Cutest Dorm Room on Campus!

Well--she is moved in and she has the cutest room on campus. We moved her in last week and so far everything is going great. She is getting along fabulous with her roomate and also her 2 suite-mates. There are 2 rooms that share a common area and bathroom. Check this blog often--I am going to start using it again to keep family and friends updated on our family!

Jami's Military Ball

Jami's first "official" military ball. Her "date" was a friend who she met through Jared--he was stationed in Washington DC with Jared. No offense Jami--but in uniform--Andy out does you!

Jesi's Winterfest

Saturday was Jesi's Winterfest Dance....she cleans up pretty good--don't ya think???

Christmas Fun

Just wanted to share a few Christmas photos--CLICK HERE to see more!
Was so great to have everyone home--including Jared and Anna--our daughter from Italy (exchange student last year!)

Jared's Home

Finally--pictures to share. Jared arrived safely home on December 20th--just in time for Christmas. It was a day of tears and relief--we are so glad to have him home! Thank you to EVERYONE who supported him with your prayers, packages and letters--know that they were greatly appreciated!

Just Had to Share

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts...

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile."
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

JARED'S HOME!!!!!!!

Just got off the phone with Jared. He just landed at an Airforce Base in California. He has about 6 hours until he is back to Victory Field at 29 Palms. Still has to square away gear and turn in weapons. Then he's off til Wednesday. He sounded GREAT and is very excited to be on American soil again.

Jared will be back in US soon!!!

No exact date, but will post as soon as we can!!!! Keep praying for safe travel and exit from Afghanistan.

Here is a link to a great article about their tour in Afghanistan.

Picture of Jared

There is another picture of Jared on the "power points" that the USMC posts each day.
CLICK HERE to go to the page, then open the Nov 11th one--slide #2 is Jared!

They take quite a while to download--but all the latest ones are great pictures!!!! If you have time--check them all out. There are no other individual pictures of Jared--but they are his unit and he very well could be in them!

Also--several of you have asked for his email address. It is: metro_marine@yahoo.com

Please continue to keep him and all the guys of the 2/7 in your prayers until they have their feet on the ground on US soil!

When he returns to the US--he will be going back to 29 Palms, California. He will be back home in Michigan for Christmas!

Jared just called with the news we've been waiting for!

HE'S DONE!!!!!! Jared is done with his operations. He has turned in his ammo and is sitting at his base in Afghanistan until he flys home. Nothing left but PT and 3 meals a day until his plane shows up to take him home. He has email access now and is checking it every day if you want to get in touch with him.

Jared called in the middle of the night with GREAT NEWS!

Jared called all excited about what happened last night. At 4:00 a.m. Afghanistan time someone ran into thier tent yelling "It's raining outside!" He heard the rain hitting his tent. All the guys jumped out of their racks and went out and played in it. It lasted for one hour. It's been seven months since they have seen rain. Jared said "You wouldn't believe how good it felt to get wet and how amazing it was to experience the smell of somthing wet again." and oh ya "My truck is clean from the rain too."

Jared Called

Talked to Jared this morning....his spirits were great as he "see's the end!" They have finish up with "major missions" and some of the guys in his unit have actually returned home already! We don't have his exact return date yet, but we know he will be "home" in Michigan for Christmas!!! They have stopped mail to his unit--so no more packages, cards and letters.

I want to personally thank all of our friends and family who have supported him and the other guys over there with your prayers, packages and letters. He has asked me to make sure you all know how much he has appreciated it and to thank everyone!

Will keep you updated as we hear more.

Jared finally called again

I just got off the phone with Jared. He is doing well and anxious to be coming home, probably by the end of the year. He still has alot of work to do and is very busy. I wish the news media would report on what's going on over there. Afghanistan seems to have become a "Forgotten War". The success they are having is amazing but quite often comes at a high cost. They have Taliban turning themselves in wanting to change sides because they will not fight United States Marines anymore. I regret not being able to share much more information at this time. For security reasons as the marines get closer to coming home communication is limited and vague at best. What I post also has to be very limited a this point. Moto Mail has been turned off to the 2/7 so that is no longer an option to write to them. He will be there long enough to receive packages or regular mail if it is sent soon and would be appreciated. Most of all please be praying for the marines of the 2/7 to keep focused on their missions which is difficult with time growing shorter. Also pray for their protection and bringing them all home safely.

