One of the great side effects of all the Grammy/Oscar buzz surrounding Jamie Foxx's performance in "Ray" is that suddenly, Ray Charles is so posthumously hip that VH1 has started playing "Georgia on My Mind" with a video of scenes from the movie in the morning. It's fantastic, even if it's somewhat disconcerting to go straight from "Georgia On My Mind," which is undoubtedly one of the finest songs recorded in the 20th century to, say, J-Lo's latest song/excuse to shake her stuff on TV. The downside of this brief outbreak of taste on the part of VH1 is that I get all choked up every time I hear that song, even though I'm not from Georgia. I don't cry during the national anthem or other patriotic songs, but "Georgia on My Mind" does me in. I'm not sure if that makes me a really bad American or a really good Southerner.
As a side note, I am completely at the mercy of the powers that be at VH1 and MTV right now, because BOTH of the CD players in our house are broken, and I basically only have control over music in my car. Something's gotta give.

"In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. 'Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he told me, 'Just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"

F. Scott Fitzgerald
"The Great Gatsby"

I think I'm going to get that tatooed on my arm so I can do a better job of remembering it. On the other hand, that's an awful lot of words and I bet it would hurt. So maybe I'll just settle for "Shut Up" as a reminder to myself.

I think I had a semi-religious conversion experience last night when Dan and I went to see Alison Krauss and Union Station in concert. I have seen a great many concerts in my life. Live music performances just never cease to mesmerize me, and I frequently annoy Dan with my immediate willingness to fork over large chunks of money to see an artist perform live. I get the impression that a lot of people just figure if they have the CD, they can live without going to the concert. I am not one of those people. I love concerts for their loudness and the cheering and the opportunity to just sit and actually focus on the music, which isn’t usually how you listen to music if you think about it. I love concerts even more than I love chocolate, and that is saying something. So needless to say, I was thrilled when Dan got me tickets to see Alison Krauss and Union Station live in Albuquerque. I’ve heard they put on a great show, and I figured it would be a lot of fun.
However, prior to last night, I didn’t really count Alison Krauss among my “all-time, top five, desert island” favorite artists, to quote a line from an excellent movie which I will give you a nickel if you name. I liked her a lot, yes, but I kind of figured I could get by without her music if I had to.
Well.
About ten minutes into the concert, I repented of my wicked ways and I am now ready to declare that Alison Krauss and Union Station may just be the finest musical group of our time. I swear, people, it was like watching magicians levitate giant boulders with their minds or shoot lightning out of their hands, that’s how amazing it was seeing them perform. I have never seen anything like it. There is really no way to understand how complex the music is until you see it performed live. That realization alone is jaw-dropping. But they played these incredibly complicated songs like they were tying their shoes or brushing their teeth, or doing something else that normal people do all the time. Like it was nothing. You know how when you hear a recorded song, it’s almost too perfect, and you think “There’s no way that’s real. It’s got to be spliced and digitally vamped up somehow to sound like that.” I really thought that about Alison Krauss and Union Station. I just thought there was no way that that many people could possibly play that many notes and not mess one up somewhere along the way.
Again, I repent. They were flawless. And hilarious. Who knew that Alison Krauss was a funny woman? That just doesn’t really come across in the music, I suppose, but between songs she would tell these stories that made you spit out your Coke you were laughing so hard. And then they would take you right out of that laughing and make you want to cry with one of those heartbreakingly-sad songs they play so well. It was the single most entertaining show I have ever attended, and I was amazed when Dan told me they had played for two and a half hours, because it just went by so quickly.
I don’t even know what else to tell y’all except that if you EVER get the opportunity to see them live, you should run and not walk to get tickets. It’s well worth your money.
Hallelujah, world without end, amen.

It is sunny and warm in Albuquerque after what seems like MONTHS of rain and gloom and cold. I think we get spoiled in New Mexico, because most of the time, it's very sunny and mild here. So as soon as it rains for more than 10 minutes, people are immediately in a depressed funk. You can even see it in the way people drive ... like the rain makes them so angry at the world that they just have to act out. We've had an unusually wet winter, which is good for the whole drought situation, but bad for the state-wide psyche. So let's hear it for the sun! Spring is, indeed, on the way.

On Saturday, Dan and I had the pleasure of going to the zoo with the Lowrance family. It's a good thing that Sam and Shanelle invited us to come with them, because the nice weather we were having on Friday had gotten Dan on a kick. Specifically, a "Why don't we go to the zoo, Haley? Huh? Huh?" kick. When Dan gets on one of these kicks, he's hard to distract, so it was pretty much inevitable that I was going to end up taking my own child to the zoo. At least this way, we were able to pretend that we were two of the adults on the trip, and not two of the kids. Or, at least, that's what I pretended. Dan did a pretty fair impression of a small child, racing along ahead of the rest of us with Annabelle, calling all of us to hurry up. In fact, Dan and Annabelle even started to sound alike after a while. Annabelle would say "Mommy Mommy! Look at the giraffe!" and Dan would say "Haley! Haley! Look at the zebra!" I did learn something useful on this trip, which is that when Dan and I have kids, I am NEVER going to the zoo without him. By the end of the day, I was shuffling along with aching legs and a dazed, somewhat sunburned look on my face, and Dan was still saying "But we haven't been to the Africa exhibit yet! Come on!" I also realized that it is much more fun to go to a kid-geared place with kids. They just get so excited. Enjoy some photos from our excursion.

Shanelle and Annabelle enjoy the flamingos. Annabelle considered it her bound duty to inform us, repeatedly, that the flamingos were "Pink! Pink!"

If you look at it just right, Sam and Annabelle look like their own weird kind of giraffe.

A nice break by the goldfish pool.

The maniac toddlers. Yes, both of them.

Below, we present the three stages of Samuel "Little Man" Lowrance.

First stage: "Bring on the animals!"

Second stage: "Aww, mom, can I keep him?"

Third stage (late in the day): "Zzzzzzzz." I was sympathizing with his exhaustion by this point.

Remember two days ago, when I was exulting in the gloriously warm weather? Me too. It was nice. I even had a little bit of that sunburned pink cheeks look going. I was thinking about putting up my heavy sweaters for the season. Apparently, I had forgotten that we live in ALBUQUERQUE, the world's most schizophrenic weather town in the United States. Here, for your enjoyment, we at Missing Mississippi present "Saturday and Monday: A Photo Essay by Haley Wachdorf."

Saturday, around 2 p.m., at the zoo:

Monday, 4 p.m. outside our apartment:

This storm blew in out of nowhere late this morning. By 3 p.m., I was stuck on the interstate plowing through heavy snow at 30 miles per hour. Dan got sent home from work early too, so we've pretty much been in our apartment cooking dinner and staring in awe at the snow. It's still falling and supposed to do so all night. Also, it's worth noting that the broken-down truck in the photo from our dining room window appears to belong to some relocated good-ol' boys. At least, that's all I can think of, since I can't imagine anyone else parking a completely non-functional truck in a public parking lot and coming out to work on it on the weekends. I'm serious. It's these two guys who get out there with their beer and their tools and play their radio and work on the truck all day long. They're very friendly and they wave at everyone who goes by. It's very entertaining and I will be amazed if the truck isn't fitted out with a gun rack before it's completely finished.
Anyway, if you are somewhere where the weather is warm, or even reasonably mild, please enjoy it for us. We'll be busy dressing in layers.

Look at this picture. What do you think the little green object I'm holding in my hand is? The rules are that you must post your first guess in the comments section after you find out what this unidentified object is.

