Days 167-168 "Good News!"

I got the final GO for departure of 14 June!!! I will leave Afghanistan probably on 10 June, be up in TJKSTN for 4 days and be in Baltimore, Md the evening of the 14th! However, I have to go back to Ft. Benning, Ga for a night or two so I can turn in my deployment gear but I should be in Maryland for good by the 16th! Hooray! Talk to you all soon!

Day 166 "extended"

I just got off the phone with my Mom and I just wanted to express whats going through my mind on my "journal". Feel free to comment if ya like :) Spoke with the original "Mama" for about 2 hrs this evening and really went "back" with her. Remember when I went rambling on about how strong my mom is and what she means to me earlier in my blogfessions? Well she made me realize how strong she is today without her really trying too. The conversation began with me coming back in a few weeks (yay!?. Then we went back into the past about our first "vivid" memory of our early childhood. I started out my memory with when I was around 3 yrs old wearing a bright red shirt with dirty blue overalls with a dinged up lunch pale in my right hand. Before I got any deeper into the memory, she told me EXACTLY what happened that day as if it was yesterday. Event after event, as if she was reading my mind at that moment. Right there told me how much she really means to me. I know mothers are suppose to know their kids well in all but what she remembered at that very moment means soooo much to me right now. Then after that happened, she told me her first vivid memory. Im not gonna bore ya with what she said hehe, but again she made me realize too that we are more than just mother and son...we are like best friends. Granted, Ive always seen my Mom as someone special besides being my mother, but she respects me soooo much more than I thought she did. Dyan, do you remember our conversation a few days back? About being friends with your son and daughters? I just want to let you know that it means ALOT more than u think it does treating us like friends besides the mother-daughter scenerio. Knowing Vanessa, she probably thinks Im being way too sappy right about now (I probably am but this is my blogfession!) but this is whats on my mind right now. I dont know if being over here made me this emotional or what not, but its coming out like a rainbow after a rain shower! lol My Mom and I had alot more than that to talk about but I will share one more part of that conversation with you. As you all know, Im taking my mother to Las Vegas July 5th-11th. We talked about our vacation and how we both need it in all. Just to let ya all know, my mother LOVES the nickel slots (lol) So this story will only make sense if I mention that hehe. Anywho, my mother and her best friend from work had this past Friday off and they decided they wanted to drive to Charleston, Wva for the day and just let loose. They both were coming in with only $50 a piece to gamble with now mind you :) Well her best friend ended up winning like $100 extra dollars and my mom hit the nickel slots for FIVE minutes and came out with $350! NICKEL slots I remind you lol But what made me wanna just hug and kiss her at that very moment she was telling me this, was how happy she was just winning in the first place. I wish you could all just hear her giggle and laugh about how happy she was at her little nickel slot machine :) God bless her. This woman would have been perfectly happy just winning a few dollars. It does not take her much at all to have a smile from cheek to cheek on her face. Honestly, I can go on and on and on about her but I just simply dont have the time to tell you all lol. So Ill end this blogfession with this; As much as you may be angry with your mom or dad at times, remember what they did for you when you needed them the most. Not gonna lie to you, there has been times like that with me, but I will ALWAYS remember...I have never been so close to my mother than I am now. If being 12000 miles away in an open, disgustingly hot desert being shot at every other day made me realize this notion, then so be it :) Thanks for listening to me.

Days 165-166

Well the days are counting down a little slower than what Im used too but its ok. Lets see...its Sunday right now and I have 16 days left....for now :) Im gonna warn u all now, in every blog I post here on out, Im gonna mention how many days I got left! Thats all I gotta talk about these days! Oh, