The Principi's

Family together again!

2010-06-13T20:50:00.012-04:00

So we have been in a bit of a hibernation mode, more like a catching up on the last 7 months mode - and it is wonderful. Being back with my family again is a dream come true. There are many events in life that words cannot explain, and you have to experience them to understand - my reunion with my family has been one of these experiences. It is hard to believe I have been home for 2 weeks, as they have flown by. We have made the most of our time together, trips to the beach, to the mountains, Bush Gardens, parks, festivals, etc. All that is great, but the best moments are in the morning when I wake up to Will calling "momma, you awake yet?" out of his bedroom and happily inviting Will and Claire into our bedroom for some family time that I cherish now more than ever. Below are a few photos from my return...thank you to everyone out there thinking and praying for me and my family as well as all those special people that helped Jami while I was gone - we cannot thank you all enough.

2010-06-01T10:00:00.003-04:00

Philip made it home safely late Sunday night. I will post pictures of the glorious homecoming when I get them. It was surreal, magical and a moment I will never forget. We are all adjusting well and can't wait to share more later. Just wanted to let everyone know he is safe on American soil and we are wonderful!!!

love, j

The sight of freedom

2010-05-29T16:06:00.003-04:00

In my line of work, we use the phrase "the sound of freedom" when you hear a jet take off in full afterburner. In this case, this was the sight of freedom.

This was my view as I was leaving Baghdad for the last time a few days ago. As I write, I am in a loud, hot passenger terminal (tent) in Qatar, awaiting my flight home. I will reunite with my family in about 24 hours and the excitement and adrenaline levels are high - which is why I have meds to help me sleep on the way home. In the past few days, I have played the reunion with my family in my brain a hundred times. More so than any event in my life. And I think I know why...with my marriage, I knew what to expect but I was still nervous, with Will's birth, I did not know what to expect, but I was nervous. Now, I do know what I am going home to, a supporting and loving, beautiful and caring wife, and two, yep, two children that I love dearly, even though I have yet to meet one. And, I am not nervous. Some might wonder why I am comparing to a wedding or birth, but this is that big of a life event for me. Being separated from my family for about 7 months and reuniting with them is a big deal for us. To us, it is the beginning of our family time again. Jami and I have a new appreciation for all those that are separated from their families for a significant time. Often, they make it look easy, but it is not. Many times we asked each other how we would deal with it when/if we were in that situation. At the time, we did not have an answer. But we do now, we just do it, we deal with it, we rely on our faith and love and get through it. Now, we are on the brink of getting through it and we are happy, and thankful for all of you out there that helped us though our time apart, we appreciate everything.
P

2010-05-28T17:13:00.007-04:00

I love the rubber band wrists...or maybe that I just realized her dress was on backwards after downloading the picture just now...too many things running through my mind...ooops!

Making the count down chain for daddy's arrival.

Another day of Will dressing himself...what you can't tell from this photo is it is 85 degrees outside!

Can't forget the goggles while playing in the sprinkler!

Yes, the countdown is on...none of us can hardly stand the wait of anticipation. It can't come soon enough.

On another note, I mentioned in my last post about my dad and his biopsy. Unfortunately it came back positive. He will have a PET scan next week to determine other places in his body the cancer may have spread. Then he will start radiation and chemo next week. At least the doctors are being aggressive with treatment. I just don't understand why this gnarly disease has to take a toll on so many people's lives. My eyes were wide open while working at Duke on the peds bone marrow unit. I have never met so many strong, brave kids and probably never will. They were amazing little souls who taught me more about myself, my well being and my place in life. Taking care of these kids never made me think about my own family being affected. I always felt my family and friends are invincible from this terrible illness since I had worked with it first hand. I talked to my dad on the phone yesterday and he sounds so strong...as always. I know it is going to be a long 3-4 month road for him but I also know he will do it with the strength and courage he possess and so frequently displays. He has given me unlimited strength in some difficult situations in my own life, it just seems so backwards to remind him to keep his chin up or his head down....however you want to look at it. "piece of cake" right, dad? :)

On lighter note we are almost 24 hours out. I will keep the blog updated :)

love, jami

Long Time Coming....

2010-05-25T20:54:00.003-04:00

It seems like my posts are so few and far between...but luckily we have been so busy and it has helped our time pass by much more quickly. After my last post we were blessed with many visitors. Philip's sisters, Amy and Mimi, came two separate weekends, our good friends the Phillips and Nonna Principi. The kids and I had such great weekends with all of you and are so thankful for your love and support. We cherished our time with each of you and thank you again for taking the time and effort to come and see us.

We then ventured out west to Idaho. My little brother was gracious enough to fly out to VA only to breathe 30 min. of the humid, east coast air before boarding our flight home to ID. We spent 12 days with family and friends. So wonderful to be able to share Claire and Will with everyone and to break up the monotony of our regular routine. It was rejuvenating to say the least and thank you everyone for the love and laughs. The time ticked too quickly!

I was able to brave the flight home alone. Definitely an adventure and became some what comical after a while. I don't know where the adventure turned funny but all I could do was laugh. Maybe when Will decided to have a tantrum in the long line for Quiznos, throwing his backpack and completely destroying the snobby lady's phone conversation behind me. She was angry with me to say the least and I had to giggle as she has no idea what my world consists of for the past 7 months :) hehe Or maybe when Claire pooed through 2 whole outfits on the plane and I had mustard colored poo all down my leg for the remainder of the day....awesome!!

Aside from our endeavors, we are anxiously awaiting for Philip. I have a whole laundry list of things to do but I don't even know if they will get done. Honestly, I don't care. I just want the family to be complete. The other stuff can wait. So crazy it is only 5 more days. Only 4 more nights of dinners with the empty chair that constantly reminds me of his absence. Only 5 more mornings of waking up to his empty side of the bed, only his picture to stare back at me. you get the point....

I will keep up on the blog as we know the exact arrival time. Sounds like Sun between 3 and 8.

ps... I have to add one more thought that is heavy on my mind. Almost 3 yrs ago my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He had his bladder removed, replaced by an artificial bladder followed by many sick days/weeks from chemo. While I was home, his 6 month routine check up showed an inflamed lymph node near his bladder. He had a biopsy yesterday while i was on my way home. We are still waiting for the results...please keep him in your prayers.

8 MORE DAYS!!!

2010-05-22T15:03:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Philip!!! Can't wait to celebrate with the famous Principi pancakes when you get home! Can hardly wait to see you!

Chicken Fried

2010-04-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

I told you all I would write about some other "fun" events I have had the chance to do here outside of flying in all sorts of aircraft throughout Iraq. Two weeks ago, the Zac Brown Band showed up for a concert to the troops. One of my friends decided to collect all of our fold up chairs and save the front 3 rows for us. Man, am I glad that he did. The place was slammed and the show was incredible. Zac and his boys put on a great concert! Not only did they travel all the way here to support us, but they gave up a spot on the American Country Music awards for us. That is a huge deal - they are up and coming and were nominate for 4 big awards. They decided that it was better to come play for us than it was to play in the limelight on prime time. Needless to say, they earned instant respect from all of us. They are a very patriotic group of guys and there were a few moments when the lyrics and the words they were saying sent chills down my spine, and reminded me that people all over America genuinely care about what we do and our and our families sacrifice to our great nation. Check out http://www.zacbrownband.com/photos.html?ga=74 and you will see our crowd in pictures 22-24.

We have had other concert events since I have been here, like Bad Company...that dude is old and kept getting winded during the songs - pretty funny, but it was nice that they were here as well. The other good show was Jessie James (young female country singer), Carlos Mencia, and Kid Rock. Jessie is very talented and we enjoyed her music, Carlos was hilarious, his goal was to offend everyone in the audience at some point, and Kid Rock was much better than I thought. I would have never gone to a Kid Rock show in the states, but he is also very patriotic and travels here every year. The guy also has a ton of energy, he put on a much better show than I anticipated.

Today my organization had a big farewell to a bunch of us leaving in May, including me! That's right, I am inside a month! I found out recently that I should be home around the end of May, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Work remains busy, and today after the farewell, we were allowed the afternoon off and we all played sand volleyball for about 4 hours. It is funny how little things like that can really help out all the guys here. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon off, enjoying a little fun in the sun.

A few congrats to some friends of ours. Sammy, after 20 years of service to our country, is hanging up the fighter pilot boots. Thank you, and Katie for all you have done during your time in the Air Force, we are all grateful for your service. Also, Jeff, congrats on your new addition, John Maxwell, I know you and Jill are proud parents. Now I just need to get home safely and meet my little girl...

Happy Birthday William!!!!

2010-04-14T20:09:00.012-04:00

I would do anything for this little boy, Will...I would walk to the end of the Earth for him (and Claire) However, as his birthday quickly approached I was exhausted just thinking about doing a birthday party for him. It made my head spin honestly. But last week while reading bedtime stories I asked him what he wanted for his birthday just to get a feel if he really knew what a birthday was. His response without hesitation "Tandles, cars and a bunny rabbit!" How simple.... So I frantically came downstairs and sent out an emergency email/texts to my neighborhood friends inviting them and their kids to an afternoon filled with pizza, cupcakes and fun. After doing the trip to Walmart to get Lightening McQueen decor, filling gift bags, to making the cupcakes with Will, I never doubted again why I was adding extra work to the mix. Today said it all. He loved every bit of his special day. Birthday pancakes, skyping with daddy to open gifts, went to the doctor for check up, 5 friends coming over to celebrate, neighbor friends dropped by after school with more gifts and a dinner of his choice wiped him out cold on the couch at 7 pm. Day complete and in the end, we are all happy! Happy Birthday little man...we love you to pieces!

