Remember our Sunny Days and Stormy Praise discussion? Here’s a belated footnote:
Right now, you can listen to Praying for Sunny Days on Hyper Static Union’s MySpace profile.
Table of contents for Suffering and Sunshine
Archive for June, 2006
The top U.S. commander in the Pacific invited a Chinese delegation to observe five days of war games in the Pacific.
“Chinese military observers said Thursday that observing U.S. military exercises in the Pacific this week gave them a better understanding of U.S. weapons and tactics.” - Army Times 6/22/06
Why?
How is this a good thing? Advocates of the exchange say, “Chinese exposure to advanced U.S. capabilities reduces the chances of misunderstandings or clashes.”
Others say, “say China gains valuable information about the U.S. military without giving away anything in return about their own 2.3 million-member armed forces — the world’s largest.”
Personally, I don’t see what good comes from sharing military information with a potential enemy. Are they hoping that China will return the favor? Perhaps mutual worries about North Korea are encouraging the two countries to get friendlier.
What do you think?
Joel came home this evening so we finally got to celebrate my appointment as a second lieutenant in the Army.
Jeremiah suggested that we go to a Chinese buffet. This is something we’ve never done as a family before. He told me he wanted to try ALL of the food. I highly doubted that he would eat anything more than a crab rangoon.
I was so wrong.
First the boy filled a plate of raw veggies and meats and watched patiently as a man cooked them on a Mongolian BBQ grill. Then he tried at least a bite of everything we could fit on four or five plates. He probably tried most of the 150 items available. After each bite he would give the thumbs up or down. Grilled shrimp got a big thumbs up. Sushi and clams got a big thumbs down. But he tried them. And he swallowed them. I was so impressed, I’ll be telling everyone I meet for at least a week. My brave little boy ate some scary stuff and he’s ready to go back for more. We had so much fun. He mastered the chopsticks on his first try; carefully picking up little bits of shrimp and jiggly cubes of Jello.
Jeremiah’s has decided we should save all of our eating out money and try a different buffet each month. He can’t wait to try everything at the Mexican buffet and is way too excited about the Indian and Japanese restaurants.
***Update 6/23/06: I have two more invites. Who wants them?***
I’ve got three eBible invites. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read a review of this new site. If you want an invite comment on this post.
Update: 6/6/06 Sorry, all out of invites. I’ll let you know when I get more.
Update 6/14/06: I have two more invites! Who wants them? Sorry, I’m out again.
I really enjoy reading blogs written by people going through the Chaplain Officer Basic Course at Fort Jackson, SC.
Thankfully, there are two guys frequently blogging during the current class.
If you’re wondering what in the world I’ve gotten myself into… read their blogs.
Update 6/23: Added two more blogs.
My recruiter just called. I have been approved by the Army chaplain candidate appointment board.
Thanks to everyone who helped me out by praying, encouraging or filling out countless personal reference forms.
What’s next?
Paperwork. Swearing in. A few years of grad school and the Chaplain Officer Basic Course.
Joel’s gone again. He’ll be back on Friday evening. I miss him more than I should. He hasn’t been gone for even 24 hours, and he’ll be back so soon. But then he’ll leave again and again and again. And finally, in November he’ll leave for a whole year.
As brave and determined and patriotic as we pretend to be. I hate this.
I’ve never been one of those wives who gets tired of their husband or looks forward to them leaving for a few days. I miss my husband. I like having him around. That is why I married him 11 years ago.
