LETTERS TO GABE

Dear Gabe,

I'm so glad we caught you online yesterday to wish you a Happy Birthday. 

We miss Kim and the boys almost as much as we miss you.  It's just not the same without them.  Little things will remind us of them, a baby spoon or a sippy cup, and we'll find ourselves missing them all over again.

Its been a wet summer and the grass seed that Auntie Kesi threw down is sprouting.  I hope it will thrive but I'm not holding my breath. Astro-turf is starting to sound real good to me.

I'm really loving the new job although I'm not too thrilled with my success rate.  At this point I'll be happy catching so kid like your friend trying to swallow an unpaid for goldfish.  I'm getting so desperate that even if its an old lady trying to walk off with a bottle of K-Y jelly, she's going down!

Well, I hope you had a nice birthday.  We'll celebrate when you get back here.  Be safe, as always.

Love you.

Mom~

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Hey Gabe! Mom got the job and the house has never been this hecktic in years. Yeah... The cousins are here so we've got 11 people in our little old home. It's crazy but it's kinda fun at times. Can you believe it?! I'm going to be a freshman on the 19th and I'm going to be 14 on the 14th. Haha. It's still sucks that you can't be here for your 24th birthday. We'll still sing for you but I can't promise any cake LOL. Marching band is really fun and I'm playing instruments bigger than I am. I get a lot of crud for my height, but hey, It's cool because I've been told that I'm really good for a first year marcher. >.< I'm brushing up on Japanese words so I can cuss out my section leader without getting push-ups. It's gonna be great. Well send me an e-mail when you can. Good night, Good morning, sweet dreams or kick some a$$! Lol Laters

Love always,

~Rocky

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Dear Gabe,

Well, I got that job I was talking about before you left.  I start the real training on Saturday.  I'll find out over the next three weeks whether it was a mistake or not.  Lets just hope my big old butt can keep up with the mission.  One thing is for sure, I won't be bored!

I started cleaning up my corner in the room and found some pictures of yours and Zack's turkeys.  Do you remember that hunt?  I'll post the pictures when Dad gets them scanned.  You both had nice toms.  I'll bet the tails are still in the garage waiting to be mounted.  We'll have to check and get them done.  Dad can mount them now with a kit he buys.  They come out really nice.  Do you think Kimmie would mind having a couple of fans hanging in your home?

Give us a call sometime or drop us a line.  We miss you so much and look forward to your return.  Till then be safe.

Love always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

I can't believe how quickly the time has past.  This wasn't the first time we've put you on a plane en route to war torn Iraq and yet yesterday was particularly hard for both Dad and I.  It was hard on everyone.  Kim is trying to put on a front and tries to keep busy but Becca said she cried all night.  I wish she felt comfortable enough to lean on us because she is not in this vigil alone.

Take care Son, don't worry about Kimmie and the Little Guys.  They're in good hands.  6 months isn't that long really.  Remember how fast these past couple of weeks went by?  Now times it by 12... Nope, not too long at all. Till then, stay safe.

Love always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

You're finally home, and I know I should be concentrating on your time here but I can't help dreading the moment when we have to take you back to the airport so that you can rejoin your buddies back there.  I wish we had more time but that would only prolong the inevitable so I guess this is for the best.

I hope you can relax during this time and enjoy your little family.  Kimmie has been such a trooper during this time.  She has never acted worried in front of me, she never complained about being on her own.  I don't think she knew what she was getting herself into when she moved away from her family but she hasn't given up.  She is a very strong woman and you should be proud of her.  I know her mother must be.  I sure am.

I still remember when you were just a tiny baby.  Never did I imagine that one day you would be flying off to fight a war in a distant country.  Watching you grow as you have has just made me realize that there are no limits to the amount of pride or love a parent can have for their child.  It is not something one ever grows out of.  I am sure you are already realizing this of your own sons.  But their greatest accomplishments will come much later.  Do not hesitate to let them know how much you love and respect them.

I love and respect you son, for all you've done, for all you have risen above and for that which is yet to come.

Love always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

When you wake up in the morning you will be in Kuwait.  And then its just a hop, skip and a jump till you're back here with us.  Have a safe trip.  See you when you get here.

