Tuesday night, Tops in Blue came to visit us at Incirlik. "Tops In Blue is one of the oldest and most widely traveled entertainment groups of its kind. Composed of 35 to 40 of the most talented vocalists, musicians, dancers, and techncians anywhere, their primary purpose is to perform for military personnel and their families throughout the world. However, the enormous popularity of the group has also made them America’s goodwill ambassadors around the globe."
Since the show started at 7pm, we only stayed for about an hour of it, but the boys really enjoyed it. They were clapping, Elijah was dancing, and Isaac and Abigail were enthralled with the lights flashing around the hangar.
I am so appreciative of entertainers and distinguished individuals who come and visit our Base. Because we are in the Middle East, we often get some of the same people here who go to see the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our opportunities for American entertainment and tastes of home are rare, and I have an understanding of how important these types of things are to morale. Somehow, when you get to watch something like this, you find yourself not feeling quite so isolated and alone. You feel that America is behind you and with you.
I am so glad the military assigned us to Turkey. JB's hours and the fact that we are "deployed in place" as a family instead of him deploying separately made the choice an easy one for us. But it is still hard being so far away from family. I wake up in the morning and think that I want to call and talk to someone in the USA and then remember that everyone I love there is in bed and will be for another eight hours. That alone makes you feel alone sometimes. In addition, if our Internet goes out (which is did all day Sunday -- again) we cannot talk to anyone at all since our phone runs through our computer.
That being said, I cannot possibly imagine doing this fifteen years ago when technology wasn't anything like it is now. Without the Internet and ability to call home, I truly am not sure I could do this. It gives me a great appreciation for our veterans who did this years ago when all they had was mail, whenever it came in. How difficult that would be!
Please continue to pray for our family and all of our military. And please pray especially for Joia's husband Philip as he prepares to return to his family very soon.
3 comments:
Everyone is asleep when you wake up. Everyone but ME! I usually don't go to bed until 7-9am your time. Bad, I know. I can't help it though. It is impossible for me to sleep earlier unless I take something like Advil PM. But I'm up, so you can call me if you need to.
I remembered a while back when Joia (I think?) linked a song to you. There's one I just discovered on youtube by Tenth Avenue North. It is an Awesome song called "Healing Begins." I hope it ministers to you as much as it did to me. Here's a link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpjUIq7ahrQ&feature=related.
Thanks Gabs -- I don't think I really ever thought of my night-owl family!
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