The Journey Begins

And so after more than five months of training, Richard finally makes his way to Afghanistan.

One night while we were talking on Facetime, he showed me his room.  He'd been packing all day and had gear and luggage everywhere.  It was a very sad, lonely sight to me.  I have a feeling there's a story in this deployment, so I told him to take a photo of his room.  The above is of his desk.  I think it speaks volumes ... definitely sums up his time in El Paso. (On a light note it says to me that you can have a maid, but it ain't the same as havin' a wife:)!) What touches me the most in this photo is the framed handprints in the back.  This is of my hand and Hanson Ellis'. I made it when he took his first Company Command out at Fort Lewis when Hanson Ellis was just 10 months old.  I wrote Jeremiah 29.11 on there (along with a little note of encouragement).  That was almost 12 years ago!  Sort of surprised me that he took that with him to TX.  But it makes my heart happy:).

I love my husband ... my soldier ... the greatest friend I'll ever have.  Proud of his diligence in seeking knowledge to better understand the culture/mindset we are at war in and with.  Proud of his love of God and of his unyielding sacrifice to a country that needs to put Him first again.

Over the next few months I pray that he honor God is all he does.  May he continue to remember who he is.  May he be an encouragement and a leader to all; both American and Afghani soldiers.  I pray that he will have a vision and that he will never lose hope.  May God bless him and bring him home safely and soon.  And may God keep us close, despite the odds that the world says are against us.

I pray also for the girls and me.  I pray that I will honor God is all that I do.  I pray that I will continue to remember who I am.  I pray that I will be an encouragement to our girls and other wives that are experiencing deployments, too.  I pray that I will have a vision and that I will never lose hope.  May God bless me in my service to Him as I fill my days with wearing the hat of mother, father, sister, daughter, teacher, cook, accountant and friend.  (just to name a few)

I pray for our girls.  I pray that they will encourage one another.  I pray that they will enjoy writing their Daddy and receiving letters from him ... that they will treasure the words he writes intentionally to each one of them.  I pray that they will learn to trust God in new ways and that they will see and rejoice in the many provisions He will daily provide.

I pray that the seven of us would enjoy every day ... even though we are apart ... because life is such a gift and we are not to take it for granted.  I pray that we would faithfully look to the future, but joyfully live the now.  

And last, but not least, I pray that 57 would sell so that we would be able to join Richard at our next duty station when he returns and be a family again.

"Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine ..."
Ephesians 3:20a

I love you Richard.  Super proud of you and constantly humbled by you.

To God be the Glory.
Goodnight!
mk