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.