First Week Back Long Road Ahead

7 days in 82 out.

that's when I leave to go to MY bro's wedding back in the P. I wasn't going to come home til the last week in August, because as some of you know that is The Dubs wedding anniversary. The funny thing is I have missed so many family events since I have been over here and now its almost May already. To think that I have spent a quarter of a year in a foreign land just blows me away. Especially since I want so much to be home with my loved ones, but more importantly my WIFE. I have excepted the fact that I will be gone for most events this year with the thought that I will never have to again so long as I live.

Well a couple of guys came back from different locations outside of Baghdad, one guy Paw Paw just got back from Fallujah which just so happens is only like 20 miles north from Baghdad, but the route from here to there is so dangerous that our own security detail couldn't go pick him up. So he went down there to do a job that took all of 4 hours, but had to wait for the next convoy which was 5 days out. So for 5 days he was stuck there with nothing to do as far as work and not much else in the way of entertainment. So on his way back today he was in the lead Hummer with the convoy group heading back toward Baghdad when an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) went off right underneath them lifting one side of the huge vehicle off the ground a few feet. Well the army quickly responded with the 50 CAL killing three and a cow as well (just for good measure Paw Paw said). To give you an idea for those that don't know a 50 CAL bullet is roughly the length of your hand from your wrist to the top of your finger and about the thickness of a permanent marker (the big ones).

Fortunately (GOD Bless IT) no one was injured in the HUM-V thanks be to the man as well as some very thick armor plating that now covers most of the military vehicles here in Iraq. Paw Paw said that even after he got back his ears were still ringing from the explosion. There are a few stories around the camp about people in this group getting into attacks and living to tell the tale. It makes for interesting conversation, but I don't wish to be the one that has a story to tell. I feel just fine telling their stories for them. I find it also interesting, because I believe it is also a show of the Almighty's protection over us if you believe in that sort of thing I know I do.

Love
and GOD Bless

K-dub