Hello all,

Well...

I knew I never should have mentioned that I may be going home with the Advance Party.  I jinxed myself.  I will not be leaving with them at the end of this month.  I will be returning home with the Main Body as I originally thought.  The good news though is that we are still leaving a little earlier than I at first thought.

We will leave Iraq right around Thanksgiving day.  We will be in Kuwait for about a week or so and are scheduled to begin flying back to Ft. Hood the first week in December.  So, I should be finished with everything around the middle of December.  Then I'll take some time off and try to find out where I'm going to be working.  I accepted a new position (promotion) just before deploying over here, so I don't know if I'll be going to that position in San Antonio, or if they put someone else in that position and I'll continue to work in Austin.  I'll find out when I return.

Things here are starting to get a little crazy.  Our folks are starting to pack things up to go on the ships home.  Some of the personnel who are going to be replacing us are here so it's getting crowded everywhere.  The weather here is still hot, around 100 during the afternoons, but we have to go and start getting our flu shot.  Crazy!  I never thought I'd be taking a flu shot when it was 100 degrees outside!  But, hopefully this will keep us from getting sick when we get back to Texas.

Time for me to send out some thanks -

Dad & Nancy - thanks for the food (loved the mashed potatoes) and the Red Sox magnets...I guess we're back to saying "There's always next year"...

Chris & Irene - love the hot salsa and the jelly bellies were a great hit!

Ellen - again, the Indian food is delicious.  I need to buy stock in Trader Joe's!

Anna & Kathy - Love my Tina Thompson bottle!  It is too cute!  The wind sock is hanging outside my trailer door.

Amanda - The tootsie rolls didn't last long (hint, hint) and the coffee got here just when I needed it the most.

Hilary - Thanks so much for the movies.  I'm really looking forward to seeing Spanglish and Garden State.

Thanks to everyone for the emails and all the support I've been receiving.  I can't wait to get back to Texas and see everyone.  Y'all take care of each other and I'll be seeing you soon -

Love & Best Wishes - Lotta

PS - I've attached another picture.  My hair is getting long and driving me crazy!