The Calm Before The Storm...

Well training's over. It was a lot like last time...pretty redundant and much of it unnecessary...but now I'm done and I'm waiting to head into the sand/rocks.

After graduation I found out that my flight had been pushed back a few weeks so I took the opportunity to visit with my family. It was really great to see Vanessa and Aurora again - but they weren't the only ones I got to spend time with. This was a three-generation week. My parents and parents-in-law all hung out in Kansas for a few days. I really enjoyed it. I worked a good part of it but the quality time I spent was amazing. Below are some photos from the week:

Aurora is growing up so fast!!! She's still as cute as ever and she's gaining her personality. Here are some of her cute faces...the last one is her blowing a kiss.


While at Grandpa and Grandma Dempsey's house, she got to play with their dog Snarly. It looked like a horse to her.



We caught up on a lot of sleep while there too. The drive from Indianapolis to Formoso is 15 hours so we got it when and where we could.




More random pgotos...
1) Reuniting with my daughter after 34 days. She didn't know who I was at first but she warmed to me quickly.



2) Aurora driving Grandpa H.'s car.



3) Still playing with the girl in the mirror.




I tried to get photos of Aurora with each family member...

Grandma Dempsey

Granmie Heinzelman

Grandpa Dempsey

Grampie Heinzelman

And of course Mommy and Daddy!

It was VERY hard to say my goodbyes to everyone but if all goes well and if God wills it, I'll see them again after my deployment is over.....I will miss you all so much. :...(
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ULI
MADLY
CASH

Deployment Training...TAKE 2 !

Hello from beautiful Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

I'm here to get some Army Training (again) before I go on a deployment (again) to a warm, dry place (again). It's actually not that bad here. It's a lot of the same training, and the same issues are coming up - like we sit around an awful lot, and the training is redundant, and it's written in crayon so anyone can understand it (especially Soldiers - HA!). Still, it's not horrible here.
For the past week, I've been mostly in classrooms getting inundated with PowerPoint slides. But today we got the chance to get in a HWMMV (Hum-vee). We did some training to prepare us in case the vehicle rolls over (most deaths in convoys happen this way). I can see why it's important, I'm a little beat up from it all, and I almost passed out after hanging upside-down for several minutes in full battle gear.
Next week we'll be driving (day and night time - yay Night Vision!) and I'll be getting "Combat Life Savers" where I'll learn how to give an I.V. and possibly keep someone alive if an accident happens. Most people are scared, and I'll admit, I'm no good with needles, but it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around. Plus, it brings me one step closer to understanding what my Dad went through.
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Vanessa and Aurora are in Indianapolis, living with my family right now. My Dad had to change his first diaper in 30+ years, and so far everyone has said Aurora is a beautiful and well-behaved baby! I've seen some videos of her spending time with the Heinzelmans, and I'm so happy she's doing well. I miss my family so much, so it helps to know they're in great hands!
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I've had some comments about the photo from the last blog entry. I can't help it, Aurora took my computer and did her own thing. THAT'S WHY kids shouldn't have access to the internet. :)
It's a cute photo, sad, but cute.
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ULI
MADLY