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Today, Dale and I celebrate 18 years of marriage. It is usually the one celebration day where there is always a conflicting activity. Dale’s in the field, I’ve just had a baby, we’re moving, Dale’s TDY, we have to attend a school function, Abby’s never ending birthday parties, or Dale’s deployed. Something always interferes with the celebration. We did spend one anniversary at a hotel on Waikiki. It was quite lovely and courtesy of the US Army as it was our lodging prior to leaving for our next assignment. When we were first together, Dale’s gift giving was a bit hit and miss. One time he gave me a purple velour track suit. Although I do love to wear sweats, I had not yet moved to Florida and turned 70. Dale usually purchased gifts the night before as he wandered dazedly around Walmart or the Mall. After awhile, I began to direct his search more clearly as I realized it really wasn’t something he could figure out on his own. Kind of like me trying to figure out how to upload pictures to the blog. I gave him lists of item choices with sizes and colors and directed him to particular jewelry stores. To his relief and mine, he discovered proflowers.com. Amazingly, after 18 years of marriage, he has figured it out. Since he has been in Iraq, the kids and I have received very nice gifts. All the gifts have been unique and arrived well in advance of the occasion. Abby’s birthday gift and my anniversary gift arrived last week. Abby received an imitation designer pink clutch bag that she loves, and I received perfume. I do not like very many perfumes, because their scents have a tendency to overwhelm me. However, the perfume Dale sent is lovely. I find it remarkable that he entered a perfume shop, smelled the scents and chose one I would like. I, on the other hand, have been dreadful lately with gift giving. He was home for his birthday, but the gift I got for him did not arrive in time and he won’t receive the anniversary card I sent until tomorrow. If I continue down this path of negligence, I fear Dale will soon receive a purple velour track suit of his own. With it, he could wear the gold chain that his sister Tami sent him years ago. Then I’ll know he’s ready for retirement. Although, that will probably force us to move to Florida on a future anniversary.

I visited some project sites in Mosul today, east of the Tigris River. Chris Johnson and his 1-8 Infantry Battalion are responsible for the neighborhoods I visited today. The Iraqi Operation Lion’ Roar is still ongoing; however, the curfew has been relaxed a little. So there were people and cars out and about this afternoon. It was nice that most everywhere we went, the residents were smiling and waving.

Rick was once again able to coordinate for dedicated air coverage for our entire move. The 4-6 Air Cavalry unit provided two OH-58D Kiowa Warriors. Having eyes in the sky gives me a good feeling. We traveled today in the REVAs again. I was glad that today’s move only lasted for an hour, not like the 9 hour days in Sinjar and Rabiyya!

Our record for today was 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 tie. At the first site we visited, the contractor has done really good work. The construction is progressing well. That was the win. At the second site, a different contractor seems to have done no work at all. The pump station is in total disrepair. That was the loss. The tie was at the third site. At this location, the contractor is still finalizing his design and has not broken ground yet. I knew that before the visit, but I wanted to check the site before construction starts.

All in all, it was a very good day.

This morning while reading the Bible, I came across a Psalm that sounds like something a mother would say to her kids. The translation is The Message, and the passage is Psalm 15:2-5a:

Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.

Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor, despise the despicable.

Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.

It’s hard to find better, more succinct advice than that!

I went on a site visit inside the city of Mosul this morning. There is a curfew in effect throughout the whole Ninewa Province due to an ongoing Iraqi Army operation. This offensive has been reported in most major news media. Because of this, the streets were particularly empty as we drove to the different sites today. All three of the sites we visited are sewer/storm drain projects. Below is a picture from the Al Jasaeer project site. The contractor installed a new storm water sewer system on the right hand side of the road where the new manhole and pavement is visible. Before this, there were no storm drains in this area, just like in Phoenix!

As we were returning from our mission today, I noticed an interesting tattoo on one of the team members. Instead of wearing a wedding band, he has a tattoo on his ring finger. It’s hard to read in the picture, but it says Chrissy.

Happy Mother’s Day from Mosul.

One week ago today, on 2 May 2008, MAJ Rick Biddle walked over from the Operations trailer and told me that SET 8 had been hit by an IED. SET 8 is based out of COB Speicher in Tikrit. The team had taken some USACE personnel on a project site visit along the Bayji to Baghdad Pipeline Exclusion Zone north of Tikrit. Among the personnel was Jim Lockard, a Project Manager working at GRN. At approximately 1000, Jim’s vehicle was hit by an IED and came under small arms fire from insurgents. The Aegis SET repelled the attack, pushed the insurgents back, evacuated the USACE personnel, and returned to COB Speicher. Jim died at the CSH as a result of his injuries sustained from the IED blast.

When I arrived in Mosul in August 2007, Jim was the Project Manager for the GRN healthcare clinics. For a couple of months, I spoke with him every Sunday during the weekly healthcare clinic conference call. I finally had the pleasure of meeting Jim in October 2007 when I went to COB Speicher for the Engineer Conference. I immediately liked Jim as everyone did when they met him.

On Wednesday, I traveled to COB Speicher for a memorial ceremony in honor of Jim. COL Pfenning spoke of his admiration and respect for Jim. Several other of Jim’s colleagues also gave remarks during the ceremony. They each consistently mentioned his love for his wife Maria and his two teenage daughters Danielle and Nicole. They also shared stories of his sense of humor. One of the speakers shared Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. In this passage, the Preacher says:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

I reflected on those words of Solomon as the bugler played Taps at the end of the ceremony. I along with everyone else that had the pleasure of knowing him will miss Jim dearly. Each night my kids pray for the safety of everyone deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world. They mention me by name as well as others we know that are deployed. In Mosul, we will continue to honor Jim’s sacrifice every time we go outside the wire.

Rest in Peace, Jim Lockard.

I just wanted to make a quick post letting everyone know that I have arrived safely in Mosul again. Actually, Mugs told me to post!