"...conspicuous valor above and beyond the call of duty"

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. -John 15:13

I've struggled for the last few days to figure out what to put in this post. I never met SGT Jared Monti so I don't feel that I can accurately pay tribute to who he was and what he did - but want to try.

Erik met and served with SGT Monti in 3-71CAV when he was at Ft. Drum. Even before they deployed I knew who SGT Monti was, and on the day I read of his death in Afghanistan, I thought I knew what a soldier the Army had lost. But as days went on and more information about SGT Monti's bravery and who he was became available, I realized what kind of a person the world had lost.

We were honored to meet Paul Monti, Jared's father, when he attended our wedding shortly after 3-71 returned from Afghanistan. Admittedly it was very difficult for us (and I'm certain even more so for him), but I know that we will never forget it. Nor will we forget his son who, it was announced yesterday, will be receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Soldier gets highest honor for ultimate sacrifice

Army Sgt. Jared C. Monti of Raynham has been posthumously named to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor this week for giving his life as he tried to rescue wounded comrades under heavy fire in Afghanistan in 2006.

The humble soldier never liked medals, his proud father, Paul Monti, recalled yesterday. The ones he earned when he was alive, he just tucked in a drawer. It was the way he dealt with many of his exemplary actions in life, his dad said - he didn’t feel he needed to show off about the good things he was doing.

Jared Monti, a 1994 Bridgewater-Raynham High School graduate, was the son of Paul Monti of Raynham and Janet Monti of Winterville, N.C. Just 30 when he was killed, he “was extremely selfless.

“He spent most of his life doing things for other people, even when young,” his father said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Monti received a telephone call from President Obama informing him that his beloved son has been named as a recipient of the Medal of Honor. It will be awarded in a ceremony at the White House in the fall.

“The president told me that he was very proud of him, that the nation was very proud of him and that I should be proud of him,” Monti said. He described the conversation as emotional and “bittersweet.”

On June 21, 2006, during a heavy firefight in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, Jared Monti dragged one wounded soldier to safety under fire. He went back to get another critically wounded soldier and was killed by a grenade in the process.

Monti recalled his son’s quiet, giving spirit, never wanting any recognition for the often surprising things he did. At 17, Jared asked to cut down a spruce tree from their yard, because a local family wasn’t going to have a Christmas tree. Then, “he bought them ornaments, presents, Christmas dinner, and he never told anyone,” his father said.

Only five other Medals of Honor have been awarded since 9/11. “I would rather have him back than all the medals,” Monti said. “But it’s fitting that (Jared) should be recognized for his act.”

He said his son, whose dream was to serve in the military and then become a history teacher, “would be appalled” by the attention he is receiving now. “(Jared) would say, ‘Dad, I was just doing my job,’ ” he said.

Best.Day.Ever.

Are we or aren't we?

Our anniversary is coming up and I've been thinking: How long are you a considered a newlywed? I've heard anywhere from 6 months to 5 years. 6 months seems a little short but 5 years? That's a tad excessive. Unless your spouse is deployed every other year, in which case you're always in the honeymoon phase because you're never together long enough to get sick of each other! I jest.... Sort of...

Our Lives Are Made In These Small Hours

Tonight Erik called and we got to talk for about 20 minutes. When he said he had to go, I was genuinely disappointed and said "But we JUST started talking!" then I realized we'd been talking for awhile and what a brat I was being. Last deployment I would have cut off a finger to talk to him for that long and now I'm grouchy because the man has work to do? I'm just getting antsy. There's finally a light at the end of this tunnel and I am really happy to be able to see it!

Truth be told, separations aren't really that hard on us it seems. Yes we'd rather be together, but if you consider that in our 5 year relationship we've spent a grand total of about 16 months in the same town at the same time what would seem the norm - togetherness or spending time "together" on the phone?

"For better or worse" that's been our relationship thus far, and I wouldn't change it. It's what got us here and I believe it's what gets us through. I know I'm luckier than most that my phone rings nearly every day and I recognize that we probably won't be so lucky next time, and that'll be okay. For now I'll just be grateful for the time we get to spend "together" knowing that it's much more than anyone can hope for in our situation, and I'm going to start counting down until the days I can pick up the phone and call him rather than wait for the phone to ring.

We're on the downhill slide now. The hardest part is over.

Our lives are made

In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate~Rob Thomas

Another Price of Paradise:

A (poisonous) centipede in my kitchen.

And seriously, Erik and I had just been talking that day (Saturday, the day it happened) about how there haven't been a lot of critter issues I've had to face on my own and I remember saying "they just have to wait a couple more monthss until you're home". Then BAM centipede under the kitchen table.

Such is life.

Alright, I’ve had it.

Note: This has been a long time coming, but I've been too busy to post it:

So, the other day I had to take a tour of the Hilton Hawaiian Village for work (long story) and they told us this story: They have several towers of rooms on the property and one tower is like a whole resort in itsself, for the famous folk. Well aparently, Michael Jackson stayed there in the mid-nineties and just recently someone knocked on the door of the room they found out he had stayed in and asked to take a picture. Seriously? That person needs a thump on the head. I am so freakin’ tired of Michael Jackson I could gouge my own eyes and ears out with a rusty screwdriver.

I’m I sorry he died? Sure. I’m sorry when any one loses their life, and especially so when they leave behind young children. Am I upset that he died? Not really. I understand: King of Pop, yadda yadda yadda, but honestly, what did he do for us besides sing a few songs and give us something to gossip about? Most of my generation doesn’t even know him as anything other than a freako in a jumpsuit with just one glove who may or may not have molested children. I wasn’t around to appreciate the Jackson 5 or even the Michael Jackson of yesterday, back when he was “breaking down racial barriers in the music industry” by “(making) culture accept a person of color" (Al Sharpon’s words, not mine). All I know is what I see, and what I’ve seen over the past 25 years hasn’t been all that great. And I certainly wouldn’t herald him as a cultural icon for African Americans when it’s obvious that he wanted to be white.

My question to you America, is why is this guys death more important to you than the deaths of the thousands of American soldiers who have died in defense of your freedom? Did they get a banner on msn.com? No. Are their funerals put on TV? No. Is anyone worried about their children? Well, CNN isn’t,that’s for sure.

Michael Jackson left behind 3 young children and a mountain of debt for his family to work their way out from under. America’s solders have left us the freedom to do pretty much whatever, whenever we please. Unfortunately for them, we use that freedom to obsess over celebrities instead of paying a little attention to those who fight to keep this nation safe and free.

Makes.Me.Sick.