M&M's Home Blog

Today I officially hit my 25% complete mark. I started the day in a manner that fits me - I fell off the bus. I don't mean I stumbled and missed a step; I missed all three of the steps on the bus and tumbled out onto the gravel. Luckily, my face, knees, and elbows broke my fall. I only had this mishap in front of around 20 people. And it wasn't even Monday!

In about a month, I'll be taking my four day pass to Qatar, which will be a much needed break from the grind of my job. And four months after that, I'll be coming home on leave. I'm trying to convince myself that the time is flying by, but the truth is, it isn't. So I work, and I wait.

The amazing part is that I'll be coming home to a house. Mike has done all the work and made all the arrangements, and we're closing on the house that he has pictured in his blog in August. We're both really excited. My husband is the greatest ever.

So I'll end this short blog with a picture of me, my colleagues, and a giant head to commemorate the milestone...

Mike has found the perfect house for us with very little assistance from me, and is handling all the arrangements himself.

Dear friends,

Thank you for your kind words over the past few days. I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to know that you are standing behind me! I believe I'm now over my jetlag and am ready to tackle the mission at hand.

Today, I met with the senior logistics officer for this headquarters, known as the "J4". He invited me out onto the patior for a cigar, and while I'm not usually a smoker, I did accept his offer. Due to the current threat posture, all personnel must wear full "battle rattle" when outside, which made the heat outside all the more intense. The J4 and I had a lovely conversation; we talked of our previous travels and desire to serve our country. I feel I will truly enjoy working for him.

It is amazing how cigars seem to draw a crowd! In fact, this command has a "Cigar Aficionado" club that frequently meets for a bit of a smoke and a social atmosphere. I was pleased to be offered memebership, and naturally I accepted.

I am still learning about this mission and my colleagues, and I apparently have more initial training to complete before I am able to fully learn my job. In the meantime, I am enjoying cigars and the new people that I'm meeting. Until next time...

Sincerely yours,
Paul

Dear friends,

I am happy to report that I have arrived safely and am adjusting to my new surroundings. My trip was most enjoyable, and I thank Bob and Gayle especially for the reading material that they sent with me for the flight! I will admit, my first day in Baghdad was a bit rough. I reported to the Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq (MNSTC-I) and was directed to the J4 section, which provides logistics support, mentorship, and oversight for Iraqi Security Forces. The moment I walked in the door, it was clear that my manner of dress would be unacceptable in a military environment. I was immediately issued more suitable clothing, and my official photograph was taken.

I was pleased to receive my new uniform, but that uniform does come at a cost. One does not become a U.S. Marine simply by donning the digital browns. Thankfully, a Chief Warrant Officer volunteered to mentor me, and I received my indoctrination training very quickly.

I must admit, I was a bit intimidated by all the yelling. I'm not quite sure why military personnel feel the need to rant, but I maintained my bearing and stood my ground. The Chief Warrant Officer was impressed by my mettle. He congratulated me and sent me on my way.

My new command sent me back to my quarters to rest, as my jetlag was beginning to show just a bit. Hopefully, I will be assigned to a position soon and can serve my country with distinction.

Until next time,
Paul

Hello everyone. No, I'm not dead. I just don't post as often as my wife. Let's face it, she's a much better writer than I am and her posts are a good 80% more enjoyable than mine anyway, so you're not really missing out on anything. Ok, I lied....her posts are 100% more enjoyable than mine. But that's ok with me. I know I married a wonderful woman! Enough with me, let's get to some updates:

For those that didn't know, Marissa is going to be writing a few articles for our local hometown newspapers the Newburgh Register and Boonville Standard. She'll be submitting several articles during her deployment, probably one a month or so, to compare and contrast life in Iraq with that of Warrick County. Her first article was already published. If you missed it, its still online and can be read here: http://www.tristate-media.com/articles/2007/07/03/warricknews/editorial/01mitchell.txt

Finally, I wanted to share than Marissa and I have been looking at buying a home. We've found one house we really really really like and I thought I'd just share a couple of photos. This house in located in Newburgh, over near Sharon school.

Marissa and I have looked at several other houses on the market and this one keeps coming back at the top of our list. We still have a few that Marissa wants me to go out and tour, but I have a feeling if this one is still on the market in a few weeks an offer will be forthcoming.

I hope you've enjoyed this little update....stay tuned for another in about three months or so...........

Mike, out.