Events that have gone on:
Met Lt Gen Caldwell, shared with him my flat family and asked for a picture with him. As I was telling him about the flat family, I told him that Kevin was looking after Cecilia for me and keeping track of the kids, house etc. He asked what he does and I told him he was a police officer and he asked me if it was okay if he sent him a letter or email thanking him. I said that would be great. Kept it to myself because I wanted it to be a surprise to Kevin. It was a surprise indeed because Kevin thought it was spam and almost deleted the email-but, he didn't and here is what it read:
Kevin -- just had the pleasure of meeting your fiancé, who is currently serving down in Kandahar. We all are sure proud of the work she's doing. Tried to complement her but she quickly changed the subject to how lucky she was to have you back home waiting for her and looking after Cecilia. Just wanted to extend a personal thanks to you - you've made it possible for Kristen to focus on the mission here and she's doing one incredible job. Appreciate all that you are doing too -- thanks much!This is me with Lt Gen Caldwell
He also gave coins to some of our top ANA guys:
This is Maj Fareed (Crazy Eyes)
This is Satar
This is Col Mir
Freddy had a birthday-we went to TGI Fridays, which was a good time-we decided to start Fat Fridays from then on. Here we are eating ice cream. Well I took the pic...
We got 3 new Army soldiers in. All SSG, Ervin, Melendez and Williams-she is a girl. They are all pretty good folks, they hang out with each other, so we don't know them all very well yet.
Williams
We received and issued 710 M16 Machine Gun Weapons. Which lucky me-25 of the serial numbers were wrong on the paperwork-wow, it took 3 nights of homework to get it all straight.
We had a convoy we had to get out which took us deep into the night. Fed the ANA snacks from what has been sent me. I seem to get criticized for taking care of them-but, why wouldn't I? They are soldiers beside me fighting the same fight-why wouldn't I? They take care of me...
We helped out some Army guys who had been on the road for 2 days with no sleep-we downloaded their trucks at night time because they couldn't get anyone to help them. So, we did and they repaid us with some cool bracelets.
We celebrated the Afghan New Year-their year begins in March, on March 21st to be precise-this lines up with the Horoscopes-if you look at the translations of the months, they are the Zodiac signs-Pisces, Scorpio, Virgo etc. They made us a lunch-that was delicious and gave us gifts.
They gave us gifts for the American New Year so I thought it was appropriate to get them gifts for their New Year. We bought the officers and NCOs knives.
I made some significant progress with Satar in the ASP. We are finally starting to put magazine data cards-which basically identifies the type and quantity of the assets that are stored. A huge step.
I got to see some new wildlife. The Taliban Ants as I call them. They will bite you and burrow their heads into your skin-like a tick. They are huge-about an inch long.
I saw a giant beetle-that acted like a camel spider and ran at me.
The giant wasp things-I saw a "flock" of them and thought they were birds.
The bunnies out at the ASP-cute little things. 50-50 said if he isn't working in the ASP he will be out there with the bunnies. Sadly, I think when they get bigger they may eat them. But, they are cute while they last. There is a mommy bunny too, she is black-she was hiding though. (An update-there are 3 new babies today-16 Apr)
The unfortunate dead porcupine-which I think it is a hedgehog-nobody believed he was a gonner-but, he was sadly. Not the big one in the old ASP-it was smaller and the quills weren't as big as the ones we saw previously. I will note that Rock still hid in the truck, just in case.
Still a couple kittens hanging in there. I feed them beef jerky and give them water when they are out and about. (Update, it took me a couple weeks to get this updated due to poor internet connections-all the kittens we had out there are no longer with us. Was very saddened to learn of it, but, there is only so much that can be done.)
Experienced my first dust storm here
More crazy trips to KAF-each one there is something new, some crazy picture-something to just make you shake your head in wonderment.
Nice Police car with bullet holes
This crazy small car, smaller then a gator
Contractor we saw here. Most contractors have to meet a BMI limit, this guy must not have that rule.
Ummm, what is the cat thing doing to the horse?
Is my hat too small for my head or is my head too big for my hat?
Another of the many "oops" we see along the way.