We have been busy as the weather warms up. We spent Easter weekend with my oldest brother taking him to Busch Gardens, the beach and Will having some testosterone in the house to wrestle and do boy stuff. Will loved it. Went to an Easter party that Saturday night with my Bunco ladies, spouses and kids where we ate delicious food and hunted eggs in the dark with flashlights. When I asked Will his favorite part of the party he said "Remember, the wagon ride home in the dark with the moon?" Again simplicity at its best.

Last week we hit record temps in the 90's so we took advantage of the crazy caterpillar sprinkler with friends, planting flowers, riding bikes and learning to play baseball! Good times.

We anxiously await Philip's middle sister's visit starting tomorrow. While the visits make the time go by faster, we all enjoy fresh faces, new conversations and most of all the love!!!

Claire? She is fab! She had her 2 month check up today and I'm proud to say she has gained 5 lbs and grown 4 inches since birth!!!! She is going to out grow her brother! Again, feel so blessed she is so healthy and good.

Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Will is asking about daddy daily now which makes it interesting but it doesn't bother me as much anymore knowing how close we are. I can now close my eyes at night and visualize the homecoming. It gives me chills..... makes me think of my brave trip to church last week. Yes, this was my first time back after Claire was born. Never seemed to work out time wise with the unpredictable feeding schedule. Will sang his little heart out as usual, doesn't know the words to the songs but he carries his own tune and catches many eyes of the old ladies in front and back of us. The mass was about finding peace and being at peace...and yes, I finally feel peace in my life....this too gives me chills, good chills, I am where I need to be......

Bella follows Will around waiting for a morsel of food to snag!!

I love this pic...mainly the shoes, ok maybe the hat!! self dressing these days!

Not all work, some play

2010-04-07T15:31:00.007-04:00

So we do work our butts off here, but it is not all work, there is some fun to be had as well. I have not shared any of this with you all so far, but I should have, so I apologize. My most recent and by far most fun I have had here was last week. We are given the privilege to have a 4 day Rest and Recreation (R&R) time for every 179 days of work. That equates to 4 days off. We have the option of spending the time in place, and just not go to work. We also have the option of taking a trip to Doha, Qatar. The military has set up a R&R program at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, which is a small army camp just outside of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Getting to Qatar can be difficult, so quite a few people elect to stay here and just take 4 days off. I needed to get out, I didn't care about the challenge of travel. So I packed my bags and went in search of transportation to Qatar.

Well, me and the friends I went with were lucky, we scored a direct flight to Qatar on a C-130, which can be difficult to do. We landed at Al Udied Air Base (the same place I came through on the way here) and met up with our liaison. He drove us the 20 minutes or so to the army camp and described all the programs available for our use for the next 4 days. It sounded so nice to get out and have some fun. Within 10 minutes of arriving, I ditched my uniform and put on civilian clothes for the first time in over 4 months, I cannot describe how good it felt to wear shorts and a t-shirt.

It is still military, so we had to attend a briefing of all the activities and the procedures to sign up for the fun. The first day we decided to just chill out on camp. They have all sorts of amenities: a movie room, multiple big screen TVs, an internet cafe, a coffee shop, a few small restaurants, pool tables, video games, a bowling ally, swimming pool, a very nice gym, etc. Plus at the gym, you can get a one hour massage for $34, so I took advantage of that - the little Filipino woman had hands of steel and damn near broke me, but it was nice. I hung out at the pool and read a book, it is the little things.

So the next few days we got out and about, and had a great time. Our events included a trip to the beach. And the adventure began before we got to the beach, the drivers in Qatar are crazy. After our hour survival drive, we ended up at the foot of some very large sand dunes. The drives deflated the tires and then the adventure really took off. We drove for 15 minutes though the sand dunes at speeds up to 60 mph in a Tahoe. We went up and down the dunes, and we even drove on the side of them in a circle at an angle eventually spitting out at the bottom. The last dune we went down was at about a 45 degree angle, nuts. We stopped at the beach camp, and climbed out for some fun in the sun on the Persian Gulf. We had about 4 hours to hang out at the beach, eat lunch and even ride a camel. Here is a great shot...

Don't see this everyday

To explain a few things. One, yes, that is a sweet stache! I went native. Actually, we have a tradition in the Air Force to grow a mustache in March, so there you go. Two, yes, I am dressed in traditionally Qatari clothes, I couldn't pass up that photo op.

Camels Ahead

Other trips included two Dhow Boat trips. A Dhow boat is a traditional wooden fishing boat that they have converted for passenger cruises. The first was in the evening for a cruise along the city (Doha) to see the skyline, and just hang out on the boat for a few hours. The second was the same boat, and same cruise in the day, but included water sports when we anchored for a few hours. We had a good time swimming in the Persian Gulf and riding waverunners.

Dhow Boat

Dhow Boat and Islamic Art Museum

City Lights of Doha

Waverunner action

We also took two trips downtown at night to shop and see what is called the Old Souqs (pronounced suuks), or old market. The Old Souqs was awesome, I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones film. We walked around and visited the shops and had a great meal, both times, and both times the best food I have had in 4 months. It was refreshing to sit outside and eat a fantastic meal and people watch. There are quite a few westerners running around there, perhaps on vacation or business. It was a joy to see children again as well.

Old Souqs

Hanging out in Old Souqs with the Islamic Center in the background

Just when we thought the trip was perfect, we started our travels home. Once again weary of what was in store, we thought we would have to go through Kuwait and deal with the Army travel. (Not a pleasant experience. I hear once you arrive and are awaiting a flight to Baghdad, you have to go to a roll call every 2-4 hours, and if someone is missing, you have to go find them. The roll call is to only make sure that no one is missing, and then to tell you that you don't have a flight yet, come back in 2-4 hours to see if you do. You get a bed to sleep on in a tent shared with 29 of your best friends, but no linens or pillows, and guess what, you have to wake up in 2 hours to go to that roll call again until you finally catch a flight - no fun). So we were initially booked on a flight through there but I worked with the travel desk and found a flight direct to Baghdad about 12 hours later, with the caveat that seats could not be confirmed until 3 hours prior - I'll take my chances. The good ol Air Force let us go until the 3 hours prior, we had a good day at al Udied Air Base and went back to check on the flight. Good news was that we got on it. We (4 of us) got bused out to the C-17 and met the crew, then the great news came. We were the only passengers and there was no cargo. These guys were dropping into Baghdad to pick up cargo and take it to Germany. So we had the entire C-17 to ourselves, and I got to sit in the cockpit when I wasn't sleeping. A great way to end a great trip.

Racked out in the back of a C-17

There are a few other fun things that I have done here and I will share with you all in other posts...I hope you enjoyed the photos.
p

2010-03-21T21:26:00.013-04:00

I was unloading groceries and came out to find Will "fixing" my car....I love that he is already looking out for me!

First good picture of a smile. She always smiles at the bathtub Thomas squirty

Dinner waiting on the table and my busy bee quietly left the room for a cat nap in the play room

Rarely get this big of a smile for a posed picture!

Proudly showing his tulips behind him

6 weeks. Yes her shirt says "miss february" thanks Katie!

I have had so many intentions of weekly updates with pictures and our progress, but after both kids are in bed, I am not far behind leaving my blogging to the way side! With that being said, our days are starting to become routine and definitely feeling more feasible. I think we have our system some what figured out and hoping it stays put for a solid week or so. It feels good to catch my breath. Will keeps me on my toes and reminds me daily to enjoy the simple things in life and I know these days will be distant memories far too soon. I love watching him discover bugs with the magnifying glass, master his skills at hopscotch with the neighbor girls, ride his bike to his simulated sounds of a motorcycle and best of all, hold Claire in the mornings while singing to her. Life is good!

Philip's sister Alicia came to visit the weekend of my birthday and spoiled us with goodies, birthday pancakes and yummy chocolate cake! Thanks Auntie Weez for bringing me some sanity! So nice to catch up and talk with an adult for more than 10 minutes!!!!

Our local friends, Juby's, have been spoiling our family with dinners, playmates for Will and arms to hold Claire. I am so lucky to have them so close to watch out for me and the kids.

I feel like a hyped up junior high girl to brag about the general's wife stopping by the house to bring a meal and a gift for each kid. I was a bit nervous to say the least to have her come over but she was delightful and gracious. The same day I received a phone call from the general Philip is working for in Iraq...the same general who wouldn't let Philip come home. While I had to bite my tongue when he stated he was hoping to make it to his daughter's high school graduation, I commend him for calling as it was late his time and I know he feels bad about the decision he made in Feb. Let's face it, why else would he be calling a major's wife? Honestly, I was just hoping both kids would start screaming and make it sound worse than it really is! :)

We have been spending more and more time outside as spring turns the corner. After I dropped Philip off at the airport in Nov., Will and I planted some tulips to keep busy. I told him that day after the tulips bloom and go away, daddy will be so close to coming home. Last Monday we saw the first signs of a yellow tulip blooming and I heard my echo "mommy, daddy coming home soon?" I can't believe how much he remembers. This is after he went to his playroom yesterday, grabbed his "cell phone" (hasn't touched it in months) and told me he was calling daddy. I simply said ok and further eavesdropped on his conversation. It brought a flood of tears as he said, "I'm fine. Are you ready to come home yet, daddy?" I quickly gathered myself and explained once again that daddy didn't choose to leave us and that he was in Iraq to keep us safe. I don't really know how much he understands at this point but he recently has been asking for Philip daily. This has brought some trying days as we all miss him immensely and can't wait for his return. It feels so close yet so far away! argh!!! Oh a funny note, we are still in the progress of toilet training as we took a few steps backwards after Claire was born. I know, to be expected and I really shouldn't have been so fast and furious about it but I felt the time was right as he was recognizing the urge to go. So recently we started from square one and I quickly added that when daddy comes home they are going on a man's camping trip. I also added he needed to be a big boy before doing this trip which meant wearing big boy underwear like daddy because no diapers or pull ups camping. We have had huge progress this week and I'm happy to announce I have not had to change a depends size diaper of poo all week!!! I'm not too confident to let him go without a pull up at bedtime so after I read books and leave the room, I hear him get up and fumble around. Later when I turn his lights off and tuck him in, I find him fast asleep with is big boy underwear on, backwards and all. He once told me the "pocket" on the underwear goes in the back just like jeans. How can I argue?

