Home Is Where The Heartbreak Is...

I just got home yesterday. First and foremost I would like to say that my last post was partly right, and mostly wrong. My unit managed to finagle us over a week of leave instead of just a 4 day pass. Which is orgasmic to say the least. I have to give them credit for that. However, they followed the steps to a T, on how to get us to work our balls off in order to get everything done prior to putting us on leave. Then they went so far as to release us at 2200 which is a full 2 hours prior to them having to let us go. I just wish our commander had like a 1900 flight, then we would've gotten out of there wicked early.

I also managed to rent a truck for the trek up to Raleigh from Fort Bragg. Which was an adventure in and of itself. I mean stick 5 soldiers who have been cooped up on top of about 200 other guys for over 6 weeks and then finally let them loose with a bank full of money and a lot of pent up "energy" and things are bound to get a little weird. Suffice it to say that we had fun, and I will keep my thoughts on that night to myself, at least until the statute of limitations runs out.

Next I would like to say thank you to all the nice people at the "Office Tavern" in Raleigh, North Carolina. You guys were wonderful to us, you kept us drinking and kept us out of trouble for the most part. And a special thanks to Renee or Amanda for letting us crash out at your place and not making us sleep in the truck in the airport parking lot. Maybe in a year or so we'll swing back through and buy you a beer or two.

Now I am home. Mixed emotions to say the least. I am incredibly happy to be home with the family, but I realize that in about a week I have to do the whole tearful goodbye thing...AGAIN. This is like the third time for chrissakes.

Then there is all the shit I realize that I miss immensely. I miss the shower that I can actually turn around in. And the water actually has pressure behind it. I actually got some pop out of the refrigerator today, I haven't had anything really cold to drink in 6 weeks. I slept in a bed that is big enough for me. I slept in a place where I couldn't hear every little variation in the air sweeping over me like a wave. I slept in a place where I didn't have to listen to the symphony of snores, grunts, and farts that always accompany any group of soldiers sleeping in close proximity to one another. However, the best thing about my sleep this past night was the fact that I slept until my body said, "hey fatty, its time to get your ass out of bed" Nobody woke me up, nobody dragged me out of the bed yelling about vehicles or weapons or missions or blah, blah, blah.

Yet, the greatest thing I got to do was use the facilities. I mean, you can't believe how wonderful it was to sit in a room, big enough to actually sit comfortably in. In a climate controlled room so you weren't assaulted by either the cold or the heat or the rain or whatever else. Not to mention, I got to use the two-ply paper that feels so very wonderful... Finally, when it was all over, I got to flush. I didn't have to leave it there to stink up the joint. It's absolutely amazing how important some things could actually become.

Once again though, the heartbreak is there because as I hugged my mother, rode in the car, slept in the bed, sat on the throne, ate all the good food, enjoyed the dry living space and everything else. The only thing I could think was, "I only get this for a week" Well it sucks, might as well embrace it.

Next thing to do. A very special thanks to Airman mom for all the nice things she wrote about me. (She doesn't know me that well, haha) But she wrote a nice post about one of my posts, you can read it HERE.

That and thank you "Missy" for all the comments you have made, I got a bunch of my guys all signing up for Anysoldier.com, we can't sign up until we are in country though. I will probably shoot you a few of their names so you can send them stuff. You are a pretty sweet chick. (My apologies if the terminology used is offensive, just the way that I talk.)

Well moving on, I should have some more fun stuff to tell you guys in a couple of days. We are all getting together and going to one of those "gentlemen's clubs" later on this week. A bunch of soldiers who have been stuck in a tent with nothing but Army women around for 6 weeks! Should be quite a time.

Anyways, thanks again, I appreciate everything you guys do...

Love you, Mom.