moving ft hood

well, we're here at fort hood....we have a house but our stuff isn't coming until Wed.. That means we've been living in an empty house since last week. Sleeping and eating off the floor (well, we do have plates).

I was so sore (and a little sick with the flu) I decided we needed to sleep in an in the night before I actually start my job (tomorrow). So I finally get to get on the internet, which I havent been able to do since early last week.

My last week at training (Ft Jackson, SC) was training in marriage and singles seminars. Also saying farewell to many great folks I've met here...and preparing for the big move. There are 1 gazillion things to consider when PCSing in the army (permanent change of stationing). Outprocessing from fort jackson and inprocessing into fort hood. This on top of reuniting with the family and dealing with the sale of our house.

The move to fort hood went well. We stayed in hotels across the south and our house was waiting for us when we got to fort hood. We are living in a 4 bedroom house that reminds us of our place on Shawnee Blvd. As a matter of fact, there is a Shawnee Ct. right down the road from us, which we found ironic.

We were somewhat depressed when we saw the house. The yard is as big as our deck on buckery rd. No pond, no woods, no barn. All those things we were so blessed with were gone. The rooms are good size but it looks so empty and does not feel like home.

Then we met the neighbors on our cul de sac and were happy to see that they all have young kids and were very friendly. Our next door neighbor is a blackhawk copter pilot and left for iraq on sunday morning. I spoke to him and his wife and they are very nice. He is from Erie. So the nice community helped us cope with the sadness of all those things we miss.

Fort Jackson (SC) was a smaller army post. Fort Hood is huge, the biggest base in the world. I'm adjusting to the big city feel as compared to the smaller town feel of fort jackson which I came to enjoy. Both Keri and I say that Fort hood has a "southern california" feel to it. Its flat and not a lot of trees. I love trees. I love the woods.

I am now chaplain of the 2nd chemical battalion. This is a fairly new group and it kinda seems like I've been given the task of planting a church. Most other battalions are attached to an existing chapel and have established systems and schedules. Not so with 2nd chem. My assistant, SPC Brown (from Wooster, OH) showed me our building. It got a lot of..ummm...potential. It's basically an old building they gave the unit ministry team. SPC Brown has worked hard to get it up to snuff, but theres a lot more work to do. SPC Brown seems very committed and capable and I am excited to be working with him.

My main job will be....walking around. Yep, pretty much I'll be assigned the task of simply showing up at different places so the soldiers can see and get to know me. I consider it practice for when I start my life in politics. It will be a good exercise of stepping outside my comfort zone. As I get to know the soldiers, I'll have a better feel of how I can best be used at 2nd chem. I'm hoping to eventually establish some bible studies and maybe even a chapel service.

Yesterday, we got the kids ready and went to a church on post. It was a traditional protestant service with readings out of the KJV and singing out of hymnals....and no child care. About 100 people in a building that easily seated 400. As I sat there I couldnt help thinking they should blow this service up and let me put a new one together. I was thinking why am I here? Than during the meet and greet an man greeted me and introduced himself as the deputy chaplian of the 3rd corps. He, Chaplain (LTC) Keith Goode, was the 2nd most important chaplain on Fort Hood and a definite big wig. He was very nice. What was very cool was that he has 10 kids and they homeschool. Keri used her homeschool radar and identified them as homeschoolers as soon as she saw them. He invited us over his house for dinner last night and had a blast. I sat in his house picking his brain (and probably talking too much) for a few hours. I could not believe I was only days at Fort Hood and breaking bread with #2 on the totem pole. The fact that they homeschool and have kids the same age as ours means there will be more encounters. God is setting me up for sucess. How cool is that!

It also means that we will probably go back to that church, which isn't that bad. I can offer to help them out in some ways. It was also cool to chat with an older woman whose deceased husband served a couple of tours in Vietnam. I was happy to let her know that he service to our country was appreciated. She found pride and meaning and comfort in my words. Please do the same to those you meet who have served or are serving our country.

Well, my kids are getting out of control, and we gotta sign out of here or we'll have to pay for another night. I must report in uniform at 0845 tomorrow.

I'm sorry for lack of posts this last week. I should get internet tomorrow (or wed) and that should get me back on track.

I bump into many people and things that remind me of the folks at Solid Rock and places in the Lehigh Valley. I'm leaving the Kings and Schnecksville True Value customer cards on my key ring to remind me of those places.