The Great Crusade

When I began thinking about what I wanted to say on the D-Day post, I have to admit I struggled.  How does one honor the memory of the most amazing, courageous and awe inspiring act in human history?  How can I sit here, in the comfort of my office, behind a keyboard, in the safety they provided, and show these men the respect they deserve?  The answer came to me and to my surprise it was rather simple...talk about D-Day.  Do not let it pass without reminding at least one person about the sacrifice that these young men paid for us. 

Many of the men who loaded into those planes the night before or the boats on the morning of, knew that they were not going to come back from this.  And yet they went anyway.  They knew that the Atlantic Wall was the most formidable defensive structure ever built.  And they went anyway.  They knew that Rommel had the best that Nazi Germany had to offer on that wall.  And they went anyway.  6,603 Americans died on those wide open beaches and I know that to this day, if the chance was there for them to go again...the would go anyway, again. 

This is why they are the Greatest Generation.  This is why we have the honor and duty to remember them.  This is why we must not let their last act on this earth, their amazing sacrifice, fade into the annals of history. 

Every single day, our Military is living up to what these amazing men paid.  That much is not in doubt.  But are we?  Are we remembering them as they deserve to be remembered? 

Never Forget

~Travis

PS ~ I will make sure and update you on Amber as I can.  Thoughts and Prayers are always welcome for this amazing part of my family.

Howdy From Texas!

Those of you who have been following this blog for any amount of time know that our Piglet ships out for Basic today.  Her strength and tenacity are truly inspiring for us all.  I will be popping in over the next few months whenever I get a chance to update everyone on both Pig and Monkey's status and while I am at it, maybe entertain you just a little. 

I met Kevin when I was 4 years old playing t-ball out in Irving and since then we have been much more than friends.  Kev is my brother...there is no other way to say it, no other words can describe our friendship. 

I was even with him when he ran into Amber that fateful Thanksgiving Day in Aggieland.  Since then, Amber has been added into the mix without missing a beat.  To say that they are perfect would be a lie, but to say that they are perfect together...well there's no more truth than that.  And to me, that is right where their amazingness begins.  You see, to protect this country and fight for the freedoms we all live with, they are giving up so much more than themselves.  They are giving up those things many of us hold most dear, precious times with loved ones.  All those lazy Sunday mornings, late nights on the couch, home-made dinners, road trips and long bike rides through the country...all these things are what they are giving up for you and for me.  To stand guard while we sleep safely. 

I don't mean to preach, but when I think about what my friends are doing, I get goosebumps and swear I hear Lee Greenwood off in the distance somewhere, singing softly.  As a Fightin' Texas Aggie (c/o '08) I have always had a deep appreciation for the military and what they do for us.  But I can honestly say that my friends have amplified this feeling inside me 1000%.  I am so proud to call them family. 

OK I am sure that Kevin would slug me in the arm right about now and tell me to quit being so sappy.

So in that spirit I will leave you with a final thought, one that will hopefully lead to me finding some sort of voice on this thing, because after all, I am a guest blogger!  We all want to do something amazing, something that has never been done before (at least I know I do).  We want to be remembered for something great.  But maybe true greatness lies in the effort.  Maybe we don't have to accomplish anything great to be remembered.  Maybe all we have to do is try.  Maybe, all that really matters, when our final tallies are added up, is that we dared greatly.  Because then, even if we fail, we're blessed with truth and not cursed with "what-ifs". 

Thanks and Gig'em
~Travis

Getting Ready to Ship Out Pig Style

So, I've spent the last couple of days gathering all the stuff I need and getting ready for shipping off to basic training in...well, in less than 48 hours from now I'll definitely be sleeping in a bunk bed with an OD green wool blanket.  "What do you pack when you head to basic training?", you might ask.  Well, travel size bathroom essentials, a couple extra pairs of underwear and socks, a Bible, and, if you have a squared-away, slightly OCD hubby like myself, a baggie filled with name tapes, US Army tapes, US flag patches, and rank patches.  Therefore, I've packed about half of a backpack, and that's all folks!

On the other side of training prep, I've had to let go of a few things I normally always wear.  Contacts have been traded for glasses, my tragus piercing has come out (with hopes that it won't close up), and, oddly enough this one feels the weirdest, I removed my toe ring.  With some effort involved,and a bottle of Windex, of course.

I bought, and put on, the toe rings about two years ago at the State Fair of Texas, and haven't moved them an inch since.  Whenever I'm in flipflops or barefoot, I'm constantly using my big toe to spin them around on my next toe, and as I sit here chatting with you lovely internet readers this evening, my toe feels quite naked.  It's like there has been a divorcing of the toe and it's jewelry.  #momentofawesomebutawkwardsilenceplease But, alas, I'm sure my foot will get used to it's nakedness eventually.

On another, sadder note, this will probably be the last time you hear from me on our little blog for quite some time.  MonkeyHubby will I'm sure attempt his best to keep you updated as he prepares for deployment over the next few weeks, but, with all the late night's he's been working, we can't be 100% sure he'll have the time.  In that case, we have a very close, very trusted, and very loved friend who has offered  to pop in periodically during our absence and keep you all entertained and updated.  I'm sure he'll introduce himself at the right time, but let me briefly introduce you to Mr. Lindner.  Or, as I like to call him when I talk about him, Travie.  (I'm not even sure he knew I called him that until now!!)  He's desk-riding businessman int he wild west that is Houston, TX and has been a part of our little family since, well, before I was really a part of our little family.  Travie grew up playing baseball with MonkeyHubby and are those childhood friends that only movies can accurately portray.  Either way, if he does us the honor of popping by over the next few months, make sure and make him welcome!

I'll miss you all - see you on the flip-side, with a new camo wardrobe!