So here's the story. Last Friday, I was cleaning our apartment. As part of this massive undertaking (don't kid yourself about the amount of mess two childless adults can create in one week) I too the sheets off our bed to wash them. In the process of pulling up the fitted sheet, this bright green object flew up into the air and hit me on the head, much like an alien saucer. I picked it up and realized that it is a piece of plastic food from the play kitchen in the Sunday School classroom at our church where Dan and I teach a group of kids on Wednesday nights. Specifically, it's a replica serving of English peas. Check it out:

I knew I hadn't brought this object home, so I figured it was somehow Dan's doing. When I called him at work, he said "Oh, yeah, on Wednesday during class, I was holding that and standing behind you and I thought it would be funny to put it in the hood of your sweater and see if you noticed. You didn't."
So I walked around with a piece of plastic food in my sweater for probably two hours before I came home, took off the sweater and somehow got this thing wound up in our sheets. Dan has never been prouder of himself.

Family and friends:
For the next little while, this site is going to be almost exclusively dedicated to updates on my brother, Lance Corporal Aaron Rice. For those of you who do not know, Aaron is a Marine Reservist and was serving in Iraq until last Friday, March 18, when he was injured by a roadside bomb as he was driving a Humvee in the Al-Anbar province. Aaron was severely injured in the blast and was flown to Germany, where the lower part of his left leg had to be amputated below the knee. He has other injuries, but they are not as severe, and Aaron’s condition has been consistently stable since the attack. On Sunday, he was flown to Bethesda Maryland, where he will stay until he is healed up enough to go to Walter Reed Memorial Hospital for rehabilitation. If all goes well, this will take at least two months.
Back home in Mississippi, my family has been deluged with phone calls from friends and family members wanting to know how Aaron is doing and what they can do for our family. Mom and Dad are leaving today to travel to Bethesda Naval Hospital to be with Aaron, and his wife Kelly, who flew to Maryland last night. While they are in Maryland, they need to be able to spend as much uninterrupted time with Aaron and Kelly as possible, so we need to take some of the pressure off their phone lines right now. I am going to act as the liason for the family and post updates here as often as there is new information to report. If you have a specific question or a message you would like to send to Mom, Dad, Aaron or Kelly, you may email me at haley@wachdorf.com or click on the “Comment” button on this site, leave a comment, and I will take care of it. For now, the most helpful thing for people to do is to pray for Aaron and spread the word that updates will be posted here.
We also have the following request to make of you: As of now, Ryan, Aaron’s twin brother, does not know about what has happened. Ryan is in the final stages of Marine basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. This week, he has to go through the Crucible, a grueling several-day hike and endurance training exercise that is the last major hurdle of boot camp. The family has decided that it is best to wait until Ryan finishes with the Crucible sometime later this week before we tell him about Aaron. If anyone is in touch with Ryan through mail, as we know many of you have been since he has been in boot camp, please do not say anything to him about Aaron. We will decide what is the best time to tell him, and when he have, we will let you know. Please pray for Ryan.
As of 9 a.m. Monday morning, here is what we know about Aaron’s condition:
Aaron has arrived safely in Bethesda. Kelly also arrived after some major flight complications and has seen Aaron, although he is still sedated as he has been since the attack. She said he looks good. This morning, further surgery is being done on the area where Aaron’s leg was amputated, and if all goes well, he should be allowed to wake up from sedation sometime tonight or early tomorrow. We are thankful that Kelly will be able to be there when he wakes up. Aaron does not know what has happened, so please pray that God will prepare Aaron to hear this news. Pray also that his healing will not be hindered by infections or other complications and that he will experience as little pain as possible.
Please pray for Kelly. She is alone right now in a hospital that is, needless to say, not an uplifting place. Pray that people will treat her kindly in these anxious hours while Aaron is still unconscious, and pray that she will be encouraged in spite of the grim situation.
As I’ve said, Mom and Dad are flying to Maryland tonight. Please pray that their flights will go smoothly and they will arrive on schedule. They very much want to be with Kelly and Aaron soon, and a smooth flight schedule would help immensely.
I will post more when there is more to report. We thank you all so much for your love and support. Please continue to pray with us. God is both sovereign and merciful and he hears us. That is perhaps the most comforting thought we can find in all of this.

I just talked to Daddy, and he said Aaron is awake!
Mom and Daddy got into town around 12:30 last night and went straight to see Aaron, and it sounds like he was able to talk to them a little then. He has been up and talking to Kelly off and on for a while, although he apparently got confused at one point and asked Kelly to tell him who she was. Daddy said the doctors are slowly taking Aaron's dose of pain medication down this morning so that he can stay conscious, and he is responding really well. He is off the respirator that was regulating his breathing while he was sedated and is getting more and more coherent by the minute. He should be moved out of intensive care and into a private room sometime in the near future. Daddy said Aaron is even giving the doctors and nurses a hard time, which is a good sign that he's still the same old Aaron. This morning, a doctor was checking him out for any respiratory problems while Kelly and Daddy were in the room. Aaron, always the life of the party, introduced the doctor to Daddy and told the doctor "This is where I get my good looks."
Aaron told Daddy that he did wake up enough at some point during the process of being transported back to the United States that someone told him about his leg, so it wasn't a complete shock when he woke up, which is good. However, he was under the impression that his leg was gone above the knee, and was very happy to learn that he still has his knee.
Daddy said he and Mom's flight went really well, which is excellent news in comparison with Kelly, who had a very difficult time getting to Maryland. Kelly will have to tell us the whole story sometime soon, but the short version is that Kelly's flight got cancelled and she was stuck in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until she overheard two of her fellow passengers discussing their plans to rent a car and drive the rest of the way. Kelly asked them if they would let her ride with them, and so she drove to Maryland in the middle of the night with an F.B.I. agent and a Sweet Potato Queen from New Orleans. You can't make this stuff up, and I'm going to have to hear more of that story later, but in the meantime, I hereby award Kelly the Trooper of the Year award. Daddy said she's getting some sleep now after being awake for more than 24 hours, and is in excellent spirits after talking to Aaron. Her luggage, which was lost in the shuffle of the last few days, has also been found. It's a small blessing, but a really nice one for her, I'm sure.
I hope to talk to everyone again later today, and I will update the site as soon as I do that. Thank you all so much for your prayers. We are elated that Aaron is conscious ... somehow it just didn't mean much for the doctors to tell us he was going to be OK until we could talk to him and know that he's alright. Praise God with us for the blessing of Aaron being awake and upbeat. Please continue to let everyone who knows Aaron know about the updates posted here, and, again, if you want to send a message, email me at haley@wachdorf.com and I'll pass it along. We love you all so much.

I have a mailing address for Aaron, since I know you are all itching to get out your stamps and tell him how much you love him. Aaron is still in intensive care and cannot have flowers or large items in his room, so at this time we ask that you please limit yourself to cards and other paper mail. Aside from that stipulation, bring on the mail!

Send it to:
Marine Casualty Services Branch
LCpl Rice, Aaron R
National Naval Medical Center
8901 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20889

Not much else to report right now. Just pray for rest for Mom and Aaron and Kelly. This is very exhausting. Thank you.

