Proud daughter-in-law

My father-in-law, Tom Shields, is a soldier with the Missouri National Guard. He's serving in Iraq and I'm super-proud of him and what he's doing:

Missouri Guardsmen continue important medical mission in Iraq

By Michelle Key, Missouri National Guard Public Affairs

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq –Nearly halfway through their deployment to Camp Bucca, Iraq, the Soldiers of the Missouri Army National Guard’s 205th Area Support Medical Company have distinguished themselves by providing medical support to both service members and civilians.

The company has been providing medical support at Camp Bucca since
February. Their commander, Maj. Herbert Mosebach, of Benton, said his Soldiers
have been doing an outstanding job.

“I can tell we’re on top of this mission and there is much more to do,” Mosebach said. “Their drive and enthusiasm is always showing.”

Camp Bucca is the largest American-run detainment center in Iraq. The
facility is now undergoing a major renovation and expanding to hold up to 30,000
prisoners, according to an October “Stars and Stripes” article.

Sgt. Jason Bird, Spc. Tessa Bulgier, Pfc. Travis Stahl and Pfc. William Floyd are assigned to the Air Force-run security operation. The security force patrols the area, serves as a quick reaction force, provides security for detainees, and searches for
improvised explosive devices. The Guard medics provide medical support for the
security force and Iraqi civilians.

In addition to their duties, Sgt. Suzanne Sippel, of Union, and 1st Sgt. Thomas Shields, of Lamar, volunteer one day each week at the detainee camp. They hand out clothes, toys, books, snacks and candy to Iraqi civilians at the camp’s visitation center.

“To us, this is a rewarding experience to show the people of Iraq that we care,” Shields said.

Although the Soldiers’ missions keep them busy, they still have some free time. Maj. Ian Fawks, of Moberly, and Capt. Jason Maeder, of Liberty, used that time to compete against 50 other participants in the camp’s half-marathon. Along the course, Guardsmen including Sippel and Staff Sgt. Joshua Hall, of Jefferson City, manned
water stations and medical stops.

“The weather cooperated and it was not too windy or hot until later in the morning,” Fawks said. “It was a fun race and I’m honored to be part of this memorial event.”

Two other Soldiers used their spare time to make work easier for their fellow Guardsmen. Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Robinett, of Wentzville, and Spc. Richard Westmoreland, of Moberly, helped implement a new electronic records system that gives medics quick and easy access to patient records on portable wireless devices. Both Robinett and Westmoreland received sergeant major coins from Sgt. Maj. Garfield Skyers of the 31st Combat Support Hospital.

Mosebach said he is proud of all his Soldiers and reminded them to look out for one another. He added that before long they would be planning their return home in November.

For more information on the 205th Soldiers and how to support these troops, contact Sgt. 1st Class David Huff at (816) 922-5044.

The Boys from Oklahoma rocked my face off!

Much thanks to my sister for telling me Cross Canadian Ragweed was playing at 9th Street Summerfest. I didn't hear any advertising for it, and I would have missed it for sure had she not have insisted on me getting her a shirt, which I'm wearing in the photo. Love you, Lauren!

Anyway, I decided that Flat Jason would probably enjoy the show, and we invited Mandi H. to come with us. Luckily, she was game for a Wednesday night adventure. We saw a few people we knew and met some we didn't. The band was rockin' so we didn't talk much.




We caught the guys after the show as they headed back to their bus. Thanks to the guys for posing in a photo and for supporting our troops! We even got home in time to catch Mandi's Jason online in Afghanistan. Both our Jasons will be sad they missed it. What a night!

Happy Memorial Day to you

So, I was pretty bummed that I didn't get to talk to my soldier this Memorial Day. He's busy doing his thing, I know. I got a phone call yesterday letting me know he got to his base ok, which was a big relief. I think this is where this deployment is going to start getting hard for me. Today was the first day in a very long time that I didn't get a phone call, not one. I feel like I'm going to explode. I'm used to telling him everything: what I'm doing, what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling. But I can't tell him, not now. Now, I will have to make due with e-mail and hope that the random calls come often.

