The Ruppel Family

08 August 2009

Update from Iraq

So I've been here for a month now. Days are hot with highs approaching 115 and lows around 85. We had one good dust storm already that lasted several days. I'm working 12+ hrs a day, then working out and going to bed.

Morale is high right now. Me and a couple of the SMSgts are going to buy pizza for the guys from the Pizza Hut here in about a week. Yeah, we have a Pizza Hut here. Other eateries include a Cinnabon, Popeye's Chicken, Subway, Taco Bell, and Burger King. I've only been eating at the DFAC (Dining FACility) though to save money.

Heather and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in early December to watch the Badgers play their final game of the season there. That'll be my first Badger game since the fall of 2002. I'm already excited. The tickets are ordered already and I made hotel reservations.

I can't go into details about what we're doing here, except to say that my guys are always busy fixing aircraft so they can fly every day. We've been really busy so far and the customers that we're flying around really like the capabilities that we bring to the fight.

Iraq is a much different place than it was a year ago. It seems as though every trip I've made here has been coupled with some dramatic improvements. First, in 2006, Iraq had just had its first elections and then fell into sectarian violence just a couple weeks before I left with the bombing of the golden temple. Last year I got here at the tail end of the surge and violence was falling off. Now attacks are very sporadic and much of the violence that has plagued the Iraqi cities has fallen off as the troops have moved out of many of the cities. This is a true test of the stability of the country and so far it is passing.

I read an interesting article the other day about the Green Zone - the place where I was deployed to the first time. Apparently it is fully under Iraqi control. The line between the "Green Zone" and "Red Zone" has blurred dramatically. It's risky, but it's a required to step to move the country to self sufficiency.

On a personal note, Heather and Aidan had a great time in WI last week. I'm glad the grandparents got to see him again. He's such a character. Even after only a month he sounds different when I talk to him on the phone. He talks with such purpose and meaning, but he's still spitting out gibberish when he talks fast. It's almost as though his brain is going too fast for his mouth. When you slow him down though and get him to say specific words he does really well.

I was walking on the flightline today and thought about how much fun it is to hold his hand while I'm walking...

So one month is down and it looks like I'll have about 3 more to go until I get home. At least football is starting soon! Go Packers!

27 July 2009

Videos of Aidan from July

Aidan riding with Madi on her 3 wheeler.

Aidan using a tack hammer

Aidan painting on the back porch

25 July 2009

JULY

The fourth was a blast, literally. We had a lot of friends over and my brother Kevin was here to celebrate.

There was a lot of time spent out on the beach and we had a firework show of our own.

We found some awesome fresh pineapple.

Scott left for Iraq a couple days after unfortunately and Aidan and I both miss him so much. Aidan asks about him once in a while and he knows something is different but we are doing fine otherwise.

I've been borrowing my neighbors bike cart and Aidan and I have taken a few bike rides to spend time together after work or on the weekend. We've discovered some new routes in our neighborhood on the way too.

We went to the farmer's market in Pensacola last weekend in search of fresh produce and any other neat finds we might stumble upon. When we were done Aidan and his buddy Madi were sharing bluberries on the steps, it was so sweet!

Aidan makes me laugh and I've been writing down some of his "priceless" moments. A friend brought over a build your own wooden helicopter and Aidan loved using the tack hammer on it while putting it together.

We're enjoying the summer and trying to keep cool!

I'll try to post a few videos I've taken this month next time!

Love and miss you Scott!

17 July 2009

Captain Ruppel - Back At It

So less than a year from returning home I find myself in the same place I was last year at this time. I'm not exactly thrilled about the timing, but I get paid to accomplish a mission...not to sit around and whine.

That being said, I'm pretty psyched about what I'll be doing out here on this trip. I can't go into any details on the website, but this will be a historic deployment for Air Force Special Ops Command and I'll be leading a fantastic group of maintainers. Last year was neat, but I was leading a unit that I had no connection to. Now I will be leading the guys that I work with back home. It's an honor and a responsibility that I take very seriously. My number one concern while I'm here is for their well-being.

