife a total number of seven times, at the end of my two weeks it will be my eighth goodbye. These farewells are not a simple “see you later,” they are painful, and everyone involved knows that it will be a long time before we are reunited. ... One lesson that I have learned in the military is that goodbyes are not something that gets easier with practice. Saying goodbye to my family in Gulfport was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, and something I never want to do again. Saying goodbye in the airport when I leave to go back to Iraq will mark the final time in my six-year enlistment that I will have to say a hard goodbye. When I return to the states I will have less than a year left on my contract, and no chance of deployment. I will not reenlist for one simple reason, I can’t say goodbye again. Leave will be an amazing time for my family and me, but like everything in my life since I received word of my deployment, it will be bittersweet. I am looking forward to leave, and I am also looking forward to my final goodbye in the military.”

Ed has found a second therapy in blogging. You can find news about the boys as well as additional musings from Seth and Eli at www.lovellsoldiers.blogspot.com. The picture at the top of the blog and on the Christmas card was taken in Gulfport, Mississippi when we were blessed to spend five days together before they left for Iraq.
Two pages definitely need to be the limit even with my excused ramblings. As I write this letter, two of my sons are in harms way. We hope for a positive outcome but our Lord knew differently with his son. He knows the pain we go through and he truly does give us the tools to go through the tough times. We wish you a joyous holiday, many laughs, good times with family and friends and a true understanding of the meaning of the season.

From the Richmond Times Dispatch....12/26/07

Military brotherhood: Honor spans 2 wars
Twin guardsmen in Iraq win praise for video telling story of decorated Indian Marine

Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007 - 12:08 AM
By PETER BACQUE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Twin brothers serving in Iraq with the Virginia Army National Guard have been honored for a video they produced between convoy security missions in the combat zone.

Spcs. Eli and Seth Lovell were recognized this month for their video portrayal of Pfc. Ira Hayes, an American Indian who was one of the Marines immortalized in the photo of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II.

The 22-year-old guardsmen from Fishersville in Augusta County earned second place in the annual American Indian Heritage Month contest for their 10-minute program.

The Lovells focused on Hayes, a Pima Indian, to show the legacy of American Indians in the U.S. armed forces.

"It's overwhelming how much they contributed," said Eli Lovell, speaking from Al Asad Air Base in Iraq's Anbar province. "Our military would not be what it is today without the diversity that helps define it.

"It . . . forced us to think about the whole issue on diversity in the military," Eli said.

Hayes was the only American Indian in the six-man group of Marines in Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1945 picture, widely regarded as the most memorable photo of World War II.

With Johnny Cash's version of "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" playing in the background, the Lovells' video tells the story of the highly decorated Marine's life, from his battles with Japanese in the Pacific to his well-documented -- and ultimately losing -- fight with alcoholism.

Hayes died in 1955 at age 32. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

According to the Defense Department, American Indians have historically had the highest proportion of military service of any U.S. ethnic group: 10 percent have served in the armed forces, triple the rate of any other ethnic group.

Eli is a combat medic and recent graduate of Bridgewater College. Seth is a gunner on the unit's armored security vehicles and a student at James Madison University. He also deployed with the Guard to Afghanistan. Both are married.

The Lovells are members of the Virginia Guard's B Company, 3rd Battalion of the 116th Infantry, from Woodstock and Warrenton. The unit is due to return home this summer.

A program of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, the heritage contest was sponsored in Iraq by the Lovells' parent unit, the 507th Airborne Corps Support Group.

"The observance was conducted to enhance cross-cultural awareness among soldiers and civilian employees," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael James, an equal-opportunity representative in the Lovells' battalion.

Al Asad is a major convoy hub and, with thousands of troops and civilians, the largest U.S. military base in western Iraq.

Soldiers at the huge base, about 100 miles west of Baghdad, have phone and Internet access. "We joke all the time, 'It's not your daddy's war,'" said Seth Lovell, "and that's for sure."

Still, said 2nd Lt. David Leiva, the Lovells' platoon leader, "every time you roll out that gate, anything and everything can happen."

Because they are brothers, the unit tries to keep them widely separated during convoy missions. "We don't want to roll the dice more times than we have to," said Leiva, who comes from Washington.

But when not "outside the wire" in their heavily armored vehicles, "we actually find ourselves with a lot of down time," Eli said.

"One of our biggest enemies over here is boredom," he said, so the brothers welcomed the video project.

"It was kind of funny to be working on homework in a 'quote, unquote' combat zone," Eli said.