The word from Bethesda is that Aaron was able to get a little sleep last night, which was a relief, and which meant that everyone else was able to sleep also. Here's what we need to pray for today: Aaron has been on a lot of drugs since the attack, and the process of trying to switch him to a drug and dosage that adequately manages his pain without knocking him out has been very difficult. He is somewhat unsure of where he is at times and is hallucinating off and on. This is a little frightening for Kelly and Mom and Dad, but the doctors say that this is very common for soliders who have been through what Aaron has been through and he should be better in a day or two. After a good night's sleep, Dad was sitting with Aaron this morning, and said that Aaron seems to be somewhat calmer today. Pray that God would continue to calm Aaron and help him stay clear about where he is and what is happening. Please pray for Mom and Dad and Kelly, who are constantly trying to find the right way to respond to Aaron depending on if he is in reality or is confused at the moment. It is very tiring for them both physically and emotionally. In Aaron's more lucid moments, he is still joking with people. His most recent escapade was pulling loose a sensor that was attached to his body and then telling his nurse that a colonel who was visiting him at the moment had done it. I'm sure he shouldn't do that, but it's weirdly encouraging to us to know that he's still Aaron in spite of all this.
As far as physical concerns, Aaron is supposed to have another surgery on his leg today. This is nothing uncommon, but it will mean he has to be put under again, so pray for that. Also, the doctors have told Mom and Dad that Aaron has a piece of shrapnel or something in his eye and is going to need surgery on it. They are not going to do it right now because they want to take care of Aaron's major injuries first, but pray that it would not cause too many problems for him and that they would be able to deal with it relatively soon. It is making Aaron see double and that is not helping with his confusion. It also frustrates him because he can't do simple things like read the name tags of the nurses and doctors.
Thank you all so much for lifting us up in prayer. Please continue to do that for us. We need it so much. Thank you also for your many emails to Aaron ... I am printing them out and mailing them to him today. More information as I have it.

Just a quick note: thank you all for your prayers. Aaron is resting comfortably right now after being given a shot of something to help him sleep. Dad said he slept a little last night, but he really has only had a few hours of real sleep since he came out of sedation on Monday evening. He was sedated for three days, but that's not the same thing as restful sleep and with as many time zones as he's been through recently, he is probably having trouble getting on a regular sleep schedule. Hopefully he can wake up well-rested and that will help him get adjusted.
In another interesting note, apparently the Secretary of the Navy came to see Aaron last night and gave him "some sort of medal." I think it's hilarious that we're really not sure what kind of a medal this very high-ranking military official gave Aaron, but this is the kind of thing that gets lost in the shuffle right now. All I know is that it wasn't the Purple Heart, although Aaron will get one of those too at some point. And then we will all have to refer to him as "Aaron Rice, the decorated war veteran." He'll get a kick out of that.
Thanks for all your emails and encouragement and prayers. Keep them coming.

I've just talked to Daddy and Kelly, and there is much good news to report. To start with, Aaron has come safely out of what should be the last surgery on his leg. While he was under, they also took care of patching up a nasty cut he had on his right heel which should heal up just fine. Daddy said that Aaron was able to sleep off and on for most of the afternoon before he was taken to surgery, which is good for him. Dad also talked to the anesthesiologist, who was very encouraging as far as assuring Dad that the hallucinations and confusion Aaron is experiencing are extremely common and that he will snap out of it soon.
Kelly, our conquering hero, called a few minutes ago to talk. She said that today turned out to be the best day they've had since Aaron has been awake. Aaron, she said, is now consistently aware that he is in the United States and no longer thinks he is in Iraq. She also said that Aaron has already got something along the lines of a fan club following amongst the nurses and other Marines in the hospital, and that he has become the comedian of the intensive care unit.
"Today he's a lot better," she said. "There are people lining up waiting to talk to him because he is so funny. I wish I had a video camera, because we could put him on Comedy Central. The Secretary of the Navy came up and he was cracking him up, too. He's always trying to make jokes, and then when people laugh, Aaron does this laugh like he doesn't have energy to laugh all the way, but he wants to. He has his bad times, too, but it's getting a lot better."
Coming soon we'll have the full story of Kelly's midnight hitchiking trip from Philadelphia to Bethesda, which I have interviewed her about. For now, join us in prayer thanking God for Aaron's steady improvement and Kelly's good spirits in the midst of all of this. Please pray that Aaron will be able to sleep some tonight and will not have any trouble coming out of his anesthesia from the operation. Pray that the work that was done today on his leg and foot will be good and that he will heal properly with no complications. It is our hope that Aaron can be moved from ICU to a private room sometime in the next day or two.
Continue to pray that Mom, Dad, and Kelly will find time to rest and eat and take care of themselves in all of this. Also, pray for traveling mercies for Hannah and Audrey, who are scheduled to go to Maryland and see Aaron this weekend over their Easter holiday from school.
That will be all for tonight. Thank you all so much. Mom and Dad are so encouraged to know that you are all so faithfully praying for us. We love you all. More tomorrow.

I'm on my way out the door to work, but I wanted to ask y'all to pray for my Mom because she is having some health issues of her own. A month or so before all of this happened with Aaron, Mom got something that seemed like the flu or some other kind of respiratory ailment. She saw the doctor and they put her on medication, but it never really went away. Just before Aaron got hurt, she was referred to see a specialist about it, but now that's going to have to be postponed a bit. Her general practitioner gave her several prescriptions to help her along while she is in Maryland, but she had a bad, sleepless night last night because she couldn't stop coughing. Please pray that either she will stop coughing or that arrangements can be made for her to see someone at Bethesda who can help her. She so wants to be able to spend time with Aaron and Kelly, and it would take a lot more than a cough to keep her from doing that, but we want her to be able to rest and stay healthy while she's doing it. Mom also said that she wants to thank you all for your love and prayers. She said they can really feel how much they are helping.
I am hoping to talk to Dad and Kelly later this morning. They were with Aaron when I talked to Mom. As a short note, Mom said Kelly told her that Aaron had a lot of pain last night after getting out of surgery and they had to give him something to make him go to sleep again. Pray that today his pain will be less. It must be pretty bad for Aaron to actually comment on it, because from what Kelly told me yesterday, he hadn't complained about the pain a single time prior to that.
More as the day goes on. We love you all.

First of all, I am happy to say that Aaron has been moved out of ICU and into a private room! His slightly-modified mailing address is as follows:

Marine Casualty Services Branch
LCpl Rice Aaron R
National Naval Medical Center
Ward 5-E, Room #12
8901 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20889

We still ask that you not send any really large packages or any floral arrangements at this time, because the room is very small and it would grow to resemble a florist's shop very quickly. Cards and such are appropriate for now, but if Aaron has any special requests for other items, we will let you know.
Dad just called and said that Aaron is doing really well today and has been very coherent ever since he woke up this morning. He had some pretty bad pain last night, but he's been given some medication to help with that and is feeling better now. Dad had just gotten done talking to him for about 30 minutes straight without Aaron saying anything that would indicate that he was hallucinating or confused. Praise the Lord for that.
Dad said that the family is learning a little more about Aaron's other injuries now that his left leg is taken care of. Aaron's right leg was also hurt, but the damage there consists mostly of injured ligaments and tendons. He may have to have surgery on that leg as well, but for now he has a brace. He also broke his right thumb and that's been bandaged up. Mom and Dad are supposed to talk with an ophthalmologist today about Aaron's left eye, which has either one or several pieces of shrapnel in it. Pray for that meeting to go well and for us to get some definitive answers on that subject.
A good sign that Aaron is improving is that he told Dad he was hungry this morning. He's been on liquids since the attack, but they are going to let him start eating soon. Dad told Aaron that when he comes home, he will grill him the biggest steak he's ever seen. Aaron, who is clearly hungry enough to have started considering what he would like to eat, told him "That's great, Dad. But I want a steak and a lobster." Daddy told him he could have both.
In other news, the ward that Aaron has been moved to is populated exclusively with Marines and he is already making friends. There is a young man from Mississippi State University who got some bones broken in a Humvee accident in the room next door to him, and Aaron has already announced his plans to get over there and visit with him just as soon as they'll let him out of his bed. I hope those nurses are used to chasing Marines around, because as soon as they give Aaron a wheelchair or crutches, they'll never know whose room he's in. He will also get to visit with Hannah and Audrey when they get into town tonight.
That's all for now. Pray for Aaron's lucidity to continue for for his pain to be well-managed. Pray for him to get some sleep, and pray for Hannah and Audrey's safe travel. Thank you all so much.

