Deployment Journal Month 2

25 May 2010

might be in need of a dog/cat sitter and lawn mower in the near future! If willing and able, please msg me and I'll send you the details. Thanks in advance!

So, guess whose kid is getting an award at his middle school tomorrow? That's right--it's an Arnold. I can't wait to find out what it is . . .

26 May 2010

has noticed that lots of people like "you." In other news, Connor was graced with an impromptu bday party yesterday (even though he doesn't turn 16 until Saturday) because he had his whole band over anyway for practice! Pizza delivery solves all sorts of problems and it turns out that I had exactly enough flour to make a birthday/brownie cake and enough candles to to put an "H" (for Hammy)!

Aloha Oe?

27 May 2010

embarking on a strange and familiar journey soon!

28 May 2010

another adventure begins! Connor is behind the wheel--look out, North Shore =D

29 May 2010

this status is dedicated to @Connor Arnold on his 16th birthday today! We love you and are very prooid of you!

got our seats to Travis!!! Now for a place to sleep . . .

That is quite possibly the strangest thing we've ever done for a birthday in our family. I'm glad connor's a good sport :)

sat next to the coolest guys on the plane today. One sketched an injured soldier on his way to get medical care and the other worked diligently on his summer Lit reading without complaining.

30 May 2010

impromptu tour of North Cali! Try Hawaii Tuesday :)

31 May 2010

Happy Memorial Day Corey Arnold! And to all the soldiers in our unit, BCT, Division, army wide, and the military at large! Remembering that freedom has a cost--thanks for paying it for us!!

01 Jun 2010

has learned many valuable lessons on this (almost) trip to Hawaii. lesson #1: if you can't get to Hawaii, take some pictures of the palm trees in California.

has to see the A-Team!! "I love it when our plan comes together!"

02  Jun 2010

thinks it's weird to be going somewhere but not know to where exactly it will be!

chatting it up at the MAC terminal with a family of fellow Fort Campbellites!

pretty amazes that less than 2 minutes after the boys and I prayed for passage on a flight to Hawaii, an unscheduled flight opened up in which 10 passengers were selected--increasing our chances and lifting my spirits dramatically!

well lots of people are now on their way to Hawaii. we aren't with them, but we're ok with that. We can now plan our trip back home knowing we did everything we could possibly do to make it happen. Aloha everyone!

03 Jun 2010

is getting on a plane going somewhere! anyone wanna guess where?

Ummmm I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto! Wait . . .actually . . .that's exactly where we are :)

I have a sneaky feeling that none of the passengers on any of the upcoming (alleged) flights to Hawaii will get to sit in the cockpit for half the ride there like my kids got to =D

04 Jun 2010

night have called Trace' this morning to ask about crashing at her place for the night rather than from an hour and a half away if there had been realization that her house was in the way to their destination. Thank God for friends who are available. And hotel reservations that can be canceled :)

05 Jun 2010

is in the passenger seat of our car as Connor drives us the last stretch to home! keep an eye out for a note I will be posting about our Space A adventure. Let me know of you want me to tag you in it.

is home =D

06 Jun 2010

Happy birthday to anyone who had one in the past 9 days! I hope it was a spectacularly enthusiastic day and that you got to spend it with loved ones =D

The first act is the pledge. The second act is the turn. The final act is called The Prestige--which is what we're watching right now!

07 Jun 2010

If you would like to help sponsor a full page ad for The Jason Foundation, Inc. at the 2011 Tennessee International pageant for just $10, I could really use your help! www.jasonfoundation.com keeping more than just dreams alive!

textbook is upstairs. So is my bed. Textbooks make me tired.

is having a grocery emergency. We are out of coffee!!

08 Jun 2010

Okay Connor Arnold, I deleted everyone in my friends list who I never went to school with, never talk to, or really don't know. Happy?

feels so weird to have just scheduled Connor for his driver license test this Friday. It wasn't that long ago that I took mine! And to this day, I admit that I should not have passed it. Well, that guy had no business walking on the sidewalk . . . ;-)

09 Jun 2010

Please help by donating $10 to print full page ads in the Tennessee International Pageants program book and Fort Campbell High School 2011 yearbook to "help keep more than dreams alive" through The Jason Foundation, Inc. Message me for more info.

is really proud today to be married to a Bastogne soldier. I love you Corey Arnold!