Claire continues to do well. She started intentionally smiling at 4 wks. She probably was sick of seeing my mug as we were in her face all day encouraging her to shine her two dimples. I just couldn't believe it as I felt it was a bit early. She is a great eater and shows it with the endless thigh and ankle rolls.....I LOVE them all. Just takes a while to dry her after baths as we can't forget one fold! She is laid back and loves to be cuddled. Philip is going to savor this! We have had so much fun dressing her and when I say we, I am talking about Will and I. Will picks out her clothes every morning and I have learned to love what he picks regardless of matching or not. This is his contribution to caring for his little sister and looks forward to it every morning.

This about sums up the household business. I always will think of things to write while we are out and about then have a brain freeze when I sit down to write. Hope everyone is well and starting to enjoy spring as much as we are....

love,
Jami and kids (wow, plural!)

Happy Birthday Jami!

2010-03-07T13:17:00.002-05:00

For those of you that check the blog today, I just wanted everyone to know that it is Jami's birthday. Won't you please join me in wishing her a happy birthday. This is another in a line of family celebrations that I am not with my family, but today we are thankful that we can celebrate a special day, even if I am not at home. They way I see it, it is just one more thing we get to celebrate when I get home. Thank you all for your support, it means so much to us.
p

2010-02-25T13:48:00.004-05:00

Driving down the road to base, the wee hours of Feb 8th, I vaguely remember pulling into the parking spot of the hospital. But I do remember "Beautiful Day" started playing by U2 and I instantly felt Philip was with us.

It was a beautiful day. Claire Elizabeth is more than I dreamed of. To be honest the day we found out we were having a girl I was elated but then this overwhelming feeling of fear overcame every other emotion as the day grew. I was scared of the "perfect" mother/daughter relationship I so long dreamed of most of my life. After minutes of holding Claire and knowing I, me, am her mommy...it will all be ok and I feel more than lucky to have been blessed with her beauty!

For those of you who have been asking, my experience on base was amazing. Better than my civilian experience in Boise. Hard to believe after the rat race we faced weeks prior to delivery. My nurses and doctors were phenomenal. I had to giggle during many different nurse bedside reports. I was the patient with the deployed husband and the patient asking to go home after the first day. I used to be that nurse in the hallway feeling so much sympathy for that poor mom and laughing that she wanted to go home. I mean, was the stay that terrible? I was then, the patient on the other side of the thin door still in disbelief of my current events and surroundings.

A HUGE thank you to our parents for helping us out through this next chapter. We certainly couldn't have done it without you guys and Will is going to miss all the special attention he has been receiving. He is such a trooper! It hasn't phased him in the least to have people coming and going, baby staying, hormonal mama who now has to share time with both kids. Love you William!!! And love to our parents!!!!

For all of you who have been emailing, texting and calling...I will get back to you eventually. Just trying to figure things out and we haven't had much time to sit back and catch up....so sorry! It will come with time I know : ) Thank you for the thoughts, prayers and amazing words of encouragement. It has all been felt and has helped us in many different ways. THANK YOU TO ALL!! Only 2.5 more months to go so it is a good feeling to be on the downhill slope until Philip returns. I just can't wait for him to be able to embrace both kids at the same time...I do it daily and it is the most amazing feeling in the world.

Shakoo Makoo

2010-02-22T23:32:00.004-05:00

That means "what's up" in Arabic. I know all of you are dying for the response - Makoo She - "nothing much"...that pretty much sums up what is going on here. Work has settled down a bit - I am now sticking to 11-12 hour days and getting more exercise and rest - and feel better. We are working a lot with the Iraqi Air Force in their plans for helping with security during the upcoming elections on 7 March. It is interesting because they really want to be a big part but have trouble understanding what they can do. That is why we are here - to advise them on how to take what they have and build a plan that is executable.
Other news...we had spring. It lasted about 2 weeks. We went from highs in the 50s, lows in the 30s to the 80s in 2 weeks. Now we are getting the dreaded dust storms...today it rolled in out of nowhere and it went from a gorgeous day to half a mile of visibility with dust in about 30 minutes. It was strange - the sunlight was still trying to get through, but the dust would not allow - it was orange. I mean everything was orange - very strange. I should have taken a picture, but forgot - I am sure I will have the chance to do so again.
On to food. The food here is, well, tolerable. One of my indulgences was the ice cream. It is much better than tolerable. It is damn good, and I enjoyed it. One of the things I decided to do for lent was to give up sweets. So, I went out in style. For Fat Tuesday, a few of us decided to have ice cream for dinner. And since they have 6 flavors, why not have all 6? We did, and it was great. Here are a few photos of me with my meal...

So I had the opportunity to eat Iraqi food for the first time last week. It was during a trip to Taji airbase just north of Baghdad. I was with the IqAF Chief of Staff (boss) and his entourage. So they prepared a meal for all of us. Fish, rice, etc. It was pretty good once I got past the Iraqis grabbing it with their non-washed hands and throwing it on my plate. This week, some of my friends I work with at the Iraqi base invited me and a buddy for lunch - I have to say it was the best meal I have eaten since I have been here - no hands either. Chicken briyani - a great dish. I did take a few snaps of us.

Introducing Claire Elizabeth

2010-02-10T16:48:00.004-05:00

Everyone, meet Claire Elizabeth! Claire, meet all of our family and friends! Claire arrived home today after spending her first two days in her life in the hospital while Jami recovered. Of course, those that know Jami, know that she wanted to walk out of the OR and into the truck to go home...

Jami and Claire are doing very well. Will...well, he is too. I was able to skype in tonight to watch my boy meet my girl...it was magical. He is already such a proud brother. Due to Jami's coaching, he understands that the baby was in the belly, then mommy goes to the hospital for a few days and she brings baby home. She even prepared him for when the baby cries. Claire started a little cry today, and Will sang her "twinkle, twinkle little star"

Jami will have more to tell. Me, well, I can say is that I am thankful for a healthy family and I can't wait to see them. I have trouble clicking the "hang up" button on skype - but at least I have that tool to see my family.

Baby girl arrived!!!

2010-02-08T09:22:00.002-05:00

Baby Principi is a part of this big bad world now! She arrived at 0753 this morning. I was able to watch from Iraq on skype. I had video, but no audio, so I could not hear her cry, but I didn't need to, I was already crying just seeing her. She looked beautiful, just like her mother, and first reports are that mom and baby are healthy. My pulse is finally settling down to somewhere under 100. Thank God and you all for helping us through this - it was tough, but we are so thankful it all went well.

For those into stats: 7.1 pounds, 19.5 inches.

I'll attach pictures when I get some. All I could do was take a picture of my computer screen - which is fine for me, but Jami will have better ones to post soon.

p

The Waiting

2010-02-08T07:29:00.002-05:00

This is the hard part for me. Jami made it to the hospital. She and my mom are getting settled in the room. I was on the phone and a flurry of medical professionals came in to Jami's room. Jami had to answer questions and Mom wanted to help out. I am here in my room in Iraq left wondering what is going on with my wife and child. To say it's tough doesn't quite capture my emotions. My pulse is up and I am nervous, but I know it will all be OK. I know Jami and I have a connection that can't be explained, and I feel her, even though we are across the world from each other.

Good news is that we got skype up and running in the operating room. I just talked to the IT guy and saw the OR. So, Jami and I should be able to see and talk to each other during the procedure. I'll update later when everything is complete. I can't wait to see my baby girl!!!!

p

Sayonara January

2010-02-04T15:11:00.003-05:00

I cannot explain how happy I am to look in the review mirror and see January behind me. It was certainly a rough month. Jami and I talked about this before the month started, we knew it would be tough. We knew we would ride the emotional roller coaster again. Well, we certainly have. I wake up, and feel like a robot going through the motions of my job here, for hours and hours. The carrot that dangles at the end of the day is my chance to see and talk to my family before going to sleep and doing it all again tomorrow. As Jami described, during all of this, we tried everything we could do to get me home for a few days to be with her during the surgery, witness the birth of our second child, and help her recover for just a few days - for multiple reasons, it is not going to work out for us...

I am just trying to stay positive through the whole situation. I have experienced many emotions in the past week. It is difficult for me to describe - but I felt an emptiness I have never felt before. I was struggling with the concept of positiveness. It was just not in me. Father Bob helped me focus with words from Philippians: Always be joyful, then, in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful. Let your good sense be obvious to everybody. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. I have always tried to remain positive during tough times, and those words have helped me through these trials.