Family and friends:
Just wanted to check in with y'all one last time tonight. I've just talked to Mom and Dad. Aaron is having a CAT scan right now. The doctors are concerned that Aaron may have some bruising to his lungs because of the impact of the explosion. They have had him on oxygen, but every time they take him off of it, his oxygen levels deplete more rapidly than they should. This is probably a minor issue, but we are thankful that they are making sure of that.
Dad was on his way out the door to pick Hannah and Audrey up in Baltimore when I spoke with him. Aaron is supposed to sleep after they finish with the scan tonight, so Hannah and Audrey will see him in the morning.
Mom said she has been coughing less today, so please just pray that she will have a restful night and get some sleep.
Dad said Aaron has been very coherent today and is improving steadily, which is good to know.
I am going to get some much-needed sleep now as well. Thank you all for your prayers. More tomorrow.

Good morning, everyone! I just talked to Aaron! He sounds so good, just like his normal self. I was only able to talk to him for a few minutes because a nurse came in to talk to him about some problems he's having with swallowing right now, we're not sure why. It probably has something to do with the fact that he spent several days with the ventilator tube down his throat, but we'll see. He said Mom has been telling him about the web site and how so many people have been checking up on him, and he's so pleased to hear that. He also said for me to "Make sure there are some handsome pictures of Ryan on there, Haley, so maybe we can find him a girl" as a result of all the increased traffic on the site. It was so good to hear his voice and hear him joking and laughing in the middle of all of this. He's going to call me back in an hour or so, and I'll write more then. I haven't spoken with Mom or Dad yet today, but I know that Dad went to get the girls from Baltimore last night, so they should be there now.
More later.

After I published this, I decided that in accordance with Aaron's wishes and because I miss my family and I want to look at them, and because some of you may not have met all of us, I would post this favorite photo of mine that we took on the front porch of our house this Christmas. Mom and Dad aren't in it, but it's got almost everyone else. From left are Audrey Rice, Hannah Rice, Aaron Rice, Kelly Rice, Ryan Rice, Haley Rice Wachdorf, and my husband, Dan Wachdorf. In front is Avalanche the American Bulldog. He is quite possibly the stupidest dog on the face of the planet, but we love him anyway.

I haven't talked to Aaron again this morning, because apparently he's had a LOT of visitors. When I called just now, Aaron had been taken to have an ultrasound test, but Mom said that before that the Commandant of the Marines was there with an entourage of other military officials. I'll have to get Aaron to tell me about it later, but Audrey described it as "All these people who want to hug him and give him medals." Hannah and Audrey have made it there and were able to visit with Aaron briefly before the parade of visitors began, and they say he is in a great mood and looks good. While I was on the phone, an orderly was setting up a bed in Aaron's room for Kelly, who has been sleeping on a chair because she doesn't want to leave Aaron. The hospital people said she can have the bed as long as they don't need it, which is nice. We don't want Kelly to develop a back injury or anything.
I am planning to print out another batch of the emails and comments y'all have been sending Aaron and I will mail them off today. That's all for now, but I still hope to talk with Aaron more later today and I'll update the site this afternoon.

I talked to Aaron again. He was just getting ready to go to sleep after what sounds like a very eventful day. After the visit from the commandant of the Marines, he had several tests done including having two ophthalmologists take a look at his eye, which we thought had shrapnel in it. There is good news to report there in that they did not find any debris lodged in his eye, only a place where he had some abrasions. Those appear to have healed well and the doctors told him his double vision should go away soon without any surgery. One less surgery is always good news!
I had a chance to visit with Aaron for a half hour or so, and he is in really good spirits. He said today a Marine who was injured in Afghanistan and lost his leg in almost the same place as Aaron came to see him. Aaron said that when the guy walked in the room, he couldn't tell there was anything wrong with him because he walked so naturally. Aaron and this guy talked for a while, and he told Aaron that once he learns to use a prosthesis, he will be able to do anything he wants from playing football to swimming to running a marathon if that interests him. It sounds like it was very encouraging to Aaron. Plus, Aaron said the prosthetic leg the guy had was "awesome looking."
Aaron is already making steps towards being able to be somewhat indepedent. He told me that today he took himself off of the pain-regulation system that allows him to hit a button for morphine anytime he wants. Now he has to request pain medication, which will be freely given to him. But he said he wants to start moving away from being drugged all the time and doesn't want to become dependent on the medication. He also said he has been figuring out how to move himself short distances such as from a bed to a gurney or a wheelchair, and that is encouraging to him because he said he figures the sooner he can move on his own, the sooner he can start rehabilitation. His insistence on doing that today had put him in a little bit of pain tonight, but he said he had requested and received medicine for it and wasn't hurting too badly.
So, on a good note, we come to the end of the first full week since the attack. It is hard to believe that it has only been one week. Time has taken on a very distorted quality since this happened, and it has certainly been the longest week of my life. I'm sure the rest of the family feels the same way. But we are thankful for the many mercies we have seen unfold even in the midst of this dark and difficult time. Aaron is with family, alive and awake and optimistic, and for that we thank God.
Again, we cannot thank you all enough for your love and prayers for us. Please continue to pray tonight for Aaron to have as little pain as possible, for the family to be able to rest, and for a good day tomorrow.
For tonight, I wanted to leave y'all with the words of a hymn that has always been very dear to me. In fact, it was sung at mine and Dan's wedding. Lately, it has come to take on even deeper meaning for me than it had before, especially the second and third verses.

Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace
Over all victorious in its bright increase.
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day.
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand.
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed,
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
traced upon our dial by the Sun of love.
We may trust him fully, all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed,
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

And all of God's people can say AMEN!
Goodnight, dear ones.

When Aaron answered the phone this morning, he told me to hang on a minute because he had to talk to his nurse about something. Kelly then picked up the phone and said that what Aaron was doing was trying to convince his nurse to let him take off his I.V. and oxygen lines so he could go downstairs to the hospital's basement to eat lunch and get a haircut. I feel for any nurse that has to try to make Aaron behave like a model patient, because he is both incredibly persuasive and unendingly persistent. That's a nice way to say that he's going to harrass this poor woman until she lets him do whatever he wants to do anyway. Case in point: by the time Aaron got back on the phone with me, he had convinced his nurse to let him take his little trip without an I.V. or oxygen, even though she was adamantly opposed to this when the conversation began.
This trip is a celebration of sorts, because this morning, Aaron took his first steps since the attack. He used a walker, and he said it made him tired, but once he figured out how to do it, the nurse had to chase him down and make him stop. I'm told that Audrey has photos of this moment, so as soon as possible, we will get the photos up here on the site. Aaron was ecstatic to be able to get up and move around on his own.
In other good news, Aaron and Kelly slept for ten hours on their matching hospital beds last night. Kelly said it was nice to have a bed. They both sounded really well-rested today. It was so encouraging to talk to them. Please pray for the rest of the day to go well. More later.

Just a short note: I talked to Aaron, and he said his trip out of the hospital room was great. He went McDonald's, which I'm sure was better than hospital food, and got a haircut. Hannah and Audrey have been having a good time visiting with Aaron these last couple of days. When I called, they were all getting ready to watch a movie. I have some more things to post later, but for now, know that all is well and pray for Aaron and everyone else to get some good rest tonight. Thank you.