"You know," he said, "I find a lot of things weird to be doing in a combat zone."
Contact Peter Bacqué at (804) 649-6813 or pbacque@timesdispatch.com.

Merry Christmas, 2007

I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the kindness and humanity that has been lacking for much of the previous twelve months. We sing of angels and peace on earth, goodwill toward all mankind - but just for this one day. I prefer to take my Christmas in little pieces throughout the entire year. I want "peace on earth" to be more than just a phrase uttered on this one day. Why not peace on earth every day of the year? Why not goodwill toward men....all mankind, every day of every week. A man is at his finest towards the end of the year. He is almost what he should be when Christmas time is being celebrated. At Christmas, we're thinking more of others, less about ourselves. There is laughter and joy. There is less selfishness and more kindness. Why can't we spread that feeling over all twelve months?
May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace. May the gladness of Christmas give you hope. May the warmth of Christmas grant you love......May the joy of Christmas be with you and guide you for the coming year.
As I write, Seth and Eli are on their way home. We don't know anything for sure at this time. We don't really even know that they've left Iraq. We're counting on the magic of Christmas to bring them safely home to us, if even for a short time before they return to Al Asad. I hope my next post is about a joy filled reunion with sons, brothers and husbands. Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas at Al Asad

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this e-mail finds you all doing well and having a great Christmas. This is the last e-mail I will write here at Al Asad before leaving for Kuwait this evening. Eli and I are very excited about coming home, and can not wait to see everyone.
This was my second Christmas spent in a combat zone in a foreign country. It was my second Christmas away from my family and friends. It was my first Christmas as a married man, but instead of enjoying it with my wife I spent it with one hundred other soldiers who are missing their families as much as I am. Our 1SG and CO decided that they did not want everyone staying in their CHU all day long, and wanted to have a party. Their justification was that if everyone just simply had the day off they would just sleep all day and feel miserable. Many of the soldiers were reluctant to spend Christmas morning at the motor pool, and were not excited about this little get together. However, the party turned out to be a real success, and everyone involved had a great time.
It started with the 1SG and some of the officers handing out Santa hats for everyone to enjoy, then we had some snacks and just visited. The leadership had taken two flatbed gun trucks, and backed them together so their beds made a twelve-foot long stage. In front of the stage there were three giant barrels that had fires in them so all the men could keep warm. It was a unique setup. After about an hour of eating snacks and just enjoying spending time together, it was time for the platoons to perform some Christmas skits. Eli and I of course could not pass up the opportunity to take the stage, and along with another 3rd platoon member told some jokes and read some humorous poems. We got a great response from the crowd a s they appreciated our jokes and our little act. After we got done the other platoons performed their acts. They were all very humorous and got the company rolling with laughter. The final act was performed by maintenance, and along with their little skit their Platoon Sergeant sang a song about the true meaning of Christmas. It was a religious song that I had never heard before, but it was very well done. The SGT had an amazing voice, and had the whole company clapping their hands to the rhythm.
After the presentations the XO (the second in command for the company) handed out Christmas presents to everyone sent from the FRG (family readiness group). The gifts were very nice and thoughtful, they included a mug with the B CO logo, along with a B CO t-shirt and a number of other goodies. After the presents were handed out to everyone there was a raffle for some bigger presents, one of which Eli won. Finally the CO and 1SG talked to the whole company, followed by a brief message and prayer from the Chaplain. It was a good time had by all, and a special and memorable way to spend Christmas.
After the party Eli and I went to lunch with thirteen other guys from our squad, and had a great time just eating and visiting with one and other. While I was sitting at the table lost in my thoughts I noticed a number of soldiers sitting at tables by themselves. Eli and I are very lucky to have so many friends from our platoon. This coupled with the fact that we receive so much love and support from back home helps to make this time away from home easier on us. Noticing the soldiers by themselves reminded me that there are so many soldiers who are not handling this as well as Eli and I. For many soldiers who have not made many friends, and do not have much support from home, this is an extremely tough and depressing situation. Every time I see soldiers eating by themselves I feel bad for them, but it upset me even more on Christmas day. The men and women in our military are making many sacrifices, and are f acing many challenges. Please remember all of them this Christmas season, and keep them all in your prayers.
Lots of Love from Iraq,
Seth

What are we fighting for?

According to Little George, our soldiers are in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep us safe from terrorists. Who's keeping us safe from ourselves....looks like we're fighting for the right to be stupid! We've lost over 3,800 soldiers for this? Doesn't it just make you so freakin' mad?