I am excited about the arrival of our daughter - and that will be the motivation that keeps me going as I look forward to meeting the baby girl in person in May. To say i can't wait for that day is the understatement of the year, and we are only in February. But, January is behind us and I am almost at the halfway point of my time here.

Irony, as I type, I am listening to internet radio - a track by the Killers with the line "It doesn’t really matter...don’t you worry it’ll all work out..."

We do believe that, it will work out. In a strange way, being apart has had a positive influence on our marriage. I attribute most of that to Jami. She has been amazing. Rarely do I hear a negative word from her. Jami is an phenomenal mother and wife. She is at home, dealing with the craziness of taking care of our little boy while handling a pregnancy. She has truly been a rock throughout all of this. I still remember struggling with how to tell her I was leaving for 7 months, and was going to miss the birth of our child. Instead of freaking out, or asking why me, why us, she said, OK, we can do this. And we are.

Ok, more irony - another tune on the radio, this one from Coldplay "Honey, you are the rock that I stand on...and honey, you should know that I could never go on without you" Jami, that is so true...

We often hear from others, "how do you do it?" Well, we just do. We didn't ask for this, we didn't volunteer for this, but we deal with it. We live in a society where people often complain about many things, we decided that instead of complaining, we would find a way to get through our separation and hopefully grow more. Needless to say, we feel that it has improved our ability to be thankful for what we do have - as Jami eluded, our faith, our love, our health, our family, our friends. Without those things, what would we be?

I am proud to be an American, to have Jami as my wife, Will as my son, to believe in God, to have the love and support of family and friends from all over the world. And I long to hold my beautiful daughter in my arms in May...

6 more sleeps....

2010-02-02T19:31:00.008-05:00

http://www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=7085065957381936708

It doesn't matter what kind of day we have had here in VA as my favorite time of the day is bedtime. Not because I am ready for a breath, but watching and listening to Will as we read our books. Most recently because of his learned bedtime prayers. I tried to capture all of it but he knows the black flip video camera and never "performs" 100% when I ask him to. It is a time of the day that melts my heart and makes me feel good even if he was rotten all day. So I just had to share a glimpse ;)

Just trying to stay busy to make time go by faster instead of counting the days, hours and minutes until we meet baby girl. Will has had a blast roller skating on Tuesdays, playgroups Wed and story/craft hour at Barnes and Noble on Thursdays. We were also surprised to wake up on Saturday to a beautiful snow fall dropping 8 inches for us to frolic in and attempt a "frosty" Needless to say, we still have snow on the ground and the city has been "closed" for 5 days now. We had an experience driving to the base yesterday and watching people who have never seen snow let alone drive in it. Good times and giggles for me!

As the time is quickly approaching for baby to arrive I also have such a heavy heart...not afraid to admit. While I have tried to stay tough, strong, courageous and positive, I also get such an angry feeling that stirs from the politics in the military. It all started with high hopes when Philip really thought he was going to make the trek home to meet his new baby. We never said anything for fear of jinxing and the uncertainty of it all. We wrote letters for the doctor to send to the red cross, Philip had a one on one meeting with the General he works for, I pleaded with the doctor again, and lastly I marched my big, pregnant self into the red cross office to chat with a military liaison to request his quick return for a few days. It is a no go and it is so frustrating as many others have been sent home for a. garage flooding b. grandmother's funeral c. emotional support for a mom All very important but I guess I get jealous and don't understand why our circumstance isn't as important. Apparently the red cross just passed some new stipulations making it a tough game. So we will press as planned...just with more emotions as the slight possibility slipped away before our eyes. At least we can honestly say we tried every angle and never regret the effort! We are still working the logistics of Skype for the delivery. We were originally told it wasn't even an issue and this is a routine trend...only to find out last week that nobody knows how to do it. Please keep your fingers crossed that this is figured out as the sound of your baby crying on the phone is not nearly the same!

enough ranting! As Philip and I conversed a great deal this weekend and as I have said before, the military may split our family for a bit but they will never take away our strong bond to each other or our love. Little did we know the homily from Sunday's mass hit home.

Though I command languages both human and angelic -- if I speak without love, I am no more than a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. 2 And though I have the power of prophecy, to penetrate all mysteries and knowledge, and though I have all the faith necessary to move mountains -- if I am without love, I am nothing. 3 Though I should give away to the poor all that I possess, and even give up my body to be burned -- if I am without love, it will do me no good whatever. 4 Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, 5 it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offense or store up grievances. 6 Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. 7 It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. 8 Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophecies, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will fall silent; and if knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we know only imperfectly, and we prophesy imperfectly; 10 but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will be done away with. 11 When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and see things as a child does, and think like a child; but now that I have become an adult, I have finished with all childish ways. 12 Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. Now I can know only imperfectly; but then I shall know just as fully as I am myself known. 13 As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and the greatest of them is love.... 1 Corinthians chapter 13‏

And yes, Fr Bob, I read your bulletin and this does also pertain to may love for God. I have found more strength than I knew was possible through the power of prayer. I thought I had a good grasp on my faith until I have been tested so many times in the past several months to realize I have no control over situations but I do have control to pray and believe. And for this, I'm blessed once again.

I am hoping to post soon after the baby arrives but forgive me if it is delayed. I don't know the WiFi status at the hospital or how long I will be there. Please keep Philip close in your hearts as I can't imagine walking in his shoes and dealing with all of this from his side of the world. He has worked 380 hours in a month's time so his postings are non existent right now but hopefully soon he can update with more stories and pictures.

Thank you again for the endless phone calls, letters, packages and emails. It really does help the rough days.

love,
jami

sleepless in VA

2010-01-22T22:21:00.006-05:00

I don't really have anything fun and exciting to blog about. Guess I am feeling guilty for not keeping up with it as much as I had planned. At this point it is a waiting game of when twinkle toes will arrive. Which leads me to my first 37 wk grumpy moment today. I went to the doctor, yes, finally again. This military schedule really is something else. I haven't seen her since a week after Thanksgiving. If I didn't have such a great doctor with Will and wasn't a nurse, I would never know the difference. I was kind of excited about today's appt for many reasons. Sleep wasn't an issue last night as I just couldn't sleep, so I was up, showered and ready to go all by 6am. I am called back to the room, little man in tow and the sweet, young airman is all smiles and so happy it is Friday. I know this because she verbally expressed her joy and weekend plans. After looking at the daunting number on the scale I have a seat and she says "so do you have any big, crazy plans this weekend?" For as much as I wanted to laugh out loud at her I simply said "Not really" I mean what would I be doing? Very pregnant, 2 yr old and husband is away. Eh hum, anyway, I think she would be disappointed to know my Friday night consisted of a bottle of Pellegrino with lime, animal planet with the little man and finished the tv marathon with Hope for Haiti. She on the other hand is out listening to a live band for her birthday and slurping away her weeks hardships I'm sure. I did love watching the Hope for Haiti and I am proud to say Madonna still rocks after all these years.

Second grumpy moment started with the old lady volunteer who was gracious enough to follow me through the hospital today. A question I have frequently gotten and has become a large pet peeve is "what are you having" I want to in turn and say "a baby" I don't like knowing the gender, but I was nice and smiled to say "a little lady." she said "Oh, a perfect family. A boy and a girl" This makes the hair on my neck stand up straight. Why is that so perfect? Isn't having 2 healthy children more perfect? argh...

So you see, I shouldn't even be blogging, however, it feels great to get it off my chest.

Happier moments: VA beach aquarium, visited by Philip's cousin and her 2 girls, Barnes and Noble story hours and crafts, Chick-fil-a lunches, nursery done, guest room cozy and both sets of parents itineraries completed for arrival of baby girl ?.

Most proud mommy moment was at Barnes and Noble yesterday. We try to go on cold days for a change of scenery and something to look forward to. We started doing this back in Dayton, OH when Will was there for social hour (like his daddy) and not story time. Now he is all business. So the book chosen was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Thanks auntie Mimi for the addition to our library! We know this book frontwards and back as this was the chosen bedtime book for weeks!!! seriously. Not to mention the youtube version Mimi also introduced to Will. So here is the mayor's son, Will, sitting in the back, shouting out the next line on the page, in song, at the top of his vocals. Other parents giggling and their kidlets annoyed, but I was one very proud mama! I tried to get it on video to share but we haven't conquered that one yet. He thinks it is a game and doesn't cooperate enough for publishing!

One more memorable moment from the past couple of weeks....the nursery bedding I ordered so long ago finally showed up last week. (can't believe I'm sharing this as it is quite disgusting but sums up some of my crazy days) I chose this bedding because it matches the already painted bedroom perfectly. Not my first choice but for sanity's sake, I found it to be well worth it. I quickly opened the box to not only discover it wasn't the same color as on the internet, but that I really didn't like the pattern as much as I thought I would. So I stand back to look at the room and try to convince myself it really wouldn't be all to bad to paint this large room, ceiling included which is also already painted blue. As I'm thinking of my next trip to Lowe's and the paint chips I will get, I'm also repackaging the bedding. My back is turned for 30 sec, long enough for my sweet Bella dog to straddle the bumper and drag her bum bum in such a straight fashion that I'm stunned. I don't know whether to cry or laugh. I think I did both. I took it as a signed from Iraq and realized Philip was scolding me to think I was going to paint and cause myself grief!!!! so thanks bella!!

