New address for Rheanna

Just wanted everyone to know that Rheanna arrived at her new base last week in Kabul.  She is now stationed at New Kabul Compound in the center of the city.  She has 2 other roommates and there are other Captains in her office so the best news is she probably will not have to be doing the driving…big relief for Kris and I..lol!  She says the food is much better and she really likes the new camp.  She was worried about the change but it sounds like all is good. She has 2 roommates and no report that either of them snore yet!   She will send me info for the blog when she gets more settled.  Her new address is:

CPT Rheanna Felton

ATTN: SJA

USFOR-A/NKC

APO AE 09354-9998

Thanks again for everyone's kindness with letter, emails and packages…she really appreciates it.  Her R&R time has not changed so she will be back home in Colorado Springs with Adam and Ryann from about the 22nd of March until April 5th.  They are all so excited for her leave so that they can be back together as a family.  We wonder if Rheanna will even want to be away from Ryann, Adam,Moose and her house for a second when she is home.  She has hardly lived in her house so she will have fun being there.

The other very exciting news that Rheanna has is that her and Adam welcomed a new nephew Luke Cashel Felton, Scott and Kaelee's new baby…and Lane's little brother.  He was born Jan 12 at a whopping 9 lbs…very cute little guy and Rhe is so excited for all of them…Congrats to the Feltons!

Craig and I are in Arizona with Ryann Faith for 2 weeks…she is loving the 70 degree weather and watching the ducks in our pond out back and the golfers….wish this kid got air miles for all the times she has flown.  She is 11 months old today..getting lots of teeth, standing up to everything..climbing stairs, babbling, not any real words yet(maybe Georgia needs to stay quiet) and did her first sign language yesterday..milk!  Adam is coming this weekend for a 3 day get away!

Will send more news as I hear from Rheanna…and now of course for the pictures!  Georgia

11 months old today

Ryann loves her BiZon Bruce ..a gift from Uncle Pat

Showing off her teeth

Happy New Year!

Greetings everyone!  I am shocked how long it has been since my last post…some people who will not be identified have been relieved that it has been some time since I last did report in..but I know those of you that appreciate my updates are glad to see this….haha…no problem here with getting a little criticism!
We know the holidays were tough on Rheanna to go through but we also know that will make every holiday from here on out that much more special.  Thank you to all of you that sent cards, email, special messages, packages, and to all of you that had school kids write letters and send goodies it was so appreciated.  I know you will hear from Rheanna as she was so excited to receive it all.  Being so far away from home is tough but then to have people make an effort really means so much.
Rheanna's news is kind of stuck right now…she was suppose to be moving from the camp she is in to a new base but all of those plans fell through.  We really do not know the whole story and Rheanna is not able to share a whole lot at this time.  We do know that she shipped all of her belongings to the new base right before she learned that she was not moving.  Details on what is to happen next are few and far between.  She was very disappointed and is waiting for so much news, like what is next, where they will be moving to after this deployment, guarantees of the dates for her RR, and when she will be moving to the next camp as her camp closes.  So please continue the emails,letters and notes to her as she looks forward to some consistency in her life.  She misses Adam and Ryann Faith so much and looks forward to her RR.
The Lenzmeier's were all together in McCall Idaho for Ryann's first Christmas.  It was so much fun but
far from perfect without Rheanna.  The house was hopping with 7 adults, baby Ryann and 2 dogs!  The snow was beautiful and Ryann was able to do lots of hiking with her dad and Moose.
Happy New Year to all of you and as soon as Rheanna has news to share I will put out a post.  Continue please your prayers and positive thoughts!

Ryann Faith meets Santa

At our favorite coffee shop in McCall

Getting ready for some hiking

Heading back to Colorado

Hiking with Ryann's dad and Uncles

Ryann met her cousin Mesa

Ryann discovered the stairs in McCall

November Post

Hello to everyone.  Rheanna says she is always excited when the 1st of the month arrives as she knows it is one month closer to getting home to Adam and Ryann Faith!  It has been a busy month here as Craig and I left on the 3rd to go to Minnesota and then to Arizona.  Kris, Rheanna's mom was here to get her Ryann "fix".  Ryann had a great time with her and was excited to be able to spend time with Grandma Kris.  Altho she was making attempts before Kris's arrival, Ryann started officially crawling on November 4th…so yes watch out Moose! Kris really had a great visit and we know it was hard for her to leave.   We will be spending Thanksgiving here in Colorado Springs and Adam has the whole week off of school.  The other boys are arriving later this week so Ryann will continue to be spoiled and get lots of teasing from her Uncles.  Adam is gone for a few days this week to a conference in Albany NY, so he is looking forward to time off from school.  Adam and Ryann are really lonesome for Rheanna and look forward to Face Time each day.  We are sure the holidays will be tough on all of them, but especially for Rhe being so far away.    Thank you all for the support that you have shown her so far, as  her and Adam really appreciate it.  Rheanna shared some thoughts this week and sent lots of pictures so I will let her take it away now…

Thanks to Tom & Iris and Georgia & Craig for the gifts to Abdul's children! He is so excited and I will have pictures of him with the stuff next time.   I am staying busy cleaning out old files since our base closes in a few months. I am looking forward to my new job. I will be assisting the afghan prosecutors to prepare cases against detainees. You can google task force 435 to learn more about the mission I will be working on. I would like to thank my Mom and Steve for relieving Craig and Georgia for a week to care for Ryann and moose. As always, I am thankful for Craig, Georgia, and Adam. I miss everyone. Love, Rheanna

We completed a really hard work out on v-day. The workout was dedicated to our lost service members.

