Picts from Afghanistan

Report Cards and Poop!

The joys of report card time are upon us. This is such a different time for teachers who teach elementary school than it is for middle and high school. I would never have imagined the stress it carries...until NOW!! Ahhhhhh!! I am on my way to school (on our day off) to begin the joyful process.

On an more smelly note, I cleaned up as much dog poo in the backyard as I could before I invite some landscapers over to see if they can save my yard. This is a typical Dave job and one that I seriously hate to the depths of all that is disgusting. One of the main reasons I plan to hire the landscaper is so that I do not have to pick up poo ever again! In Georgia it was so different because our yard was HUGE and the dogs instinctly did their business along the fence line. I guess they knew how much I despised the job of seeing/cleaning up the crap. Poor Sully does not have the option any more. Poor guy came in with some on his foot the other day and it was then that I felt that if I did not clean it up, ASPCA might have some concerns. I am not kidding when I say that the bag that I collected yesterday weighed as much as a small child--NOT kidding! Soooo, stinking gross!! Wish I could teach Sully to do this...

Wish List

Here is a wish list from Dave and his buddies...

1) Old DVDs, "guy" movies, tv show series--they are not picky!

2) Dried fruit (Dave likes the-no sugar added-Mango from Trader Joe's)

3) Beef jerky

4) Snacky foods (Munchies snack mix, chips, trail mix, etc.)

5) Baby wipes (they only get to shower once a week---grossss!)

6) Hot sauce (they are eating MREs)

7) Powdered Gatorade/drink mixes

8) Anything else that you would like to send---they love surprises!!

FYI: He does have internet access (very spotty) and it is dial up. Feel free to email him but try not to expect a response. At this point, we are not sure how quickly he will get the packages. You can try to send anything (homemade goods are always exciting, but know that they might not make it in time to eat--it is worth a try though!).

If you do not have time to make your own, here are a few sites I found that will send them for you. I have also linked some "how to send a package" sites. It is really easy, the post office will know how to help you!

TroopCarePack.com

http://www.anysoldier.com/

HOW TO SEND

Care Packages for Soliders

Great list of other items to send!

Military Gift Packages

Please mail all goodies to:

SSGT David Adkins

466 AEG/EOD/OL-B

APP AE 09355

Thank you for your support :-)

Outside of Kandahar

So...it has been raining....umm, pouring!!!

The base is about as big as two football fields---VERY tiny. It is a new base and they do not have much more than the tents that you see in the background above (they are the half-dome, looking things). They are made of canvas and their floors are also canvas. Some tents are set up on plywood to keep the water out. Dave's tent is not set up on the wood :-/

Yes, that is the door to his tent and that is a man with a bucket!! They had to literally scoop out the water so they could stay dry!!

Inside the tent...watching tv on a flat screen...go figure!! They are waiting on a PS3 to play with. It should be joining them in a week or so!

The picture below is not where he is staying...this was the Canadian base they passed through before getting to their FOB (the one with real eggs). Dave said this place was awesome, the base they are at...not so much!

Egg logs and JERVs

Dave made it to their first FOB (not the one he will stay at). He said that it took them about two hours to get their from the main base. This FOB is run by the Canadians, so their services are not needed there. They have their own EOD convoy! He was really impressed with the base itself. It is built in the side of a mountain and he said the country is more beautiful than where he was in Iraq. He is excited to share pictures when he gets back. He was hoping they could stay longer. The first thing he said was, "They have real eggs here!" That made me laugh because a staple item on most military bases (and colleges) are egg logs made from the delicious egg-based (maybe?) powder!!

Dave will be leaving in the next couple of hours to get to their final FOB (Forward Operating Base). He said it is about the same distance away from their current spot but will take twice as long to get there, due to rough terrain issues. They are traveling in the JERV and will take over the JERV that is at the FOB. He said they will use the one that is there because it is all decked out with the latest technology! Excitement is in his voice when he talks about getting to actually work. Days need to pass quicker but I am glad that he is getting to do what he has been so meticulously trained to do!

HGCN & S

Sweet Angel

Sweet Boy

Skype!

My dear friend, Tammi, who is a colleague of mine from GA, asked if I would skype with her class!! We talked today for about half an hour and decided that our classes would skype next week. Logistically, our time difference threw us some curve balls, but we figured it out with both of our schedules---I am SO excited :-D

Tammi is one of those teachers who you strive to emulate. She has taught elementary and middle school, she currently teaches 7th grade science at Lowndes Middle. She has taught for 20ish years and is just amazing. She is a mother of two, beautiful, well-rounded, intelligent girls who are successful in so many ways already! Her classroom runs like clockwork and her students are 100% engaged (is this possible?)! In other words, I want to be like her when I grow up :-)

I love her so much and I actually teared up when we hung up today. I am truly gracious to her for: guiding me when I had teaching questions, sending her husband to fix my broken pipes when Dave was in Iraq, going shoe shopping with me on my bad days (and good), laughing with me when I needed a smile, running the concession stands with me when everyone else was too busy! Oh gosh, there are so many more reasons...I will stop! Thank you, Tammi for your love and support. I miss you DEARLY and will always have you in my heart.

Cute!

I am loving this newly discovered site...thanks @shelikespurple! I have not bought anything from this place but I am about to! Do you have a favorite clothing/accessory site you LOVE?! Please share!! I am on the lookout for a cute dancing dress for Lupita's party!!

I am an antique freak, so seeing this made me get a little excited!!

Cute casual necklace to wear with jeans and a comfy cotton tee!

This is really cute and REALLY reasonably priced!

Don't want him to go...

I often see posts about spouses who are missing their significant others because they are on business trips, are stuck in another city due to bad weather, or just haven't made it home from work yet. I fight my brain as it delves into jealous mode: "well mine is a world away and I can't talk to him, I don't know if he is OK, I don't know when he is coming back, AND he is NOT coming back tomorrow or a week from now---try 6 months". AHHH--stop the madess!! I fight the jealousy, I fight feeling sorry for myself, I fight it. Then I think again...I think, "my GOD I do not wish this on anyone!"

What I have learned in the soon-to-be two years of us being apart is this (6 months in Iraq, 10 months in FL, 4 month in CA, 6 months in Afghanistan...we have been together 9 years this summer-WOW!)...I have learned that distance TRULY does make the heart grow fonder. I LOVE him and cannot wait to see him when he comes back. I have learned that I am so much stronger than I thought I was. I have learned that soon (yes, there is a light) we will be able to put the deployments behind us and we WILL get to live under the same roof until we drive each other crazy!!

Dave leaves tomorrow morning and will be on his way to Afghanistan for the next 6 months. We do not know when he will make it to Kandahar. The military leaves us wondering, as usual. The only good about him leaving tomorrow is that he is THAT much closer to making it home. I will continue to live my life (now to include retail therapy--thank you separation pay!), the way I live it when it is just me and my dog and by next month I will be in full swing of independent mode.

Prayers please!