Deployed to Afghanistan

One of the biggest reasons I left my old job and took on my new job a little over a year ago was for the challenge, to be needed, to do something meaningful. I love being a part of CENTCOM, I love helping my country, and I love being a part of the military mission again. And when the chance to get more intimately involved with that mission arose, I grabbed it. Took me a week to get here, the place is filthy, the air is so dirty you can actually taste it--I've been to a lot of places, but never ever have I seen a place like this. I am going to have to be more awake and a lot less jet lagged to describe it.

Later--

Drinkable water, talking to my family whenever I want, driving,7 eleven big gulps, my granddaughter's laugh, holding my husband's hand, watching TV, going to Mass, facebook, McDonalds 24/7, roads without concrete barriers and barbed wire, not having to have roommates at the age of 55, clean air, the ocean, a washer and dryer, my own refrigerator, a microwave, a cool breeze, a comfortable chair, being able to turn on the light when I want to because no one else is sleeping, being able to sleep because no one is turning on the light when I am sleeping....

it's the little things you miss when you are gone from home, the little things you wish you had with you that you appreciate all the more