Jamila is one of the few afghan women who is allowed to sell her art at the aghan bazaar. She creates beautiful water color paintings and hopes to earn a degree in art.

Our Mongolian class threw a going away party for one of the soldiers who was finished with her tour. They served milk tea and buuz. The buuz are delicious and are akin to dumplings.

Our favorite pumpkin and Moose

Best Friends!

Trying to get the hair under control!

Standing by her horse Cocammo

It was a fun Halloween

A Post From Rheanna

Happy October everyone!  It has been a busy month here in Colorado.  Craig's brother and wife were here visiting and now Uncle Bboy and Jordy are here for the week.  We also went to a beautiful wedding in Chelan Washington.  Adam was in the wedding of his good friend Ryan and sweet wife Noelle.  Ryann Faith proved to be a wonderful traveler once again and enjoyed all the attention she received from everyone at the wedding. The wedding was close to where Rheanna's mom and dad live so they were able to come over and play with Ryann Faith.  She was excited to see them and we had a great visit.  It was definitely grandparent overload for her!! The weather has been beautiful and Ryann has been invited to a neighbors Halloween party and parade next week...busy social calendar all ready....and now for Rheanna's news:

I received four packages a few days ago and would like to publicly thank the individuals who

 sent them.  First, thank you to Craig's sister, Lori and her family for the care package.  The treats and magazines definitely boosted my morale!  I also wanted to thank my great-aunt Sharon and her husband Tim for the care package with tons of goodies!  The pumpkin cheesecake cookies definitley made my day! Thank you also to Joanie Moses,  Susan Weiner and Cathy Armstrong  for the incredibly generous gifts that they sent for Abdul's family.  He honestly was in tears on the that I presented the gifts to him.  It was perfect timing too because they were celebrating a holiday called Ede here. When he came back to work he said his family was so happy and grateful for the gifts!

 

Other than that, nothing new to report except that it looks like I will be staying through next July. It was tough to hear that I won't be home as early as we originaly thought but I will be working in a new area of the law and believe it will be rewarding.  It will be harder on me then on Ryann since she is receiving tons of attention and love from Grandma, Grandpa, and Adam.  Thank goodness that Craig and Georgia said that they will stay with Ryann, Adam, and Moose.   Hopefully I will take R&R in March. I am also thinking alot about Scott and Kaelee and can't wait to meet my newest niece or nephew!  Thank you everyone for your love, prayers, and support to myself and Adam.

Love, Rheanna

Ryann Faith enjoys seeing her mommy on Face Time each day.  She is so close to crawling..she has two teeth and just celebrrted her 8 month birthday!  Moose continues to be patient with her and lays outside of her crib every morning after Adam leaves for work!    Please continue your prayers and possitive thoughts for Rheanna, Adam and Ryann Faith.

Note that Moose is still...amazing!

Smiling after waking up!

Traveling with Daddy!

Bedtime

Basket ball jersey from Uncle Bboy and Jordy

Finally An Update!

I apologize for the lapse in the blog. Family events have taken over our time.  Our very special cousin John passed away in North Dakota after a tough fight with a brain tumor.  I feel honored to have been able to be with him and his wonderful family the last few days of his life.  He was a wonderful man who adored his wife and daughters.    He was a very successful, compassionate and caring man who loved the family farm, the Montreal Farm, where I grew up, and where his grandfather was born.  Craig was able to bring Ryann Faith to ND which raised everyone's spirit during this very sad occasion.  She was an angel and everyone fell instantly in love with her...she was a trooper though it all.

Ryann got her first tooth while in ND and is so close to crawling.  She remains happy and healthy...Adam and her went on a long hike today with friends and she loves being with her dad.  I may overload you with pics on this post but it was hard to choose just a few.  She gets so excited when Mommy Face Time with her...pretty cute.

Rheanna has great news to share so I will let her take it away...

I made it to October! I miss Ryann, Adam, and Moose so much.  I am amazed every day at how fast she is growing. I am so thankful for Craig and Georgia.  They are wonderful Grandparents to Ryann and I am so lucky to have them as in-laws. I have been praying for and thinking about Christina and the girls during this extremely difficult time in losing their husband/father. I'm so glad Ryann was able to visit the farm and it sounds like she was able to lift some spirits.

