News from Northrop Grumman

CRAM Team Brightens Holiday (December 7, 2010)


Julie Lichay

Sixty men and women temporarily located in Huntsville Alabama, undergoing training as operators of the Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) systems for the Army and soon to deploy to Afghanistan, selflessly opened their hearts to nearly one hundred foster children in Alabama. Members of the C-RAM team, residing in a local hotel while attending pre-deployment training, noticed a new Christmas tree that had been put up in the lobby, fully decorated with paper ornaments from local Alabama foster children each wishing for just one simple Christmas gift. Members of the entire deployment group—quietly and unprompted—each proceeded to take several ornaments from the tree, secretly replacing them with gifts requested by the foster children. Not only did all of the team members generously buy multiple gifts to the one gift each child had requested, many of them even bought “big ticket” items ranging from video games, MP3 Players, X-Box Units, or a complete children’s wardrobe, with their own money.

Ms. Lee Marshall, founder of the Kids to Love Foundation, a 501(c)(3) foundation whose ultimate goal is to find “forever families” for children awaiting adoption, gratefully accepted the gifts on behalf of the foster children. Marshall, a former foster and adopted child, herself, began the foundation in 2004, and has made it her mission to advocate on behalf of foster children everywhere, to find them permanent, loving homes. Thanks to a group of sixty generous personnel who will soon deploy to a war zone, a large group of local foster children will have one of the happiest and most memorable Christmases ever. What will stay with the children long after their presents are forgotten, however, is the fact that a group of complete strangers with the Christmas spirit deeply rooted in their hearts, took the time to reach out to them with unconditional love and share their blessings with them by “adopting” them with kindness and generosity this Christmas.

House Shopping

Sometimes Rick and I just go out and look for houses for sale. We might build a house but I would perfer if I can find what I want in an established home. I am shooting the bar high but if I spend that money shouldn't I get EVERYTHING I want?

Somethings that would be a plus when buying a house
* James needs his own space, privacy, His own bathroom, Even so like a finished basement or mother in law suite or second isolated Master.
* Four Bedrooms are a MUST. 2 bathrooms three preferred. Half baths don't count! Master must not be isolated (I don't want to be seperated from William or Skylar.
* Rick would like whirlpool in the master bath which most built houses come with. Also pretty big closets.
* Rick would like a garage.
* A fenced in back yard big enough for the kids to grow into. to Enjoy
* I think a nice sized kitchen is important.

Things we don't like about this house.... Small utility room, age of house, The kitchen features, the master bath, integrity of the house, Price is about 50 K more than we want. It will be alot of up keep I know with the outdoors especially. Stairs have pluses and minuses.... Garage is only good for storage. Too small for my car.


This is the laundry room I think its teeny tiny and my washer would never fit in there. Where do you put the laundry? This is a big negative!

The Family room complete with Cat door to go outside.. Too funny! Opens up to the kitchen and sliding glass door to go to the nice backyard.

Nice patio but I see the world involved too!

Smallish dining room which is okay for us for now. We don't have a Formal dining set.

Part of the backyard it comes with the swing set.

This would be James room. It has shelves and space for a desk. Its on the bottom level and it has its own entrance and own bath 3/4 bath I think its called?

another view of the family room.

Ah see James would fight me for this area. This is screaming for a scrapbook area :) Don't you think?

Part of the smallish kitchen. I hate the microwave over the range. Its very clusterphobic too. That would have to go.

Huge deck! It also has a gate leading right to the Elementary school and middle schools :)

One of the bedrooms on the top floor.

The area leading to the HOT TUB! No peeking adults ONLY :)

The front of the house its not very beautiful.. I am not in love but it suits my current needs within a reasonable amount which is hard for me to find EVERYTHING I want in one house. Even if we build one.

There is a sitting garden here with Koi pond and blueberries and raspberries.

This would be James is bath

Another upstairs room

More hot tub views :)

Upstairs hall way

Kitchen
So what do you think?

my day

Today we had Ballet. They took pictures in their costume I will upload them in a minute and resize them for Myspace. So that was crazy and hectic I was unprepared and already stressed before lol. After that I went ahead and headed over to the Child Wise building to meet up with Jess and Mir for the remainder of playgroup and after Playgroup is the Waiting Spouses meeting. The Waiting Spouses meeting went on a little longer than usual. I came home I got to talk to Rick for just a little bit because it was right at bedtime. We were supposed to go to the Botanical Gardens but didn't get to go. I had to go to the bank and deposit a check then since Skylar was so disappointed about going to the Garden I promised her I would take her to the park. I was worried no one would be there. But Talitha and her children were there along with another lady that I met at Playgroup. They left and as they left Pegan and her children showed up. So Skylar got a good bit of playtime in and it was great being able to hang out with the wives.

So many around me seem to put down some of the lifestyle. Not so much being an Army wife but their surroundings. I am the simple girl next door that appreciates her full tank of gas that her husband (and the Army) provide. The fact that I know so many of my neighbors and get to not just know their names but I can also break bread with them and fellowship with them. The nice weather and the spectacular mountain views around me. The fact that I can go to the store and not worry about having two quarters more for a loaf of bread. Skylar gets ballet and loves it. I appreciate what is given to me. Sure he may be underpaid, he may be gone for a length of time. As long as he comes home safe to me its all worth it!

Rick and I are really excited about letting our family grow here in Huntsville. Its a beautiful place.