Blessing Upon Blessing

Dear All,

The days are busy and full. Each new day brings more and more troops into the center. They love the games rooms and spend hours in there. The UTR at the center continues to increase also.

I enjoy my one day a week at the Special Forces Compound doing the United Through Reading program. They are all so appreciative and enjoy so much reading to their children. One dad told me that he looked forward to the time so much and it had helped get him through this deployment. I had one young soldier read a book to his two nieces this week there and he was so cute. I could hear him in there just a cutting up and having fun reading to them and talking. Don’t you know those little girls will be tickled to get a DVD from their uncle? I wish I could remember what he said they call him, it was so cute. I record in two different areas of the SF camp. One in the morning and the other in the afternoon! Both in the Chaplains office area and Chapel. They are very gracious and it has been so fun to get to know them. The Chaplains Assistant on the second side was leaving this week and so that meant another goodbye. She has been so sweet and I have enjoyed my time with her. She calls me Mama. That evening I was filing along and the Chaplains, from the front side and some others come over to where I was. I figured the were there to say goodbye to the assistant that was leaving. We were just visiting and enjoying the time when all the sudden they ask me to come up. They presented me with a certificate and a flag that had been flown on a combat mission over Iraq. I was so honored and touched but the sweetest thing of all was the inscription on the certificate. It was to Linda Robinson “Our USO Angel”. It will be a treasured memento from my time here along with the memories of spending time with so many dear airmen and soldiers.

We also had another first and treasured event at the center. A young airmen came by a week or so ago and ask if we had any place that was private that he could web cam with his wife because she was due to deliver their second baby. The hospital had agreed to allow them to have a web cam there for the delivery. The airmen had been all over base trying to find a place where he could go when the day arrived. We let him know we would do whatever we could to help him out. He runs in the other night and says she is in labor. We go to work and get him set up back in our office. We were having trouble getting my laptop to download and by the grace of God our Internet guy was there and he hooked him up to another computer the was in our office. In order to do that we had to close down our computer lab which we hated but this was one of those special events in life that took priority and was not to be missed. It was fun watching him talk to her and coach her through. In Iraq fashion right towards the end our Internet went out and we were doing everything we knew to do to get it up and running. Finally we talked to the special unit that share the other wing of our building and they hit the ground running and had our new dad hooked up within minutes. 2:45 a.m. a beautiful baby boy was born. Daddy was proud and mom was grateful he had been by her side though the miles were many.

Today is John Micah’s birthday. Being so far away on special day’s brings a certain sadness and an awareness of how far away I am from those I love. I talked to him on the phone and it was great to know he was with his sister and girlfriend and having a wonderful time together. I am very proud of him. For those of you who have not heard he has been redeployed and will return to Iraq around the end of the summer. He is an amazing young man, proud to serve his country.

I must get myself to bed. I love you all dearly and thank you over and over for your support and encouragement.

In His Mighty Grip,
Linda