Irony in Iraq

Hanging out with "Frosty". I'm not sure he has a snowball's chance in hell. The ultimate in irony....reading "In Harm's Way" while serving in Iraq......what a coincidence.

From the Virginia National Guard Web Site

By 2nd Lt. David E. Leiva
B Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq – Two Virginia Army National Guard soldiers were recognized here this month for their video portrayal of Ira Hamilton Hayes, one of the Marines immortalized in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of the American flag-raising at Iwo Jima.

Twins Eli and Seth Lovell, of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry, earned second place Dec. 1 in the annual American Indian Heritage Month contest, beating out six other entries with a 10-minute long montage of Hayes, the only Native American member of the six-man group captured in Joe Rosenthal’s 1945 award-winning snapshot.

The event, a program of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, took place in November. It was sponsored by the 507th Corps Support Group (Airborne), a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps. First place went to the 541st Transportation Company, a subordinate unit of the 101st Airborne Division.

“The observance was conducted to enhance cross-cultural awareness among soldiers and civilian employees,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael James, an equal opportunity representative who oversees these matters for the battalion under which B Company falls. “These observances recognize the achievements and contributions made by members of specific racial, ethnic or gender groups in our society.”

Inspired by the 2000 best-selling book-turned-movie, “Flags of Our Fathers,” the Lovells, of Staunton, Va., chose Hayes as an anecdote to introduce the contributions of Native Americans to the armed forces.

Using the late Johnny Cash’s rendition of “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” as a backdrop, the video went through the highly-decorated Marine’s life, whose battles with Japanese fighters were as well-documented as his fight years later with alcoholism.

“The song was so controversial, we knew it was kind of a bold presentation,” said Eli Lovell, a medic and recent graduate of Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. “We didn’t how it was going to be received.”

Immediately following their presentation, though, Command Sgt. Maj. Sultan Muhammad, the top enlisted soldier of the 507th, hand-delivered two of his minted coins to the Lovells, a symbol used to improve morale, foster unit esprit de corps and honor their work.

“I don’t know if you’re going to win, but that was excellent,” said Muhammad, one of four judges, which included the 507th commander, Col. James G. Currie Jr.

That excellence was what Sgt. 1st Class Tony Elliott had in mind when he scrolled down his roster to find someone capable of best representing B Company. He settled on the Lovells, both good story tellers and aspiring high school teachers. Especially since the program was to be judged on recognition, presentation, creativity and knowledge of observance.

The twins then spent days collecting and assembling photographs and facts about the flag raiser and the ethnic group’s significance to military history.

“The Ira Hayes story is an American story,” said Seth Lovell, a gunner on the Armored Security Vehicle and student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. “There was so much information about his life; he was as familiar as Brad Pitt in the 1950s.”

Among interesting details the Lovells culled from the U.S. Census Bureau: Ten percent of American Indians have served in the armed forces – three times the rate of any other ethnic group in the United States.

Hayes, however, wasn’t the initial choice. But with missions providing convoy security throughout Iraq – and some procrastination with their assignment to represent the infantry unit – the twins went with Hayes.

The Lovells had just finished reading about Hayes’ exploits in James Bradley’s book, an account of the six Marines whose photo on Mount Suribachi came to symbolize World War II.

The other Marines shown in the photo included Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, Mike Strank and Navy corpsman John Bradley. Only Gagnon, Hayes and Bradley survived the war. Sousley, Block and Strank were killed in a later battle. Bradley, the last living man, died in 1994.

Hayes died in 1955 at the age of 32. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

A Christmas Carol

We took our seventh grade students to the theater today to see an adaptation of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol." Sometimes I amaze myself by my ability to turn just about any event into a political statement. It's a gift. Three things struck me as I watched the play. First, I decided early on that I liked the Muppett's version better. I'm not taking anything away from the Blackfriar Theater, but they just can't match the acting of all the characters in the Muppett version. It's hard to compete with the depth of feeling portrayed by Kermit as Bob Cratchett. My second and third thoughts turned political. Perhaps I should have stopped with my first thoughts. The play is essentially a morality play about a change of heart. Scrooge turns from his miserly, egocentric ways into a man who loves all and does his best to keep Christmas in his heart, each and every day.
Marley speaks, "Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them?
That line struck me in particular, because that's what I think we've been doing as a society for too long. We have the power for so much good, but we walk with eyes turned down. The purpose then of Marley's appearance as a ghost is, above all, to warn Scrooge and make him open his eyes to the rest of humanity, i.e. change his life. Our society needs a Scrooge-like reawakening. Perhaps that is what our next election will be about. It's time for a change. It's time to lift our eyes and see something other than the divisive trends of our current political landscape.
Anyone know where we can find three good ghosts who are looking for work?