 

I have been pretty busy the last couple weeks. I was fortunate to be asked by a commander to give a military justice brief in Northern Afghanistan near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. We flew in blackhawks to the base. We had to spend the night at a German base on our way to the North. The German base had amazing food and an espresso bar in their Dining Facility.  Once we arrived at Mazar-i-Sharif, we were taken to the palace that the book "Horse Soldiers" is based on. The palace was the site of the first American death during the start of Operation Enduring Freedom.  It was amazing to walk around the palace, a piece of history that few Americans will have the privilege of touring. I thought about the fact that Mike Spann's family probably has not been able to tour the area or see the monument dedicated to him in real life. It was an amazing experience. I tagged along as part of the Guam National Guard Infantry unit. Most of you are probably thinking, Guam? Are they actually a part of country? I felt the same way when I heard that Guam had a large NG presence here in Afghanistan. They are very good at their jobs in the Army.  The Soldiers are extremely hospitable and polite.  The Battalion Commander who invited me to give the Brief lives in Guam with his wife and is where he raised his children. Two of his daughters attend Gonzaga University and one daughter is in GU Rotc.  Small world!  One of the best things about this deployment has been the opportunity to work with different people from different cultures and nationalities. 

 

I recieved care packages from my mom and my Aunt Sharon. Thank you! My mom also sent some matchbook cars for Abdul's son and some baby toys for his daughters. We snapped this picture of him holding the toys and me wearing the scarf and jewelry his family gave to me.

 

Thank you everyone for your love and support. I am still counting down the hours until I see Ryann and Adam but am enjoying the amazing experiences and people.

Rheanna on her way to N. Afghanistan in a military vehicle

Rhe is ready for anything!

With her fiend Abdul...Kris sent matchbook cars for his son and baby toys for the twins.  Rhe is wearing the scarf and jewelry his family gave her.

At the range where she qualified!!! No surprise!!  Rheanna is with the only other Captain in the office..he is from Texas.

Adam and Rheanna ready to go hiking!

Who could not love this face!

Moose is always sleeping by Ryann when she naps!

Ryann Faith at the Montreal Farm!

Uncle Joey was at the farm to be with Ryann and she was so happy to see him!

UPDATE FROM RHEANNA

Rheanna sent this today so wanted to get it out to all of you .....thanks for your support of Adam, Rhe and Ryann...they so appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts....and now Rheanna....

I would like to thank everyone for the tremendous reponses and support that I have received since the previous posting. 

 

Abdul's wife is out of the hospital now and is recovering at home with relatives caring for her. Abdul came back to work one day after her release from the hospital with the same smile on his face that he always has, albeit looking a little tired.

 

I have been staying busy working out and earning my military driver's license.  We have several military bases in the Kabul area.  Our office has to complete missions at other installations and so we travel to the other installations via convoys every so often.  Driving in Afghanistan feels a little bit like I'm in a video-game or movie. (Mom, don't worry about me, I am safe! :)

 

I was able to eat lunch at an Afghan restaurant on Camp Phoenix today.  The Afghan dish palou.  The dish consists of a big pile of rice on top of pork (at least I thought it was pork).  The dish has a really tasty spice. The dish came with a big pile of Naan and a chutney type sauce. I ate until I was stuffed.  It was nice to eat something different than what our diniing facility has to offer.

 

I continue to miss Adam, Ryann, and Moose every day. Thanks again everyone for your support and prayers. The attached pics are of me earning my deployment patch. My boss told me to make a "big cheesey grin." Orders are orders. Another picture is a group photo of our office in our battle gear.  The small group picture is of myself and my office mates in front of an MRAP.

 

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 Ryann and Adam get to Face Time with Rhe daily and that helps everyone so much.  Ryann is making changes on a rapid pace.  She finally could roll from her stomach to her back much to her relief...she was getting a little frustrated with herself.  Her favorite game today is peek a boo with her blanket.  She always wakes up with a smile on her face and is ready to go.  Moose continues to be her buddy and is always helpful when we cannot find her pacifier...usually he has taken it!!!
Uncle Joey and Brad were here for a visit last weekend so Ryann put Joey "over the moon"!  He could not get enough of her and loved being with her except when diaper time came.  They are anxious to come back to be with her and spoil her more...
No problems with all of the rain here, but the area around us were  really a mess.  It has been a beautiful fall otherwise so lots of walks with Ryann and Moose.

Congrats to Rheanna's very dear,close friend Kelly, on the birth of her healthy baby girl, Brooklyn!  Her and Ryann will also be best of friends I am sure.

Uncle Joey and Ryann

It was love at first sight!

Mommy sent a car walker and she loves it!

Mommy also sent a bouncy swing which is so much fun!

QUICK ADDITION...

Sorry, I did not realize Rheanna's last couple lines were cut off so just want to quick add them....

Thank you all for the love and support! Happy bday to Grandpa Craig! I'm so thankful to have such a wonderful father-in-law.