Best part about going to KAF now-is I get to meet up with my good friend Tiffany Naylor-she is here for 6 months working Weapons Safety-she and I have agreed to call our Fridays-Friday therapy. To have a friendly, familiar face from home, a hug and a good laugh is great. Also having someone to share this experience-the highs and lows is good help too.
Had a couple projects along the way. I found a box full of locks and keys-with no way to determine which goes to what. It took several days to figure it out. But, I managed to salvage 45 locks.
Counted out and separated ammo into baggies for how much goes in a magazine-tried to make Freddy an AMMO troop.
Taken to running in circles around the FOB. The gym is too cramped and all the colds and crap going around-it is a breeding ground for illness lately. So, one lap around the FOB is .6 kilometers, so about 2 1/2 laps is a mile. The first time Hanks and I ran it was so muddy. I ran the other night and got just as muddy-they water the roads to keep the dust down. It is so messy. I have been running 18 laps. It is hard to keep track of the laps so I put rocks on one of the barriers and just knock them off for each lap completed. So you don't have to do the math, 18 laps is almost 7 miles.
We took down a smelly tent that was loaned out to someone and Col Mir wanted it back, so we had to take it down-albeit sat on the ground for 3 weeks-it was top priority for us to take down on a Thursday afternoon...we had all made plans to go to KAF too.
I salvaged a table for Satar also-it was all bent up and in bad shape, but, thought his guys could use it. He saw it as gold when we were done because I put his soldiers needs ahead of mine and for that he said I will have a long and peaceful life because of my good heart. So kind.
I have one wall full of pictures that they have sent me. It is so colorful.
The plant, Ruby, is doing well. I had to bring her in for the night because of the windstorm.
The food is conducive to me losing weight-so that is going well. Sadly I hear we have better food then KAF. I came across this picture of me when I first got here-have a look at me then and then now. Sort of dropped a couple pounds.
December
March
Moments have occurred over the last few weeks that have touched my heart or affected me in one way or another. They don't really have a photo to go with them. They are just moments that happen.
Malaria dreams. The meds we take have a horrible side effect of giving you some intense dreams. Some are just weird, all are very vivid. Some are down right frightening that make you wake up in straight fear. I have a cold sweat fear laden malaria dream about once every 2 weeks. Amongst the dreams had:
Tornado in the home I grew up in-trapped in the laundry room holding onto each other for dear life as it went all around us. Flooding of my house and the whole house collapsed to the ground and I couldn't get out. Trapped in a room with everything that scares me to pieces and I could see through a window to get help but, they wouldn't open the door. Car racing towards me-was going to hit me, brakes squealing and I couldn't move, I was trapped. Fire surrounding my truck and I couldn't get out. Following my dad out of an airplane with no parachute-then he handed me one to hold onto-just hold onto these straps, you will be okay. The worst to date-as if all of that wasn't bad enough, I was sitting with everyone at a table and a suicide bomber came up to us-we ran to get away and I was trapped-couldn't go anywhere as they started to ambush us with grenades and small arms fire. They drug my interpreter Popal away at gun point-I fell to my knees in surrender and saw all I have and love just slip away. They are truly horrible dreams that are so vivid they seem real. The alternative though is getting malaria and I am not willing to take that chance. (An update-I started to take my meds at night and the dreams have seemed to let up thank God)
The kids are doing well. Matthew got mail from me the other day and said he couldn't remember what I looked like. Which makes me sad. I talked to Cecilia last night and she said that she wasn't sure she remembered what I look like either. I told her to look at all the photos of us and she will remember again. We spoke for about 30 minutes and in that time she told me she missed me 11 times. She said she misses my heart and my love. I told her I will be home soon for a couple weeks and she said, but, you have been gone forever already and you will come home and be gone again forever and ever. She said she is having a hard time with me being gone and wants me home. I told her to be strong and she will be okay. It won't last much longer. I am usually much stronger in talking to her, but, the sadness in her voice really ripped at my heart. I was crying and trying to not let her know I was crying-you know how easy that always goes! She asked if I had forgotten what she looks like and I said never. I said you are imprinted on my heart and I will never forget what you look like even if I went blind one day, she is always on my mind and in my heart. I wish this wasn't so hard for everyone. Some days are better then others.
