Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me . . .

Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me, here I sit still in the same place passing time and it seems my birthday. Truthfully I did not even think of it until I got a card from my parents a few days back. Then yesterday after I returned from my road trip I received one from my wife and then a Box came from my uncle Robert. I do not think my uncle intended it to be a birthday gift but I took it that way and am very greatful for all of the wonderful things he sent and the cards I received. This is still one of the worst birthdays ever but my day has been enlightened by these things.

When we first arrived I put reminders in my outlook calendar for my three soldiers birthdays. This place is hard during holidays and it is especially hard during the birthdays, if people do not remember. It showed as SGT T’s birthday rolled around several months back. He works nights so he is hard to catch up with. So when my reminder popped up that morning to tell him happy birthday he was not in the office. I told everyone in the office to help me remember to tell him but we all forgot. SGT T came to the office that day and said “Chief you are not even going to wish me happy birthday?” I felt bad for having forgotten but when I showed him the reminder I had put on my calendar and told him what had happened his face seemed to brighten up since I did not really forget. The small things make the biggest difference it seems.

So today I am 42 years old, on my 41st birthday I ran 9 miles in about an hour and 20 minutes. Tomorrow which is my birthday back in the US I will run 8 miles. Life is good.

Today I would like to add a family to the pray for list. This family as far as I know is not a military family. Todd has a very difficult math class but all year he has managed to stay on top of his grades and learn this often difficult subject. His math teacher left to have surgery and was replaced by a substitute. Although this substitute is a retired teacher it seems that she is unable to get the kids to learn as effectively as the regular teacher. Yesterday his regular teacher passed away from complications. I would like to send out a special prayer request for her family and hopefully they know just what she meant to the children in her care. May God bless them.

Praying for the 18