I think this about sums it up for us. Still very thankful for Skype as it has helped tremendously for Will to communicate better with Philip. It is also good for all of our souls as the visual portion is just another added bonus to the many miles separating us. Today marks 2 months since Philip left for Iraq. It truly feels like 6 already....I was once again humbled tonight by the people of Haiti and their struggles for life. For me, this will pass soon, for them...it may never pass. My heart and prayers go out to all of them. As always, I am extremely lucky and count my blessings daily!

Midnight Oil

2010-01-11T14:56:00.007-05:00

Just want to drop a quick update. Things have gotten pretty hectic here for the past two weeks. There are many contributing factors, including a restructure of the US forces, a new boss, a lot of guys going home for their 15 day mid tour break, and a new job for me.

The new job has been a good change as it fits more of my background and expertise. However, it happened at the same time that 3 of the 5 guys in my new office left for a break. The guy that is still here has a very specific job that is extremely busy. That leaves me doing the work of 4 guys. Needless to say, not knowing the new job and responsibilities well combined with covering for 3 other guys has me burning the midnight oil - almost literally. In the past 10 days or so, I have made it home before midnight only a few times. I am not complaining, I understand - just letting you all know why I haven't been available much for communication. When the dust settles in a week or two, I expect more normal hours again.

I have been working primarily on the strategic concepts and plans to assist the Iraqis on all kinds of stuff. Unfortunately, that has kept me in the office almost all day with paperwork instead of out talking to and advising the Iraqi AF. As I have built relationships with some of the Iraqi Generals and Colonels, I actually miss spending time with them. As my co-workers return, I expect to resume my advisor roles, but with some new Generals - now advising them on their Air Sovereignty and Air Defense plans instead of the training focus I had previously. I look forward to the new challenge and relationships.

My previous blog included pictures of the inside of Al Faw Palace. This time I have a picture of the outside, day and night, as well as THE chair inside - I think I want one of these in my house! I miss home and Jami and Will tremendously - hard to believe we are inside of a month before another Principi enters the world!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T12:57:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year to all! I really thought I would have it together to get a quick note in before Christmas, or shortly after, but I guess I was wrong. While Philip was reflecting more on the meaning of Christmas, I will say I am guilty to say I was caught in the hustle and bustle of it all. Part of me would like to say I tried to stay as busy as possible in hopes it would make us not think about Philip's absence this season. I know better, that is what is frustrating and I still let it get the best of me. I have vowed to Philip that next year will be different since we will be a complete family. I don't know if the overwhelming feeling came when it took me 2 days to load the car to drive to South Carolina, last minute gifts or just getting us packed while Will was unpacking behind me. The dog had a bad bout of fleas (our first ever and I'm very grossed out by it) Seems I was washing loads and loads of laundry while disinfecting our house in fear we all were going to get fleas for Christmas! Apparently this is very normal for Virginians. I will vow that I'm a rock star being able to put together race car tracks, bikes, legos and a kids tool work bench.

New Year's Eve we were reminded once again how great the military CAN be. Our friends invited us over for a dinner where we also met other AF families. Amazing how the common bond makes instant friends and being embraced by perfect strangers still blows me away. I got to visit with other women my age while Will played with other kids. It truly was a blessing.
'
Needless to say, the holidays are over and I'm starting to feel like miss peanut's arrival is coming so soon. I went through Philip's coupon book (yes, Philip's as I'm not patient enough to sort through coupons while trying to entertain a 2 yr old grocery shopping) The expiration date on some of them is later than Feb 8th!!! Makes it seem so close. Or that we only have 2 more doctor appts. Aside from these anxious feelings, I'm starting to have that crazy feeling that I need to devote every waking second to Will as it is our last time together just the two of us. Please tell me this is normal. I'm so excited to start another chapter but sad to close another. Did I really just type that? Can't believe I have gotten so sappy after I reprimanded Will this morning only to hear the exact words, and tone of voice, later as he was mimicking me when I was trying to get him to clean up his toys. Apparently, in a gruff, low voice I say "I'm sick of it" Definitely made me giggle for a while.

That is it for my update. Like I say, starting to feel like groundhog's day around here. Doesn't help that it is freezing and Will has been sick. Hopefully we aren't home bound for too much longer. I am really trying to get Philip to update soon, he has had some amazing experiences the past week that I would love for him to share.

Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season and the start of 2010 is grand!

love,
jami

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-30T13:17:00.009-05:00

I know, I know, it has been 10 days since my last post, and I am sorry. I know all of you were busy with traveling, family, and all the Christmas festivities. The Christmas season was a different experience for me this year. I have spent one Christmas in this area before, but that was 9 years ago and without a wife and child.

Both experiences had similarities. I really didn't remember that it is the Christmas season except when I went to mass each week. To me, it was more of what I think we all really, deep down, want our Christmas season to be...there was no hoop-la, no scurrying about to find this year's elmo, and definitely no fighting over who gets the last widget on the shelf. We are removed from all commercial influence. Well, almost all, my email was full everyday of "only 12 more days for guaranteed delivery...and so on." But you get the jest.

I attended Chistmas Eve mass in a small Chapel that sits at the end of a small peninsula that is in one of Saddam's old lakes in his big living area. I am sure it is an old entertainment room of some sort - surreal celebrating Christ's birth in this building. It was a wonderful service. Afterward, I joined some friends for a candle lighting service at Al Faw palace. Al Faw is one of Saddam's big palaces. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Faw_Palace if you want to read more. This was something I did not want to pass up. The palace is beautiful and the service was nice as well. I have some photos at the end of the blog.

There was a spirit here on Christmas day that I find difficult to explain. Maybe I can capture it in words. Yeah, this place sucks, there are guys that are here that have been here since last Christmas, you walk around with one ear to the sky listening for incoming rounds, you have your own 10 x 10 room if you're really lucky, otherwise you share that same room or share a tent, you walk to the bathrooms, the food is edible, and most importantly, you are not with your loved ones.

But, with all that to complain about, on Christmas Day, I did not hear one complaint from anyone. The first person I saw was an 18 or 19 year old kid in the Army I walked past on the way to the Dining Facility - "Good Morning Sir! Merry Christmas!!!" The kid is probably spending his first Christmas away from home...and his mom and dad are spending their first Christmas away from their child - and he is in a war zone - and he is happy and he really has the Christmas spirit. I could go on...all day it was the same spirit passing through our base as I walked around sharing Christmas greetings with hundreds of people I have never seen and will likely never see again. Even the Ugandan contracted security guards for our buildings were throwing out "Merry Christmas!" as they saw how it lit us up. The Iraqis I work with as well - all Muslim - all making sure they shared a Merry Christmas greeting - even a few small gifts were shared.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do not wish to be away from my family to have a different, more simple, and dare I say, more true Christmas experience - but I am here, I might as well look at the experience positively and not pass up the opportunity to reflect and grow...I certainly hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas at home with your families - I truly mean that...
The stars and stripes in the center of Al Faw Palace

Me and a few buds after the service

The base of the chandelier

The Ceiling of the center of the palace. The circle has Saddam's initials in it.

On the road again

2009-12-20T15:19:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have been in hiding the past week or so. We have actually been pretty busy around here - this is good as it passes time faster. So last week, I took another road trip. I guess it is really called an air trip as that is definitely the safer way to travel in this country. To those who read last week's blog entry, it was not quite hitching a ride, but it was still a non-standard affair.

The Iraqi Air Force purchased some new training aircraft called the T-6. This is the same aircraft we (USAF/USN) now use as a primary trainer as well - so needless to say, the Iraqis were pretty stoked about the arrival. Well, in good American form, we were not going to let them down. After a week and a half of contracted pilots flying the first 4 aircraft across the planet to the middle east, I was sent to Al Asad Air Base to coordinate the arrival and next day departure of the T-6s to their new home.

My transportation to Al Asad was an Iraqi C-130 with a full Iraqi crew. I was one of about 5 Americans in the back of the plane. No problem, the short flight was uneventful. Al Asad was a nice change to what I have been seeing where I am. It is a lot more wide open and cleaner - I even got a run in without any rocks, mud, T-wall navigation and had a great view (of the horizon) the whole time.

While there, I was responsible for the team of 11 of us (4 USAF pilots, 4 legacy IqAF fighter pilots, me, and interpreter, and a technician). The plan was for the T-6s to fly into their new base with USAF pilots in the front of the plane and the legacy IqAF pilots in the back seat. They also needed to rendezvous with 2 C-130s (one USAF, one IqAF) taking off from Baghdad for a nice arrival show at their new base in Iraq. In the US, this is not complicated. Here, everything is complicated. I was in the tower at Al Asad, with a land line phone, a Satellite phone, a hand-held radio, and a Air traffic control radio. It all worked out great - huge success.

As I look back, the funny thing is, the most difficult part was keeping up with the IqAF pilots from one night to the next morning. They were so excited to see the new airplanes arrive, and be a part of their Air Force rising from the ashes. They were all over the place, it was a cat herding experience if I have every seen one. Picture me, chasing around these guys on the ramp, getting the interpreter to try to help... These grown men, all 45+, all greater than 1500 hours in fighter aircraft, were all literally like a kid on Christmas morning, smiling ear to ear, talking about how great the moment is, and dreaming of the future. I was glad to be a part of that, to help these men get back on their feet after decades of neglect. Hopefully, they don't take this for granted...

Attached are some shots from the trip - I intentionally did not include any photos of the IqAF pilots - many of them have to hide the fact that the serve in the IqAF for fear of their own and their families lives from the insurgency. Try to imagine having to hide what you do because you think people will try to kill you or your family...