Love you always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

We are all getting so excited over here for your visit.  Kimmie and I were supposed to get you some clothes after grocery shopping yesterday but we lost each other, so I guess you'll have to walk around nekked while you're here.  Not really, but dude... boxers or briefs?  Hehehehe!

Not too sure if we'll be going to the Memorial Day Shoot this year.  Marilyn's mom is pretty sick so she and Richard are on stand-by for a trip out there if the mom get's admitted to the hospital.  There is also a stage one fire restriction in Fremont County where the camp out is held.  That means no open fires (camp fires) and no smoking outside.  If it goes to stage 2 there will be no fires of any kind, not even charcoal grills or propane stoves, and more importantly no black powder blasts so we're bracing ourselves for a possible cancellation.

Brinton might be making his way back home soon.  I don't think he'll be staying with his folks but you know Brinton, he'll find a place.

We're going to have a full house for a while.  Kesi and the kids should be here sometime in June, probably after you leave.  I think the change will do her good.  I just hope she's strong enough to take that big step.  Dad is going to drive out to pick them up.  If Kimmie still wants to go back to Ohio he'll probably drop her and the boys off then drive down to Kentucky.  I wish she would stay but I know its got to be really hard here for her.

I'm not sure if Little Zack is going to be coming out here.  Kayle isn't due until mid June but she doesn't think she's going to wait.  Or maybe she's just hoping she doesn't have to wait.  That poor thing is so uncomfortable and its got tobe muggy as hell out there.  At any rate I'm sure Connie is going to have to be there for her and the little ones.  We'll have to wait and see how that plays out.

2 more days and your boots will be in the air.  Woo hoo!  Till then, be safe!  Love you always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

Check it out, just over 3 weeks to go!  Its going to be weird not having you here at the house, but I think you're going to like the apartment.  Kim keeps it so clean.  I don't know how she does it with two toddlers running around.  Ayden has this thing about chairs.  He can't stand them standing upright, so he makes it his mission in life to over turn every chair he can.  The dining chairs are too heavy so he leaves them alone, but the two little Spiderman chairs... on their sides.  The fuzzy Spiderman papasan chair, upside down.  The baby's bouncer, upside down.  I don't want him to get bored so I'll set them all back upright and within minutes they're all tipped over again.

Ryott is getting so big, you won't recognize him.  He's trying to stand.  Kimmie said he can say 'Mama' now.  He's just the cutest, chubbiest little thing.  You'll have to watch him though, he watches, and he listens... very intently.  I'm not sure what is going on in that little head of his but I guarantee this, he's up to something!  I'll bet he already knows how to walk and rocks out in the crib thingie when we're not looking!  That's how Ayden was.  One minute he couldn't walk, the next minute... whoosh!  He's every where!

Well son, I guess I need to wrap this up and get busy.  Its already after noon here and I haven't done anything except to drink coffee, which isn't a bad schedule for my day off, but I'm supposed to be cleaning out Big Red and daylight is burning.  Take care, be safe and see you soon!

Love always,

Mom~

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Dear Gabe,

Today was a 'Girls Day Out'.  Kimmie, Becca, Rocky and I went shopping.  What a blast that was.  We went to Ross's first and the girls tried on all kinds of clothes.  Kimmie and Becca jumped out of the dressing room dancing and had the attendant laughing so hard.  Kim was wearing turquoise blue spandex pants.  Don't worry, you'll get to see her in them.  And believe me when I say she has lost all of her baby fat from Ryott!  She and Becca bought some cheap sunglasses, cos they're so cool like that (Becca's words, not mine).  Dad, who was our chauffeur for the day, even had ZZ Top's cd in the truck so he played 'Cheap Sunglasses' for them on the way home.  Too funny!

Kim has to check with Connie about flying out here with Zack.  Seem's Kayle's due date has been moved back to the end of June so it just might be possible for Connie to leave for a week or two.  I hope she can because I want to see Zachary and I don't want you to have to cut your visit here short.  But I'm a big girl and I can share so we'll just do what we have to do to make it work.

Ugh, it's almost 10pm.  I'm a night person.  I don't know what I was thinking when I took an early morning job.  But 3 am comes around quick so I best be hitting the sack.  Take care my son and be safe.  Love you always,

Mom~

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