The Most Amazing Day

Me and Boaz Caleb Goble!!

I've decided. This is probably one of the greatest moments of my job. Today I got to stand in for a dad who is on his way home from Afghanistan. A few months ago I wrote to you in a newsletter about this little family. Well, baby came early, and dad is coming early, but not early enough!
I got a phone message from Kristiana yesterday morning telling me she was having light but consistent contractions. Around 1:30 a friend called and told me it was time for me to meet Kristiana at her house. By 2:30 we'd talked her into going to the hospital (I think in her mind she wanted to wait at home for Caleb- but I wasn't about to deliver a baby on a couch!) So # 1 yesterday, I drove a laboring woman to the hospital. #2 by 6:00, we had a baby!!!
It was the most amazing thing I've ever been a part of. She was such a trooper and little baby is so perfect and beautiful! He weighed 7lbs 1oz and was 19.5 in long.
Now we're waiting to hear from Caleb, and to tell him the news! As of yesterday morning he was leaving the middle-east and should be calling when he gets to Dallas. Pray for a safe quick arrival for dad!
There are incredible moments like this that Soldiers and Airmen sometimes miss. It is a hard place to stand, but I'm so grateful and blessed to be there for my dear friend and sister in Christ. Kristiana was obviously sad not to have Caleb there, but several times she just looked around the room in awe and said, "How crazy is it, I get to have a baby and all my friends are here!" She has quite the fellowship of army wives, and they are all amazing.

God Bless Caleb, Kristiana, Gage, and 'Bo'


Love,
Elaine

p.s. to make matters more exciting, Wes's sister Nicole gave birth yesterday to a healthy little boy! Welcome also, William (Liam) Jackson Clifton!

A Brotherhood

Brent & Wes preparing our wall of windows for imminent winter.

In February we bid farewell to about 10 guys and girls who were deploying for 7-12 months. We planned on being gone even before their mid-tour leaves. God knew we would be here when they come back...and so we are.

We had the great joy of welcoming Brent home two weeks ago. He had volunteered for an assignment with the Army, that didn't involve his pilot training in anyway, his was the only trip that was 7 months. Listening to his story is encouraging, challenging, and heartbreaking. God used his time there to reveal deep truths about Brent's life, his goals, and his gifts. He has shared with us the bond he built with soldiers "down range" and the scope of his responsibility while there. His conversation comes with such a weight of responsibility. He was able to help those who needed it, and saw the consequences of what happened without that help. I think that Brent is a great Soldier/Airman not because of his love of country, but because of his love for Jesus. He has a desire to see lives saved, hearts uncalloused, and people acting out of selfless motives.

Having Brent home now gives Wes and I a great picture of what to expect. Obviously no two experiences are the same, but it's a good alert to how to interact and deal with guys who have spent a year in Afghanistan. What to ask, what not to ask, and when to do it. I think it is safe to say we will now begin to prayerfully consider the homecoming of our friends. Brent isn't experiencing any Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) but some of our guys might, and if not this time around, possibly in the future. That is some thing we'll do some reading on before February.
Pray along with us for the spiritual implications of war in the lives of our soldiers.

We asked him what he missed most about home (aka, Anchorage) other than generalities like bread and milk, he missed "Moose's Tooth" a local restaurant with specialty pizza and a micro brewery. But he also told us that he'd promised the guys in Afghanistan to wait until they could join him to go there.

This is Home

It's Friday evening, there are about 20 soldiers and airmen upstairs reading through Galatians 2 with Wes. I was in the discussion last night at the married group, so I've sneaked downstairs to get dinner cleaned up, and dessert ready.

I figured this was a fun little sight, it made me feel like "home". Growing up there was always an uncontrollable mass of shoes on our back porch. Families pile their shoes together. I'm glad this is a family. :)

The first two weeks meeting in our home have gone well. More updates later, time for bed in Alaska!

God bless,
Elaine