Shakespeare Festival in Forest Park

Ahhh...road trips. They are a hallmark of summer. AJ, Lauren, Flat Jason and I piled into the car for a short road trip to see Tracy and King Richard in St. Louis. We got to the park early to find a good seat. And, after much debating, AJ made the final decision on seating location, and the tarp was laid out. We made friends with Lee Roy, a man sitting in front of us who regaled us with stories of Kentucky, sunsets and the actors in the play.

Before any entertainment began, our small party wandered about, looking at various collectibles and food items for sale. AJ and Flat Jason were very excited to come back with William Shakespeare bobbleheads.

Around 6 p.m., performers began making their way through the crowd doing bits of magic and other tricks. Others gathered on stages to dance or act out a short version of King Richard. We were sitting on our tarp when we met Magic John. AJ and Lauren were his assistants, and we were all amazed by his tricks.

Later, Tracy, AJ and I watched the short play while Lauren and FJ met Yorick, the jester. Lauren said Yorick was pretty funny and was awesome as a fire-eater. The actors did a good job of the short play, too.

Then, as the play got underway, small drops began to fall from the sky, which had been threatening rain for part of the afternoon. A short rain delay was called to allow time for the clouds to blow past. Everyone that had an umbrella opened it. We just pulled one section of our tarp over us and made a tent. We waited hopefully and talked with Lee Roy. It was announced that the play would start in another 10 minutes, and we waited, but alas! It was not meant to be. The show was cancelled.

We gathered our things as quickly as we could (which was not easy for an unrolled, wet tarp) and headed to the car. It was a good thing they called it off. Our trip back was punctuated with close lightning strikes and loud claps of thunder. Not a good time to be outside! We went back to Tracy's and played with Toby, the cat. He seemed to take a liking to Flat Jason. He sniffed at him and then curled up in his lap.

So, we headed home without seeing the play, but we still had fun...and that's the most important part, n'est-ce pas?

The first rose of the season

A Red, Red Rose
by Robert Burns

O my luve's like a red, red rose.
That's newly sprung in June;
O my luve's like a melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will love thee still, my Dear,
Till a'the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun:
I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o'life shall run.

And fare thee weel my only Luve!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!

The Weekend of Leave

Before I left for work this past Friday, I tore another link off of the chain. Week 53 was done. Only 52 more to go, one year. It seemed like a lot, it is a lot, but time is passing. That's what is important.

After work, I drove to Indiana to see Jason. He had leave this weekend. I knew I would be tired from driving six hours, so I didn't plan on doing much. The weekend was laid-back, easy and quite delightful.

Saturday was shopping day. We went shopping at the outlet mall in Edinburgh. We picked up some clothes at Rue 21 and Ann Taylor Loft, but the best finds were in Le Gourmet Chef. We found this amazing raspberry wasabi dipping mustard (mmm!) and a picnic backpack that was half-price. We also Mapquested a movie theatre and checked out Iron Man.

Sunday was race day...well, not exactly. It was race-qualifying day. It was the last day for racers who wanted to be in the Indy 500. We got to the track in the morning. It was colder than we thought it would be, but we trekked on. Earplugs - check, sunscreen - check, umbrella hat - check. Yeah, you know you're jealous. Ha! We knew we were cool, but we didn't fully appreciate the greatness of the umbrella hats until we heard a loud, excited whisper, "Mommy! Where did they get those hats?!"

As it turns out, Jason and I aren't much for racing. To pass the time, we walked around and observed all the military displays. It was Armed Forces Day. Jason showed off his athleticism by doing 11 (and a half) pull-ups. He beat the Marine that was sitting there. If you get a chance, you should ask him about it...Anyway, we continued to a grassy hill where I joined other children in rolling down one side of it. Then we ate steak at Longhorn.

Monday we went to the zoo. Indianapolis has a neat zoo! We saw a dolphin show inside an ampitheatre, a giant walrus who stood on its tail, and penguins who bray like donkeys. AND I pet a shark! How cool is that?! We also fed the ducks and lemurs my leftover breadstick. Shh! Don't tell the zookeeper! Later we went to see the new Narnia movie...after we stopped for ice cream, of course.

