Merry Christmas from the Brookshire FamilyWe hope this letter finds you well. 2007 has been a blur and we constantly refer to Fort Campbell as a fast moving train. In March I was given the privilege to command a HQ Detachment. The Detachment spent the summer and fall preparing for another tour in Iraq. As of writing this we very close to getting on the plane. Melanie begins her fourth year as a Family Readiness Group Leader and continues to Home School Rhiannon and Maegan. Joshua celebrated his first Birthday this year and keeps us all in good humor with his personality. Rhiannon and Maegan just started Ballet and Tap…never a dull moment.
Our days are packed; Command is truly a team effort. Homeschooling is going great and thank God for Google. Rhiannon is very inquisitive to say the least. She spent a Saturday comparing her text books and the discrepancies in them over the Rosetta Stone. She finally settled with Wikipedia. Meanwhile Maegan explores her creative side with costume changes, storytelling and humor.
We have traveled several times to Richmond and Winchester to enjoy the hospitality of our family and to give the girls a chance to explore farm life.
On a sad note, we lost our poodle Little Joe this year to a blood disease; he is missed and was a true best friend to Maegan and Rhiannon during the 2005 deployment. In one of my not so bright moments, I picked up a new addition, Toby, a Maltese that only a mother (Tyra the Golden Retriever) could love.
We have had a blessed year having the chance to spend time with Noel and Cary Nelson, learning from their example of how to invest in others’ lives through the Navigator’s ministry.
As we prepare both professionally and personally for the upcoming deployment we would like to share heartfelt thanks for the support of our Family and Friends. We have had the opportunity to spend time with friends who have traveled from afar to see us. We are grateful for the investment they have made in our lives and we continue to pursue intentional relationships that honor our faith.
Melanie and I came out of the last deployment stronger in all areas of our life. Melanie introduced me to Dave Ramsey, and yes I did think DAVE was a four-letter word. His approach to financial management has given us a whole new perspective on life and how to use our resources. I fall off the DAVE- wagon sometimes but I am convinced that Melanie has the strength and drive to always pull me back on board.
The following are truths we discovered this year:
· Trust in the Lord
· Do good anyway
· Invest in people
· Attitude is everything
· Enjoy the moment, and then be thankful
Lessons Learned
Melanie and I agree that we have to endeavor to be teachable, accountable and consistent in all that we do. We pursue each other and invest in others by sharing some of the harsh lessons that we have learned in the past few years. Life is short, and we are passionate about preparing our Children for life’s challenges. As we recovered from OIF III and sought counsel from a truly amazing Christian couple we discovered that we want to pass on the joy that has been given to us.
We have learned that happiness is secured by the individual and Joy is recognizing the blessings that we have. A close family member recovering from heart surgery, the loss of a former Soldier to suicide and two classmates dying in Iraq has taught us to rely on our faith, and not our own strengths.
We value your friendship, your encouragement and look forward to spending time with you in 2008. Rhiannon, Maegan and Joshua will need your thoughts and prayers as they deal with the separation. Melanie and I also need your prayers as we manage the dynamics of Command, Homeschooling and separation. Thanks for being a part of our lives and we look forward to new lessons learned in the upcoming year.
