Monnie's blog: "Devil's Gate"

I wrote a book!! It was an experience that I'll never forget. I also found that I enjoyed doing it. It was a great mind excersise and I would suggest that everyone should try it. It really was an experiment. It was something I did in my spare time while I was deployed in Iraq, so I was able to place frustration and feelings in the story that I didn't want to share with any one else at the time. I just thought I'd let everyone know about it. Should anyone be interested, here's the website to look at. https://www.createspace.com/3374208 Have a good one.

From the land of majestic mountains From plains made of gold and Across the ocean blue. Flying through ancient Europe Over Turkey and Istanbul Into the southern Desert We wait here at hells gate, Waiting to go through.

I hope that your days are sunny And your dreams are sweet May your life be full of happiness May no troubles fall at your feet Though I may be far away And I'm not physically there There is something you should know My soul remains with you there I will always be home I will always be there Though not in person I will still be there Memories of us will be everywhere I will see you no matter where I am For all the distance between us For all the time that I've been gone I will return changed But I will not be gone I will still be me For that can never change I will always be there for you I will never leave

He comes from a land far away He will show after the quake With knowledge his weapon and history his shield He will bring change to our world During our greatist time of need He will fight for you and me In the land of Immortalis With free thought and freedom he will march alone Finding friends on the way, making many foes He will see our good, and learn their evil He'll be forced to fight, and blood will be spilt But he will march on, against all odds Unwaivering into the Kingdom of Gods In the land of Immortalis Here he will live, here it will begin The war we've been fighting will come to an end Because he will make the greatest sacrifice We will once again be able to thrive Through many the pains, he'll fight for us to be free Fromthe demons and monsters that want us in slavery Here in the land of Immortalis

The day is done, its time for fun. Lord help us play right this Friday night. Though we might fail when we try, we must not cry. For when we look to the past, we'll see we had a blast.

Return From Devil’s Gate Well here we are, once again Back at home with family and friends The times have changed And nothing is the same Its only new to those of us in this game The time has passed slowly through more than a year But so much has changed, its as if we were never here Feelings of solitude can range far and wide And when it comes, all we can do is hide Friends have moved, family has moved on Its only us who have held on to long But holding on is all we have left Starting brand new isn't the greatest of gifts But begin again we must, though it will hurt For our choices are few, and very bluntly put No matter what we do, or where we try to pick up Our lives have forever changed, and that can be to much. Through the depths of despair, and the trenches of hate We've marched through tough times with little debate And though we've walked through the Devil's Gate We've travelled back, unsure of our fate Please pray for those of us who haven't yet found our way We know we will make mistakes on our roadway The turns are sharp, and we will often lose our course But we will make it back to the road, just being a little lost Some things will come slower, while others fast For all things come and heal with time, sometimes last We will try, and we will search many ways Such is the way of returning through the Devil's Gate

Devil's Gate For it was without a doubt that we would leave, For time was of all imprtance and home a relief. Now that we're here, we can't wait to go home, With to much time, and not enough alone. We think about our loved ones night and day. Knowing we won't see them in too many ways. The telephone a relief, and the computer a best friend. We rely on these to keep up cheer till the day ends. When we leave our gates and head into the unknown, Nervous apprehension is what fills the soul. Danger awaits around every corner, We watch ourselves and eachother. Things change to often and the danger stays the same, For tonight we go out into the world of the insane. With each passing moment we wait for the new, Of when we get to go home, to live with our family anew. Starting over again, we can't wait. But first we must get through the Devil's Gate.