Monday, January 7, 2008

It's still sinking in, confirmation it wasn't just a dream.

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (AP) - A Stryker infantryman from this Army base has been reported killed in Iraq, the first Fort Lewis death there in nearly seven weeks.

The Department of Defense says 30-year-old Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, of West Allis, Wis., was killed Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a bomb.

Lemke died in Ibrahim Al Adham in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

He was the 34th soldier from his brigade to be killed since it left Fort Lewis for a 15-month deployment in April, and the first since Nov. 18, when three died in a bomb attack.

Lemke was on his first deployment. A Fort Lewis news release says he joined the Army in Milwaukee in December 2004.


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Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: 1. Jesus Christ. 2. The American G.I. One died for your soul, the other for your Freedom.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

The curse of the new year

For the second year in a row, we've lost a dear friend within the month of January.

Jason Lemke was killed in a roadside bombing sometime Thursday or Friday (details are sketchy at this point) in Iraq. Jason was in his 30's, leaving behind his parents, sisters, and 2 young daughters. As well as countless friends.

He is missed.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Here comes 2008!

Do you ever sit at the computer, with all sorts of stories or things you want to say, and just can't get them out??

That's what had happened every time I've thought about blogging for the past few months.

I could blame the holidays, but it started WAYYYY before then.

I could blame being too busy, but after I get my 7 year old off to school in the morning I'm doing my own thing till I pick my oldest up at 2pm.

I could blame my boyfriend's daughter when she's here, but well, she's just too cute. And I can't blame a 14 month old, she needs attention, she's a baby!

I could blame being stressed about money since we are going for permanent placement of my boyfriend's daughter do to some not so stellar choices from her mama.

And I KNOW that part of it is the stress. I'm worried that we are going to be continually strapped and end up not having what we need to take care of all the court and lawyer fees if his ex doesn't agree in mediation. We have lots of family support from my family that should keep us afloat, but with a lawyer that charges $150 an hour, and the courthouse being almost an hour from her office, the fees pile up fast!

On top of that, we have his income, which is great, but I need to come up with a budget to make sure everything gets taken care of in a timely manner. We want to buy a house within the next year or so, and well, while his credit is good, he doesn't have much, so any late payments hit it harder.

Here's the first of what I hope to be many posts here in the future. Sorry I left you all for so long....but I'm back and raring to get 2008 off to a positive note.