Ken Follett

If you've read my blog before you may have come accross an entry about "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. Follett has been a favorite author of Seth's for some time. Seth sent a note to Mr. Follett recently letting him know how much he has enjoyed reading his books. In response, Follett office sent Seth a box full of Follett novels. What a kind gesture from someone who has nothing to gain by that kindness. If you've never read a book by Ken Follett, now would be a good time to run out to the bookstore to buy one....don't borrow it from the library...buy it. Give Follett another dime for his kindness! In addtion to being a good author, he is apparently a good person!

Email from Eli

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, I am not the best about writing these group e-mails, but I figured I would write one before I come home for leave. Seth and I are both back safely at the base and have been officially taken off of missions as we await our flight to Kuwait for leave. Our projected date to fly out is the 25th (could not think of a better Christmas present then that) but it could be a day earlier and it could be a day later….who knows? Leave is sung to the same tune as everything in the military, nothing is definite until it happens.
Seth and I have been in Iraq for 91 days now. I have been keeping a journal and was reading over it the other day and counted up the number of days I have spent away from Al Asad out on missions. Out of 91 days I have spent 31 days out on the road. I thought that was an interesting fact.
I just got back from a three-day mission where we went to Baghdad and then to Al Taqqaddum, and then back to Al Asad. Here is how the mission went:

We left Al Asad in the afternoon at 3:00pm on Sunday and then over 12 hours later made it to Baghdad. It does not usually take this long, but we had some trouble with the trucks we were transporting, and at one point we had a truck slide off the road and get stuck. The roads we drive on are not the best and some are just non-existent.

We got to Baghdad and slept in a tent on cots beside the staging point for our convoy. We all slept late into the day as it had been a very long night. The First Sergeant (the non commissioned officer in charge of our company) had come along on the convoy as he is trying to go on a mission with every squad at least once, and he had not been out with this squad yet. He came and grabbed me at one point as we were two of the only ones up and told me to come grab some pizza with him and that he was buying. How could I turn that down? So, we went to the pizza hut on base and then sat around eating and chatting.

That night we hooked up with some transport vehicles who are stationed at Al Asad and had been outside the wire transporting tanks around Iraq for three weeks straight. We were escorting them on the last leg of their trip as they were dropping off supplies at Al Taqqaddum and then going back to Al Asad for a much deserved rest.
We left at 10:00pm and then after 4 hours we arrived at Al Taqqaddum and racked out immediately.

We spent the next day hanging out around base and then that night (actually the next morning if we’re being specific) at midnight we left Al Taqqaddum and after 5 hours on the road we made it back to Al Asad. When I walked into my can Seth’s alarm was actually going off for him to get up for a mission…perfect timing!

So, for the mission we were gone 62 hours from Al Asad and spent 21 of them riding around in the ASVs. I also got some chai tea at a green bean’s coffee, ate pizza at a pizza hut, watched a couple movies on my portable dvd player, and finshed my book, Ernie Pyle’s War. Its a rough life being in war...let me tell ya!

My wonderful in-laws sent me some WWII books, one of them being about Ernie Pyle. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and really enjoyed reading some of his columns. Ernie Pyle is famous for writing about the common man. He spent his time on the front lines and in the foxholes with the enlisted men rather then in the rear with the high-ranking officers. This won him and his column immense popularity. One of his columns talked about how the war was fought not by career soldiers but by perfectly normal men and women who were asked to put on the uniform and serve their country in a time of need. This war, to me, is much the same as the way Ernie Pyle described it because of the huge number of National Guard and Reserve troops used. I had a lot of good conversations with the guys I just went out on a mission with, and every one of them I asked what they did back home. We now have some Illinois Guardsmen attached to us, and so I was able to talk to them also. Here is just a sample of the diversity of common men and women we have over here serving our country.
A teacher from Illinois
A mailman (this is our first sergeant)
A manager at the Sheetz in Franklin County
An inventory specialist at a factory
A machinist
Two policemen
A manager at an outdoors store in Roanoke
And here’s the big one, 6 different people in that squad are in college and younger then I am!