Please help by donating $10 to print full page ads in the Tennessee International Pageants program book and Fort Campbell High School 2011 yearbook to "help keep more than dreams alive" through The Jason Foundation, Inc. Message me for more info.

thanks to netflix, is watching "The Greatest American Hero!" believe it or not =D

10 Jun 2010

You know, as much as I'd love to find out who said they think I speed when I'm driving, I just don't want to answer 50 questions about all of you pertaining to things I really couldn't possibly know! So just come clean--who said I speed and that they could beat me in a fight, huh?? ;-)

11 Jun 2010

USA! USA! USA!!

is going to Paris for lunch today! No really =D

Can I go to bed now?

is watching "The Case for Christ" (Strobel, 2007). Have you read/seen it? What did you think?

12 Jun 2010

it is now safe to announce the addition of a teenage driver in our home as well as a ridiculously high insurance premium! We were waiting to let Corey know before telling anyone else.

When I was shopping for 4th of July stuff to send to Corey, Connor thought we should send him a sombrero which I said didn't exactly fit the 4th of July theme, "But what if dad is secretly Mexican?" he asks.

Mrs. Fort Campbell International 2011
Friends and Family supporting the awareness and prevention of Youth Suicide.
www.jasonfoundation.com > The Jason Foundation
www.twloha.com > To Write Love on Her Arms

thinks it's funny that Connor and Jareth are trying to be quiet AND have fun at the same time ;-) Nice try, boys!

13 Jun 2010

I will give a fb shout out to anyone who helps out with this! Thanks for reposting Mary Jane Wilson- Kent

probably should glam up my profile pic while I'm representin' TN International!

14 Jun 2010

To all my married, single, and teen friends who live in TN--if you've been thinking about entering a pageant, the TN Int'l system is a great one and you will get to compete with yours truly! Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can--check it out www.tncrowns.com

Still need those 65 $10 sponsors to reach my goal of placing TWO full page ads for JFI in 2011! Please help me out--I NEED you. (Well, I guess I need your $$, but that doesn't mean I don't love you!! ♥

can anyone tell me how long it will take on a weekday morning to get to Nashville from Fort Campbell? Specifically Hermitage Golf Course by 8:30am

is excited to help out at the Philip Fulmer/ Charlie Damiels Golf Classic tomorrow in support of The Jason Foundation.

15 Jun 2010

watching the Charlie Daniels band perform live right now. I'm just a tiny bit starstruck!!

16 Jun 2010

dropped Caleb off in Memphis and won't get him back for 11 days. I didn't leave him there all alone. Don't worry. He'll be hangin' with his uncle in AR.

Thank you to those who have donated so far! Keep 'em coming =D I'll tell you when you can stop. I promise ;-)

Might never be able to quit or give up or come up with another excuse why I "can't." Not after watching Pursuit of Happyness.

17 Jun 2010

could use a trustworthy house/pet/lawn-sitter in the Ft. Campbell area. Anyone know anyone who'd be interested? Message me and I'll get you the details.

18 Jun 2010

19 Jun 2010

You can help right now by adding The Jason Foundation, Inc. as a facebook friend. You might just save someone's life ♥

Shout out to George Arnold for being a contributer to help place an ad for JFI! I'll update again tomorrow!

finally finished the last pre-course assignment before I head to my Intensive class next week--an outline on the illustrious George Counts for a presentation I will be giving.

20 Jun 2010

just realized that our family will be spending Father's Day with each member in a different state/country. Happy Father's Day to my dad and my husband.

is hanging out with Melissa Settje Ice! I told her keep that baby in there!

21 Jun 2010

has been a student at Liberty University since 2004. completed my undergrad in 2006 and am currently halfway through my graduate degree and today is the first day I have ever sat in one of their classrooms.

22 Jun 2010

23 Jun 2010

needs to make some very strong coffee.

should have paid better attention to the term "intensive" upon agreeing to take this class. What's in a root word anyway, right?

