Dear _______,
Well, it’s less than two weeks until I leave for Iraq and it’s finally starting to sink in. I guess that as long as I had six weeks or a month before I left I could still tell myself that it was a long ways off; that I still had plenty of time. But now I find myself realizing that this will be the last time I do this or do that for a year… the last time I cut the grass, or fill the bird feeder, or stack Mug Root Beer in the back fridge. It’s funny how such mundane things can be so integrally associated with what you do and how you live your life. Even cleaning the smelly old fish tank takes on an exaggerated importance when I stop to realize that I won’t be doing it again for another 12 months – though it’s a chore, it’s something I do with Jack, and I will miss it. But I suppose it’s really Jack that I will miss… He’s the one I am worried about. It saddens me to think that at this point I can actually count the number of times I will hug him and give him a goodnight kiss before I leave.
Work is okay. I have been pretty busy tying up loose ends and checking out. I was issued my desert uniforms, helmet, flak vest, etc., yesterday. The new vest is a lot heavier than the Kevlar model, but they say the ceramic plates are better. I can tell already it’s going to be a hassle lugging all of this stuff everywhere. What ever happened to the light infantry???
It was great seeing everyone while on leave. Being with you guys is always fun, and now when you or Keith mention this or that about your new houses I’ll have a picture in my mind of what you meant. The tiles turned out even better than I thought!!
Well, that’s it for now. I will write more as I can. You have my email address for over there don’t you? Take care.
M.
PS I had the Power of Attorney notarized today and will drop a copy in the mail this afternoon.
3 Comments:
Yeah, I'm glad we got together one last time before you leave-It kind of reminds me of "Saving Privite Ryan" When Ryan tells the Captain
he can't picture his brothers and the captain tells him to put them in some sort of context. Rayn tells the captain of when all the brothers were together at their house and were involved in some late night shananagins with a girl and the hayloft of their barn...
"That's it", Ryan says, "That's the last time we were all together..."
I just hope that I get some credit this time for all the work I did. You have to admit, it seems my considerable contributions to the back porch project was overlooked.
I don't mean to start a civil war, but I'm just saying....
Hey Major Major,
I can't stop thinking about you and trying to imagine what you're doing. My number one little boy, who was always playing army is really gone to Iraq. Whenever I hear the word Iraq I will think of you. Whenever I look at the flag in our window I rhink of you. It is going to be a very long year.
I guess it is too soon for me to think of anything upbeat to say so I'll try again later.
I love you.
Mom
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