Ok, enough rambling. If you have made it this far in the e-mail thanks for staying the course (no pun intended). Anyways, I thought you would find some of this stuff interesting; sorry for being so long winded. I can’t wait to be home soon and see many of you during my leave. Take care and have a great Christmas!
Love,
Eli

A Christmas Poem

THE SANDS OF CHRISTMAS - BY MICHAEL MARKS

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh.
And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.

The laundry wasn’t finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Chargers lost by six.

And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.

The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
And so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.

And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
Eight Humvees ran a column right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.

They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
Their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.

There wasn’t much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.

They didn’t have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn’t need an ornament-they lacked a Christmas tree.

They didn’t have a present even though it was tradition,
The only boxes I could see were labeled “ammunition.”

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared and why it was I cried.

I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near,
and kissed him on the forhead as I whispered in his ear.

“There’s nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,
Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,

To worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do and said, “it’s always right,
To thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write”

And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
To thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote:

“God bless you all and keep you safe and speed your way back home
Remember that we love you so, and that you’re not alone.

The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of Liberty and that we can’t repay.”

Anybody who has looked at my blog has no doubt how I feel about George Bush. A teacher at the high school who is notorious for his wicked sense of humor gave us an early Christmas present designed to provoke a little laughter. You can always count on friends to help you through the tough times. I haven't had time to mount it properly, but plan to have it waiting for Seth and Eli when they come home for leave. Thank you, Sandy!

Routine?

Jan and I had a revelation the other evening when we realized we didn't know where our children are! You remember the commercials that were popular on TV for awhile? It's ten o'clock....do you know where your children are? Well, I know they're in Iraq. But, for a little bit, we've lost track of whether they're inside the wire or outside the wire. I had been really good about keeping track of when they're outside the wire on a mission and I'd be in waiting mode to hear when they had returned to their base. We got an email from Eli the other day that said "I'm back on base." I didn't even know he'd gone! It's not that I'm taking a cavalier approach, because I worry....My God how I worry! I think it's a coping mechanism....I'm not allowing myself to keep constant track of what they're doing. I think we're so desperate for "normal" and "routine" that shutting down the mind to my son's comings and goings is the only way to achieve a little peace of mind.
I do know that they're both outside the wire right now......on what we think is their final missions before getting ready to come home for leave. It's going to be so wonderful to hold them, and see them with their wives - if only for a little while.

Saying Goodbye..........one last time

Dear Family and Friends,
It has been awhile since I last wrote, and for that I apologize. Life has been very routine, and there really has not been much to report. We either spend our days out on the road helping to move supplies, or back at the motor pool working on our equipment and trying to stay busy. Eli and I spend our spare time watching movies with friends, reading books, playing games, and just doing anything we can to make the time go faster. Our leave at the end of December is quickly approaching, and it is getting harder every day to contain our excitement. I cannot wait to get home and be able to give my parents and my wife a hug. There are so many things I am looking forward to, it would be to long of an e-mail to try and list everything. To list just a few, I am looking forward to my mom’s cooking, to being able to pet my dog Abby, to drink a beer with dinner, to hold my wife’s hand while driving in my jeep, wearing my Cohort jacket with a flannel shirt underneath, laying on my couch and watching TV with my wife, going to church at Tinkling Springs, watching a Wilson basketball game and wishing I was on the sidelines coaching, being able to hug all four of my grandparents, enjoying time with as many friends and family as I can fit into two weeks, and many other thing as well. The list could go on and on, there are so many things I am looking forward to during my time home.
But the thing I am looking forward to the most is something that most people would not guess. I am looking forward to saying goodbye to my parents and my beautiful wife when I return to Iraq. I know this sounds odd, but consider my reasoning. Since joining the military in May of 2003 I have had to say goodbye to my family, friends, parents, and wife a total number of seven times, at the end of my two weeks it will be my eighth goodbye. These farewells are not a simple “see you later,” they are painful, and everyone involved knows that it will be a long time before we are reunited. Every time I have had to say goodbye it has been at least a month and a half before I see my loved ones again. Typically it has been longer, and sometimes for as long as seven months. One lesson that I have learned in the military is that goodbyes are not something that gets easier with practice. Saying goodbye to my family in Gulfport was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, and something I never want to do again. Saying goodbye in the airport when I leave to go back to Iraq will mark the final time in my six-year enlistment that I will have to say a hard goodbye. When I return to the states I will have less than a year left on my contract, and no chance of deployment. I will not reenlist for one simple reason, I can’t say goodbye again. Leave will be an amazing time for my family and me, but like everything in my life since I received word of my deployment, it will be bittersweet. I am looking forward to leave, and I am also looking forward to my final goodbye in the military. It will be painful like they all have, but it will be the last.
I hope this e-mail finds you all doing well and having a good start to your holiday season. Eli and I have been listening to Christmas music to try and get in the mood. Our Christmas present will be a flight out of here on the 25th, the best present we could of asked for. Have a great week, take care, and I look forward to talking to you all soon,

Lots of Love from Iraq,

Pearl Harbor..............