I am in the process of writing an update about what I've learned talking to Aaron today, but in the meantime, here are excerpts from an email that Kelly sent a few days ago. We had a small problem with my email address receiving it, so understand that it was written several days ago. Still, I thought you would all like to hear Kelly's perspective on all of this. Enjoy the words of my fantastic sister-in-law:

To all of our loyal fans,
I am honored and pleased to bring good news from Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. I finally can say the name of this hospital without messing it up a few times. It's been an interesting past few days, to say the least, and every day is better. We give credit to the Lord and your prayers for Aaron's amazing and consistent recovery. I'm sure everybody is anxious to get updates, so I took it upon myself to annoy the doctor and beg him to let me use his personal lap top so that you all could hear it straight from the horses mouth, which would be me, his faithful wife, Kelly.
If you haven't had the privilege to meet Aaron yet, you should know that he is a strong Marine and he has always had higher ambitions for his life than I could ever comprehend. He reaches every goal, nothing could ever get in his way, and he is always right, which can get frustrating, as you can imagine. He would do anything for a friend and he never meets a stranger. He has made it very clear to us that he is thankful that he was the one to get injured instead of one of his buddies in Iraq. He is the definition of sincere, noble, chivalrous, and brave. I can't believe that five years ago, as a 14 year old clueless girl, I snagged him and he's stuck with me this long.
And for those of you who do know him, well, to put it simply, he is still the same ole Aaron Rice we all know and love. He never ceases to amaze me. He is so strong it seems to defy logic. I just wish you all could see him, because he is truly an answer to every prayer. I think that we have tied up all the God lines for Aaron. I am so grateful for his every breath, blink and even flinch. He is alert, aware and able to comprehend this tragedy, but it is no tragedy in Aaron's eyes. And to add to his positive attitude, he is absolutely hilarious when he is awake. There are people lining up at his door waiting to talk to him because he has become famous for his entertainment. I am not kidding when I say that there are times when we are rolling on the floor with laughter. I believe this is also an answer to prayer. Only Aaron Rice can make this situation fun and make it look easy. If anybody can handle this, it's Aaron.
There is nothing stopping him. The narcotics, sleepiness, and pain medicine make for some pretty funny conversations. He feels pain in his legs of course, but the strong Marine will not complain about anything. We have to beg him to tell us where it hurts. It's unreal. His daily progress is breathtaking. He has his moments, don't get me wrong. The man has experienced more in two weeks than most people will experience in a lifetime.
Aaron is still proud to be a Marine. He shakes every man's hand and gives him a "Semper Fi" shout out, which is the Marine Corp motto meaning "always faithful." He is so very proud to have been able to serve his country. He told me he is glad to be home, but does not regret a thing about his time in Iraq. He loves his country and he loves the Marine Corp. He would go back to Iraq tomorrow if he could. But trust me, I'm never taking my eyes off him again.
And as for me, I am so proud to be the new wife of a hero. I am proud to serve him. I have come to understand what unconditional love really means. I will never take the vows I made to him on November 20, 2004 lightly: in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, till death do us part. We all have so much more to be grateful for than to be sad about. I really believe that God gave us two legs so that we could lose one. It is through your prayers and support that we can keep this positive attitude and motivation. It is so clear that the Holy Spirit is in the room with us, and is even filling Aaron's every breath. It's a feeling that just can't be explained in words. I am staying strong for Aaron's sake. He deserves it. I am so optimistic about the next few weeks. The Lord will get us through the tough times and provide us with many encouraging times. Before we all know it, Aaron will be up and running, literally, and ready to be there for all of us like you have been for him. I am so grateful for all of your messages and you really have no idea how much it has helped. There have been very few down times for me. Thank you all for your support of my Marine. It is humbling to think about the number of prayers lifted up on our behalf. I don't know what I would do without you all, even those who I have never met. I wish there was some way I could thank you personally, but you'll see in a few months that your prayers have been answered when Aaron is back on his path to reaching those goals and ambitions. We appreciate your prayers and concern. A second never goes by that I don't know I am being prayed for.
Thank you again for supporting my husband and our hero. He will be just fine, you have my word.

Kelly Rice

Happy Easter, everyone. Christ is risen!
Sorry to be slow about updating. I have unplugged myself a bit for the first time today to go to church and have Easter dinner with friends. But I've just talked to Aaron, and there is a lot of good news to report.
First off, Aaron was able to talk to Ryan today and tell him about the attack and about his leg. It sounds like Ryan is doing well. He was, understandably, very fearful when his drill instructor told him he needed to call his family. I think it's fair to say that when a loved one is at war or otherwise in harm's way, in the back of your mind, you are always afraid that someone is going to call and tell you that the worst has occurred, and you've probably even imagined how it would happen. Ryan told Mom today he had always thought that he would know something bad had happened if he was called into his drill instructor's office and told to call his family. I hate that he had to have that moment of agony, but his drill instructor did tell him immediately that Aaron is alive, and he was soon able to be on the phone with Aaron. Aaron said that they talked for almost two hours, and by the time Ryan got off the phone, it sounds like he was confident of what we all know: that Aaron is still himself, and he will be fine. Aaron and Ryan have a very close relationship, and if it's possible, I think they are even more proud to be brothers now. We thank God for the fact that Aaron was able to tell Ryan the news himself and that Ryan is handling it very well. Thank you for your prayers about this matter. It is a great load off of all our minds to have that resolved. Continue to pray that Ryan would be encouraged in spite of the fact that he has had this bad news while he is so far away from family and friends and in such a tough environment. Previously, we had requested that people not contact Ryan for the time being so that he would be free to finish the Crucible and also talk to Aaron in person. Now, he is to be congratulated on finishing the Crucible and being a Marine, so we rescind that request and say that if you want to send Ryan some mail, you just go right on ahead. Here is his address:

Rct. Rice Charles Ryan
PLT 1028 1st BN B CO
Box 11028
Parris Island, SC
29905-1028

As an update on the other Rice siblings, Hannah and Audrey left today to go back home after what sounds like a really good visit with Aaron. Aaron said he thought that once they were able to sit and talk with him and joke and laugh like we are prone to do as a family, they felt better. Dad is also back home for the time being. I hope to go for a visit soon, but there are some details to be resolved before I pick my dates. It will be good to visit, but I think the best day we can all picture right now will come when we can all be back home together around our family's table and eat one of Dad's fantastic meals. I know that's what I see in my better dreams.
As a closing note, now that Aaron has spoken with Ryan, he really wants to hear from the Marines of 214 Echo Battery and MAP-7. If anyone reading this knows how to contact them, please get in touch with me at haley@wachdorf.com and we'll talk.
Again, I apologize for the breaks in updates. More tomorrow. We love you all so much.

Hey folks. I'm starting to feel like I'm hosting my very own talk show here. Tonight on Missing Mississippi, we have a very special guest, Lance Corporal Aaron Rice, who has just weighed in with his own letter from Maryland.

