Counting down the days already

It's really too early to start counting down until it's time to come home, but it's hard not too. We were discussing last night how to make it seem better. I'm counting down by months. If we're half-way through the month, I start on the next month. Just makes it sound better. The girl on my team is counting down by weeks. I think the other guy is just clueless. I didn't realize how disconnected I was until I got some magazines in the mail. I was so excited, I read 2 of them that day. I was so motivated that I took one to the gym and rode the stationary bike while I read! How simple things brings so much pleasure. =)

So the Afghan National Army (ANA) have moved into the COP we're at now. They're a mess. They do some disgusting things in the shower and porta-johns. And I'm now to the point where I'm pissed at how they look at us (me and my girl.... girl on my team who I refer to as 'my girl'.) Some of them have never seen Western women, nor have they been on missions with them. As the day goes on, my patience wears thin. They've also been late to every mission I've seen them come on. And they are unprepared. They're given water, what they do with it I don't know, but they don't bring it on missions. It's not Afghan rocket science, Soldiers. On our last patrol, we hear a cell phone ring.... one of them answers his cell while we're out on patrol!

Lord, please grant me patience.

This is my girl on our last mission. She was huffin' it on this big hill we went up and around. I've been telling them to make sure they're working out, they'll be glad they did. The other kid admitted today that he wished he'd been working out more. I just wish my legs were longer. Some of those walls are hard for me to get over! I had to get a boost over one today. =*(


Just a couple of boys hanging out watching us. The younger one looks all grumpy, but after I took his picture he grinned from ear to ear.










Our interpreter picking a little something from the local crop. He did that on his own, I had nothing to do with it! They don't have the same rules as us.








Grapes are the main crop right now. They're really good too. Little green grapes. Instead of fences, they grow them out of mud walls.








Not sure what they're growing in this crop. That's one of the ANA guys walking out front of our patrol. You can barely see the mountains in the background.