After we checked out Tuesday, we spent the rest of the morning getting lost. Jason Mapquested the directions to a Barnes and Noble so we could pick up a set of the Narnia books. We stayed on one road that changed names three times and discovered that even though the addresses are on the same stretch of road, if there's a change in county, more than likely your numbering system will not make sense. We finally made it after much discussion and silence. Take home message: if you really love us, remember that those navigation systems are great for every gift-giving occasion. Mandie-Mandie does a good job, but she can only do so much!

Surprisingly, the good-bye wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I expected to be crying for at least part of the trip back, but the tears dried soon after I left Camp Atterbury. I travelled all the way back to Missouri with Flat Jason riding shotgun and Real Jason checking in with me to make sure I wasn't getting too sleepy.

Mother's Day

Flat Jason and I went to my parents house for Mother's Day, but we made sure to call his mom. We had a nice lunch, and Flat Jason helped Lauren make one of his favorite desserts - chocolate trifle. (Long "I," as in rifle.) Then the girls retired to the family room to watch P.S. I love you. FJ didn't come; he avoids chick flicks when he can. John and Dad would have done well to follow his example. They both got tired of it and left the viewing area. Good thing, too. We girls were getting tired of the "I-can't-believe-you're-watching-this" groaning!

After the movie, we went to eat dinner at Grandma Schad's house. We didn't have the normal-sized crowd, but it was good to visit with those who came. Mom even posed for a photo with Flat Jason before we left.

So, happy Mother's Day, Mom and Ann...and Grandma! And, to the new mother, Stefani, of my new nephew, Oliver.

Flowers for our fourth anniversary

Weekend Wrap-up

Whew! What a week this has been -- Week 54! It seems like Flat Jason and I have been going non-stop. I told you about our adventures at the roller rink on Monday...

On Tuesday, I went riding with my bike-buddy Jeremy. For the past couple of years, a group of people from University of Missouri and MU Extension have been riding bikes in a loop around town on Tuesday nights. They saddle up at Flat Branch, cross the MU campus, travel some trails in town and end back at Flat Branch. Often, there's time for beer and fun afterward. Well, the Tour de Flat Branch hasn't started yet, but Jeremy and I are trying to get ready for it. This makes our second ride together this season. We've been hitting the Bear Creek Trail. Lessons learned: Properly inflated tires require significantly less effort to propel. Skinny tires don't work well around the lake. Giant hills are WAY more fun to go down.

On Wednesday, I got to pick up my prize from the Bike Fest drawing. I got a headlight and a tool kit! That night, I was supposed to go to a 4-H event, but it got rained out. Instead, I visited with Mandi and some people from her church. We mostly talked about being military wives, something we all have in common, while we ate at Culver's. (If you're going there, you should get the bananas foster sundae. It's to die for!) I also finally connected with a couple of family readiness group people, and it looks like they may start a support group for all of us left-out wives in Central Missouri.

On Thursday, I drove to St. Louis to see Tracy. We rocked out at "Barrage-apalooza," as Matt called it. This sweet band named Barrage was playing at a local high school. I've been in love with their music for years, and they actually toured close enough for me to go see them. There are six people in the group that play fiddle, and others play drums, acoustic guitar and bass guitar. They have so much energy. It's just incredible!

Friday, Stevie V. came to town. It'd been a while since we'd seen him, so Flat Jason and I met Steven and Esther at Gumby's Pizza for some pizza goodness and Pokey Stix. Then we went bowling. We played two games and scored the same number of points each game. I was proud that I got a strike, and I broke 100. My bowling game isn't what it used to be. (Not that it was great to start with!)

Eggs Delicious

Jason and I stayed at Huber's Ferry Bed & Breakfast after our Valentine's Day wedding. Our breakfast was so delicious! We had homemade bread, locally grown and processed sausage, a layered fruit dish and what Jason and I call Eggs Delicious. They were amazing -- so amazing that I asked for the recipe and have made them several times since. I even took them to work and everyone raved about them. So, I decided to share the recipe with you and encourage you to stay at Huber's Ferry Bed & Breakfast. It is a cute place, and the couple that runs it is fabulous!

