So it begins...

Welcome! This will be a (hopefully) regular peek into the life of this military mom.

Right now, our second son, MAP, is "playing in the sand," as we call it, in an attempt to make it easier to grasp what really IS going on. Our oldest son, JP4, is preparing for the eventuality of his next all expenses paid vacation to a desert location. This will be his third time in the sand.

MAP is there for the first time, and has already "been initiated," so to speak. This sobering message appeared in my inbox recently, courtesy of the Blue Star Mothers:

Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan A. Lowery, 38, of Houlton, Maine, died Dec. 14, in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

Yep, MAP's Squadron. Prayers are ascending for Sgt. Lowery's family and comrades.