August 24 What a Great Day!!

So this time yesterday I blogged our update, I had no idea how my day would go. I am pleased to report it was filled with some surprises.

After blogging yesterday I went to the kitchen to make some treats for the Tupperware party, which by the way was for Chaz. He was the one who had the bigger wish list. I heard my cell phone buzzing (I turned the ringer off in January and I have never turned it back on). As I got to it, it stopped and the call went to voicemail. So I listened to the voicemail and it was a reporter from the Army Times as he said, "I am going to try your home phone," the house phone rang. Weird huh?!

The reporter was calling because he wanted to get a few more details about the Train contest and concert. His name is Jon Anderson and he was super nice and we had a great conversation. He wanted to know how did I get Train to change the rules. He said, "You read the rules right? They wanted someone to video conference in and propose, you got to go on stage and renew." I said, "I guess I was thinking out the box. I also knew I had nothing to lose by submitting my email. The worst thing that could happen was they never respond. But instead I had a dream come true. I got to stand on stage with my great family and my favorite band." Jon and I talked for a while about the contest and Train and the Army. Then my guests for the Tupperware party came in and I told them to make themselves at home and I'd be with them in a minute.

When I got off the phone, I apologized to my friends and said sorry that was the Army Times. They looked at me and laughed. My friend Kelly then said that's just so cool. We went on and enjoyed our party and had lots of great laughs and conversations. I had to cut the party short because I received an email Tuesday evening asking me to be at Ft Campbell at 1.

We met Holly and General Petraeus while Chaz was in the hospital. She has visited us a total of three times and we met the General once. Let me tell you they are great Americans. They care about our country and are just flat out great people. Mrs. Petraeus sent me an email congratulating me on the Train concert last week and then we did the back and forth how are you check in email. Then I told her I was happy she was returning to Campbell and that we'd love to see her again. She then asked if I could meet her at the FRC (Family Readiness Center). I immediately replied yes.

I got to the FRC just before 1 and was greeted with a ton of who are you looks. Then a soldier walked up and said, "Are you the Gold Star wife here for Mrs. Petraeus?" I said, "I am not a Gold Star wife, I am a Wounded Warrior's wife." He said, "I bet you are who we're looking for, I'll be right back." He came back and said, "Jessica Allen" and I nodded. He said, "Right this way."

He led me into a room and then Mrs Petraeus walked in. I was greeted with a big hug. She invited me to sit down and I got to chat with her for thirty minutes. She just wanted to chat with me. She wanted to know how we all were doing and if we needed anything. We talked about Train and all of the work she's doing and then poof time was up. Her assistant walked in and said, "Is this the Jessica?" Mrs. Petraeus said, "Yes it is." He then said, "She talks about you all the time." Of course I said, "Nuh-uh?!" Then we talked about Train. It was so cool to see how excited she was for our family. It just made my day. Then she had to go and I got another big hug and she said she would talk to me soon. Oh the looks I got as I walked out of that building. I walked into "Who are you?" looks and walked out with "Who ARE you?" looks. It was pretty cool and I had to laugh on my way out. I just couldn't believe she took thirty minutes out of her day just to make sure we were doing ok, WOW!

I am so excited to see everything she is working on. What she is doing is so important to me. We are overdue for the changes she is working on. She is the right person for the job and she will accomplish great things. Here's a little bit of what she's doing and why she was here at Campbell for. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20110825/BUSINESS/110825002/Holly-Petraeus-returns-Fort-Campbell-mission-protect-soldiers?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

I am honored that Mrs. Petraeus and the Army Times has an interest in our family and our road to our new normal. Days like yesterday and last Wednesday are just surreal. I am just so thankful that we are blessed so much and so frequently.