Kentucky and Tennessee - One Last Goodbye

Last night I returned from visiting family in Kentucky and Tennessee and seeing some of my buds at a wedding for my friends Erchan and Katie. This time when I said goodbye, I really meant it. Haha. I say that because since March, I have said goodbye to the "albany" family on numerous occasions. At this point, they are just saying "go already" and I have to agree. I want to get there bad and start this next year off. Then I can start counting down the days before I come back. I am ready and tommorow I will be going through my final processing in preparation for Iraq. All my training is over and now its just a bit of a waiting game. The last few days with my family were very important to me. We got a chance to talk about important stuff and now I feel that they understand me completely. I won't soon forget my last night with them, when Ron and Bill and Sherry shared some laughs with me and told me they loved me ---no matter what. I have never felt closer to them. I am a happy man . They promise to spend my life insurance wisely if something happens to me. Haha. Thank you Sherry for being so supportive of me. Thanks Bill and Ron for being great brothers. I wish John and Jeanne would have been there with me that night, but when I get leave in February we will have a reunion. I am very proud of my sister by the way. She is really something. I got a chance to see her on Sunday and she told me about all the training she has been doing. She is now an EMT and is working with search and rescue teams. She has been repelling off rocks and everything. She is fearless. Always has been. She would be a much better soldier then me. Ah well, I miss everyone already. Especially my love. Heavy sigh....love you babe!