All training materials provided by The Jason Foundation are offered FREE of charge because of generous grants. If you are a youth worker, teacher, school administrator, or parent and would like FREE information about preventing youth suicide, please go to www.jasonfoundation.com and find out how you can get trained!

24 Jun 2010

educational thinker presentation--check! Educational philosophy debate--check! Got to talk to husband--anyone? anyone? Beuller? :(

ate way too much very bad (for you) food. Please don't tell Jill Knapp-Woolsey! ;-)

Unaccompanied Baggage

While the chaos of having just moved to the other side of the world is still fresh in my slightly clouded mind, I thought now would be a good time to share what I wish I had packed in our unaccompanied baggage!

It’s a question that many military families grapple with when facing a PCS (permanent change of station) overseas—what to send on ahead.   It might be helpful to understand why this pack-out is even scheduled for you.  It is mainly because there are certain items that you will need to have on hand once you have stopped living in hotels but before your household goods will arrive.  By definition, an overseas assignment pretty much requires an airplane, which makes packing for your survival somewhat problematic with all the restrictions levied by the TSA and the hassle of transferring your luggage by hand to an average of 3-5 locations before you’re settled, making the packing of the kitchen sink inconvenient to say the least.  So in your luggage you will want to pack only the clothes, toiletries, papers, and valuables required for about 2 weeks (though your transition time may be longer).

Since it’s hard enough lugging around 2 or more large suitcases or duffel bags as well as the standard one carry-on + personal item per person, the more you can put in your unaccompanied baggage, the easier it will be when you arrive at your new home.  But keep in mind that you may have to endure 1 or 2 days in an empty home without your UB because coordinating it to be delivered the day you move in would be wonderful, but probably won’t happen!  For those few days, be glad you have your luggage and keep your sense of humor.

If I were to do it all over again, the following list would have been what I would have sent ahead with unaccompanied baggage.  I hope this helps someone out there!

·         1 pillow, blanket, air mattress or pad, and sheet set per person in the family. (Don’t forget the pump for the air mattress and batteries if required.)

·         1 towel, washcloth, and hand towel per person

·         1 heavy winter coat, hat, scarf, gloves, and pair of boots per person (if PCSing in the winter)

·         1 clean, weather-appropriate outfit per person down to the socks and underwear (trust me on this!)

·         A kitchen-in-a-bag (or picnic basket) to include

o   One small-medium pot and pan, mixing bowl, disposable containers with lids (which can double as cereal or soup bowls), a small pitcher, can opener, spatula, wooden spoon, sharp knife, cutting board, collapsible colander, measuring cups and spoons, scissors (please do yourself a favor and pack a pair of scissors!), and a rubber spatula.

o   French press coffee maker, ground coffee, sweetener or sugar packets, dry creamer, salt and pepper, enough non-perishable food items for a first meal if necessary, and if they’ll let you pack it, one of those boxes of milk that doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it’s opened (but has to be used within 5 days).

o   1 travel coffee mug per coffee-drinker and one reusable water bottle per person. 

o   1 non-breakable place setting per person to include plate, bowl, flatware, and drinking cup.

·         A laundry basket with at least 2 kitchen towels, about 5 clothes-hangers per person, 3-in-1 laundry sheets and bleach tablets for whites, a collapsible or regular laundry hamper, 1-2 new sponges in wrapper,  disinfecting cleaning wipes, at least one shower curtain liner with rings (2 is better), and a few rags.

·         A basic tool kit to include a hammer, a handful of nails, pliers, a wrench, Allen wrenches, a flathead and Philips screwdriver, utility knife, a permanent marker, ruler, level, wire, sandpaper, duct tape, electrical tape, and work gloves.

·         Full size toiletry items (if your movers will take liquids) to include shampoo and conditioner, 2 bars of soap or body wash, and full size bottles, tubes, and tubs of whatever skin care you normally use (cleanser, moisturizer, night cream, eye cream, etc.), contact lens solution, deodorant, a full box of pads and/or tampons, hairspray, and it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a solid air freshener or two.

