News from the frozen north

This week we saw the best and the worst of military life here on Ft. Drum.  On Thursday we went with one of the military wives to her husband's welcome home.  They have four little kids and he had been gone with an MP unit for 15 months.  It was so much fun to be there, it never gets old.  This time they had a live military band and it gives you chills when they all march out and they play the Star Spangled Banner and the Army song.  These military wives continue to amaze us.  This soldier had been deployed six times in five years.  Some of them short deployments, but he still has been gone so much.  We also were very saddened to be called by the Bishop on Monday evening to tell us that one of the Watertown soldiers had been killed in a helicopter collision in Iraq.  He was flying a Kiowa helicopter.  We took pictures of he and his wife and baby the night he left.  He helped Dad give blessings to three of the Young Adults before he left that night.  His wife left to go back to Washington after he left, so she was there when the news came.  We had a special fast meeting in the family's honor today at church.  Many of the military wives bore testimony and expressed the fact that they knew the risks and accepted them when their husbands left, leaving it in the Lord's hands.  They have great strength and faith.  It was a very emotional meeting.  The Stake Pres. spoke briefly.  They will have a memorial service on post for all 4 soldiers.  Two of our ward members had the duty to go inform the families of the death of their husbands and fathers.   One bore his testimony and said that his only duty for the next few months will be to the wife he was assigned to help.  The wives know immediately what has happened when they open the door and see a soldier dressed in his Class A uniform.  All expressed how fragile life is and how we should treasure time with family.  These families have such unity and support each other so unselfishly.

On a lighter note, this is one of the worst winters in 40 years.  We have had snow every day for over a month and it has been 20 or below almost every day.  We have still been out and around as normal.  The car does great in the snow.  We are glad that two months of winter are gone.  We do love the work and are privileged to be part of the lives of these people.  We send our love to all of you and think of you often.  Pray for us, we need all the help we can get!  Love, Mom & Dad