Exfoliating

So who thought that Iraq would be good for my skin? Kidding!!! I ran 6 miles today and when I got done, I wiped my face and it felt like sand paper. Although I feel like I have softer skin out here i can only imagine what it's doing to my lungs.

On a happier note, I got my next assignment. I'm SUPER excited that when I get back to the US in mid July that I have 1 month left in Del Rio before I PCS. i got my 1st choice assignment to Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro NC. It's only a 7 hour drive to Atlanta!!!! I can go home on 3 day weekends, bring the boys (Dad is excited about that I know) see TRex and Ellis more... Im SO excited!! On top of that, I'll be 45 min away from Parkers BBQ in Wilson NC, 1 hour south of Raleigh and hopefully I can start taking biology and chemistry classes up there and eventually get into Vet School. I'd really like to go into shelter medicine! I have to requalify in the KC135 first but I'll get to NC sometime in Jan. SUPER excited!!

Sacrifices

My dad has been doing a push-up and sit-up for every day Kirsten is deployed. He must be up to 60+ every day by now. He doesn't have to do them all at once, just through-out the course of the day. Mom has given up Margaritas, which is difficult as they have Stammtisch at El Azteca every Tuesday night. Also, as we get into the warmer spring/summer months, I'm sure Rita will come out more and it will get more difficult.

I finally decided to join WeightWatchers while she's deployed. I had gained some weight since I stopped nursing and was really indulging my unhealthy eating habits. I have managed to lose weight every week so far. Sometimes it's not a lot, but at least it has consistently gone down. I have not really been working out, only modified my eating habits. It's a little embarassing to think that I was eating that bad.

Anyway, we miss you Kirsten and are excited that you will be on the East Coast soon enough.

Weight Loss or Weight Gain...

Sarah's company all pitched in and bought us some girl scout cookies.. and by some I mean 60 boxes of them!!!! We took some over to the Iraqi's and so far their favorite are the Thin Mints. :-D The SQ's favorites so far have been the somoas. Here are some pictures... notice the bulk under the "fat man's" jacket, and the lack of purple boxes on the table...

Pictures

Some pictures in Iraq

Me sitting in a busted up broken down Mig

lift with your legs!!!!

Doing a preflight in the 208

Citadel of Erbil, the oldest town in the world

Soccer Balls

Soccerballs are like gold over here. My cousin Leigh sent me a football and a soccerball in a kickass care package. I don't see kids here on base... but all of my students and the instructors go home on "mujas" (vaccation) and they take gifts home to their kids. So I gave the soccerball to one of my students who is actually from Kirkuk to give to his little brother. It was a HUGE hit! Col Ayash, an IP in the SQ, said that his little boy would LOVE a soccerball. Then another IP, whose name is Saddam Hussein by the way, told me that he has a daughter exactly like me, pretty (he actually said that) and that she too would love a soccerball. (good ploy Saddam.) It's so strange how something that we as Americans take for granted is treated like gold over here. So if you're looking to send something to Iraq, soccerballs are the way to go!

Bulls-Eye

Here's a quick funny story. Tessa likes to watch Toy Story and in one of the movies, Woody (the main cowboy toy) has a horse named Bullseye. This horse;s character is like that of a big, goofy, puppy. He'll wag his tail in excitement and lick, just like a dog. One of Kirsten's three rescue dogs, Simon, only has one eye. Tessa has started calling him Bulls-Eye. I think it's just a funny coincidence that she calls the one dog that only has one eye, Bulls-Eye. GOOBER.

Different Culture

I obviously knew coming here that this would be an entirely different culture. As most of you know, I love different cultures and ethnic foods and what not, but some things I dont think I'll ever quite grasp. Not uncommon in most of europe and apparently VERY common here is smoking. Although I respect their decision to smoke and that it may be part of their culture, I don't fully grasp the lure behind smoking. Which brings me to my point. I was driving over to a chili cook off (run by the Americans) when I passed an Iraqi running. My first thought was "huh, eventhough they play alot of soccer, they still like to run to keep in shape. Good on you buddy!!" Then, as I looked in my rearview mirrow one last time I laughed out loud at what I saw. The kid was literally smoking a cigarette and running at the same time. Now THAT is dedication!!! And partcially coordination to run like that!

Anyhow, here are two pictures of the Chili Cook Off. With the help of some local Iraqi's and a couple of lambs we had some pretty awesome chili!