Storms

We've had some pretty great thunderstorms here lately, but nothing like what's happening in the US right now. In a way we welcome the rain eventhough everything turns to mud afterwards. The dust has been horrible lately. We had a massive dust storm a couple of weeks ago that covered literally everything in dust. The grass was dusty, hell, even the dust was covered in dust. It does wonders for your complexion when you walk outside and you feel it beating against your face. It's exfoliating!!! Im thinking about sticking my feet out of my window on the next one and calling it a combat pedicure. so here are a couple of pictures of a pretty awesome storm rolling in and a picture of dust covered in dust.

Rock

Kirsten - I miss you and can't wait to see you. I also can't wait to meet the puppies and Fatoon.

Iraqi Puppies (24 photos, 1 video), by Kirsten Ellis

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Rescued!!!

Yesterday the Reed Security Company team came down here from Irbil to pick up ALL of the dogs, including the Mom!!!! Fatoon (the mamma) is headed to ATL to stay with Vicki and Casey and then with Fred and Ced!! Although I don't speak Arabic very well, I'm pretty sure she said she's very excited about it. The two female puppies have homes and we're still looking for homes for the remaining 5 males. So let me know if you're interested!!!!!! I'm sure mamma would love to have one of her pups close by to visit with. Anyhow, they are currently in Irbil Iraq and will fly back to the US the third week of April. I'll keep you updated as to how they are doing. We still need to fundraise money to get them all the way back to the US. I can't link anything in here, so please e-mail me at Kirsten_Ellis@hotmail.com or check out my facebook page for the link!! pass it around to as many people as you can!!

Operation Baghdad Pups

My SQ is on a mission to save the puppies here in Kirkuk. I found a group online called Operation Baghdad Pups which is a division of the SPCA International. They actually help soldiers get the dogs that they've befriended out of Iraq. It's EXTREMELY expensive, but it's doable. So we've set up a fundraiser page to save as many of them as we can.

Iraqi's don't see dogs as pets, so they don't exactly treat them very well. On top of that, they are living ON the airfield, so as soon as they grow up and romp around, they are going to be shot for safety of the aircraft. Unlike in the US when you don't adopt a dog, you know the chances of someone else adopting them is high. Here, we know that when we walk away, they won't be so lucky as to have another chance.

All of you know I'm really big into rescues, especially of adult dogs. So I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to see the mamma get a good home. She is SUCH a sweet dog and I hate seing her kicked around by the Iraqi's. She's not abused, just not treated very well. Everytime I go visit them she comes running up to me with her tail wagging. She just wants to be loved.

Anyhow, I wanted to send a HUGE shout out to Ced, Sarah and Alyson who have all donated!!! I hear that Ced has also collected donations from people at Stammtisch to thank you to ALL who donated. It means alot to me, and it'll mean even more to those puppies that we can save and bring home.

Missing my family

I'm not sure why, but lately I've really been missing my family. I'm sure it has to do with all of their fun adventures of blue sharpies on the wall, and cabin weekends and stories of my pups... in reality I think maybe I'm just jealous! I love seing pictures of normal things back home. Something as simple as kids playing in the grass makes me homesick now. But the good news is that as soon as I get back I'm moving to NC!!!!!

I'm really extremely excited about my move and can't wait to get there. Granted I have to go back to TX and pack up in about 2 weeks to move. Then I have to go to Altus OK to requalify on the KC-135 but eventually (Jan 2012) I'll be in NC and SUPER close to my family. Its going to be awesome.

I guess having so much to look foward to when I get back makes me miss home that much more. Before I was just going back to boring ol Del Rio. Now I get a brand new car when I get back, I get to pack up my house and move, I get to go back to flying my girl (the KC-135) and I get to spend more time with my family. Unfortunatley for my mom that also means that she'll have my dogs longer. However she has threatened me with the fact that I may never get them back. (they are kinda great dogs you know.) I dropped them off in Nov and in reality they won't come to NC until I have a place all ready to go sometime in Jan. Don't feel bad for them though, they LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE being in ATL. Just ask Vicki and Casey across the street!!! I miss my family and I miss my dogs, but I know I'll be home soon enough. I'm almost half way through!!!

Kirsten

New Ride

So I bought a new car today!!!!!! Yes, it's probably more than I need, but it's probably also the ONLY time in my life where I can afford the car that I want, and not the car that I need. SUPER excited. I'll pick it up in July in San Antonio and road trip in it to ATL in time for Mom's 60th Birthday!!!! Wooooohoooooo!!!