Christmas Past...

So far as work, things seem to go in cycles - and I think this must be the busy part of the cycle. The rain continues on and off, just enough to keep the damn mud from drying up - my trousers are stained a greyish tan half way up the legs due to the dried-on dirt. Christ.

Kid Rock is over at the club. I think I'm too tired. I think I got about 5 hours of sleep in the past three days, ever since this FOB Cropper thing started up. I won't say we almost crashed the humvee, but we did switch drivers a couple times on the way in. I can barely type right now. But it's not a bad tired - more like an anticipatory tired, the way you feel when you know the sleep will be so good. And I guess it's sort of appropriate, the feeling of anticipation on Christmas Eve. I remember so many other Christmases... as kids we always got more toys than we knew what you do with, and the cats would pounce on all of the poor wrapping paper - protecting us from the wrapping paper monster. One year I got a set of soldiers - keith says that I took it way to seriously and that's why I ended up here in Iraq. We all have our theories.

For my first Christmas in the Corps we stole a Christmas tree from a lot late on Christmas Eve, and set it up in a motel room in San Diego (there may have been some beer involved). Then there was the illegal tree we cut from a National Preserve in Japan and smuggled onto the base at Iwakuni. And Christmas on Green Street, with the most Charley Brown tree you ever saw. Christmas with Lisanne was always wonderful - we didn't even realize how lonely we were until Anais came along (well, maybe Lisanne knew...). And now I have a whole family to share Christmas with!!! Christmases shared are the BEST Christmases!

I am going to try and go to sleep early tonight. I will dream of a white Christmas at home, and fall asleep with a smile. I wish I had some Christmas stories to read. Good night. And Merry Christmas.