In perspective

     I have a cold, or maybe it's allergies, or maybe both. Anyhoot, I haven't felt up to par since last week.
     I am definitely ran down and tired. My body is saying, "ENOUGH, you do way TOO much!"
     I was thinking about how miserable I was feeling, and then I received an email from my son Cody, a US Marine who is currently deployed. He just made it all come back into perspective for me.


     Here is an excerpt of what Cody wrote to me:

     So anyways, we just got back from working with the French in Africa…. And let me tell u, that there is really no god in Africa. That place is by far the most horrible place I have ever been to. I thought I was going to melt, oh my god it was so bad mom. Haha. I hope I never have to go back there. We had a few heat casualties in the platoon, and a couple guys in Bravo Company got blown up from a mortar round getting too hot or something, and then guys rushing to the scene rolled a Humvee! So there was like two serious air medivacs going on at the same time. The guys in bravo got shrapnel in their chest and neck and were like gonna die if it hadn’t have been for the field corpsman and the other marines there. Pretty crazy news.
     And before that we were driving around in the oceans with our tracks (like I showed u in those videos) so we were in this heat, in 90* water, in an enclosed metal box. It was the hottest I've ever been in my life. And on top of that there was a leak in the gas line so the gas fumes was leaking into the sealed track. We had a two guys pass out, and the rest of us got sick. We ended up opening the top of the track while we were out at sea (which is like a big no no). and we got to shore right at the medical station and we had to rush guys everywhere that were all passed out and seizing up and stuff. Anyways, I know u don’t prolly like to here of that stuff, but that was my week. Lol. But I did meet some cool French guys (even tho most aren’t even French) and we met a lot of the African natives. So yea, I got to get going for now but I am back on ship and should be just heading home now. We are stopping in Kuwait, Thailand, and Japan and then back to Hawaii. So I am pretty excited! I love u ma! And I miss u!

     I am so proud of my son! I can't wait until he is home, and I am not looking forward to his next deployment, which won't be a Military Expeditionary Unit (MEU), but rather a standard deployment, probably to Afghanistan.
     I told him that I was glad that he told me everything because it reminds me that we shouldn't complain about and take for granted the things in our lives.
     I have a feeling that most of those soldiers would've happily traded me for my week!