Much Ado

As you know, I'm at the VATE Conference this weekend. Our last full day just came to a close. We saw Henry V tonight at the Blackfrair's Playhouse. It was fabulous. From the English major standpoint, it's great to see those long, dry, wordy, foreign words come to life. When I read Shakespeare alone, I pick up on some of the puns and comedic moments in what seems like a serious scene. As I've learned from our Shakespeare workshop this weekend, you never get the full effect until you act it out--and the same goes for students. The director of Henry V said "Plays weren't meant to be read. They were meant to be played." I learned a whole new way to teach Shakespeare, too, which is so helpful when kids--and really teachers, too--are overwhelmed by his works. Overall, this conference has been a great experience. Not just the educational side, but to be able to enjoy time with  (university's)   English people. We had a student panel for future English teachers today that I was on. Aside from the UVA girls, who can make a load of crap sound like it came from the mouth of Aristotle, I think my university has definitely prepared me for teaching more than any other could have. Although, nothing can prepare you except for the second you're in the classroom by yourself, with no cooperating teacher, no college professors to help or observe. What a crazy day that's going to be.

On a more somber note, my husband's battalion lost a soldier. We just got word of it today. Some of the wives believed there was a blackout (when they cut off everyone's ability to communicate in order to preserve the news for the military to hand out versus word-of-mouth). I always try to not believe it, and I didn't this time either...but I guess this time I have to. They went quite a while without any KIA, and very few casualties; we were all hopeful the streak would continue for months--maybe until they're done. I think this makes 11, and we're over half-way. Even though one is one too many, I feel like 11 is better than a lot of units have it half-way through. All I can do is pray. I've come to learn--thanks to the Army--that I have no control, and the sooner I let go of the reigns-of-worry, the easier it is to make it through to tough days. The whole BAH/backpay thing--I just let it go. It was ruining my days by stressing me out so much, on top of everything else that stresses me. So finally, I told myself that whether we got the money or not, we'll make it; we have each other, and that's enough. Life is much easier when you just let go and put it in God's hands. He's the one in control after all. Deployment sucks big time, but it has taught me life lessons that many people don't learn until they've lived half their life.

The ceiling of the Blackfriar's Playhouse. It was amazing.

Humbling, at the least.

I don't know her, and I didn't know her husband, but the Facebook Posts by Leah are heartbreaking. Her husband was in my husband's unit and also in Afghanistan. He was KIA along with three others after they hit an IED, and now she is taking care of their boys and trying to make it alone. I remember the phone call with David on the day the four Alpha's were killed. I think it has been the saddest day of the deployment for both me and my husband. Every few days her statuses will come up on my feed and they are so humbling. I cry for her and I don't even know her. It amazes me how she manages to crack a slight smile in her pictures, how her boys are in pictures holding their father's flag, how she even still keeps up with her Facebook--sharing such intimate feelings. Sometimes I feel like this deployment is impossible, but then I remember my husband is still alive, has all of his limbs, and I can still hear his voice most days. I hope I never have to experience what Leah is going through, but she gives me humility, which gives me strength. She reminds me that even after our Army days have ended, I am one of the strongest breeds of women on Earth. A U.S. Army Wife.