so proud of my hero! :)

Just wanted to post a video of Dano :) He was a part of the opening ceremony for the academy that he had been working with ... they opened the academy and Dano was one of the Marines that helped to raise the flag for the ceremony! If you play the video, you'll see him in the very beginning, raising the American Flag on the far right... Super proud of you DP! :)

Other than that, he's doing great! He called and talked to the kids today.. which was neat because they were all (including me) in costumes... so he got to see us all dressed up! :) They were all so excited.. he hasn't been able to call them in a while.. so they were flipping out! It's so sweet to hear them ask him their questions and to hear him try to sugar coat everything for them... One of my little girls asked him today if there had been any damage there... and you could tell he got a little choked up and he said, "No Claire, no damage. Just a lot of people here trying to make this a better place." It was just so precious. After school, he called back and we talked for over an hour on the webcam! He seems to still be doing great... Ready to come home, but thankful that the time is going so quickly! We can't believe that October is over after tomorrow... looking forward to March.. if not sooner! :) It doesn't seem that far away at all! Once the Holidays are over, he'll be home in NO time! WOO HOO!

So for now, we are both just taking it day by day! I know that he is looking forward to David Paul making it there within the next week or so... he left last night to start heading that way! Please keep their family and David Paul in your prayers... it's crazy how quick time has gone... it seems like yesterday Dano left and David Paul had two months before his date... now he's already gone! I'm thankful that they will have each other for support... and to ease our minds back home!

Thank you so much for your prayers, words of encouragement, and sweet letters/packages! I know that it means the world to him because it means the world to me! :) Keep us in your prayers.. they have worked wonders so far! :)

2 months down already! :)

Tomorrow is our two month mark! YAY! I can't believe that October is already gone! The time is just flying by... before we know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will be gone and we will only have just a few weeks before we're done with our first deployment! YAY! :)

Dano is doing pretty good... traveling back and forth all week from place to place.. so please keep him in your prayers. He enjoys being able to travel and see new things but it always makes us a little uneasy... He went to Payne earlier this morning... normally when he goes there .. he has no access to phones or internet so we were planning to talk again at the end of the week. I was surprised when my phone rang this morning around 7! He said that he asked around when he got there and had a couple of guys show him where they had gotten 4 phones... and he called to let me know that he had made it ok! I was so happy to hear his voice and so thankful that he was able to call! I always have such a hard time when he goes there because I never know that he made it there ok until he's already back from the trip! The Lord is so good and so faithful... I am just so thankful that He has provided us a way to stay in such close contact throughout this deployment. I am so spoiled and I know that Dano feels the same way! We never thought we'd be able to talk/see each other this much but technology has caught up to those guys for the most part! I am so thankful.. and we are so blessed!

He said that on the flight there.. he noticed there were pretty bad dust clouds and then it felt like the plane was starting to go out of control... he said that he just started praying... asking the Lord to take control of the plane and to keep them all safe... he said when he finished praying and opened his eyes, it got really quiet and calm... and once the dust settled.. he realized that they had landed!! :) It was too funny to hear him tell this story... I told him, once again.. God was showing him that HE is in control! :) He thought that it was funny that they were landing all along.. and he thought something bad was happening! He gets really nervous flying around everywhere.. so I can only imagine his nerves when that started happening! Thank the good Lord that the plane was just landing... I know Dano was very thankful! :)

Please keep the Lawson family in your prayers... they are VERY dear friends to us and their son, David Paul, is leaving this week to head to Afghanistan (to the same base that Dano is at!) They had a "see you soon" dinner tonight at their house... it was tough to face that again after having to go through it with Dano.. but we are all so thankful that they are going to be together over there... I know that Dano is excited to have one of his buddies with him over there... it will ease our minds and help to pass their time... (Love you Mrs. Sherri) :)

Other than that, all is well! I am staying busy so that time continues to fly by... looking forward to going to my parents' for Thanksgiving and going to my Gram and Pap's for Christmas! YAY! It will be so hard to face the holidays without Dano but I am thankful that I will be able to spend time with my family! I am ESPECIALLY thankful that the Lord has helped me to stay so positive and encouraged ... I don't know how people face things like this without Him! We are on the home stretch now... almost half way there! WOO HOO! March can't come soon enough... I can NOT wait to make that trip to welcome him home!

Time is flying by!

I can't believe that we are a week away from our 2 month mark already! It has flown by.. and I'm so thankful for that! Before we know it the holidays will be here and after that.. he'll be home! :) I can't wait for that day.... it will be so amazing!