The first photo is me in the Iraqi C-130. Notice the Iraqi flag in the back. The second is me in front of the Iraqi T-6. And the last one is me flying home on an Iraqi King Air 350 - sweet little twin engine aircraft with comfortable seating. So, I found myself potentially stuck in Al Asad for 4 days. Not good. I made a few phone calls, and about 6 hours later, the Iraqi King Air pulls up to the DV ramp at Al Asad, I run out there, they idle one motor, open the door, and I hop in. The US Navy instructor pilot that I've never met simply says, "What's up? Glad we could help you out bro"

Tis the season...

2009-12-13T08:45:00.009-05:00

While my mayor husband is off hitching rides with random Iraqi pilots in Caravan's, we have been busy with the holiday delights. It has been so much fun watching Will get excited about ole jolly St. Nick this year. There are no hesitations to run up in the giant lap of Santa and sit for as long as possible. He doesn't really make conversation, just sits and stares. Last year the radius of Santa was at least a football field worth and even then it was sketchy.

Our weekend started off with decorating a gingerbread train that Nonna sent to us. We had a great time eating the candy as we built our masterpiece and loved looking at it while we ate dinner and breakfast the next day. Our wonderful art project came to end when we stepped out for a doctor's appt and returned home to find nothing left but half eaten candies and frosting matted into the area rug! Our sweet, special dog Bella had her way with the scrumptious, eye candy and was high on sugar for hours after. Will took it so well as he just said "Uh oh, mommy" and jumped right in to help clean up! Argh!

Friday night our local fire dept drove down the street with 3 fire engines, the last engine pulling Santa in a sleigh, and stopped in front of every house taking time for pictures and collecting canned goods for the local food bank. What a great idea! Not sure which was more exciting for little man...Santa or the flashy fire engines.

Saturday morning we spent a few hours in the kitchen baking cupcakes and my favorite cookie, the Italian pizzelle. For every two cookies I made, Will ate one. He was just a big help with the mixer and taste testing. My favorite part of the whole activity was listening to Will start to sing along to the Christmas music! Too sweet!

Last night after having dinner with some good friends here in VA, we all drove down to old colonial Yorktown, sat by a bonfire, listened to fifes and drums and waited for the arrival of the boat parade down the York River. It was so beautiful and the picture just doesn't do it justice. The historic town itself sits on the river with the cobbleston street and old buildings bustling with quaint shops. The fife and drummers were young kids dressed in colonial attire while the whole place twinkled with Christmas lights. Hard to believe there was once a battle close by with such present beauty.

That about sums up our week. Many of you have been asking about the pregnancy. It is going great. 31 wks and counting. I will finally see the doctor this week as she has had to cancel recently due to complicated patients on the labor and delivery floor. I'm not too concerned. Seems as though everything is par for the course and just waiting until after the holidays to get the final touches on the nursery and mentally preparing for the arrival of our 2nd child. The butterflies start to twitter just thinking about the new change but I know we can do it. God wouldn't have given us another chance at parenthood if He didn't think we couldn't handle it. We are still shooting for a c-section at 39 wks.

Hope you all have a fantastic week. With all the hustle and bustle I hope everyone is able to at least sit somewhere to listen to some great holiday music with a glass of wine or cup of coffee and just enjoy the season.

love,
jami

Need a ride?

2009-12-09T11:36:00.006-05:00

Most of you know, I am a pilot. As a pilot here, I work at the USAF HQ of advisors as a fixed wing advisor to Iraq AF. I described in yesterday's post two of the three pillars of my job. One is advising the IqAF senior officers, the second is advising the US commanding officers and dignitaries (indirectly of course, I am not that important), and the third is working with the guys in the trenches, the guys actually doing the J-O-B training the Iraqi's in whatever skill sets required.

Well, in my infinite wisdom, I decided I needed to get out to the field and see what the men, and some women are doing in the trenches. After all, how do I have credibility to my IqAF and USAF senior officers if I haven't seen what is going on in the field and talked to the guys doing the job? So, for my first field trip, I decided to go up to Kirkuk where the Fixed Wing Pilot Training is, as that is where it all begins for these IqAF pilots. Plus, our presence there is evaporating - the operation will be IqAF run with minimal USAF overwatch this winter and we are out of there next summer.

Makes sense, right? So, now I need a way up there - it is a few hundred miles from Baghdad. Convoy is right out - I don't get along with IEDs. So, I needed to catch a flight. I called around and talked to another USAF Major - he said we could up there together. I was good with that.

We met up today, and I asked what the plan was, he told me we were catching a flight with some guys that came down to Baghdad earlier in the day - meet them at the plane at 1200. So we went out the the flightline, and here were the options:

So we waited for about an hour. Then a dude walks up to the one on the right, opens all the doors, etc. A few minutes after that, a few guys in flight suits show up. I am standing in the same spot as the photo above and can tell they are pilots, so we grab our gear and mosey over there. Before we get there, the two pilots are in the plane, about to shut the doors. I look up and to my surprise, see two Iraqi pilots.

The older one looked at me with all my gear, seemed confused, and said "Do you need something?" I replied with "Yes sir, a ride to Kirkuk - are you going there?" He said "yes, but who are you?" All I said was, "I need to go talk to Lt Col Liberato." He said - "hop in" And just like that the deal was done...here is a shot of them a little later:

So there I was, flying in an Iraqi Caravan 208 with 2 Iraqi pilots! Crazy - but effective. Here is me happy for the ease of this flight instead of having to go the route of waiting around all day at a military passenger terminal only for the flight to be canceled:

We arrived in Kirkuk an hour or so later, I was met at the plane by my USAF counterparts, and later learned the Iraqi pilot was one of the sharpest they had. We took a quick tour of the base, it is nice up here - more spread out than where I am, not as dirty. As we were driving around the airfield, I saw a couple of Mig-21's just sitting there, so I decided to check them out. Needless to say, their flying days are over:

Made for an exciting day - no worries though, I am on a US C-130 for the return trip which means I have to go through a lot more processing to get on the flight - maybe I should just get the good IqAF Lt Col fly me home - nothing like a private plane, I don't care what country it is!

15 Days

2009-12-08T15:27:00.006-05:00

That is how long I have been here. While the days go by quickly, it seems like I have been here a bit longer than 15 days. Some days are good, a few have been a lot of fun, others have just been going through the motions. I would like to tell you all about where I live, what it looks like, and share photos, but that is not as interesting as relaying a little about what I do and what I have done so far.

My first week was simply getting settled. It took a while (10 days) to adjust to the time change. That was rough as I had trouble getting on a decent sleep schedule, but that is all good now. I also had to learn the daily work schedule and had a rapid crash course on people and names. Our staff here is around 50 people, most my age or a little older. I first had to learn everyone's name and what they do, because we all have specific jobs, but we also all work together to accomplish the mission of advising and training the Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) - particularly the Iraqi Air Force headquarters.

This is where it gets more challenging. First of all, learning the Iraqi names and remembering them is tough. They all sound so similar to us - Amer, Ahmed, Mohoned, Mohemed, Ali, etc - I am sure they are similar to Joe, Bob, John, Dave, and Mike - but it is difficult for us to remember who is who as it is so foreign. Second is the cultural difference. Allow me to give you an example. The IqAF headquarters is at the old Baghdad zoo - or so I am told. The place was apparently really nice during the Saddam days, as he put money into it (at the expense of money towards the people). So now that they have it back, it has fallen apart - the buildings are not kept, and the grounds are worse. They have a canal system that runs through there that we drained in 2003. The new guys wanted to run water back into the canals because that is the way that it was. Well, they never cleaned it up. They opened the water gates, and filled them back up, but it is dirty (greenish) water and there is trash everywhere - that is just their mentality, they want it to look nice, but not at the cost of their labor - that is what they pay people to do, but they have no money to spend on that. So, it is a trash filled canal system with wires and other random things in the water.

I have a counterpart in the IqAF - he is a Colonel. This is strange to me as well, here I am as a Major advising a guy that is 2 ranks above me and I tell him how to change what they are doing to make it better. Not that I wouldn't advise Colonels or Generals in the USAF, but I do it here all the time. In my previous experiences, my commanders have an idea of what they want to do, and I can offer various options based on my expertise. So this is new to me. Also, these guys are the same guys we flew against in Gulf War 1 and 2. And they want to do things they way the used to, not accepting the lessons learned from those previous experiences. I don't want to paint the wrong picture, they are very respectful and listen to me, but it is almost like talking to a teenager, convincing them that your way is better. And on top of that, my counterpart doesn't speak English, so everything runs through an interrupter. All that combined makes what would be a 30 minute discussion turn into about 2 hours. The cool thing is that we have a unique fighter pilot bond. They love talking fighters to me, and I enjoy it as well. We share pictures, videos, etc.

We also work with the Army, Department of Defense, and Department of State to synergize the US mission and objectives. This is typically done at the General Officer level, but my 2 star often requests assistance in conveying our plan to higher officials. I have had the opportunity to help on a few projects, one that might affect our international policies with Iraq. So on day 7, I found myself flying over downtown Baghdad on a Blackhawk helicopter, supporting my 2 star for a brief he was giving to a 4 star. I later found myself in the 4 stars office with me, 2 Colonels, and 4 Generals - needless to say, I kept my mouth shut. It was a great experience and I did not expect to make this level of impact so early on - I hope I continue to have these opportunities. Attached are a few photos of that flight as well as a video (tried twice to post it - don't think it worked.

