Article and the pooch

I haven't been around to update because... I have nothing to update, which is usually a good thing!

Mark says "tell everyone hi!" but that's about all he's got. We e-mail back and forth every day. We've had every sort of communication this deployment, but nothing stable. We now can only talk via e-mail with an attempted phone call every so often. Since he's moved into the building/barracks (instead of tents), he doesn't have internet...as they did previously in the tent.

Less than four months until he comes back. The second half of the deployment is definitely going slower than the first...for me anyways. Mark says he just sleeps and works. He still gets a day off, in which he works out or reads, but not much going on over there! I'm ok with that though. He hasn't gotten the care packages yet. He should get them sometime this week, i'll let everyone know when they get them!

One month until the house is ours to move into! I'm really excited about it, and can't wait to have a home with Mark finally.

Trooper (the pup) is good, and a giant ball of energy. You can't take an eye off of him, otherwise he'll have the bathroom rug in the living room. His favorite toys are anything that squeaks or his rope that he just chews on. We're trying to learn how to go on walks, but he likes to sit rather than walk. We've got potty training down, mostly. He rings his bell or stands by the door when he has to go. The problem is, we have a barricade the entryway where his bell is, because he has a love for shoes (must have gotten it from his mother), and will carry shoes around the house. Ive had to move my room as well since prince charming would rather go to the bathroom in it than sleep. He is also into eating rocks, yellow snow, sticks, and anything else he can fit into his mouth- sicko.

It has taken me 30 minutes to write this already, most of which i've spent chasing him around the house.He is currently running laps around the house. He hasn't quite learned how to self-entertain yet. " Good thing for Mark, he'll be back when Trooper is all trained, lucky guy!

In other news, there was a reporter who went to Camp Leatherneck to do a special on the 114th Transportation unit (Mark's unit). There will be articles in the Star Tribune Tuesday, Thursday, and next SundayI think. The first article was in the paper this Sunday. I've found a link on the website though, check it out! The paper definitely has more information than the link, so be sure to look for it in the paper too. I haven't yet had a chance to read it yet, and might not read it until he's back. Sometimes the less I know, the better...especially in this situation.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/83029232.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU


Heather and Trooper

Success

Today was a good turn out. We packaged over 50 boxes (56 or something I think?)

Thank you EVERYONE who donated items, gave $, and just came to fill out forms and pack boxes. I also appreciate the checks I received in the mail.

Mark said, "...let people know we appeciate everything!" He's a man of few words.

I don't have much more to say, except thanks!!!

Pictures will tell the rest. :)





(Below) The ladies filling out customs forms

-Heather

Care package details

Here is the info that will be posted in the Salem bulletin,

Interested in helping out the troops? A care package party for Mark Pound and his fellow service men and women will be held in the library of Salem on Saturday, Jan 23^rd from 11am to 2pm. We will be assembling care packages with items brought in as well as taking money donations that will go towards the cost of mailing the packages. In October, the cost of shipping 50 packages was close to $600, and we expect to package even more this time! For a full packing list and details, go to www.marksupdatesbyheather.blogspot.com . Please RSVP to this event by Jan 21st to Heather at hj.pound@yahoo.com as the Pound family will be providing pizza for those who come to help. If you would like to help with postage send checks to:
_____________________________________________
Packing list....

• granola bars
  
• trail mix
• Cheeze-it's
• Gardetto's
  
• Pop-Tarts
• gum
• nuts
  
• individual drink powders that go into a water bottle (such as crystal lite)
• magazines (Mark says they like anything about fitness, guns, trucks, 'popular science,' 'Men's Health,' news magazines, etc...)
  
• soduku books- or something similar
• deodorant
• toothpaste
  
• baby wipes/ Wet Ones (Mark says these get used a lot)
  
• q-tips
• Sunflower seeds
• Tylenol/Advil
• Body wash/ shampoo (remind me to pack this separately, Mark said some people's boxes food tasted like soap- woops!)
  