·         Some boredom busters for entertainment such as a few fun board games, a DVD player and some movies, and/or some favorite books if you’re not the downloading type ;-)

·         A first-aid kit.

Here are a few things to keep in mind—the packers may or may not take some items.  I’ve talked to families that have moved bottles of liquids and others whose movers wouldn’t touch them.  Be prepared to be told that certain things can’t be packed, but remember that many items can be mailed ahead (we did this with several necessities) or they may be available after you get there.  You may not end up using everything on this list, but the point is to be as prepared as possible.  The time frame is different for everyone; we had our UB packed out on 03 Jan, we arrived in country on 25 Jan, and our UB was available for delivery on 27 Jan but we weren’t in our place until 15 Feb which is when we took delivery.  It will take even longer for your HHG (household goods) to arrive especially if you packed a lot of furniture or books.  The lighter your shipment, the faster it will get to you, but don’t let this stop you from packing what you need!

I hope you have found this helpful.  You military members and spouses out there, feel free to comment if you have suggestions of your own!

Our Korean Apartment

Click here to see the video. 
On February 15, 2012 we will move into our new home!  It is a 2nd floor unit with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, with 2 glassed in balconies, and access to the roof!  Here are some pictures.  I'll have to add pictures of what will be Caleb's room and the Korean style half-bath later!

Master Bathroom

Will probably be Connor's room

Our view from the roof

Second bathroom

Master bedroom

Kitchen (Obviously)

From the outside

The plant room

Art Studio for Caleb/Craft Room for Mom

View of the Public Middle School and their soccer field

Random Ramblings in Korea

Beautiful gazebo DHL property

View from our room at Dragon Hill

Itaewan

In less than an hour, we had snow

Lost in translation?

It's nice to be trusted

·         The beauty of Korea is difficult to capture in a photograph.  It might be because photos can’t capture depth in a picture and there are many layers to consider when I try to reveal the story of the subject matter. (User error?)

Furniture at the Dragon Hill Lodge Seoul, Korea

·         The Korean language seems to have a rhythm and pattern so that even if I cannot tell what someone is actually saying, I can regularly hear the sing-song similarities of commonly used phrases.

Shopping with Caleb

·         Even at its coldest, it is not horribly uncomfortable here unless the wind happens to be blowing; then it is incomprehensibly vicious!

·         I will probably never get used to the time difference between here and the states.  I will always feel like I’m in the wrong time zone.

·         Our new unit has been without a chaplain for the past 2 years!  At our recent hail/farewell, every time someone cussed, about 5 people’s heads turned straight to see what Corey’s reaction was. 

·         It makes me sad that facebook is so quiet during the evening hours here when I want to interact with people in the states and share about my day.

·         I will never figure out how to keep a hotel room tidy when it has to serve as home until we actually find a home. 

·         Today, the cashier at the commissary asked us if we were Christians.  I have no idea why she asked but it made me smile J

Everybody Leaves

We all walk away eventually
            we grow up
            we move on
            we get distracted
            we cease
                        to live, to move, to have our being
Nobody gets to stay forever
You’re just prolonging the inevitable
It’s life’s cruel joke
            that we long for stability and eternity
            but what we get is irony and finality
Two forces working against each other
Almost like they’re working together
            co-conspirators in life’s great caper
            it’s too complicated to put on paper
            we knit a legacy in hopes it will last
            we leave our mark to preserve our past
            we show up each day to make a difference we pray
            we can’t possibly know the full weight
                        of the fears and the tears and the stuff you can’t say . . .

All we can hope is that something will stick
That something will turn in your head and will click
A nugget of truth to take when you leave
To pass on to another to accomplish their dreams

                                   Everybody leaves
                                   Everybody goes
            The trick is to leave something that will take root and grow.

Famous Last Words

Everyone dreams of being a hero, but not everyone is aware that they pass up opportunities every day.  The reason it’s easy to miss the opportunity is because it’s not really as glamorous as we imagine it to be.  What it really looks like is ministry.  If I’ve learned anything in my lifetime it’s that everyone needs to be ministered to at some point in their lives, it may be difficult to recognize when someone needs it, and children largely underestimate their ability to minister to their parents, pastors, and yes, even their teachers.