Hey Haley!
Thank you so much for dedicating your website and time to my updates. Reading it and the responses on it was so much fun, I didn't want to reach the end. Hearing the stories from your perspective and with your famous "Haley style" humorous spin makes it so much fun to read. That and the fact that most of the stuff I read about me being in ICU was also news to me made it very interesting. Yes, the drugs were very strong. I have to say I crack myself up sometimes. I guess I can now honestly say that sometimes I amaze even myself. (A note to our readers: "Sometimes I amaze even myself" is a famous saying of our Dad's. It's just fabulous to know that now we'll have two people saying it. -Haley) Now that I am able to get up and about, I thought everyone would like to hear a word or two from my big mouth.
I want to start by assuring everyone that I am doing very well and that there is no need to worry about me. The loss of my leg does not concern me, for several reasons. First of all, I can only praise God for sparing my life. The IED exploded within a few feet of my body. I should be dead right now and the only reason I'm not is because God was watching me and protecting me. The wounds I did receive from the blast were kept to minimal impact on my body thanks to the Marines and corpsmen taking care of me after the explosion. Everyone did exactly what they were trained to do, even though we were receiving incoming mortar fire. They recovered me from the vehicle even though my right leg was trapped, stopped my bleeding and injected me with morphine, got me out of the danger area and into a building they secured, and called in a medivac perfectly and had me in the sky within 30 minutes. I know that the prayers of so many countless people were answered on that day. Not only could I be dead, but my injuries could be so much worse. I could have brain damage, be paralyzed, have failing organs, be blind, deaf, mutilated, be a paraplegic, or all sorts of combinations of horrible injuries. But instead, I am just switching out one leg for another, and I am keeping my knee in the process, which will make the situation almost as if I never lost the leg to begin with. I am receiving the best treatment in the world, my prosthetic will be made with the best technology in the world, and I will be walking, running, climbing and swimming within no time. I will be 100 percent functional, just like I was when I left, and that is so much more than can be said for so many who have suffered injuries in Iraq. People tend to cringe when they hear the word "amputate" because all they can think of is permanently losing a limb. But I'm not just losing a limb, I'm getting a great one in exchange for it. I have heard so much from other patients about how prosthetic technology has come so far in the last few years because of the War on Terrorism, and that these new prosthetics are almost like having your old leg back. Especially when you still have your knee. I was blessed by God and fast action by my friends in combat and can only be grateful that I have my knee.
The point I am getting to is that soon, I will be back home, enjoying my new life with my new bride. And this event, while not in our choosing, has allowed me to come home alive and well. And with everything I have been blessed with, I will be able to enjoy my life exactly the way I did before I left. The only difference will be that I'll have to snap my leg on in the morning and snap it off at night. That's not a lot to complain about. I can honestly say that my only regret is that I had to leave my buddies back in Iraq to do the job without me. (Guys, if your reading this, I will be praying for you every day. You have my word on that. You guys keep your heads in the game, and stay safe and come home alive because I want to see each and every one of you when you get back!) Apparently Kelly is not in favor of me going back to Iraq when I get healed up, so I won't be going back anytime soon. Really though, I am so happy to be home, I can't wait to get walking (and running) again so I can see everyone back home. I can't wait to start back school at Mississippi State, move into mine and Kelly's first home and start our lives together, see all my friends and family, and just enjoy life back here at home. I've missed it, and I can only thank God for bringing me home. Thank you all for your prayers, they have kept me alive and are keeping me in high spirits and in well recovery now. I can never thank ya'll for all the support I've received. It amazes me how much love has been poured out for me. I only hope I can return it all when I get back. Thanks again for everything, and keep me in your prayers.


Sincerely,
Aaron Rice

Well, I've only talked to Aaron very briefly this morning, and since then we've been playing phone tag. When I called, Aaron was in the middle of working with his physical therapist. By the time he called me back, I was in the middle of shooting photos for a story about book clubs that I'm working on, and since I was in a public library, I had my phone turned off. Aaron left me a message saying that he was on his way out the door to have lunch with a guy from across the hall. Because we have to get our socializing in, you know. I'm still not getting any answer, so I figure Aaron is off doing what he does best, namely talking to someone. Until I get to talk to him again, there is one thing that I forgot to mention in last night's update.
I've mentioned before that Aaron's right leg was also hurt in the explosion. The doctors are not sure what his injuries there are, although they suspect a torn ACL. (OK. I don't know what ACL stands for, but my sports fan husband tells me that football players and other athletes get this injury from time to time. There's my expert ESPN injury analysis.) They need to do an MRI to confirm that diagnosis, but they will have to wait a few weeks to do that because Aaron has a lot of shrapnel in his body. Apparently, the magnetic effects of the metal could damage the machinery, so they have to wait a few weeks to allow scar tissue to form around the pieces of shrapnel. I'm starting to think that going through airport security checkpoints is going to be a nightmare for Aaron from now on, but that's not my main point. Once they can do tests and find out if Aaron will need surgery on that leg also, we'll have a better idea of what kind of rehabilitation time he will be looking at, so pray that he will be able to have those tests soon and that the prognosis will be good. I know that Aaron really wants to be able to move through rehab quickly, and less surgery would be helpful. In the meantime, he's wearing a leg brace on that leg when he is up and about. Apparently, he's very mobile, because I can't catch him in his room!
More later.

I am so sorry that it has taken a long time to post a real update today. Once I tracked Aaron down, there was a lot to hear from his exciting day in the hospital. Only Aaron could make a day in a hospital for severely wounded men sound like a thrilling adventure.
First off, Aaron has been told that he may be released from the Naval Medical Center as early as Wednesday, assuming that a spot at Walter Reed can be found for him. If that turns out to be true, I will get a new address for him ASAP, but in the meantime, he is receiving his mail just fine and anything that he misses will be forwarded to him. Aaron's doctors and physical therapists are amazed by how rapidly he is recovering. He said that today, he rolled himself into his physical therapist's work space and hopped up on the table on his own power. After working for a few minutes, his therapist began asking him how long he had been at Bethesda. When Aaron told her that he had been there eight days, she said "Did you come from a stay at another hospital?" He told her that he only stopped off briefly in Germany, and her jaw dropped. Aaron said she told him "I've never seen any amputee in this good shape after only eight days!" And that seems to the common response. Aaron's rapid recovery and good spirits seem to be raising eyebrows all over the hospital, and for that, we credit God Almighty. He is the great physician, and he is healing Aaron. As the hymn says, "Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."
It sounds like there is just too much good news to report from Maryland today. Aaron told me that he was starting to worry about how he and Kelly will pay their bills when they are back in Starkville. Their long-term plan was that by the time Aaron got back home, Kelly would have graduated from college and would be able to work while Aaron finished school. Aaron's combat pay would have provided them a significant nest egg to use for emergencies. But the injury and recuperation period has thrown that plan significantly off track. Kelly has had to leave in the middle of the academic semester and will probably miss summer classes as well. So now it looks like Aaron and Kelly will both be in the process of finishing school for more than a year and have bills to pay in the meantime. Aaron told me that today, he was starting to get worried about how they would make ends meet while they are both going to school full-time. It's a legitimate concern, because although Aaron will receive disability pay, it's not enough to live on.
Aaron said he hadn't really verbalized that concern to anyone but Kelly when they got some wonderful news. Aaron has been recuperating along with a young man named T.C. Rawlins. (I don't know if I'm spelling that right! That just horrifies my journalist soul.) T.C. was a student at Mississippi State University before he was deployed. He and Aaron have been spending a lot of time together, and Aaron and Kelly have also gotten to be good friends with this young man's mother. Today, just as Aaron was starting to worry in his mind about getting the bills paid while he and Kelly are still in Starkville, T.C.'s mom told them that she owns and rents apartments in two complexes in Starkville. She told them that they are welcomed to live in one of her apartments rent-free while they finish school. Can you imagine? What a burden off of Kelly and Aaron to not have to worry about rent! But even more importantly, as Aaron said to me today on the phone: What are the odds that Aaron would be recovering at the same time as another Marine from Starkville, whose mother owns apartment complexes and is generous enough to give Aaron and Kelly a free place to live? There is no explanation for that other than the abundant grace of God. We are so thankful to Him. Needless to say, we also owe T.C. Rawlins' mother a lifetime supply of cookies or whatever else she wants. Aaron and Kelly will still have finiancial issues to sort out after all of this is done, but this is a great help.
And the news just gets better. Today, Aaron received a phone call from his entire platoon in Iraq via a satellite phone. After Ryan, these are the people Aaron most wanted to hear from in the whole world, and he was able to speak to each of them in turn. He was so encouraged by this, and said that some moments in the phone call were quite emotional, especially speaking to Corbin (again, unsure spelling), the Marine who wrestled Aaron from the wreckage of his Hummer, risking his own life while they were under enemy fire, as well as the medic who tended him immediately following the attack, probably saving him from bleeding to death right there, and one of his favorite superior officers, Mayer. Aaron has also been hearing from the friends and families of his original platoon from Jackson and that is also so encouraging to him. What a blessing for Aaron to be able to speak to these men and tell them what we all want them to know, which is that we will be forever indebted to them for their valor and strength.
Aaron also got to visit with a childhood friend from Yazoo City, Andrew Ewing. Andrew came to visit him and went to lunch with Aaron and Mom and Kelly and Rawling and his mother. Aaron said he was absolutely bowled over that someone he hasn't seen in years would drive an hour and a half just to visit with him. He really enjoyed that. Thank you to Andrew and many other people who know us from years past who have visited, and people who have never met us who have gone to see Aaron. Being the social animal that he is, Aaron really enjoys having visitors.
In terms of Aaron's health, there is also good news to report. Today, he had a CAT scan to make sure that he doesn't have blood clots in his lungs or legs as a result of being sedated and in bed for so long. We are thankful that the preliminary report shows no blood clots, which is good news.
We are so very thankful to all of you for your prayers. We know that they are availing much for us. Tonight, we ask for your prayers for several things.
First, Aaron would like to be approved for a transfer to Walter Reed as soon as possible. Once he is at Walter Reed, he will be able to begin rehabilitation, and that will be one step closer to going home.
Secondly, we are trying to form plans for Ryan's graduation from Marine basic training on April 8. Aaron is talking to his doctors about the possibility that he might be temporarily released from the hospital long enough to go to Ryan's graduation at Parris Island. On the day that we learned of Aaron's injury, Dan and I were looking at airline fares for me to go to the graduation, but those plans have been on hold since then. Now, what we are hoping is that the whole family might be able to attend the graduation. We so want to be there to support Ryan on this important day. In order for that to happen, Aaron needs to get a clearance from his doctors to go out of town. It seems reasonable to hope that this might happen based on his progress so far. Please pray that he will continue to improve enough that his doctors will feel confident allowing him to travel. After that, I need to find a way to get across the country on fairly short notice. We have a few ideas on how to make that happen, but we'd appreciate your prayers for that to all work out as well. It is possible that this may not happen, and if that's the case, the next best scenario would be for me to visit Aaron at the same time that Ryan comes to see him shortly after Marine graduation. I would prefer to see the whole family, but it is important to me to see both Ryan and Aaron if at all possible. Compared to the rest of it, these are minor concerns, but they mean a lot to us as a family right now.
After that lengthy writing session, I need to go to bed. I owe a great many of you emails and responses to questions, and I promise to catch up soon. Please continue to pray for us. God is good.

