Day 85

Ahhh, Sundays. They always start off good because I have to force myself to fall back asleep when I awake pre-5am. That's been the trend lately...waking up before 5am even though my alarm is never set earlier than 5:20am. I wonder if God is nudging me to get up and run while the wind is light? Perhaps. That would be great since my running has fallen off the map for the past few weeks. That's going to change a bit tomorrow as I'll be running in the sister event, Peachtree 10K. Looking forward to it!

I took my morning time before heading in at noon to get some things ready to ship home. I've accumulated a few things that will be heavy/bulky for my future trip home and I know I don't want to pack them so I'm going to ship them home. I'm still waiting on a few more items that need to go so that box will wait a few more weeks. I also got some more light cleaning done. Oh yea...there were 6 laps to go at the race at Daytona...perfect timing! The best part of all NASCAR races!!!

I also took the quiet time to write a few handwritten letters home. One thing Tin Man and Scarecrow appreciate is handwritten letters from me. What really touches MY heart and I doubt Dorothy or the girls realize it, but in every picture I see, they are wearing the dog tags I sent home. I think I've referred to these before but let me explain. Dog Tags For Kids is a non-profit that provides great quality, metal dog tags for deployed service-members. Corresponding colors and words depending on mom or dad and in English or Spanish. Here is a sample. For my girls, it says Afghanistan 2011 instead of Iraq. They come with a chain, too. I found this site and ordered them for me and those in my command who wanted them. They were shipped to us for free and then I taped them inside a letter to each of them. Well, since they arrived, they wear them 24/7. Not only do they wear them, they wear them on the outside of their shirts to show everyone...like it's a badge of strength or something. It's simple...it isn't much...but it means so much to me because it tells me where their hearts are. It's pure, raw love and I am truly blessed...I really am.

After a few hours in the office and a talk about vacation-planning with Dorothy over the phone, :-), I headed out to this month's Hail and Farewell...remember? We do this each month to welcome those newly reported folks and goodbye to those heading HOME. Pizza Hut pizza, great laughs, and a chance to recognize those who are leaving with gifts and awards and give some background on those newly reported...both civilians and military. I really do enjoy these! Looking forward to MY farewell some day! Day by day, it's getting closer!

So the rest of evening was just me in my CHU relaxing. Lots of reading online from my fellow trail-runners back home, viewing of photos from those runs, and some writing myself to those who have reached out to me. I need to be up early tomorrow morning for the 10K so I'm trying to move towards an earlier descent into bed...not sure it's going to happen. I always have good intentions, though. Oh yes...I almost forgot...two more care packages today! My dad sent me LOTS of nuts...seriously, there are a lot of nuts on my desk in the office. I will have to share...I just won't have a choice! I also received one from my mentor back at my civilian job in "Kansas" who just retired. She sent some newspaper clippings for me to to read, a handwritten note, and some Crazy Monkey Baking granola!!!  Oh yea, baby! That stuff is addicting!! I found it at a trail marathon a few years back when they sponsored it and have always enjoyed it. She knows me well!!!!

So here is yet another holiday. The 4th of July, or actually...Independence Day. Freedom...independence...it's an important American ideal, isn't it? As I type and head to bed, the cookouts continue back home and into tonight. Many people will attend fireworks tonight and set some off of their own. They'll ooh, ahhh, and adore what they see in the sky. Under that same sky a half world away is 100,000 of your fellow brothers and sisters...most of which are barely old enough to be a college graduate. Won't you lift them up in your thoughts and prayers? Better yet...resolve to keep doing it on July 5th, 6th, and so on. Look at the flag differently and realize that it flies everywhere over here and stands for so much...independence being but one thing but a very significant one.

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║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ 4th of July !!!!!
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Goodnight, everyone.