Dano is doing great! I've heard from him everyday... sometimes more than once a day! We are so blessed that he is at a base with phones and internet! I am so spoiled now that I have heard from him so much! It's definitely helped to make things better. He is still staying busy... traveled for the most part of this week. He made a CD to send me in his next package with over 300 pictures... so I am waiting for that to arrive! I can't wait to see some of the things that he is seeing... I can't imagine! He is setting up pen pals for my kids this week with the Marines at Leatherneck! We are going to swap pictures so the kids can see their Marine and the Marines can see the kids... and hopefully they'll be able write back and forth several times before its time to come home! They can not WAIT to see him... it's like he is a celebrity! Seeing their reactions when he finally comes to meet them will be priceless!

I am so thankful that the Lord has protected him and been with us step by step while he has been over there! We can both tell that this is all working out for the best... and we're so thankful that he was given this opportunity! We know that God has a plan for us and that this is a major part of it... it's so amazing to look back and see God's hand in it all! I'm also thankful that I am staying busy and time has seemed to go so quickly... I am getting so anxious for him to come home.. I know we still have a little while to go.. but in about 18 weeks he'll be home for good! :) YAY! We are so ready to see where our lives take us next and to be together again... he's trying to decide on a good vacation for us to take for Spring Break when he gets home... I can't wait to see what he plans for us!

Other than that, I've been very busy with work and LOVING this change in weather. It's so nice now that it has cooled off a bit! I can't wait to post some of his pictures once I get the CD! Thank you again for your support, prayers, and encouragement! We are so thankful to have the support of our friends and family... through packages, phone calls, and prayers.. you guys have made this so much easier on both of us! Please continue to pray for us as we seek the Lord in all that we do!

Still doing good!

Just wanted to do a short update on Dano! He's still doing good... staying busy! I have heard from him everyday... at least through e-mail! He hasn't be able to call much lately because they have had things locked down... but I get to at least e-mail him back and forth which helps my days to go by! He's still doing the same thing... flying out on the 12th again for a few days! He has been in pretty good spirits... was excited this afternoon when he called because we are almost 1/2 way through October! YAY! Time really is going by quickly... once the holidays come and go... we will be well on our way to homecoming! :) He is missing home a lot... and very thankful for the cards, letters, and packages that he has been receiving! I should be getting my first package from him within the next week or so... I'm so excited to see what kinds of goodies he sent me! Other than that, we are just patiently waiting on time to go by so that we can move on and start the next chapter of our lives together... whatever/wherever that may be! It's exciting to think about where we might be this time next year... and comforting to know that the Lord already has it all mapped out for us! As always, thank you for your prayers and encouragment... it has helped make all of this much easier! Looking forward to getting some more pictures so I can post them on here asap! :) Love you all!

OCTOBER IS HERE! :)

I'm not really sure how I feel about this picture... yikes! :) He sure is handsome, though! :)

Here is a picture of Dano with some of his Marines ... not sure where/when this was taken!

Here is a picture of Dano being... well Dano! :) He always manages to find the most random things wherever he goes! That's why I love him though... always finding something interesting!

Here is a picture of Dano when he traveled further South last weekend. He went on a patrol with a group of Marines. This didn't make me feel so great inside.. but I am SO thankful that the Lord provided him safety!

Here is a picture of Dano flying the plane into Afghanistan when they first arrived! He was so excited that he had this opportunity! He sounded like a little boy on the phone! :)

Can't believe that today was the last day of September and October is here! YAY! I am so excited and amazed at how quickly time has gone by! Before we know it the holidays will come and go, and it will be time for me to pick up my other half :)

Daniel is doing great! He got his package with his new electric razor and GPS! I was really worried that someone had taken the package.. but luckily it was there waiting when he returned from traveling! He was really excited about all of the goodies in the box! His cookies that mom made were crumbled.. but he said they were still good! :) He always sounds soooo excited and encouraged when he has received a package from home! I love how much that brightens his days!

He just got back today to Leatherneck from traveling to a couple of bases. His translator, 'Mike', traveled with him. Daniel said that he is a really nice guy! He sent me a message online that said, 'I can't believe your husband loves you so much. You are really lucky to have a husband like that' :) He also said that he really likes Daniel but Daniel is having a hard time understanding his English! This made me laugh.. not only because I imagined a good ol' Southern boy talking to an Afghani translator.. but because of Daniel's hearing loss! I asked him to be very patient with Daniel as he communicates with him. I thought that his message was very sweet.. made me feel good that even 'Mike' could pick up on the fact that Dano is a good man.. and loves me a lot :)

Our article made it to the Journal Scene today! Click on this link and you'll get to read it! :)

http://www.journalscene.com/news/Students-at-Beech-Hill-befriend-deployed-Marine

The kids were SO excited about the article! I was, too! I thought that the journalist did a great job writing it up and look forward to sending an 'autographed' copy to Dano! :)

I am SO excited that tomorrow starts a brand new month! I am so thankful for all of your prayers and encouragement! I know that the Lord has a wonderful and perfect plan for our lives.. and this is a part of it for some reason! I am just thankful that I can talk to him so often and get e-mails from him throughout the day to help me get through being without him! It's hard to be without someone once you get used to them being by your side all of the time! I can NOT wait until it's time to bring him on home for good! :) What a PERFECT day that will be!

