As 2008 quickly approaches, I wanted to send out a little update on Josh's deployment.
We finally received orders on December 17. Josh's unit is scheduled to report for active duty on January 20. There are a couple of dates prior to that he will also need to report - drill early n the month and a few days just before. They will be having a formal send-off ceremony on January 16, which we will all be attending as well.
The school planned a wonderful ceremony for Josh on December 19. Several poems, books and readings, along with a really nice song that the music teacher wrote and arranged. My sister put it best - we were expecting "Yankee Doodle Dandee" and instead heard "God Bless the USA". Hearing the children sing was very moving and emotional. It was a very nice send-off. All of the kids left the gym, marching to one of the company's cadence marches.
Christmas was very nice for us. We spent the weekend before Christmas and Christmas Day in NY. We are currently visiting Josh's family in Virginia and will be here for a few more days.
I will be out of work until around January 28 to spend time with Josh and then to establish a routine for me. Trying to maintain a balance between work and home has been difficult in the past few months. I know that in the next year, there will be hard days at work, and to allow for a "normal setting, I am asking that you not email me at my work account, but rather my hotmail (debacigalupi@hotmail.com). We truly appreciate everyone's words and support, but it makes it difficult to focus on work when I see the emails at work, especially considering my spring workload.
Please keep Josh and his unit in your thoughts and prayers.
Happy New Year! May it be safe, healthy, happy and peaceful!