Eggs Delicious (AKA Savory Eggs)

2 (10-12) servings
2 oz. (8 oz.) Kraft Old English cheese
1/2 tab. (3 T) butter, cubed
1/3 c. (1 c.) half and half
1/8 tsp. (1/2 tsp.) salt
1/16 tsp. (1/4 tsp.) pepper
1 tsp. (1 T) Dijon mustard
5 (14) eggs
1 tsp. (1 T) chopped chives
2/3 c. (2 c.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
dash (dash or 2) paprika

1) Butter 2 2/3-cup ramekins or a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover bottom with Old English cheese. Top cheese with dots of butter.
2) In a small bowl, whisk together half and half, salt, pepper and mustard. Set aside.
3) In another bowl, beat eggs and chives.
4) Pour half of cream mixture over cheese.
5) Pour eggs over cream mixture. Top with remaining cream mixture.
6) Top with grated cheddar cheese and paprika. (May be covered and refrigerated overnight at this point.)
7) Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cinco de Mayo

When I remembered today was Cinco de Mayo, I lamented the fact that the gang wasn't going to get together for Mexican food or to swing a stick at a donkey pinata like we had in the past. But, then I remembered that I was going roller skating at Empire Roller Rink for Bike, Walk and Wheel Week and I got excited! It's been a while since I've been roller skating, and I have to admit I was a little nervous, nervous enough that I didn't skate on the floor with Flat Jason. He stayed safely in the booth with AJ and watched the skaters make their rounds. FJ even got to meet Hannah Montana!

While FJ was making friends in the sound booth, I was making friends of my own. I met a cute little girl named Annie.

She was a little shaky on her skates, so we went around the floor a few times. Then she got in line to limbo and did a great job! She was one of the winners! I also met a sweet little girl name DeArial. (I hope I spelled that right, girl.) She was a little shaky on her skates, too. As it turns out, she lives across from the park near my house. What a coincidence! AJ took photos of us skating together. Look, that's us over Jason's shoulder!

I've never had a chance to participate in the Bike, Walk and Wheel Week before. I've always been too busy, or at least that's what I told myself. This year, I'm making time, and it really has been great. I went to Bike Fest on Lowry Mall the other day to find out more about this special week and what accessories I could get for my bike to make it safer to ride. Turns out my name was selected in a prize drawing and I get to pick it up on Wednesday. I can't wait!

Happy Birthday! Happy Prom!

Happy day! Lauren's birthday was Saturday -- the same day as the Eldon High School prom. She has been working with the prom committee all semester to make sure that the entertainment was going to be a live band named The Marquette Weekend from St. Charles. The band arrived at 4 p.m. to set up. I helped finish putting together the stage and arranging decorations to make sure the band had enough extension cords. Then, I headed to Jefferson City to take some photos in the Governor's Garden to take photos of Lauren and her friends. (For more photos of Lauren and company, see my Facebook album.) After photos, we went back to Eldon for prom.

Mr. White got roped into chaperoning the dance. We chatted for a while. I learned about a few things that happened after I left for college and something interesting about Mr. White: turns out he did some writing for the National Guard. Who knew?

Loved The Marquette Weekend! I've been wanting to hear them for a while. That's one of the reasons I crashed prom. Plus, c'mon -- a live band beats a DJ any day! I made sure they knew it was Lauren's birthday, and they played one of her favorite songs: Euphoria. What great guys! Happy birthday, Lauren!

Eldon FFA Banquet

It's FFA Chapter Banquet time. I headed down to Eldon on May 1 to see what was going on with the Eldon FFA and take a few photos on the side. Flat Jason and I loaded up on some carbs while we visited with Grandma and Mom and Dad. I'm not sure if I told you, but Dad was elected to the school board. This was the second event that I've been to with him that he had to stand up and be recognized. It's kind of weird to me, but so far I think he likes it -- being on the school board, I mean, not getting everyone to look at him. Ha! I spent most of my evening hanging out with Tim Flora and taking photos of the students. This is the second or third year that the ag department has used a backdrop, and I think it makes a big difference. Now if they could only teach the kids how to "window up" for their photos! Anyway, the chapter has been really successful this year. They even have two teams, Parliamentary Procedure and Ag Sales, that won at state contest and will compete at National FFA Convention in Indianapolis this fall.

After the banquet, Lauren, FJ and I headed over to the high school gym where there was much prom decorating to be done. We checked out the sweet Eiffel Tower and scoped out where the band was going to be. Prom is going to be on Lauren's birthday and The Marquette Weekend, a live band from St. Charles, is going to be there.