Kevin is doing well. A lot better then he was a month ago for obvious reasons. He is doing so awesome with the kids. I have asked so much of him to take care of everything and he doesn't complain. I am so lucky and will never be able to express just how grateful I am of him being a part of our lives. I think he has gotten into a routine now with the baby and the kids. So, it just takes time to get in that flow of things. I still worry about him every day. He works so very hard and has so little time to himself to just breathe. He started going to the YMCA with the kids, they have child care thing so he can work out for an hour without having to cause too much hassle with the kids. Cecilia rides a bike or walks on a treadmill, so she is active too. He is going to get her enrolled in a babysitting class there now that she is 13. He has taught her to make dinner with the oven-she has been doing such a great job. He knows how to motivate her, to encourage her, to guide her along. He has so much patience and love for her. It is such a beautiful thing. She had to run the mile at school in PE. In December she ran a 17.00, last Monday she ran a 11.25! So proud of her.
On the night we worked the convoy late we missed dinnertime. I was saying to Jaweed that it was late and I was hungry. Next thing I knew he brought me some bread-it was so kind. He got mad at me for sharing it though...I told him he knows I would and he smiled and nodded his head.
I had a night that was pretty scary when we were coming home from KAF. It was dark out and normally we don't go through Walmart during darkness but we were at KAF celebrating the New Year with the Interpreters, it was important to Nyozi and Hydari. But, the ANA were having a convoy that took up both lanes. It normally takes 2 minutes to get through there and it took us 45 with a ton of evasive driving, cutting people off, pulling some Hollywood moves to get out of there. It was very scary and reminiscent of my malaria dreams. We made it back okay-but, it was one heck of a night. All of the ANA were loaded and were not happy with us being part of their convoy or the fact we were cutting them off or cutting across traffic. When we got back I said to Freddy and Nyozi, I can feel my heart beating in my butt. Funny thing though right before we were leaving Freddy asked if I was good to go for driving, I said, yeah no problem. Famous last words. No more Walmart at dark that is for damn sure. I guess I could clarify what Walmart is...it isn't they giant chain of stores across the world. It is a stretch of road where you can buy anything from, goats, socks, shampoo, underwear, carrots, motorcycle, an engine, a flat tire, rocks, tea, anything you can think of. It is very slum like looking and the people are kind of scary. They say that most of the people there are relatives of the ANA, but, so are some of the Taliban-so, I don't feel all too comfortable there. We were in the the all up armored truck and we were loaded with weapons, but, it wasn't fun. Important thing is we got home safe. I burnt up the clutch like no tomorrow trying to get that beast between a rock and a hard place-we just got it replaced too-oh well. I handled it all okay until we got home-then I shook like a leaf and the tears started rolling when I got in my room.
There was a day a couple weeks ago where we had a validation team here to determine where the ANA are at in us transitioning out of here. It was pretty stupid because they were using Army checklists that don't line up with the guidance in their doctrine, in their decrees. They were just here a couple months ago too, they said well this and that hasn't changed. Well no kidding, it takes time...so stupid. Well the soldiers out in the ASP asked me to eat lunch with them and I had to pass because I had the validation team with me-they didn't deserve to eat with the soldiers. I would like to eat lunch with them one of these days though. I thought it was so nice that they offered. I try to look after them the best I can. I bring them cases of water and snacks all the time. I bring them Gatorade and sodas too. But, again I get criticized for doing that. Such shallow people.
I did laundry and for whatever reason something turned my undergarments and socks blue.
My shoelace broke on my boot, but, I fixed it...not quite normal, but, it works. Got to use the line, I have the skills of a tactical mongoose so I can fix anything. No idea why I used that, but, well it was funny today.
I have gotten sunburned almost daily-have an interesting neck tan line going on now.
I got EOD to blow up a blasting cap that was found in the vehicle yard, Hanks found me to tell me about it. Went and looked at it and made it safe for when EOD could blow it up. She got yelled at for telling me because her bosses should have been told-but, she did the right thing. All is good now.
Got a box of goodies from Cohnnie Craig, Carol and Barry Karper, Kathy and Kevin.
Got lots of mail from Kevin and Cecilia and some cards from Kevin's parents. I got a card from Chris Mahoney too, a thank you card-I sent her some money for her Missionary trip.
