Austin has been on me to update the blog with a few more new pictures. He also wanted to remind everyone that he is 4 months old today! Yea!! He is doing great. The night times are getting a little more "quite" as he now sleeps anywhere from 6-8hrs straight. He's a growing boy and gets hungry. Hey, I can relate! I like my milk at night too. However, mine is made with cream, chocolate, marshmallows, nuts and lots of sugar and goes by the name of Rocky Road! I just don't know why I keep gaining weight?
We leave for Idaho tomorrow for a week with Grandma and Grandpa (Janet's parents). We are excited to show Austin off to Janet's side of the family. We are also looking forward to a few days off from work. Patient care/doctoring takes its toll on a person!
I (Eric) am struggling with the option of being the stay at home Dad for the next 9 months as Janet completes her active duty time. My contract with the hospital expires October 1st and I could easily stay home with Austin, work part time or not at all. We have base housing, so we have no major bills and as long as Janet is active duty we have medical coverage and benefits so we really don't need my income, but it's nice. I have to come to a decision soon so if you don't mind saying a few prayers for me that would be great.
While we are praying, I would just like to ask everyone to keep our service men and women who are deployed in your prayers. Regardless of your beliefs about whether we should be in the middle east, these brave Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen are out there doing their jobs in harms way. This week, the US has suffered heavy losses and so many families are grieving today, and will be for a long time. Janet and I both have friends in Iraq and Afghanistan and my cousin Jarrell is there as well. Real people, with real lives, facing real danger in a region of the world that is extremely hostile.
On the 4th, we went to a concert on the main parade field at Camp Lejeune. There were literally thousands of people on base to see the fireworks and watch Lee Ann Womack perform. As the sun set over the horizon, the music stopped and a bugle played a few notes over the loud speakers. Immediately, everyone stood up and turned towards the large American flag flying in the distance. The celebrating, energetic crowd fell silent on cue. It was Colors. The ceremony for the lowering of the flag at night. Even though there were thousands in attendance, you could have heard a pin drop. A deep sense of pride overwhelmed me as I looked at the flag above and the people around. We are Americans! Citizens of the greatest country in the world.!
As Americans, we are willing to lay our lives down for people we don't know and die in countries we have barely heard of so that others can experience a life that is more free. America doesn't lay claim to foreign lands after the battles we have won, but we do help "clean up" after the fighting has ceased.. America doesn't need the resources of the countries we defend (no, not even oil! We have the largest strategic oil reserves of any county in the world). We don't force or impose a particular faith on anyone. We use our strong military power not to conquer other nations but to help other nations live more peacefully. We do all of this with no expectation of a thank you from the world, even though the civilized world as we know it would not exist without us. We are Americans! We are THE HOME of the free and the brave! I hope that we will continue to support democracy and freedom around the world. I hope too that Americans will continue to support the same here at home. Thank God for America! And until Christ returns and establishes His divine monarchy, may God bless this great nation of ours!
