We Meet No Soldiers Today

Dad, Mom and I are beyond disappointed.  We can't go meet the soldiers today because of the bad weather.  Something woke Dad up at 3:30 this morning and it was sleeting.  The news said the roads are "treacherous" meaning we have to stay home where it is safe.  Dad and I had the biggest day planned.  We were going to meet the soldiers this morning and then go read with the kids at a local elementary school at 1:00pm.  At seven tonight we were supposed to go see the kids at the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Worth.  All of that won't happen because it is supposed to get colder as the day goes by.  Maggie (my sister) won't go outside to go to the bathroom and I'm in my bed with my big red bone.  Mom said it's a great day if you are an eskimo or a polar bear.

We Meet and Greet 200 Soldiers!

As we hurried out the door today to go to the airport, the sky was a soft beautiful pink because the sun was trying to come up.  Even a dog could tell it was going to be a beautiful day.  Mom said it could be pouring rain outside and still be a beautiful day because soldiers would be coming home to their families. 

When we made it to the airport, we dropped Mom off and then Dad and I went to the dog potty in the parking garage.  (It even has a fire hydrant in it!)  I was so excited because I found a big pizza on the sidewalk as we were leaving the parking garage.  It was smashed, but still smelled so good.  I was sad because Dad made me leave it behind. When Dad says, 'Leave it," I KNOW Dad means business!

Since we had to wait for the soldiers, Dad and I had plenty of time to walk up and down the sidewalk.  Dad smoked and I tracked.  Mom calls it snooping, but I'm just seeing what I can find.  There were a lot of volunteers at the airport today and that always makes Dad and Mom happy.  I was happy, too, because I met several soldiers families' and they had kids.  I love the kids.  Dad and I got on Charlie and Bravo buses where some of the soldiers were.  I was glad I didn't scare any soldiers today.  They all smiled and petted me as I walked down the aisle wagging my tail and sneaking kisses!  Dad always laughs when I sneak a kiss because the soldiers look so surprised and happy all at the same time.

As Mom was cooking dinner tonight, her cell phone rang and she could tell it was a Fort Hood number.  It was the mother of a soldier thanking her for letting her son use Mom's cell phone.  Mom thanked the lady and told her it was an honor to be able to help her son because he does so much for all of us.  Mom later said without knowing it, she had been someone's angel that day.  I reminded her that angels aren't always people.  Sometimes they can be a dog who found a pizza in a parking garage.

The Soldiers Will Be Delayed

The moment Dad and I opened the patio door after visiting the sick kids at Ronald McDonald House, the first words out of Mom's mouth weren't the usual, "Did ya'll have a good time?"  Instead, Mom said, "I called the Army; 9:00pm tomorrow night."  That news was worse than finding out we were out of dog treats.  That news meant there has been a big delay and the soliders won't get home tomorrow as hoped.  Instead, they will all have to stay in a hotel.  But Mom says that even though there will be a lot of disappointed soldiers, as well as family members, at least the soldiers will be safe in the United States and their families can go to bed and not have to worry about them.

We Meet 160 Soldiers!

The soldiers finally arrived at 6:45pm and OMGoodness it was cold at that airport.  I did okay because I was born with a fur coat and Dad had on his Carhardt, but Mom froze because she stays cold most of the time.  Mom said she wouldn't freeze like a popsicle just for anybody, but it was the least she could do for the soldiers since they do so much for us. 

Mom says it was an honor to meet the 160 tired but happy soldiers.   A lot of them were running down the sidewalk trying to get on planes before it got so late that no more planes would be leaving the airport.  Unfortunately, about 100 soldiers had to stay at hotels until tomorrow morning and wouldn't make it home tonight.  Mom said the upside was the fact they were safe and in the United States and the family members could go to sleep not having to worry about them.  There were two huge buses waiting by the curb to take the soldiers to the hotels.  They were biggest buses that I had ever been on at the airport.  Dad said they were charter buses.  I was afraid at first to get on the big buses because the steps were so steep and narrow, but I soon was so busy giving fives and kisses, I forgot all about being afraid.  One soldier said I had pretty eyes!

 We stayed with three soldiers while they waited for their families to arrive.  One soldier's wife was lost and confused because of construction outside the airport.  She was so lost that Mom finally had to get an airport supervisor to help her find her way.  While the supervisor was using Mom's cell phone talking to the soldier's wife, Dad and I drove another soldier to meet her family because her family had gone to the wrong end of the terminal.  Dad didn't want the soldier trying to carry so much luggage by herself.  When Dad and I got in our van with the soldier, I didn't get in my bed like I usually do.  I wedged myself between Dad and the soldier as we drove through the terminal giving the soldier lots of kisses!

On the way home from the airport, Mom called the Army.  The plane will be here at 6:00pm tomorrow. Delayed again!

The Soldiers Are Delayed

Mom is so disppointed because today's flight has been changed to 6:30pm.  Mom says that means about half of the soldiers will have to spend the night in a hotel and won't make it home.  As always, Mom found an upside to it all.  She says Dad will be back from East Texas in time to go with us.  He is driving Uncle Perry to a funeral today.  Check back tonight and I will tell you all what happens at the airport this evening.  I can't wait to go!

We Go to the VA Hospital and Meet Sick Soliders

I am sad we missed the soldiers today at the airport, but it was still a great day because Dad and I went to visit sick soldiers at the VA hospital in Dallas.  We went to the rehabilitation part of the hospital where the soldiers (Mom said I should say service members....) go to get better after a surgery or accident.  We also went to the Hospice part where Mom says the soldiers go because they need special help since they won't get any better.  I gave lots of what Mom calls "love, hugs and kisses" all over the hospital.  I particularly liked an 83-year-old in the Hospice part.  I liked him so much, I tried to get in bed with him!

We met a lady named Jeannine who used to work in California as a Correctional Officer.  (Not quite sure what that is, but Dad says she worked with bad guys who had gotten in trouble with the Police.)  She now trains dogs to find bombs and drugs.  Mom thought that was the greatest because she says in some ways the drugs are as bad as the bombs and the lady is doing a lot of good work teaching the dogs.  The Therapy Dog she brought was an Australian Shepherd named Freedom.  Dad thought the name was cool!

While we were gone, Mom called the Army and found out the flight will be coming in at 3:15 tomorrow afternoon.  Mom said that is so late in the day, it means something has really gone wrong with the weather or the plane.  But Mom said the upside is she can go since she gets off work between 2:00 and 2:30.  YEAH!  I love going to see the soldiers!

We Meet 239 Soldiers and Service Members Today!

Mom was so sad she couldn't go meet the soldiers today.  The Army recording said the plane would get in at 7:50am, but it slid to 8:30am and Mom had to be at work at 9:30am.  Mom said she was disapponted she couldn't go but so glad Dad and I could be there to thank the soldiers and help them.  One female soldier from Arkansas gave me her name tape and stuck it on my special vest. Her name was Beltowski.  Then an ambulance pulled in front of the terminal, blocking where some of the buses were to park and pick up the soldiers.  Some soldiers became confused and Dad helped them because we have been going out to the airport for so long, we know all about the buses.  The best part of all was staying with four soldiers who were waiting for their families to pick them up.  One lady was lost and Dad guided her through the airport by talking to her on his cell phone.  I am disappointed I can't be at the airport tomorrow.  Dad and I are going to the VA hospital in Dallas.  We will meet a different kind of soldier there.  Mom says they are sick, but are heroes and patriots just the same.