Keep Calm & Carry On

I was really happy to learn that you had made it to your final destination, FOB Apache. I hope that you will now be able to settle in for the next 9 months and establish your "home away from home" if you will. Moving and traveling around was clearly stressful for you, and I know how important it can be to have a space to call your own even if it is just a small one!

By the way in my Google research about your base I stumbled across another soldier's blog and a photo of his room arrangements so this is how I'm picturing your room...accurate or no?

Photo Caption: "My room in my tent. It is approximately 8x9. I have the Christmas lights & a small lamp as my primary lights. I prefer it to be dim; the overhead light is just too bright."

Reality has taken hold now (Funny how you told me to give it a week and that then reality would set in...and now here I am...) and I do really miss you. I've told you before I don't really dream about people on an everyday basis, however when I'm really thinking, worrying about, or missing someone I do dream about them. My dream was a little strange to say the least, however the gist of it was that I  had somehow made it to where you are located, found you, and was able to be with you briefly before you had to go back to work and then in order for me to stay there I had to be put to work as well. There was a lot more randomness to my dream but it sounds so silly when I type it out on here that I'm leaving it at just that.

The thought of you being "out" and about and consequently having no contact with you for the next couple of days is difficult for me. I know this is what will be happening a lot from here on out and there is really nothing I can do about it so I'm doing my best to "Keep Calm and Carry On." Lately, I'm just trying to enjoy the moments when you pop into my head because of random things I see. Such as, seeing hand warmers for sale in Target made me think of you, my friend Ruffin also bought a sea otter from her last trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and had it sitting on her side table and I instantly thought about mine, then cleaning off my desk today I found I still had the map of the Oakland Zoo from our first date and I remembered how glad I was to have met you and have you in my life now. I hope wherever you are right now that you are safe, warm, and feeling well. Buona notte caro mio. Muah!