One month mark!

Today marks one month since Dano left! I have been very encouraged by how quickly the time is passing! Next week is already October, can you believe that?!

I talked to Dano today and I got to see his smiling face! That made it even better! He was very discouraged and down in the dumps... so please pray that God will lift Him up, motivate, and encourage him! He is just very bored when he is at Leatherneck in between travels. Daniel has never been the type to just sit... so when he is back at base it is killing him! I'm just thankful that he gets to travel as much as he does because I can't imagine what he'd be like if he had to stay in that office everyday... he'd go crazy!

Yesterday, the Summerville Journal Scene (local newspaper) came to the school to interview me and my kids about communicating with Daniel from Afghanistan! The kids were SO excited! They were mostly excited because we were expecting Dano to call in for the interview. About an hour before the interview, I got an e-mail from his parents telling me that Daniel had tried to call me from a satellite phone to let me know that communication was shut down and he wouldn't be able to call in for the interview :( We were ALL so upset. The kids were really disappointed (until the reporter got there) and I was, too. Once the reporter got there, we were all much better! They were so excited to do the interview and we are even more excited about seeing our article published soon! They are really soaking all of this up. We were on the school morning show when we first started Skyping with him and now we're going to be in the paper. One of my little girls said, "You know Mrs. Peal... first the morning show, now the newspaper... I'm thinking the next step is television! and that is why I LOVE your class!" :) I thought that was precious!

Well, one month down and hopefully no more than 5 to go. They got a different projected date today... but I'm not counting on anything until we're much closer! We all know how much it can change! As always, thank you so much for your prayers and support! I can't wait to start planning his homecoming.. he's going to be one happy Marine! :)

A little more than I expected...

Dano called last night around 10pm! I was so excited to hear from him because the last time I heard from him was Saturday afternoon! That is the longest that we've gone since he's been gone.. so I realized just how spoiled I have become :( It's been so nice to have contact with him every other day or so.. so three days were REALLY long and REALLY lonely.

He sounded good. He had just gotten back from traveling to the southern most part of Afghanistan (where we have Marines). He was filling me in on his last few days.. and he had taken part in a lot more than what I thought that he would be doing. He took a squad out on a patrol and was exposed to much more than I thought that he would be.. considering what he's doing. It shook me up a lot. Without giving details, just know that he needs EXTRA prayers as he may be in and out of harms way with this position after all. It was hard to hear him talk about the things that he had seen and had to do without getting emotional. He could tell that it was upsetting me.. and I hated it! I have done so well keeping my emotions under control when I talk with him. I haven't let him hear me or see me upset because I know that makes it even harder on him. Last night, I couldn't help it... I was so taken off guard with all of this news and information and my emotions just got the best of me. He reassured me that everything was fine.. and that he knew that the Lord had His hand on him and that he would be safe no matter where he was or what he was doing. I was/am SOOOOOOO thankful that the Lord has kept him safe and brought him through everything that he's done this far. Please continue to pray for him as he is starting to be exposed to these things ... and pray for me as I am giving this all to the Lord daily!

Other than that news, he sounded great! Missing me and his doggers terribly.. I had to get them out of their bed and bring them downstairs so he could see them on the web cam. :) They get so confused though.. it's pitiful. They look around all over to see where his voice is coming from.. they definitely miss him!

He was filling me in on the Marines that he checked on while he had been gone. One of the SSgts told him that they had not had a shower in over 7 weeks! That really opened my eyes to just how blessed Daniel is to be stationed where he is... and just how blessed WE are! We don't even realize the living conditions that others in the world are facing.. let alone our Marines and heroes in the service!

He is leaving again tomorrow to head to a different base for about 2 weeks. The Captain in the Army that he is working with is heading home for 2 weeks of leave (He is deployed for a year so he gets 2 weeks of R&R). Daniel has to go to the base to cover for both of them while he's gone. Good news is that base has phones... so it won't be two weeks before I hear from him again! yay! He was really excited.. he got a letter/picture from one of my students from last year that we both LOVE! :) He sounded so cute talking about it.. and was really excited about writing Devin back! I knew that Devin had sent him something.. but kept it a secret so it would be a surprise! :) Hoping that he gets my big package this week!

He still hasn't come up with anything that he really NEEDS. He love Strawberry Shortcake Little Debbie snacks, Strawberry Applesauce (individual cups), and of course green EXTRA gum! I can't thank you enough for your continuous prayers and encouragement. Without those kind words, prayers, and the Lord.. I would never be able to face this deployment alone!

More to come soon! ;)