This was never made more clear to me than recently when I found myself feeling rather out of sorts but unable put my finger on what was wrong.  I had made it a habit to practice what the late Mary Kay Ash teaches her sales force, “Whenever I meet someone, I try to imagine him or her wearing an invisible sign that says: MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT!”  But it never occurred to me that by doing so, I might unwittingly communicate to my students that I’ve got it all together and don’t need them to minister to me.  But even the strongest person you can imagine will experience struggles that they cannot wrestle with alone.  I found myself on the other side of need due to the impending upheaval related to our relocation to South Korea.  My students had been communicating to me that they appreciate what I do for them, but I found that I needed to be uplifted and reassured just the same.  The revelation caused me simultaneous relief and unrest.  ME?  Need kids to comfort me?  I began to fear that they actually might forget all about me once I was gone.

But none of them knew that I was in need and this was exacerbated by the 2 week Christmas break in which we never saw each other.  I got to thinking about ways that we can recognize a person who is in need of our ministry.  The first clue is that they may seem a little needy (read: annoying) or you may find that something they do really angers you.  I remember encountering one of our church members in the fellowship hall kitchen one Sunday morning fuming as she stared at the sink in which sat a large pot that had obviously been used to pop popcorn.  Since our church did double duty as a school during the week, I was pretty sure that one of the teachers had made popcorn but did not wash, dry, and put away the pot when she was done.  Instead she left it soaking in the sink (and if the burned kernels of corn are any indication, it probably needed a good soak first.)  This scenario was not greeted as an opportunity to serve a fellow worker for Christ, I quickly observed as the woman became more and more furious as she stared into the sink.  It hit me that she just hadn’t seen that she was given an opportunity to serve: to take care of something for someone else.  In other words, to be a hero!  Maybe the first question you should ask yourself when faced with a fellow human’s irritating behavior is, “Is there anything I can do for them right now?”  Just ask yourself what you would want or need if you were in the same position.

Finally, if you are young, never underestimate the power of your encouragement toward those in authority over you such as parents, coaches, pastors, and teachers.  We know there’s a lot that you are learning from us and that you look to us to be examples for you to follow, but Paul’s instruction to Timothy is just as relevant for you today as it was for him, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but be an example for the believers in speech, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Tim 4:12).  That also means do not look down on yourselves or each other because you are young, nor underestimate your ability to encourage, uplift, teach, serve, give, and show up!  Take my word for it; your authority figures live for those moments when they know something they’ve done has made a difference for you.  When you tell us that we’ve made a difference, we can practically live on that encouragement alone for days—maybe even weeks!  The ball is in your court.  Don’t miss another opportunity to minister just because you are young.  You have the power to help energize the ministry of someone else through your words and actions and most of all, your demonstration of appreciation.

Merry Christmas 2011

In an effort to sum up the year twenty-eleven succinctly enough to keep your rapt attention through to the very last word, I’ve attempted to write it in Dr. Seuss style.  Please do try to stay focused!

2011 has been a frivolous year
so get comfy with a hot drink and lend me your ear
Or your eyes as it were since you’re reading this script
I’ll fill you all in on our fantastical trip!

It started with buying a cozy abode
in the midst of carrying a heavy school load
We signed the papers from thither and yon
And now in Boise, we do own a home!

If you don’t know where Thither is found on a map,
it’s on the other side of the world where you’re at
And Yon would be Minnesota, and Idaho, and here
You take your pick, we’re not very clear!

Christmas of two thousand ten was quite strange
so thank God for in-laws we hopped on a plane
But I had to arrive in Virginia for class
The very next day so it went rather fast!

I rang in the new year all by myself,
with my kids in Kentucky and my love in Tibet
Well not really Tibet but I wanted to rhyme
He was in Afghanistan for a really long time!

Then Gramma and Grampa knew just what to do
in order to keep our two boys in school
They travelled to our house to hold down the fort
Til my classes were over and I returned home.

