My frustration level is at an all time high with housing. We were bumped again by another Key & Essential person. My contact at housing says this person wasn't expected until August. I know that housing must be a hard thing to anticipate, but for the person right at the top close enough to touch a house, but not grab it it is very frustrating. I really have to turn it over to God. I have no control and the roller coaster emotions on top of Terry being gone aren't very healthy for me. It is difficult enough with your spouse being deployed, and add on the disappointment every time someone bumps you really can make you depressed. We are at our lowest level since we got on the list 7 months ago. That makes perfect sense doesn't it. Anyone with any words of advice please leave a comment. I could use the wisdom.

Terry got to fly somewhere else and fly a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). He said it was very cool to fly. Here are some photos from his trip and of where he works.

Terry with the UAV.

Baghdad apartments from the air.

Mosque on Camp Victory

Another photo of Camp Victory.

Terry's words "Yep those are Cows."

Al Faw Palace where Terry works.

Staircase in Al Faw Palace

Hallway in Al Faw Palace

Bat house (for furry little mammals?)

Stryker and Humvee

Pallets of Bottled Water

I don't know why he keeps complaining about the air there!!! (Sandstorm)

Because life would be boring if we didn't change our plans every once in a while, there is a change in plans.

Terry is coming home in August to join another unit (3rd Brigade) to redeploy to Iraq some time in Decmember. General Oates signed off on it today. He is going to try to join us in NM on our little vacation there and drive back with us.

I haven't told my kids yet and might not till we get to NM just to make sure it is really going to happen. I don't want them getting their hopes up.

Terry works in a palace that is an island. These grass carp are in the pond/lake.

This is the front of the palace where he works.

Pizza and salad for the 4th.

Finally Terry took his camera to work and took a couple of pictures. Baby steps for sure. Some guy from Chicago sent 2000 pizzas to Iraq for July 4th. Terry got a piece. The salad looks better than anything I have eaten in the past two months.

It was a poor me day. The kids and I have been fighting colds, I a little worse then them. I haven't had the energy to leave the house for the past couple of days and drive somewhere to do "something" with kids. So here at the Farm we have been, today was rainy most of the day so there goes all the outside fun that we have on a daily basis. Jason did manage to sneak out a few times and chase DB around the yard. With no one to check on us it gets very quiet. So you can imagine how much we are hoping to move on post...

As far as that goes, a house did go on notice in the right area for the kids to remain in the same school district. BUT.... another Key and Essential has also come on the list. We were hoping one of Terry's old Bosses would be leaving his house in July, but I don't know if they have given notice or not. DDD (housing lady) has decided I am too much of a pain and hasn't replied to my last 3 emails, and I was in too bad of a mood to call afraid I might lose it with her.

There was one moment of pure joy today when Dylan found an Underarm hair right after dinner. Don't ask but it was a big moment....

Back in April I applied to be part of a program that National Family Military Association was sponsoring. A couple of days ago I found out I was accepted into the program. Now I actually have to study and I will be required to volunteer in some aspect with the training in the military community. Here is the actual name and program. In the end I will be an Accredited Financial Counselor....

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation) in conjunction with its partners, the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) and the National Military Family Association (NMFA), congratulate you on being selected as a finalist for the Military Spouse Fellowship Award for the AFCPE® Accredited Financial Counselor® program.

Okay isn't the 4th of July the most Patriotic holiday of all? Fort Drum isn't doing anything. They just had their big airshow and Mountainfest(?) last weekend and had fireworks then. Watertown is having fireworks on the 2nd (Wednesday night?????). We would have to drive to Sackets Harbor (20miles or so) to see fireworks on the 4th. I don't even see any to buy, not even sparklers. Not that I want to shoot off any big Bettys off in my back yard, but what about those things you throw on the ground and they pop? Maybe it is outlawed here, who knows...