I thank all of you for you support, thoughts, and prayers. It really does help Jami and I make through the day. We have both had ups and downs (reference Mr. Hankey story) - but knowing you all are out there, supporting us, helps us both.
p

Mr Hanky..

2009-12-04T18:41:00.002-05:00

This is just too good not to share and blog about. While today has been challenging with Will acting out and getting sick on top of it, many funny things happened. The funniest being Mr. Hanky. I promised Will a movie after bath to get him more acquainted with Santa, Rudolph and friends. I was using bath time as a distraction for him as I made up both beds ( I know...never leave your child unattended...and yes, this pediatric nurse did) As I was finishing up I thought I heard him grunting so I quickly yelled "are you ok" He responds "yes mama, taking a bath so I can watch a movie" A thought quickly flashed through my mind how lucky we have been not to have an accidents while in the tub and surely he wouldn't do it now. Especially since he just went #1 in the toilet before getting in the tub. You see where I am going with this. When I get back to the bathroom, my handsome little devil is chasing Mr Hanky and his friends around the tub dodging Mr Bubble so now it is a game of hide and seek Hanky! He was so proud when he caught one and more surprised to see my shocked face as he caught a glimpse after looking up to show me his prized possession. I know many of you moms have experienced something like this and know the frustrations. I wonder if he subconsciously knows I ordered the potty training book last night to start the big job next week? hum...guess I needed to clean the tub and toys anyway. Just a little Friday night humor :)

1500 miles later....

2009-12-02T20:27:00.004-05:00

I am delighted to say we are finally home after being away for 12 days for Thanksgiving...but as I was driving mile after mile, I reflected all I am thankful for this year. I will share just a few. First of all, family. Both my in laws and my own. I am thankful for the support and love from both sides as spending one of the many special occasions without Philip is much easier with all of them. Will, the dog and I were welcomed in the Principi household in Birmingham along with the other 17 people staying under 1 roof. Also not to forget the Hiskys from Memphis who stayed in a hotel but spent all their time with us....and Father Bob to make it a whopping 23. Anyone who reads this and knows the Principi family, I know you are not the least bit shocked. I really think the only time I saw the whites of Will's eyes was when he was in trouble or bedtime. He had an absolute ball playing with cousins and loving the attention he received from all! Thank you. While I was being pampered in AL, my poor family was in back home in ID and hit with the flu! Nothing like vomiting to the smell of turkey!

Another thing I am thankful for is my dad. While I was driving and listening to Will scream Dora time after time, I have an even greater appreciation for my dad being a single parent for 11 years and the craziness with 3 of us. Every day I am challenged with Will and his "terrible 2's" I am even more grateful for my dad and all he sacrificed to make our childhood so memorable. Thanks Pa!

Friends! Philip and I were both overwhelmed with emails, letters and even a care package (thanks Lisa L) over the weekend. We all may not talk for weeks or even months, but we both feel so lucky to have crossed paths with you at some point in our lives.

My little bro...while last year he faced many challenges, this year he is thankful for many of his own blessings including his health! I, too, am thankful for his well-being...love you j.

My mother in law and I saw the Rockettes this past Sunday and I have started listening to holiday music every chance I get...I love it! I thought last year was great as we introduced Will to Santa, but I can already tell his little mind is going crazy when we read stories about Santa or "see" Santa. I have been trying to attach a picture from the past week of Philip's great uncle Bud and Will together. Uncle Bud is 86 yrs old and still so strong. He was also Will's first encounter with a beard and mustache. I kept telling Will it is a beard like Santa and to watch the magical connection was amazing. So, I guess, my reason for telling this...is if anyone is feeling bah hum bug, try to think of Christmas throught the eyes of a 2 yr old...it really is magical.

I think that about sums up the highlights of our trip. We have been so lucky to talk with Philip almost daily and skype whenever time allows. I really don't know how soldiers and families did it before this great technology. It definitely makes the ride much more tolerable.

love,
j

ps. the video below is Will with Philip's dad (papa) watching football and eating leftover turkey. Philip would be proud to know he shouts 'roll tide' whenever the flag is flying on cars passing by.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T15:14:00.007-05:00

I sincerely hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. While it is difficult not being with my family this year, I do have new friends here, and we did celebrate Thanksgiving. We received a rare day off and I took the opportunity to eat a Thanksgiving meal, not once, but twice. The dining facility served the standard T-day menu for lunch and dinner. For me, it was not the food that mattered here. I am stationed at an Army camp. It is typically a staging area for soldiers going out on missions or entering and leaving Iraq. Most of the meals they eat are cold. Well, today, they were all given the chance to eat a hot meal together. Seeing the large dinning facility almost full with Army troops made my Thanksgiving experience special this year.

My commanding General also invited our staff of about 60 guys to his house for an after dinner social event. What made it interesting was his residence. He lives in one of the old Ba'ath party VIPs house located near the Baghdad Airport. It was a strange experience to walk around and see where these guys we fought used to live. To share the experience, I attached a few photos. One is the back yard, it is a pond with a fountain in it. You can't see it, but it is an electric fountain and the power source is an extension cord that is attached to the fountain, runs in the water and then is connected to a power outlet on the wall of the house - typical Iraqi engineering. There is another photo of the entertaining room and then the last is a bit of American humor. The sign is placed in front of the bathroom, I thought that was pretty funny.
P

Finally made it

2009-11-25T17:35:00.006-05:00

After 72 hours of travel, I finally made it to my destination. I got about 2 hours of sleep followed by an early wake up to go catch my last flight. Needless to say, it was an interesting flight - like none that I have encountered. After 3 hours waiting, we were told to move out quickly. We put on all our body armor and walked out to the ramp and walked into the back of a running aircraft, not something you do everyday. We quickly grabbed our seats and without any of the standard safety brief stuff, the crew loaded or bags in the back in about 60 seconds and we were rolling with the door still open. Shortly after the door closed, we were airborne. It was a loud, uncomfortable flight, and I gained respect of guys that fly in the back of those things often. Ever wondered what it looked like? Well here you go.
Here is a quick video...

3.5 hours later, we landed at our first destination - I was discouraged to find out it was not my destination as I had to go to the bathroom pretty bad. Engines still on, door opened, bags dropped, and half the dudes got out. We were off again in no time. I started wondering what the hell I got myself into and had multiple questions in my head, then I looked up, and in the back of the aircraft was a reminder-

About 30 minutes later we landed again - my new home. Alright! I was so stoked because I had to go to the bathroom bad. We hopped off the back, got a quick inbrief, and I met a new co-worker to take me to my base (it is really an Army camp).
First impression - well, how can I describe it? It is like a massive construction site the is not complete - very dirty and concrete everywhere you look. There are these things called T-walls that are designed to enforce the place - they are concrete structures about 20 feet high, 4 feet wide and about 18 inches thick. They are lined up back to back to back, forming never ending walls. They are around every road and every building, and the buildings are close, so, they are everywhere you look - fine by me. The place is well protected. I then got settled in my room. Good news is that I am living by myself. It is about 12' x 10', has a/c and heat and the bathrooms are real close. Bad news, it was dirty. It was in dire need of a good cleaning. But, it is only about a 3 min walk to the dining facility and the gym. I have about a 5 min walk to work...more on that on the next post, hopefully tomorrow.

Whirlwind

2009-11-21T10:32:00.007-05:00

Wow, what a trip. It began by saying see you later to my two loves and my unborn daughter. As Jami said, that was more difficult than we imagined. The journey took me through Germany and Italy, and I now find myself in the middle east about 48 hours later. I was hoping to enjoy a final brew in Germany and a glass of wine or nice cappuccino in Italy - and I made 50% of that goal - attached is a photo of me enjoying a pint in a sports bar in Germany. The arrival here was a little painful because we landed at 0230 and had 4 hours of inprocessing procedures. At the end, it was 0700 and I had not slept or eaten in a long time. However, I was able to reunite with a previous Squadron Commander that is now a Colonel and is stationed here for a year. He has a one bedroom apartment and was generous enough to allow me to crash at his place while I await my next flight. I can avoid staying in the transient tent with 30 other guys and walking 5 minutes to use the restroom. So I grabbed some breakfast, and racked out for what was intended to be a 2 hour nap - turned into a 6 hour deep sleep. I can say I feel much better but will now struggle getting on the time here - oh well.
I miss my family dearly but embrace the opportunity to make a difference with my job here. I share the same sentiment as Jami, I still hear Will calling for daddy, but I know I can't do anything about it but continue to keep in touch. That is what is so much better than the last time I deployed - technology now allows me to skype from here and see my family - it does not replace being with them, but it certainly helps. Thank you all for the support as we are going through a huge range of emotions. I'll keep the blog posted as able. P

D-day!