A couple weeks later I was scheduled to test
and return to Virginia in a big winter mess
I was supposed to leave at a quarter to three
That would be a.m. in case you’re wondering

Lucky for me, some people like snow
and the way it feels under their cars when they go
I shut my eyes tight and prayed all the way
But Scott got me safely to my airport gate!

Then suddenly it was time for an awesome surprise,
our soldier would be standing in front of our eyes
Missing anniversary 21 by a day
But we didn’t care and had fun anyway!

We camped out for a week at our new house in Boise
and met the neighbors and tried not to be noisy
But two weeks went by way too darn fast
And on Valentine’s Day had to send him on back

The rest of February was pretty much history,
I had a few big events that almost did kill me!
But we did get through it like we knew we would
Then March was upon us like a scary typhoon

Connor traveled to Washington DC
to argue with students about world policy
His band that was named “Nothing Rhymes with Orange”
Had their very first concert at a talent show at FCHS . . .

I hope that last line didn’t throw you off
but their name is true they didn’t make it up!
And then it was April before we all knew it
A long year of deployment about to be through it!

He came home to crowds cheering and clapping,
at 5 in the morning hard to believe it was happening
We made a video to relive the scene
and you can see it yourself at this here link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpr1o2W7T0Q&feature=youtu.be  

No sooner was he home and we were up running,
and hosting people from all over the country
“A Life Set Apart” crashed on our floor
And some people came for graduations galore

First Connor then Caleb received their promotions
And some really cool gifts as a sort of a token
But then it was time to hit the road
And into our trusty minivan we did load.

Because we had been through 48 states,
we circled around to add one to the slate
And through the great state of New Mexico we drove
Adding a whole extra day to our trip up north

Where another school graduation to see
of former students we both used to teach
We left our youngest with my parents in Oregon
And the rest of us Arnolds got on the road again

And to Minnesota we quickly did go
and stayed with Corey’s parents while there was surely no snow
and when it was over, we headed back south
Making an almost perfect square of our route.

In early July we found out a secret
But weren’t really sure how the kids would take it
The Army was sending us to Korea you see
Though Connor was leaving to attend BBC.

Caleb took all this news quite well
In fact, he thinks it’s going to be swell
To live over in Asia away from the states
As long as one day to Alaska we make.

In August we said our good-byes to our first born
And Caleb and I started at a new school in Hoptown
Little did we know what an impression it would make
And on our last day, our hearts did break!

But in the meantime lots of stuff happened
Like strong bonds with soldiers and Thanksgiving weekend
Where we got to see Connor with a manly full beard
I’m not going to lie, it was really quite weird.

But Caleb has left his mark in each class
using dry erase markers and his artsy sass
Many a white board within HCA
Has been transformed into a sort of display.

If you’re curious at all and would like to see it
I highly recommend you add me on facebook
Where I keep a whole album named after him
Displaying his craft as only he can.

I’m glad to announce just two days before Christmas
That my master of arts degree I did finish
And now it is just a matter of filing
the paperwork in order to prove I’m not lying.

In all it has been a fabulous year
And God has been faithful, our prayers He does hear
Especially the ones we pray about you
Hoping for you His salvation too.

But if for some reason you still aren’t sure
Perhaps some proof would provide some allure
There is an empty tomb out Jerusalem way
That our Savior did lie in once for three days.

But since death could not hold him down as they say
He got up from his death and just walked away
Leaving a baffling scene to unravel
And a story that over the world has traveled.

For centuries the question has begged to be answered
“What happened to the body of Jesus of Nazareth?”
And though we didn’t see it in our time or place
I’ll paraphrase Thomas when he saw Jesus’ face,

“Is this an imposter wearing these wounds?
Everyone says you were laid in a tomb.
You can’t have survived but You’re obviously here,
My Savior, My God, You really are here!”

And because of his and 500 others
We can believe the word of these brothers
That Jesus who was born in a stable one day
Was killed but now lives to take sin away!

February 2011 R&R; Christian Children's Ranch

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012 from the Arnold family!

Connor grade 12 Photo by Phil White

Photos by Scott Hollingsworth

Caleb grade 9

Thanksgiving 2011 at Nashville Parthenon