Countdown

Hey friends! I hope you're all doing well back home. We're all hanging in over here.... counting down the days and trying to stay motivated enough to finish our job. It's getting hard!

Just a little over a month left at this wonderful FOB before we start moving to other bases along the way to home. HOME! I cannot wait.

Thanks for all the wonderful cards and things you've sent since I've been here. You all have kept me clean, sane, fed, and even brought a few tears... good tears. =) It's best not to send anything else at this point though. You never know how long it takes to get a package... anywhere from 10 days to 2 months.

So it's been a good day so far. I got up early to go workout. I was on the elliptical and this young Soldier comes in and gets on a broken machine. Half the stuff is broke or kinda scary to use. So I get off mine and tell him he can have it. Later I saw him walking to the shower and I asked how his workout went. He said, "Oh, it was fine ma'am. Just hard getting back into it." I didn't know who he was until then and saw his scars. I realized he was the Soldier that had been shot in the neck and obviously survived. Anyway, he was very sweet and humble. He said it happened on his wife's birthday. I told them they'd have a lot to celebrate on her birthday next year, he was very blessed. He joked about getting her a "Purple Heart" cake. =)

See you all soon... not soon enough, but soon! Take care.

No news is good news

Sorry I haven't written in so long! I've been working very long days, although things have lightened up quite a bit now. I was covering for a guy in the battalion my team supports, and trying to do my job at the same time. Yeah, not so fun. I was so glad to see him come back from leave.

I have to run to a meeting, but I want to share some pics real quick. And I will try to write more later about my countdown... about 2 1/2 months left and I should be home!

This ANP was quite fancy! This was taken after a village shura. I had to get my photo with him and his bike gloves.











Me and my Team Sergeant chilling on some rubble. There used to be a village there... infested with IEDs. I guess you could say we took care of that problem.







CR dancing on the t-wall! Crazy kid. He was doing a jig on "hwy 1" before that, but I couldn't get my camera out at the time.








Typical shura ingredients.... US sodas, prayer beads, and dirty feet.








A giant sock monkey! I think he was touching my Albert inappropriately... I'm just sayin'. I promised to never talk about the sighting to anyone again though!










This is a temporary tent school in the desert. There are about 80 kids that attend school in these little tents.








These kids were in a shop where we were talking with some elders. That little one in the front was so sweet.








In case you haven't seen my pics on FB... I did get to meet a few people in all places, Afghanistan! I didn't believe my Commander when he told me Lance Armstrong was coming.... I didn't believe it until I saw him! Robin Williams and two great comedians Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan!










This is our little friend we call Rhianna. No idea what her real name is. I think that's her little sister chewing on her leg. She is so sweet. We miss seeing her everyday now since they opened up the school outside the gate.








I have some more pictures I want to share from Christmas day, but I don't have them with me now. We had a 'craft day' with all the little girls from the school. My girls had a wonderful time... made our Christmas. =)

Before and after...

So me and my Team Sergeant have been out traveling around our battalion's area. Unfortunately for me, I was the first female to ever visit these areas. I swear to you, I am not a whiner at all in these situations. But sometimes I have to draw the line.P ictures are just much more effective than words.

Before...










After...










This is the mess tent at one of places. They go to another COP and pick up hot chow once a day. Funny how the food seems better out like that than at the FOB. Must be that camping mentality in me.










Yeah, we can't complain. We have it good compared to the rest of the guys. At our main FOB, we have heat in our tent... not to mention we have a tent! The guys we visited didn't have tents. They're sleeping on the ground, which is very cold this time of year! Some have cots, but the cots aren't much more comfy than the ground. The cots kill my back... must be my age compared to the young Infantryman. =\ It was so nice to get a shower after, well, too many days without one!


I love this picture. I think Jason would be proud of me. ; ) This elder has a hole in his roof from some explosions, so he was showing it to me.










Here's a project that we want to do. That's sewage running down the middle of their street between the homes. We want them to dig a trench and cover it with concrete tiles. I've seen it in other villages and it works great. Right now they just step around it like it's nothing, they're used to it.










Just some kids watching us while we're talking to a farmer. When I'd point my camera at them they'd hide behind the wall and then jump back up to watch.










I love the little girls! Most of the little boys are *$*#@s. They are hilarious when they realize I'm a girl. Most of the time they've never seen a female Soldier and they are so interested. They always walk behind me looking for my little hair bun.












My new BFF, ha! This is an ANA. He was hilarious. He kept talking to me all day and I didn't understand a lick of what he was saying... except "chai good". Yeah, chai is good, I love it!










They're harvesting their corn, and marijuana, right now. This little guy was bending over for some reason, like he was trying to look far into my camera. He was so cute. =)










I'm reading a book about Psalm 91 right now. And I tell you that I really do believe I have an angel with me. My prayers and yours work. Please keep them coming and remember everyone over here fighting some kind of war. Much love!

Gobble gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I woke up this morning, reluctantly, and started thinking about a few things that I am thankful for...

I am thankful to be alive and so blessed.
I am thankful for my family and all my friends that support me. You keep my spirits up daily... thank you!
I am thankful for my wonderful boyfriend who takes care of everything at home so I don't have to worry about anything like that over here.
I am thankful for the Soldiers that we have with us here. They keep me rolling on a daily basis.
I am thankful for all the luxuries that I do selfishly miss and hope that I never take them fore-granted.

I could go on and on, but I'll spare you today while you are thinking about what you are thankful for too. I hope you are all eating too much, napping, and enjoying your family today! I am missing my Dad and missing spending Thanksgiving with Jason and his family. But not being there this year will make it that much sweeter next year. =)

We had a great Thanksgiving meal at the DFAC today! Everyone that is here on this FOB in my Company actually sat down and ate together today. They had all the traditional fixings, along with a few odd decorations... a tug-boat ice sculpture, life-size crocodile and cobra. We figured that the tie to Thanksgiving was that the tug-boat brought over the croc and cobra from India, which is close to "Indian". It was entertaining to say the least!

Here are some pics from my last mission. The kids are much more interesting than the adults around here.

3.9 months....

According to my estimate, we have just hit the 3.9 month mark left in-country! But who's counting? ; )

Here are a bunch of pics from my last mission. It kind of felt like a camping trip this time, odd as it seems! We ate a lot and even had live music....

These are actually some of the local police from a village we were visiting. They party down after hours, ha!









Notice the guy standing on the "tablecloth" serving us chai tea. Yeah, they walk where you eat.









A medic cutting up some potatoes for chow... mmmmm good!










Beautiful sunset... for a brief moment you can forget where you really are.










Some workers taking a short break to pose for me.










My weapon of mass destruction... labeled with a High Roller sticker.










My girl passed out in the tent. The dust isn't so comfy with rocks underneath, be it didn't bother her one bit!










Medic looking at a burn on a little girl's hand. Bless her heart, she didn't act like it hurt at all.










My two are a mess together at a shura! They're drinking this icky yogurt drink, we call it "Afghan wine". No alcohol, but they both passed out after drinking a bunch of it.










I'm sitting in the vehicle taking this picture, but hopefully you can see the guy riding the donkey. They stopped these guys to ask some questions, next thing we know the interpreter is riding the donkey! Cheap entertainment.










My girl showing the kids the optics on here weapon. I got on to her for letting them touch it... last things those kids need to think is that weapons are cool.










Just a little cutie...













From the village bazaar... tailor shop, well-stocked store, and shoemaker.




















Me and my Team Sergeant chillaxing.










Kids working in the dasht (desert).