2009-11-19T18:44:00.007-05:00

I think I have felt every emotion known to myself today. After 6 amazing days with Philip home before his big departure today, daily life seems so empty, sad, lonely, proud, angry, love....the list goes on. After much thought to say our farewells at the airport vs base, we chose the first. Maybe Philip and I were being selfish to spend 2 more hours of uninterrupted time together before going our separate ways but we also thought it would be good for Will to see his daddy board the airplane. I am not so sure if it was the correct decision and we possibly will never know. From the last kiss to the last screaming Daaaddddy may haunt me for 6 months. How do I explain to a 2 yr old that his daddy has left for a "long time to do a very important job" He continues to reassure me "Daddy will be wight back, Mama" Every time he does this, my heart fills with sadness but also so proud of Philip for the job he has chosen. I have to admit, I would be lying if I said I never get frustrated with the military life. Everything from attempting to pick up deployment gear for Philip while he was in NJ for a month only to find out it hasn't arrived, nor will it arrive before leaving. The much anticipated departure day, the many sleepless nights of what am I going to tell Will, family separation and last, the lady who says.."Don't worry, my husband was gone on business trips all the time" Argh! Aside from my frustrations, I feel our family has been truly blessed. I couldn't ask for a more perfect husband for me, our son is an amazing creature who inspires me daily and our second chance at parenthood only to begin in 10 short weeks. One of the days while Philip was home I was telling him my grateful feelings for all we have. I have been so wrapped up in the homeless population recently. Not sure if it has something to do with the past 2 books I have read or the amount of homeless people who are starting to fill the streets before the holidays. I simply can't imagine the struggles they face daily, whether they chose that lifestyle or not. A child growing up in a homeless atmosphere never asked to be there and do they truly know love? Do any of them know love? I feel so lucky that my family has a love that runs so deep I can't even describe it. As I look at these homeless people at the stop lights, I feel so guilty that I have it so good. It isn't about Philip not being here for the holidays, the birth or the next 6 months, because I know he will be home and we will carry on with more simple, yet fantastic memories....and lastly, there is love.
I guess I went a little over board with my emotions. Guess I am thinking out loud as it helps. I am assuming Philip will write once he gets established or to his destination. While he was home we did our virgin trip to Chuck E Cheese with Will, played on the beach with Bella, had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and just savored every moment together and forgetting about the stress of daily life. It really was wonderful.
As I close this tonight, I listen to Will screaming from his room. I know his heart hurts too as he misses his Daddy. I am hoping each day gets easier....

jami

Bella supervising Philip's packing!

Almost ready

2009-11-06T20:56:00.006-05:00

So after 3 weeks of training, we have completed most of our exercises. The first two weeks focused on Arabic and familiarity with the history/culture/customs. However, this week has been very beneficial, as it involves skills that save lives. I realize I will likely not be put in a situation to ever use these skills, but I bet the Army nutritionist that saved lives at Fort Hood yesterday thought the same thing. We have received outstanding training in what is termed as Combat Live Saving and High Threat Driving. The first is like first aid on steroids. It was three days of how to help yourself or others until you can receive proper medical treatment - a real eye-opener for me. I now feel much more confident assisting others with medical duties than ever before. Previously I was qualified to place a Thomas band-aid on Will and now I can stop severe bleeding, start an IV, and decompress a chest. Don't worry, I am not giving up my day job...that is unless I become a NASCAR driver. The driving is a blast, and builds confidence in vehicles that we might be driving while deployed. Needless to say, we are paying attention and learning key skills, particularly the ones that get you out of an area where the bad guys are...but we are having fun with it as well. We have our final driving day tomorrow and I hope to have an update with a few photos. Thank you all for your support, it makes me feel a little more comfortable knowing Jami/Will/baby are taken care of by everyone. Six more days here then back home - I can't wait to see my family again! My thoughts and prayers to the families of the injured and deceased at Fort Hood. P

Halloween treats

2009-11-01T16:15:00.013-05:00

So I really thought I was going to be okay doing the single parent thing on Halloween. I knew Philip would be with us in spirit but it just wasn't the same to carve pumpkins and not have a competitive competition for the best face. This was our first year to carve with Will so I knew it was going to be either challenging to keep him away from the knife or fun to watch him get sticky and messy from the pumpkin innards. I was wrong on both, he was terrified about the pumpkin being cut open as we have had conversations with this magical friend since we picked him out weeks ago. Once opened, he just couldn't phathom the mess this "friend" had to share. So you can see in the pictures, it took a bit of warming up to the idea and even then it was a far reach to scoop out 3 piles of mess. He just kept repeating, "don't worry puntkin, no owies, mommy doesn't hurt you" Once lit and placed on the porch, my new pumpkin carver was very proud of our work.

Next was time for the costume and trying not to make a significant deal or he wouldn't wear it. We warmed up with the idea that we were able to wear shorts and a t shirt under the costume as it was quite warm here. Always a hit. I think the costume made it halfway on 4 times before his friend next door came over to help encourage the spirit. She is also 2 and can get Will to do anything...sometimes things he isn't allowed to do! So here we go, loaded up in the wagon, neighbors and kids in tow. First house, not a success. By the third house we were good to go until we saw Spider Man. Will was halfway up the yard when Spider Man started making progress towards us. We both turned quickly as Will began to scream and run the opposite direction. Next thing I remember, the kids with us and their mom convinced Will that Spider Man had something "special" for him and only him. At this point he went with the rest of the group while I continued to chit chat with another friend in the street. Next thing I know, Spider Man is holding my little Will and continues to walk right for me...then I hear Will say, "Mommy, daddy Spider Man" So yes, Halloween turned out to be the best ever as Philip was released from class early and spent 6 hours driving to surprise us!!! Those of you who know Philip really well I'm sure you remember he has many spontaneous capabilities.

I know I described our Saturday in great detail but it truly was so fun and exciting for all of us. Philip left again this evening but will return in 2 weeks. We have learned that he will be home for 6 whole days before departing on Nov. 19 for Iraq for the 6 months. While it will be a whole month without him living here, we have been so lucky to catch 2 glimpses of him the past two weekends. I am anticipating Philip to update his position in Iraq once more details come into play. We do know he will be working with the Iraq Air Force in some sort of an office position. He is now smart on the culture, customs and even some basic language skills!

As always, thanks for checking in with us. The phone calls and emails are amazing! Thank you! Hope everyone enjoyed their Halloween as much as I did!

love,
jami

2009-10-26T20:26:00.007-04:00

Will and I were so lucky this past weekend to meet up with Philip in DC. He called Friday to tell us his class was cut short on Saturday so we made it possible to meet halfway and spend a whole day together. Will was beside himself to say the least. We spent the day at Great Falls State Park just outside the city where the boys frolicked in the leaves, walked along the Potomac and enjoyed our time before returning home last night. Still no assignment news for Philip. His training in NJ will end in 3 short weeks so we will know something soon. We do know he will not be home long enough to enjoy the holidays as a family but we will look forward to seeing him at the end of May when we can celebrate all that he missed. Until more news is available...thanks for checking in!

Day 1 of training

2009-10-20T22:49:00.000-04:00

Well, the journey has started. I had my first day of pre-deployment training today. All in all, it went very well. The training seems to be focused on skills that we have never been trained on but will have to use on an everyday basis, such as language, culture, and basic combat skills that have not been introduced in other courses. The instructors all have experience in the area and a few are nationals from the countries we will be in, training us in the language and culture. The mission is important as we are transitioning to leave the area. We had a video conference with people already there and they reiterated the job is actually very important for our mission to transfer power and at the same time very satisfying. We learn more about the living conditions, etc, tomorrow. I personally asked them where I was going and what I was doing since there have been so many changes in the past few days, they told me they were working on it - as soon as I know something, I will let you know. The class is bigger than I expected and my flight of about 12 guys are a good group, so I feel this will be a good experience. I miss my family, but will luckily have an opportunity to see them before I leave. Thanks again for all the support, I will update as I know more. Sorry no pictures yet, I'll see what I can do in the future and will rely on Jami posting pics of Will as they are much cuter anyway. P

Bad News!

2009-10-16T15:09:00.000-04:00

No sooner after making my first, much anticipated post, Philip called to tell me he is in fact leaving...once and for all! We don't know any more details at this time other than reporting for training at an army base in NJ for 3 wks. While he is there he should receive his orders for his departure time, date and location. Guess the roller coaster ride will continue!

Good news!

2009-10-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

I don't even know where to begin....first of all, THANK YOU to all our friends and family for the kind words, emails, letters, calls, etc. I am completely overwhelmed with the love and support we have from all of you.

Secondly, Philip received words last night he is NOT leaving on Monday! While this seems like good news, he is still on the fence for a January departure. We will find out next week as it has come down to two guys and Philip is one of them. I don't know if this is better or worse. The emotional rollercoaster for the past 2 wks has left me speechless. While I breath a sigh of relief, I know we are far from clear. But I do know we will have the holidays together which is better than expected! When he is called to go I am comforted knowing we have all personal issues addressed. Amazing what you can get done in a short amount of time under great pressure. Wills, security alarms, oil changes...etc!

So, this is my first blog entry and I don't know why I am so nervous to write. I enjoy reading my friends blogs as it is much more personal than facebook, emails, myspace and all the other online public websites. After I sent the email, I felt somewhat guilty notifying people of our status. I was never looking for sympathy, just wanting everyone to keep Philip in their thoughts and prayers. I knew I would be okay but I truly worried about him being alone for not only the holidays, but witnessing another Principi being born. I guess I will keep up with this site since it is still inevitable he is leaving.

Thirdly, I apologize for those who didn't know we are expecting. We found out during a crazy, hectic time in our lives. Once we arrived to Langley, we were unable to see a doctor until I was 21 wks. This was also the day after finding out Philip was leaving so I figured I would just send a mass note. SO sorry!

Until we find out more next week, have a great weekend and never fall short of expressing your feelings to your loved ones. It is so easy to take time spent together for granted until you know time is limited! Big hugs from Virginia.

Love,
Jami

2009-10-10T21:23:00.000-04:00