• Mouthwash
• disposable razors
• Chips (like Pringles)
• Ziplock bags
• Nail clippers
• Candy (anything good, that won't melt)
• Popcorn
• non- aerosol shaving cream
• eye drops
• cereal
• tea/hot cocoa packets
• hard candy
  

_____________________________________________
Details posted from earlier...

The second care package party will be on January 23rd from 11am-2pm.

It will be at Salem Covenant Church which is at:

(same church Mark and I were married at if you were at the wedding)

We are having it in the library of the church, which is upstairs, so you'll see us when you walk in the front door. I plan on ordering some pizza around noon for those who are there, and have some beverages as well.

From the last care package party we learned a couple of things, which I will elaborate for those who weren't able to come...
--When people came in, we had boxes set up with different categories (personal hygiene, reading materials, other, games/entertainment, food, things specifically for Mark, female things, etc), and everyone dropped their things off when they walked in. I am anticipating having the same type of thing, as it worked out really well.
--We had something similar to an assembly line for the filling and people doing different tasks such as a box maker/taper, people to fill out customs forms (which really helped me out!)
--We left all of the boxes open so that I could add more at to the boxes if we had a left over items at the end.
(It might seem like I'm organized, but I'm not that much...everything just seemed to workout.)

Also, any amount of $ that was donated, really helped us out with the mailing of the packages (it cost over $500 to mail them all--but was well worth the cause!) so if you want to pitch in, but can't make it or don't have time to get anything this is a good way to help out too (any leftover money will go towards buying other donations for soldiers)!


Feel free to bring friends, or spread the word of our efforts. The soldiers are very thankful for everything we are doing for them, and I am thankful for everyone who has and can make this happen! Just a note, they have 189 (or so) soldiers in their unit, so I don't think making too many boxes will be an issue.

See you Saturday, and don't forget to shoot me an e-mail!

And then there were 3

Trooper Pound joined the family last weekend. I couldn't resist, and Mark likes him too! He especially likes that he will be potty trained and trained by the time he comes home.


He is 6 months old and is a chocolate lab mix of some sort. We were told golden retriever, but i'm thinking part weinheimer.

He's very adorable, and sleeps through the night already, which I really appreciate!

Mark has moved into new housing since he's been back (they did it while he was gone), and went from a 20 person tent to a 10 person housing unit. A solid building is much better than their previous tent. He's only been back for a couple of days, and most of our conversation has been dog, so I'll be back with more of an update later.

Care package party a week and half away! Update will come before this weekend. I will only repeat what I wrote a couple of posts back, so if you don't want to wait, be adventurous and check it out! There is also a good possibility we will need people to RSVP to the party, since it will be open to all of Salem Church, so all those planning to come thus far, shoot me an e-mail so we have a count for pizza and soda! I know more people than Mark Walker, Lyle and my mom read this, so calling all lurkers, or regulars. I can be e-mailed at ..... Just let me know how many are coming and we'll plan accordingly. Thanks guys!

Heather

The Current

Mark is back to Camp Leatherneck after 7 days of traveling.

He's happy to not be traveling anymore and excited to get this done with.

Less than 4 1/2 months!

2 weeks until the care package party. I just ordered all the boxes and customs forms to be mailed to my house. We ran out of customs forms last time, so i'm making sure to get extra this time.

I'll write something later with all the details again incase anyone has missed them. See everyone in two weeks!!

tata for now

Mark left yesterday morning (Saturday). We were both anxious for him to get back so that he can come home again for good! He didn't want to go, but duty called. He has 5 months left of the deployment, and we're hoping it goes fast.

We had the best two weeks of our married lives. It was so great to not have to go to work, not have school (finally graduated!), and to have him here for the holidays. He was able to chose to come home over that time, and it ended up being perfect timing. We ate everywhere he wanted to (I hope!), and I don't think i'll be eating out for a long time. We hung out with friends, lots of family time and did a lot of relaxing. I'm also glad he was home to be able to help pick out our house, it's perfect for us! 2 months until we move in, and by the time Mark is back it will be all fixed up and unpacked.


To the right is a picture of Mark and I at an "ugly sweater party." Glad he was willing to wear an ugly sweater that I picked out for him!










To the left is Mark getting ready to leave yesterday morning; looking sharp! It was about 4:30 am. Way too early for my likings.









-Heather