Good morning, everyone. I talked to Aaron on my way to work this morning before he got started on his physical therapy for the day. He said the final results of the CAT scan checking for blood clots in his lungs aren’t in yet. Until then, he has to keep taking these daily shots of blood thinners, which is what he was doing when I called ... it didn’t sound like fun to me, but I'm a wimp. Pray that they can absolutely rule out blood clots so that Aaron can have one less shot to take. I am happy to say that he has been taken off of supplemental oxygen and intravenous fluid, which makes it much easier for him to move around.
Aaron also said that he was able to get online in the hospital’s computer lab last night and check out the web site some more, and he is so enjoying reading all your comments. He said it actually got him a little choked up, which is a pretty big deal for a big, tough Marine. Thank you all for the love you are pouring out on our family. We feel so blessed.
It is worth noting that another great providence has appeared for our family: The hospital staff at Bethesda have recently started bringing around free Starbuck’s coffee for the troops and families in the hospital. If you know our family well, you are familiar with our enthusiasm for/addiction to good coffee. I was getting ready to ship Aaron a coffee maker and some quality beans if he was having to drink bad hospital coffee, but he assures me that he is well-caffeinated. That’s a blessing for everyone else, too, because we Rices are very difficult to deal with if we don’t get our coffee. Ask my husband.
At the start of today, please pray for a good physical therapy session for Aaron and for continued healing. He said that they changed the dressings on his left leg, and it is healing up really well at the amputation site, but he has a nasty bruised place on part of it that needs to heal.
On another note, I forgot to mention in yesterday’s marathon post that when I talked to Mom, she said she has been coughing much, much less and she asked me to thank you all for your prayers for her. She was even laughing about an adventure she had trying to get some photos put on a disc to send to me, and it was great to hear her in such good spirits.
More later today.

It sounds like our patient has had an exciting day. Aaron said his nurses have already spread the word to the doctors and specialists that need to see him that they will have to initiate a hospital-wide hunt for him if they don't catch him before he gets in his wheelchair in the morning.
The best news from today is that Aaron has been told that he is definitely eligible to go to Walter Reed either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on when a spot can be found for him. The site of his amputation still needs to heal more, but apparently, there is preparatory work he can be doing at Walter Reed before rehab while he continues to heal. It is good to be one step closer to Aaron being able to walk again.
First thing this morning, Aaron went to see a specialist of some sort to do tests to determine if he has suffered any brain damage from the attack. He was given a wide range of cognitive tests, and he passed them with flying colors. It's good to know that his head will be alright. Or, at least, as close to being alright as it ever was.
He also saw an audiologist today. Aaron's ears have always been a source of difficulty for him, because since he was a small child, he has had recurring infections in his right ear. Because of all the tubes and infections, he has reduced hearing in that ear to start with. Because of the explosion, his hearing has been further reduced in his good ear. Aaron said he thinks that over the years, he has adapted to his reduced hearing, and he hadn't really noticed a difference, but he has been told that it's possible he could have a surgery while he's at Walter Reed to help improve his hearing. Pray for wisdom for Aaron and his doctors on this issue.
Aaron also said that he traveled with a walker today farther than he has yet ... all around the circumference of his hospital floor. We're thankful for his increasing strength and endurance, since they are a sign that he is continuing to improve in general.
Aaron said that today, he decided it's probably better for him to stay on a semi-regular dose of oral pain medication, instead of waiting for the pain to get bad before he takes anything. He said in the morning, he is usually not in pain, but by the time he moves around a bit, he is hurting pretty badly by early afternoon. So he has been put on a regular dose of something that doesn't make him lethargic or confused like the morphine did, and he is having less pain now. Aaron also saw a chiropractor today for pain he has been having in his back. He said he got a lot of relief from the treatment and plans to go back.
Aaron said he received a lot of mail today, including a very special pacakge from the Governor's Office of Mississippi. Aaron worked on Haley Barbour's gubernatioral campaign in 2004. Last week, Governor Barbour had a state flag flown over the capitol in Aaron's honor, and today a package with that flag and a proclamation honoring Aaron's service, signed by the govenor, arrived at the hospital. Aaron was thrilled and so honored, and he said as soon as he is home, he is going to have the whole thing framed. No doubt it will hang in a place of honor in all of he and Kelly's homes for the rest of his life. Many thanks to the Governor's Office for making the effort to recognize Aaron in this way ... he will remember it forever.
We have a few prayers requests for y'all tonight. Aaron spoke to a social worker today about his desire to attend Ryan's graduation. We don't have a firm answer on that yet, but they are going to start looking into it. We don't want Aaron to do anything bad for his medical condition, but if it's physically possible, it would be great for Aaron to go to Ryan's graduation. So just pray for wisdom for everyone involved.
We also have some prayer requests for other Marines. When Aaron was in ICU, one of the men there with him was a Marine who was run over by a 7-ton military vehicle in Iraq. It is really amazing that he survived it, but he is still essentially in the same place that Aaron was several days ago in the sense that he is in and out of consciousness and on a ventilator. Obviously, he is also facing much greater physical challenges than Aaron. Aaron has been visiting him in ICU for the last couple of days and trying to talk to him and encourage him, and he seems to respond well to Aaron as another Marine. But Aaron said that they have heard that this young man has some sort of lung infection which is very bad for him in his condition. Please pray for this Marine and his family, that he will improve and recover in spite of his desperate injuries. Aaron said visiting this young man has made him increasingly aware of how blessed he is to have only lost a leg and not be physically destroyed. We know that we have your prayers for Aaron and our family, so we ask that you please speak to God about this man as well.
In happier news, T.C., Aaron's friend from Starkville, is very close to going home. T.C. was injured when a Hummer flipped over. He was the gunner for the Humvee, and so was on top of the vehicle when it flipped. He was nearly crushed, and a weapon discharged in the crash, further injuring him. He has progressed well and if all goes well within the next few days, he should be allowed to go home. Based on our experience, we know how happy this will make him and his family, so please pray that he will continue to improve.
As soon as Aaron gets word on his transfer to Walter Reed, I will get a new address for mail. That's all for tonight. Aaron said he was going to get online and check out the site again tonight, so leave him some comments!
We love y'all.