Last year, George W. Bush issued a proclamation remembering the more than 2,400 Americans who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor and all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice during World War II. While I've never hid my feelings about our current President and the harm he has done to our country and our military, I do think it is worthwhile to read the proclamation.


A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
White House News

Sixty-­five years ago, more than 2,400 Americans lost their lives in a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we think of those who died on December 7, 1941, and honor all those who sacrificed for our liberty during World War II.

On that peaceful Sunday morning, our country suffered a vicious, unprovoked attack that changed the course of history. Though our Pacific Fleet was nearly destroyed, our citizens were inspired by the great acts of heroism from those who survived and from those who did not. In the days that followed, our grief turned to resolution, and America embarked on a mission to defeat two of the most ruthless regimes the world has ever known. We pledge to always remember the character and sacrifice of the brave individuals at Pearl Harbor. Their selfless service helped deliver a great victory for the cause of freedom and, ultimately, transformed adversaries into the closest of friends.

After the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared, "We are going to win the war and we are going to win the peace that follows." In the 21st century, freedom is again under attack, and young Americans have stepped forward to serve in a global war on terror that will secure our liberty and determine the destiny of millions around the world. Like generations before, we will answer history's call with confidence, confront threats to our way of life, and build a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2006, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies, interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half staff this December 7 in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

If you are a student of history, you know that there is much discussion about whether Pearl Harbor was "unprovoked." We were engaging Japan in an economic war, we shut down the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping, we had embargoed goods and services to Japan. Some historians argue that we placed most of our Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor to provoke Japan into something that would justify our entry into World War II. Whatever your feelings about the politics leading to Pearl Harbor, we honor those men and women who were simply doing their job. There's a terrific parallel to that today. Whatever you think of the politics, we honor our soldiers and thank them and their families for their sacrifices.

On top of the World

What's your pet peeve?

I remember when the boys were young, times were not always very settled around the Lovell household. Putting it nicely, the twins were a little trying at times, full of energy and quite rambunctious. A friend once remarked, that when she felt a little overwhelmed by her life, all she had to do was think of us and her life didn't seem so bad! I always felt it was a kind of service we provided to others....."well, our life sucks, but we could be the Lovell's." Yesterday in Sunday School we were doing a lesson on complaining. We started the lesson by going around the room and listing our pet peeves. It was an interesting list.....
Women driving minivans full of kids while putting on make-up and talking on the cell phone
telemarketers
people who slow you down in the lunch line
rude people
people who talk in the movie theater
George Bush (guess who said that!)

The list went on and on with people having little trouble finding a pet peeve...we all had them, sometimes a whole list of them. As I listened I thought about how blessed we are to be living in this country where our list of pet peeves have nothing to do with survival. Things are so good for us we can waste our energy being ticked off about people slowing us down in the lunch line or talking in the movie theater. What we need is a little perspective. I don't want to be the one providing that perspective like I did for the friend when the twins were little. But I also want to remember this lesson when Seth and Eli are home from Iraq. Right now I can push aside life's little irritants, because I've got bigger things to worry about. But when my children are home, safe and settled will I still have that attitude...will I still count my blessings instead of focusing on my pet peeves? I really feel that God is using this experience to make me a better person....I want to remember these lessons.

Boring and Stressful

We had a Saturday morning phone call from the boys. Life has been a little on the slow side with few missions taking them outside the wire. Seth again spoke of how different this deployment is from his time in Afghanistan. Time on the base can be a little slow and boring, but that contrasts with the stress of going outside the wire. Seth and Eli took second place for their native American presentation. I asked Seth if they were robbed, but he explained that the winning company had a full-blooded Indian and they built a tepee with fire pit and she dressed in traditional garb and led them through a typical day for a Native American in the 1700's. How can two white boys compete with that? The boys continue to sound really good and we're all looking forward to Christmas. Seth did warn us, however, that with the Army nothing is definite until it's done, so leave could still change.