Up, Up, and AWAY...

Well, if you're reading this, I have successfully made it out of Germany, and at least touched down in Southwest Asia. I can't tell you where I am now, or when I'll be leaving, but I'm okay for now. (Currently, I'm in an airport terminal with free wireless, so I thought I'd let you in on my progress so far)

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Vanessa is the strongest young lady I know. She has so much to deal with, and she's very emotionally vulnerable right now - and my departure isn't helping matters at all. Still, she made it almost all the way through me leaving without crying. There were a few right before she left the terminal, but that's expected. I know she's going to be okay, and we have a strong support group that has ofered to help out whenever needed. I Love that woman of mine, and I'm better for knowing and Loving her.

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I want to address the CARE package question that many people have been asking about:
1) From what I hear, socks and underwear are hard to find items because as soon as the BX trailer gets them in, people buy them out immediately. Turns out, they'd rather buy new, than wash dirty. I know how that goes, but come on.
2) I'm actually going to try and lose some weight and build some muscle on this deployment, so if possible, try to limit the candy and snacks you send. Chocolate is usually a bad idea, because the temp can soar into he 150's where I'm headed. Dried fruits are welcome though.
3) Call me sappy, but a hand written letter, photos, or even a nice card mean a lot to me. If you want to make me smile, send any or all of these things.
4) I read that a New York pizzaria sent 20 frozen, packed-in-dry-ice pizzas to troops deployed to an area near me. If Bob's would be willing, I'd pay for the shipping. :D

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Look for me on Yahoo Instant Messenger under the name, "quinnharle." If I'm around, we can chat real time. If I'm not around, leave me a message.

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Okay, that's all for me right now. The next time you read anything from me, I will be "at the beach." If I can ask one thing, it is keep Vanessa (and me if you like) in your thoughts and prayers. If you can, send her a note once in a while, to let her know she's not alone.


I Love You all.





ULI