Jami in Uniform

Last week Jami came home for a funeral....since she brought laundry home, including uniforms, I made her put on for me to take pictures. Doesn't she look great in uniform! I am so proud of her!

Decorating Jami's Room

This week I went over to Jami's dorm at Michigan State University and helped her decorate with the new Decor Elements from Stampin' Up! It was so easy--and we love how it turned out!


This was meant for a Halloween decoration, however, Jami's roomate, Paige, said it has to stay up! It's quite a joke because Jami is scared to death of spiders--and she can't call "daddy" every time she sees one!

Picture of Jared

I hope this works...here is a link to a power point presentation that has a picture of Jared.
http://www.imef.usmc.mil/staffsections/g3/pptarchive_27.asp

Once on this page, click on:
2/7 OEF Daily PowerPoint - September 19th, 2008

You need to have power point on your computer to view it....he is in slide #4.

Update on Jared

I realize it's been a while since we posted any news from Jared. Now that the news of what he's been doing has been published I feel it's ok to post. I've attached an article from the Marines web site below.

Jared and the 2/7 have completed their missions of transporting and training the ANP that they were sent over to do with great success. Their objective then changed to offensive actions hunting down the Taliban. The article attached below is from a battle he was in and typical of what he's been doing lately. For the last few weeks he's been going out supporting Force Recon on some special missions.

Jared is doing great and signed the papers to reenlist today. Four more years. He has a somewhat firm date to be back in the US before the end of the year. So keep praying for the safety of these soldiers and that they return home safely soon.

Marines assault Taliban stronghold

Article by Cpl. James M. Mercure
Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix


HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Marines along with coalition forces carried out an assault on a Taliban-held compound in Now Zad, Afghanistan, Aug. 28.
The accomplishments of the assault, was the seizure of enemy ordnance and weapons, materials used to make IEDs (improvised explosive devices), and the destruction of several enemy vehicles, buildings and fighting positions.
The Marines and sailors of Company F, Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division and coalition forces are exploiting the enemy any way they can.
“Our overall mission here is to degrade the enemies’ ability to operate in Now Zad,” said Capt. Ross Schellhaas, Fox Company commander and Meridian, Idaho native. “During this assault, we pushed far beyond our objective. We found and took several of the enemies’ weapons, which takes away their ability to use them against us.”
“Whenever we get to an assault position, we’re already receiving fire and the Marines go right to the sound of the guns – no hesitation,” Capt. Schellhaas explained.
During the assault, Fox Company Marines had the additional support of the task force’s Combined Anti-Armor Team, which supported the operation with additional heavy firepower.
“Our main goal was to help Fox Company clear their objective by killing as many enemy fighters as possible,” said Maj. Urbano Cruz, Weapons Company commander and Palm Beach, Fla., native. “The thing that CAAT brings to the fight is a sizable force. We’re the ‘big guns’ of the battalion, and the Taliban see that and think twice before attacking.”
To combat the IED threat, TF 2/7’s Combat Engineer Platoon are called forward and breach the enemy’s walls with explosives so the Fox Company Marines can move forward to their objective.
“We can always get the Marines through the door, or through the wall,” said Sgt. David J. Lang, a combat engineer squad leader and Port Orchard, Wash., native. “The infantry guys will always have a way in or a way out with us around.”
“In the few months we’ve been out here, the combat engineers have found approximately 120 possible IEDs while out on missions,” Lang said.
Fox Company Marines and sailors are relentless in their pursuit of ridding the area of its threatening Taliban presence. As TF 27 continues to conduct counterinsurgency operations throughout the Helmand and Farah provinces, Fox Company is certainly making a name for itself by dominating the enemy with superior firepower and maneuver.
“After months of sustained combat, it’s a testament to the Marines’ strength, endurance and character that they keep doing the little things right,” said 1st Lt. Arthur E. Karell, 3rd Platoon commander and Arlington, Va., native.

Cadet Bolhuis

It's official--Cadet Bolhuis! Click Here for more pictures

Jami Moves Into the Dorm at MSU

We moved Jami in on Wed. to Michigan State University. She is officially a SPARTAN! She was so excited!!!!

Still unpacking--but their room is going to look great!

Her roomate, Paige. They get along GREAT. She is also a ROTC cadet!