I got lots of sweet well wishers on Facebook.
Got a couple emails from my parents which is so very nice to get.
I helped out another ANA unit, they are actually part of the Afghanistan Air Force. They want some AMMO from us, but, totally botched the paperwork up and seemed to not know the process. So, I helped to educate them and Satar educated them too-so now they get it. This has been going on for like 2 months. The ANA with the Air Force just didn't believe their mentor, so it needed to be ANA to ANA-which is how it should have been in the first place. So many times I have seen here that the coalition forces want to make it happen-like right now and not let the ANA learn how to do it and to have it ANA to ANA. If we (coalition) keep doing it for them-how will we ever leave this country? It drives me insane how many people try to push the system and then it falls apart-they ask why? My boss is famous for that. Leave it to them to do it-guide as needed. Sigh.
Here is a fine example of how the ANA need to learn how to do it themselves and have us guide them along. The Maj decided in his infinite wisdom to have these tool boxes issued out. Knowing full and well that these tool boxes have been sitting in a couple of containers for a very very long time and that they haven't been opened or touched. But, he had 20 tool boxes pulled from the container and put in the warehouse. I use the word "tool boxes" loosely. They are kits for plumbers, electricians, sheet metal, carpenter, engineer, mechanic. In these 20 boxes was all of the tools needed for some of each of the aforementioned types. They were all mixed up together and oh by the way there are 30 more boxes in the containers too. The Maj chose for whatever reason (selfish) to have public affairs out to take pictures of him issuing out these tool boxes to the ANA. Yes, him issuing them out. Um, this is an ANA thing. But, he couldn't because everything was all mixed up together. Imagine if you have 5 puzzles and all the pieces are mixed up together and spread amongst 30 boxes and you have no idea what the picture is, but, it all needs to be sorted out. The Maj and Noori his interpreter were going one tool at a time and putting them in a box and checking it off of a list. The public affairs people were taking a couple photos, only when the ANA got involved. But, the Maj wasn't explaining anything he was just talking to Noori. So, the ANA did what they do, they sat back and watched. Freddy, Nyozi and I were standing there thinking, what the heck is going on? This makes no sense. So we asked the Major what was the deal? He told us he needed to make these tool boxes complete and he was going tool by tool. It was going to take forever. So the sensible thing to do was pull all of the various tools out on the floor, match them all up then go down the list and build the kits that way. As soon as I started to do that-I pulled the ANA soldiers together and told them what to do and guided them as needed. That is when the real pictures started to happen. This isn't how great can I look doing the ANAs job, it is teaching them to do this on their own and watch them do it and guide them when they lose focus or get confused. Not to say this tool box thing was easy-it was a giant pain in the ass. All of the tool lists were in English-no Dari. So, we had to take the lead-but, have them look for the picture, the size of the tool and build the kits. It took us 2 days and the Maj thought he could do it in 45 minutes. Can't push a system when they are learning. The next time they have this, they know how to best organize it, they know where to read the sizes, they know what the tools do, they know where they need to go. That is doing it ANA to ANA way.
Here is a video of the tool issue we did.
So that about covers the last couple of weeks. I promise my next posting will be sooner, it is hard to believe all that has happened in one month.
Hoping that in the next month our Internet connectivity improves. We can't talk and see each other on skype at the same time. I have a magic jack that acts like a phone line through the computer, but, half of our conversation is, "can you hear me now". It is so frustrating. Then there are people who come and sit in their vehicles outside our building and steal our bandwidth. Just eating up our Internet speed-so dang annoying. I have a brand new computer and it will take 10 minutes to upload a video. It is so annoying. We can't watch tv shows or any videos really online-the buffering thing will take an hour just to watch a 5 minute video. It took me two days to watch a video of Cecilia's band on you tube. It took me 2 weeks to do this....
On Fridays in the morning it is good, I get up early so that I can get in good Internet speed time. But, in the evening when it is easiest for Kevin to talk to me, it is at its worst. Then you have vehicles that drive by with their signal blockers on and it knocks out everything, phone, Internet-MORALE! Just need to be strong, will get there in the end and look back and laugh at this-right? Until next time my friends...
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