It Can't Be

I can't believe its that time again. I feel as though this times comes all to often in our lives and I try and avoid thinking about it at all costs. Today it smacked me right in the forehead...Kyle is leaving soon. I have known about this upcoming deployment before the day he stepped back onto American soil from this last deployment in July 2008. I have had plenty of time to "prepare" myself for this, but instead, I have pretended it wasn't going to happening. Well, it is going to be happening here in the near future and I wish I could make time stand still.
We are trying to make it so that I can go back to the states permanently. However, like anything in the Army it isn't that easy and takes. I will at least be coming home for Christmas and staying a couple of months, but after that I am not sure. I will be sad to say goodbye to our great friends here in Germany, but happy to be closer to my family. I am so thankful for my friends here and know that if it doesn't work out for Gunnar and I to stay in the states for good, we will be okay here. We have great friends who care for us and love us.
Tonight at Bible study they laid hands on and prayed for the guys that are getting deployed from our group Tim, Jay, and Kyle. They also prayed for Gina and I as their wives who will be staying back. It is such an emotional time, and there was no holding back the tears. While my heart is aching knowing that Kyle is leaving soon, that is inevitable, I know that he is doing God's will. Kyle and I pray a lot about what God's will is for our lives and we do our best to walk on that path. This is why Kyle is still in the military. I have peace knowing that our Heavenly Father will be protecting and watching over Kyle and the other guys and give me the strength to persevere without Kyle by my side.
Having said that, we don't know exactly when Kyle is leaving, and I won't be able to share that information with you. Please just keep him and the 173rd Airborne Brigade in your prayers as they head off to Afghanistan in the upcoming days and weeks.
On a lighter note here is that little charmer of ours who we love to death...
Suesse should be called "patience." She has no patience for other dogs, but is so gentle and loving to Gunnar. She tried to get him to play rope with her tonight, it didn't really work out, but I am so glad she loves and is patient with our little boy. He definitely isn't gentle with her and she puts up with a lot of eye poking and hair pulling.

Thanks Poppa and Grandma for this sweatshirt. It is so cute and warm!