I'm considerably less thrilled about being away from the family again. Looking over the blog before posting this reminded me of how much fun we were having this summer. It's a bummer that it all got interrupted again. I'm looking forward to a less travel-heavy job in the Air Force in the future!

Not much else to add right now. Things are going well and I'm doing fine. Heather has my address here if you are interested in sending anything out. Last year my Mom helped through her work and did a phone card drive because the USO ran out. That was phenomenal.

I can't wait to see everyone again. As I told Heather the other day on the phone, I'm already 1/20th of the way done with this trip. Time is flying by!!

03 July 2009

Racing into Summer

We've been pretty busy lately, mostly with work, June was filled with attending and presenting many trainings for me, but that's finally slowed down for now. Scott's just beginning with his deployment coming up next week, and Aidan is a very active 20 month old! We jumped right into our summer by running together as a family in the Eglin AFB gate to gate run, which was a little over 4 miles.

Aidan checking out the huge playground after the race

We've been cooking and grilling with many friends lately, which always makes me bring out my grandma's Bok Choy recipe. A staple of our summer diet and always a hit when I introduce it to friends.

Memorial Day Weekend

Aidan loves to help or watch me cook, we had fun making blueberry pancakes together one morning.

It had been a while since we'd been to the zoo and we had a perfect Saturday open to go and visit, here are some of the highlights!

This monkey was awesome!
We had the opportunity to go sailing with a couple that goes to our church out in one of the bays. It was pretty choppy that day for the bay but it was fun. Aidan was doing great and enjoying the scenery, but then he fell ill and got sea sick! After he took a nap he was his old self again!

Poor Aidan!

Aidan has really been enjoying his blocks and puzzles lately but I think his favorite thing lately has been coloring and painting!

Father's day was relaxing and ended with some warm, home-made chocolate chip cookies!

As you know I've become addicted to running. My girlfriends and I made a goal for ourselves to run a half marathon on our own. We researched and trained for it, then carefully planned our route. Very early in the morning and out along the beach where we'd get the best breeze, and a calming, beautiful view! We did finish in 3 hours, including breaks and a few attacks from nesting seagulls! We were very proud of ourselves but that sun wore us down the last 2 miles and I've never sweat so much in my life!

13 miles stronger!

There is a cool old historical fort out on the end of Santa Rosa Island, about a 45 minute drive from our house, called Fort Pickens. The county just opened the road back up again to the public. It had been closed to vehicle traffic for several years because the last bought of bad hurricanes had completely destroyed the road to it. We decided to go explore it and it's very interesting. If you're ever down this way stop by, most of the fort is made of brick, it's amazing!

I leave you with a cute video of Aidan walking our dog Bailey, he loves her.....and she puts up with him! :)

24 May 2009

Getting outdoors

We've been enjoying the outdoors a lot lately, in fact it's Aidan's favorite thing to do, just being outside no matter what we're doing!

Back in April we went camping, I think Aidan's favorite part of the trip was the marshmallows and playing with the flashlights!

The lake had tons of turtles, one was as big around as a basketball!

The camping gang

2.6 mile hike

Aidan passed out on the way back

Our good friends the Imlays

Maddie!

Note that he's eating the marshmallow, not the graham cracker!

Our tents were right next to the lake!

Aidan playing with the flashlights. It's dark but if you listen it's funny!

Bailey looks like her beautiful old self again and is shedding everywhere, "sigh"

Aidan listening to music on Scott's ipod. I caught him mid-boogie!

We found the coolest sprinkler!

Aidan is really into shoes right now, he pulls all of our shoes out of the closet and likes to put them on and walk around in them. He's learned how to match while doing this because he doesn't just pull out 2 random shoes, he puts on the pair that matches!

This will be a good "torture picture" when Aidan becomes a teenager... hee hee hee :)

Aidan playing in a giant box, the most fun toy of all to a one year old!

Aidan being creative :)

We just got Aidan a climber, now he can claim at least part of the backyard. He LOVES it! He's a pretty good climber already too!

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