OK, this may not be an "official" Navy photograph, but we like our Soldier looking like this!

Email from Dan - Week 2

Hi Folks,

Well, we have started our training in full force. Lots of classes to attend first and then we get into the practical bits. This past week we got more new uniforms (desert cammies) and some added gear. Yup, Joanne, I will need more storage room at home! We are continually amazed at how many different uniforms and added gear the Navy comes up with! I have almost a full closet inside and hang jackets and extras in the garage closet. The funny addition to this latest batch was a sleeping bag. Yup, we have to bring this to an area where it will be over 100 degrees for several months, just in case we have to use it. Hope not!

We had several classes on security and weapons. We will soon spend most of a week shooting the various weapons we will have out there. It will be a very long week, up at oh-dark-30 as Steve Wargo always says, drive an hour plus to the range. But, shooting is always good fun, whatever the weapon. There is a bit more of a serious tone to this considering where we are going.

One thing we have embarked on this week is our morning (up at 4:40 to start at 5am) PT (physical training - I'll to keep the acronyms to a minimum). I finally figured out why I hate doing this first thing in the morning, besides not being awake! I like to exercise after the day ends to unwind and de-stress from anything that had gone on. Plus it is a bit warmer, I so hate being cold. Ha ha, good thing we are not going north to Alaska! I also decided to start wearing my flack vest for an evening walk. This thing weighs a good bit (20lbs plus), so better get used to wearing it now vs cold turkey in the heat. I chatted with Joanne the other eve and walked three miles with it on. Even with the extra exercise, my legs were tired. More additional PT for this ol' man is in order.

Well, that is about all for this week. We have Sun off, our “domestic” day – laundry, grocery shopping and study time.

I hope you have had a blessed week.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Dan

Thank you, Dave O'Connor!!

Dave O'Connor, long-time friend and co-worker at Mercy Ships, decided to bless Dan while he is deployed. David and his son, Brian, are going to restore Dan's 1969 Mustang. Dan got this car about 10 years ago, as "payment" for helping out a woman who had bought a house needing lots of repairs. He worked for a couple of years, and since she didn't have the money to pay him, she gave him this car! He hasn't had the time to work on it...

Dan was blown away with David's offer to get it up and running. What a terrific gift from the O'Connors.

First week in San Diego went well with Dan. He passed all of his physicals with flying colors. A funny sidenote - after eating no more than a lettuce leaf per day in order to pass his weigh-in, he never got weighed the whole week!! Oh well...it also helped to keep his blood pressure in check! :)

Training begins in full swing this week.

Thanks for your prayers!

Emails between Papa from Aiyana

Dear  papa,I hope  you  have  great  week. I  will  miss  you a  
lot.I will  be  sending you  tunn's of cards.when  are  you  going 
to  come  home .Me and  abby  and  josiah are   going   to  miss  you very ,very,very  much.love  Aiyana


Hi Aiyana,

I have had a couple of good days here in San Diego. It is actually hot today, close to 85 degrees. Most of what we have been doing is going to one office or another getting our check ups done. Today I got a couple of shots and had my hearing checked.

How is school going?

love you and miss you too.

Papa

Countdown to Sunday

It's hard to believe that after what seems like YEARS of talking/thinking/planning for deployment - will it happen or not - if so, when - will the official orders ever come in - etc etc, Dan will actually fly out of Tyler on Sunday morning, January 11th.

He's got most of the big stuff packed into a big ole tool chest on wheels. That will get shipped separately. Now, he's down to packing his seabag and other goodies. We've stocked up his computer with photos and bought him a webcam for Christmas, so we're all set!

I will attempt to use this blog to update those who want to know how it's going. We certainly appreciate everyone's prayers. I was especially grateful for an email I got today from Betty Lou Bennett, who lived as a Navy wife for years. She summed up my thoughts exactly when she said that getting READY for deployment is really the worst part. Once Dan is actually on the plane, I can then start counting the days until he is home!! If he wasn't so darn cute and nice, it wouldn't be such a big deal to have him gone! Hah!

We'll also enlist the help of experienced bloggers (Meredith & Lisa-Marie!!) to help us download photos! Yikes, this will be a lot of work!

Thanks again for your prayers. We trust the Lord in all of this. I truly believe He has wonderful purposes for Dan during this time, and He hasn't forgotten me, either!

Chat with you soon!