GREAT NEWS ARTICLE BY COL OLIVER NORTH

Report From a Forgotten War: Second in a Series

Thursday , August 14, 2008

By Col. Oliver North

Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan —

This British-built fortress, perched on a plateau in southwestern Afghanistan, is well named. Surrounded by miles of open desert, the citadel has its own concrete runway, water supply, sewage, electricity, Level 3 Trauma Hospital, even fire mains — all constructed in the last 30 months.

The heavily-armed camp is home to British, Danish, Estonian and Czech troops of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). It's also home to Task Force 2/7 (T/F 2/7), built around the legendary 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment out of Marine Corps Base 29 Palms, California — a good place to prepare for this austere terrain and oppressive heat. Camp Bastion is an outpost of sanity in an otherwise insane part of the world.

Helmand Province is the heartland of the Taliban — the Islamic radicals who won a bloody civil war to rule Afghanistan in 1996. Once in power, the Taliban imposed strict Sharia law and brutalized the largely impoverished Afghan population. Taliban leaders also provided a haven for Usama bin Laden's Al Qaeda to launch the 9/11 attack. In November 2001, when they were deposed by the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance, many of the Taliban fled south to Pakistan and east into Iran. This spring, they came back, intent on overthrowing the democratically elected government of President Hamid Karzi. That's when the Marines of TF 2/7 arrived "in country" to train and mentor Afghan Army and police forces.

It's been a challenging assignment for the 1300 Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen of TF 2/7. The unit's Area of Operations (A/O) is more than 28,000 square kilometers — roughly the size of Vermont. There is only one paved highway. Overland transport to some of the fifteen forward bases and combat outposts where TF 2/7 operates often takes more than 24 hours of continuous day and night movement. Until this week — when four CH-53 transport helos and four Cobra gunships arrived, the task force had to rely on NATO aircraft for close air support, aerial re-supply and casualty evacuation. Parachute-drops of food, water and ammunition are a regular event.

Before they could train their first Afghan soldier or National Policeman, the Marines had to fight their way into the districts where they were to do the mentoring. Since then they have had to battle the Taliban to keep their overland supply lines open. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hall, the TF commander, describes the near non-stop gunfights, indirect fire and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks as "a very dynamic, complex and often hostile environment." That's putting it mildly.

Because there were no police stations or Afghan Army units in most of the remote districts where TF 2/7 is operating, the Marines had to construct their own security outposts — a Herculean effort given the lack of paved roads and primitive infrastructure. As Lt. Col. Hall puts it, "We have had to simultaneously fight the Taliban, build more than a dozen defensive strong-points, train new Afghan National Police and conduct civic-action programs to win over the local population — and we're doing it. Our motto, 'Ready for all, yielding to none,' says it all."

He's right. Though his Marines and Navy Medical Corpsmen have suffered more than 100 casualties from enemy action since they arrived, they have confronted the Taliban, unrelenting heat, innumerable exhausting patrols wearing 40 pounds of armor and persevered in the roughest living conditions I have experienced since Vietnam. More than half the Task Force has served previously in Iraq or Afghanistan — some in both. Yet, the unit's re-enlistment rate is 118 percent — among the highest in the U.S. armed forces.

To link up with Company "F" 2/7 at Forward Operating Base Now Zad we flew from Bastion aboard a British CH-47 Chinook helicopter with a sling-load of ammunition. As they have since arriving at Now Zad, the Marines and their British counterparts patrol day and night to keep the enemy off balance in this Taliban stronghold. Capt. Ross Schellhaas, the "Fox Company" Commander — and the son of a Naval Academy shipmate — says that "nothing in the field manuals could fully prepare us for this – but we adapt and overcome." And they have.

Because enemy contact has been so intense and casualty evacuation so tenuous, "F" Company has its own Shock Trauma Platoon — headed by Commander James Hancock, a U.S. Navy surgeon. To ensure that the wounded receive immediate lifesaving treatment, he and his Corpsmen mounted a steel container on the back of a flatbed truck and outfitted it as a mobile operating room. The "Doc-in-a-Box" has already saved more than a half dozen lives. When I asked Doctor Hancock if his battlefield innovations are being adopted as "doctrine" he replied, "Not yet, but I'm working on it."

That pretty much sums up how these young Americans have responded to this difficult mission in Afghanistan: with tenacity, selfless bravery and resourcefulness. And that's why Sergeant Major Matthew Brookshire, the senior non-commissioned officer in Task Force 2/7, calls his Marines, "the quiet professionals."