All Hands on Deck!

I have had the most unbelievably busy day today.  Unsurprisingly to myself and also surprisingly to myself I have once again bitten off far more than I can actually chew.

I'm organizing a huge picnic for our church and by my own fault waited too long to get all the information that I needed...thus, running myself ragged trying to get things taken care of today.  And in all of my haste to accomplish everything I needed to do today, I had to drive thru McDonalds to get my kids lunch (something that I do more often than I'd care to actually admit.)

And don't you know it, the wildly efficient and amazing McDonalds around the corner from us even serves food piping hot.  Which is great if you're a grown up, but if you're a 15 month old baby...then "hot hot hot" doesn't fly.  So, I just thought I'd share my super handy trick for rapidly cooling food when you have hungry children and no time to spare waiting around.  This can also work for fries, tater tots, hamburgers...get creative...I'm telling you this method is amazing.

yes, those are chicken nuggets!

For really rapid cooling, crank your temperature down and your fan speed up.  I'm telling you...this method is cooling magic!

I've decided to take a break from the Glory Babies story for a tad...I'll get back to it in the next couple of days though.  I have had a lot of my plate today though and not up to typing around in an emotional story...I know you understand.  Besides, I need to make sure that you all don't worry and think I've gone all permanently serious on you either!

I do have to share something serious, neat, and prayer worthy with you today.

I have a really awesome brother.

Here he is.

That's obviously me with him.  Isn't he so cute?!  He's single in case you have any fantabulous girls who love a guy in uniform.  She has to be UH-mazing though!  Don't judge...he's my brother...I'm protective!

Anyhow...see that big fatty aircraft carrier behind him?  Well, that's the Franklin D. Roosevelt.  He had been on it for 8 months back a couple of years ago when this picture was taken.  That was April 18th, 2009 on the day that he got home.

Today, that awesome Navy sailor brother of mine deployed again and won't be home til Christmas.

Source: MilitaryTimes.com

This time he's on the George H.W. Bush and it's a pretty big deal.  The Bush is one of the newest aircraft carriers and this cruise is it's first combat deployment.  I just found a cool article about it in the Washington Post HERE if you want to read a bit more about it.  Get this..."Named for the nation's 41st president, the $6.2 billion warship is the 10th and final in the Nimitz class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers first launched in 1972. They are the largest warships in the world."  That little nugget is from the Associated Press.  I thought you'd find it interesting...mostly because I did.  This next link is a quick summary of what the Navy themselves say that the Bush will be doing for the next 6 months.  So if you're fascinated by this too, then you can read that one HERE.

I'm telling you for a couple of reasons.  First and foremost is that I want to ask you to pray for my brother Landon (we like to call him Uncle Buds around here though.)  I don't even care if you don't like the military...you should still be thankful that they stick their necks out for you to keep our country safe, and the least you can do is pray for them.  There are over 6000 men and women on this cruise alone...that's a lot of men and women floating around in dangerous waters to protect YOU!  And that's not even counting all the thousands of others with different jobs out there.  So pray for them?!  Pray for him?!

If you do love the military and are like me, randomly accosting soldiered people in random places to thank them, then here's a way that you can support them.  When these guys are on float (I'm including gals in the term "guys" here too,) they miss home something fierce.  The phone conversations have terrible connections and about a 5 second delay when they call from the ship, IF they get to call from the ship, and the internet for them is almost like dial-up.  My brother said it is seriously the bee's knees to get packages with goodies.  Landon learned how to share pretty well when he was a kid, and as a result he shares really well when we send him stuff.  There are plenty of people out there who have noone sending them anything.  So...here's where you come in.

I'm asking you to consider sending a letter or a package to my brother sometime over the next 6 months.  You can mail from the post office and even use the prepaid boxes filled with anything you want.  Baked goods travel well if you vacuum seal them, and any fun gum, candies, and other treats are always a blast for them to get.  I think Landon really liked when we sent him cans of ranch style baked beans last time too....I know...hilarious.  If you want to make sure that he shares (even though he would anyhow) then address the package to Landon Lane and friends.  And do me a favor...tell him you read my blog! :-)

Don't worry, I'll remind you along the way and hopefully sometime you'll jump on this bandwagon...you have no idea how far this sort of thing goes for them over there!

So here's his address.  In case you're wondering they get stuff usually in about a week to two weeks from when you mail it.

AD3 Lane, Landon
VFA-15
Unit 60143
FPO AE 09504-6201

So here's you're chance friends...send a sailor some love!  If you even have that one second where you think to yourself, "that'd be cool, I should totally do that."  THEN DO IT!!!  I know he'll appreciate it, and because he's my brother I will too!

 He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea.
 -Thomas Fuller.