Blomgren's Blog: January 2008

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Cause I can!

Just a fun post of pictures of people I love and miss.

David continues to do wonderfully at training! He is constantly busy from 0400 (4am) through around 2300 (11pm) each night. He fills his hours with marching, sitting up straight but not leaning against the back of his chair, saying "Sir, yes, sir", sitting in on lectures on how the Air Force operates, drinking lots of water (I think it's at least 3 glasses at each meal plus drinking from the canteen he has to carry around), studying for his second exam (he got 100% on the first one), and of course running obstacle courses! This 1st Lieutenant sure is hard at work training to be the best JAG you'll know!

He has received three packages of cookies three days in a row! All the other officers are realizing how loved he is and David's been able to spread the cookie love around! Thank you for sending him letters and packages, keep it up!!!

David might have internet access coming up in the next week so stay posted and keep him in your prayers!

Movie Time.

Last night I went to a movie with my friend! We had both previously read the book from which the movie was written. We saw the touching story on screen of The Kite Runner. The book was very good and I thought the movie did a wonderful job of depicting exactly what the author had explained in the book. If you are up for a touching read or flick, I suggest The Kite Runner. Click on the movie title to see the trailer.

Anybody else see any good flicks lately? I am up for suggestions!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Prayer Needed!

The Lord has been pressing me to post about Nate, Tricia & Gwyneth. I saw Nate's blog through my friend Eryn's post about a week ago and have been checking Nate's blog multiple times a day! The basics of their story is Nate's wife, Tricia, has Cystic Fibrosis and was close to getting a double lung transplant when they found out she was pregnant. Since it is risky for someone with Cystic Fibrosis to have a baby many doctors suggested she abort. Nate and Tricia believe in the sanctity of the unborn life and decided to have the baby.

Gwyneth Rose was born on January 8th, at 24 weeks in Tricia's belly. Since then it's been a long journey already as both baby and mommy have been hooked up to machines and incubated at times. There are many more details about their story on Nate's blog and ways to be praying for their health. Please check the blog out and keep them in your prayers as they heal. Thanks friends.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Savoring the Moments

This picture was taken a few minutes before my Love drove away on his journey to Alabama. He left Saturday, which just happened to also be my 25th birthday!

Somehow my mom captured the goodbye, I had no idea she was there!

After David left I was able to relax a bit with my book :-) Later in the afternoon my Mom and I met up with my aunt Connie and cousin Bekah! We had so much fun hanging out with them. First we went to a movie called Into the Wild which was really good. Then, we went to Granite City of course! After Granite City we headed to Connie's to have my mom make us some earrings since she's so tallented. Thanks Mom! Here is a picture of Bek, me and Con! I had fun and I just love my family!

I have been able to talk to David everyday since he's left which we were not expecting. He is doing well but already quite worn out. I will leave the real updates for him but, the first thing that happened when he entered a building on base was David getting yelled at! He didn't say, Sir yes Sir, instead he had just said Sir! It's hard to imagine someone else yelling at him, just kidding!

He's sent me two pictures through our phones and he definitely looks the part with his buzzed head and camo. He is such a handsome airmen. Yesterday was his first official day at training and he said they did the Crossing of the Blue Line, which you can check out on a video here. Keep David in your prayers as he is going to be worn out with a lot of things to learn in the next week especially.

If you would like to encourage him greatly I know he would love to get mail while he is gone the next three months. Please send him letters or packages to:

1st Lt./David Blomgren
COT Class 08-02
550 E. Maxwell Blvd. #9000
Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-5000

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Praise Jesus!

Okay friends, I have just been blessed!!!! I cannot express how much fun I have at worship every Sunday at The Sanctuary! It is like dancing and singing for true joy the way the Lord wants us to feel in freedom to worship him with pure hearts. I just finished continuing to dance and sing throughout my parents house!! No one is home and it was so much fun! Radar followed me around probably wondering what I was yelling at! Anyway, I just had to share how joyful I am and how totally blessed I feel to get to experience corporate worship in Christ's freedom! Praise Jesus for joyful hearts!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

COT Here I Come!

Well, in 1 week from now, I'll be at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama for my Commissioned Officer Training. I've been waiting for more than a year to begin my career as an Air Force Officer in the JAG Corps, and the time has finally arrived for that to begin. I can honestly say that I am extremely excited, but also quite anxious at the same time. I know that the minute I walk onto base, everything will change. Here is what will happen in the next 3 months:

I have 5 weeks of COT followed by 2 months of JAG school. While I have made a lot of jokes about COT being "sissy boot camp", by no means will it be a walk in the park (COT, by the way, is for lawyers, doctors, and chaplains). Now, it is more relaxed than enlisted training (we have a maid for crying out loud), it will still be intense. I have received a packet of rules that I have to memorize that explains how everything will work (and I mean everything, since they tell you how to do EVERYTHING, such as how to arrange the food on your tray at dinner). Essentially, COT will involve getting up at 4:30 (woops, I mean o430), eating breakfast, going to class all day, doing homework, and going to bed at 2300, with marching in between everything. I have heard that it is pretty much a game full of tons of rules, and if you play the game, you'll be alright. The hardest part, I think, will be the sleep deprivation. We also get to do a deployment excercise as well as partake in the gas chamber (this is about the time when I'll be thinking of the plush law firm offices that my law school friends will be sitting in)!

JAG school should be much more laid back and enjoyable. Then, its off to Colorado Springs! I will have limited Internet access the next few months, but I will try to post when I can. Click here to see a short video of what COT is like. If you're really interested, click here to see some more.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

A Long Way Gone

I (David) recently finished one of the best books I've read in a long time. Its a memoir from a young man from Sierra Leone, a country ravaged with civil war in the late 90s. It is incredibly well-written and very honest. Everyone should read this book. It's a heartbreaking inside look on the life of a child soldier. It also challenged me to be more prayerful and mindful of human rights abuses taking place all over the world. I'm sure that most people in the US never even knew a civil war took place in Sierra Leone (actually, most people probably don't even know the country exists). I had a unique opportunity to take a clinic at law school last year called International Human Rights that focused entirely on Africa. We spent a lot of time talking about this country and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission now taking place there (an effort to bring communities there to reconciliation with each other - a hard tasks to do when you read what has happened there).

As Christians, I think that it is our call to be more aware and active of genocides and atrocities happening in Africa, including Rwanda, Darfur, the Congo, and now Kenya (hopefully the situation there will quickly subside). Click here to see a documentary about Darfur. Its long, but if you have the time, you should watch it.