A lot to tell

Wow, I have a lot to tell everyone but I will try to keep it short.

The day before the departure ceremony my mother and I spent the day together here at the camp enjoying the food that came down from Minnesota. If you didn't see it on the news Mancinis and two other restaurants from St Paul along with Schells brewery came down to feed the soldiers and their families a going away steak dinner. Governor Pawlenty was there along with the house rep and the senate majority leader from MN. Later that night I went to a nice dinner with both my parents.

The ceremony went good on the 16th minus the pouring rain and the fact that I was sun burnt from the rehearsal the day before. I said goodbye to my dad after the ceremony for the last time and then went to dinner wearing civilian clothes for the first time! The next day I went to pick up Carrie who missed her flight in Memphis but managed to catch a lift with another couple who missed the same flight. After having dinner together with my mother we drove to Jackson to drop off mom for for her flight the next day. I know it was really hard for her, but who wouldn't find it difficult to see their youngest son off to war.

Carrie and I spent the first night in Hattiesburg then went to Pensacola the next day to meet up with some other soldiers on pass. We returned the next day and spent a lot of time just relaxing and enjoying each others company. I undesirably dropped her off at the airport this morning and returned the rental car before coming back to base.

I have a lot of pictures from the past week and I will try and put them up tomorrow if I can. I had a great time but now it must come to and end and with just a week or so left I have to start saying goodbye.

Nick