Kelly and Mom were kind enough to send me some of the photos that have been taken in the last week. I thought y'all might want to see some of them.

This photo of Aaron and Kelly was taken when Aaron was in ICU and still mostly unconscious:

Mom and Aaron in Aaron's room at Bethesda

Aaron's favored mode of transportation these days:

Aaron's celebratory trip to McDonald's:

This I believe is a photo taken the first time Aaron was able to get up and move around the room with a walker. This is a good moment:

Good morning, everyone.
I spoke with Aaron this morning, and it sounded like he's having a pretty good day. First of all, Aaron used crutches to walk around for a while this morning, and found them much more to his liking than the walker. He also got to take the first real shower he's taken since getting to the hospital, and he said that was really great. I'm sure Kelly appreciates it also.
Aaron said that his back pain was pretty bad last night. The doctors are telling him that the process of bearing all his weight on his one leg and being in bed a lot is probably making his pelvis and spine be misalligned and as he gets into rehab it should improve, but pray that his pain would be less in the meantime. He saw a chiropractor yesterday and that seemed to give him some temporary relief.
Also, I forgot to mention that last night, Aaron told me he has stopped seeing double now and is only having a little bluriness in his eye that was hurt. Praise God for that!
Aaron said getting online and reading all of your comments is becoming one of his favorite pastimes, so keep them coming. More as the day progresses.

Hi, y'all.
Not a lot to report this evening. It's been a busy day, and I haven't spoken with Aaron very much, but we have learned a bit more about what Aaron's situation will be when he is at Walter Reed. Once he is admitted there for prosthetic therapy, he and Kelly will stay in apartment-type housing near the hospital and he will just show up for his appointments. That is really nice for them, because they will be able to have a little more normal schedule and not be constantly talking to doctors and nurses. We love the doctors and the nurses, but I'm sure it would be nice for Aaron and Kelly not to live in a hospital room for the next month and a half.
Aaron also told me that the specialist he saw the other day to make sure that he isn't suffering any cognitive difficulties told him that to help him keep sharpening his responses, he should play video games. VIDEO GAMES. Being told by a doctor to play video games is, I'm pretty sure, every guy's dream. So Aaron is having his X-box from home sent to him, and he'll be playing Halo 2 for his health soon, just in case any of you were concerned that he might not be getting his couch potato time in. I think my husband, Dan, is already hatching a plan to bribe a doctor to prescribe X-box therapy for him.
In closing, I wanted to post this fantastic photo that Kelly send to me today. One of Kelly's college roomates in Starkville, Megan, is engaged to a young man named Russ. One of Russ's nephews, Seth, upon hearing about Aaron's injury, got busy immediately requesting prayers from his neighbors via sidewalk chalk. This was the result:

We've got the World Wide Web, and Seth has his driveway. Let's hear it for mass communication! Thank you so much, Seth.
That's all for tonight. Goodnight. Please keep praying.

Aaron sounded pretty tired when I talked to him this morning after a tough physical therapy session. Aaron, always the overachiever, was trying really hard and doing so well in his physical therapy that his therapist told him he "must be Superman." So he put him on this stationary bike-type machine that you turn with your arms, only he put it on a really hard setting. Aaron said making one turn with it was almost impossible, and the guy wanted him to do it for 15 minutes!
So Aaron quickly admitted that he is not, in fact, Superman, and the therapist dropped it down to a less ultrahuman setting, and all was well. Aaron said everyone can still feel free to call him Superman. I'm sure he'll be putting it on his business cards soon.
Aside from that, Aaron said he didn't think there was a lot on his agenda today except "rolling around looking for some trouble to get into." On a sad note, T.C., Aaron's buddy from Starkville who was injured when a Humvee flipped over, has been told that he can't go home just yet. It looks like it will be a few more weeks, and that is dissapointing news for him and his family, so please pray that he'll progress well and be able to go home as soon as possible. Although I'm not at the hospital now, I get the feeling there is just something intrinsically stressful about being in that environment all the time, and T.C.'s family has been there longer than ours. On a good note, Aaron said that T.C.'s girlfriend is going to come back up and visit him again now that it looks like he'll be hospitalized a little longer. Aaron has recently discovered that T.C. knows how to play the card game Spades, which is Aaron's all-time favorite card game with the possible exception of poker. So now the plan is that this weekend, Aaron and T.C. are going to teach Kelly and my mom and T.C.'s mom and his girlfriend to play spades. Then they are going to take a trip to a nearby park with picnic tables and outdoor grills, where they will grill some meat, play some cards, and just generally behave like the good ol' boys they are at heart. I'm sure that will cheer T.C. up and amuse the native residents of Maryland in the process. You can take the boys out of Mississippi, but ... well, you know.
More later today.

Excellent news to report tonight: The entire Rice family is going to be able to make it to Ryan's graduation from Marine basic training at Parris Island. Aaron and Kelly found out today that the Marines are going to help them out with tickets costs through a program that allows people to donate their frequent flier miles to a fund for injured soldiers and their families who often have unexpected and expensive travel needs. Tomorrow I am going to find out the name of the program and put up a link to it here. I was able to get a ticket on Southwest Airlines thanks to David and Cheryl Smith, friends of ours from Providence Presbyterian Church here in Albuquerque who were generous enough to offer me a Rapid Rewards ticket they had earned on the airline. Obviously, if they need anything written or if their computer breaks, we are eternally at their service. (Writing and fixing computers kind of encompasses all of mine and Dan's useful skills.)I also need to thank my in-laws, Lorrae and Arthur Wachdorf, and my aunt and uncle, Emily and Gil Sikora. Both of those couples also offered help in the form of frequent flier miles or rewards tickets. As it turned out, Southwest was my best option in terms of flight availability and schedule, but I'm so thankful to have had options, and so thankful to be able to go. I'm actually going to fly to Jackson and drive with the family to South Carolina, which sounds like an adventure in and of itself. We are all just ecstatic that we will be able to be there for Ryan on this occasion and see each other. I feel really bad for whatever unfortunate sane family gets stuck in a hotel room next to the ones we have reserved in SC. Good luck keeping us quiet!
Just wanted to share the fantastic news.
More tomorrow.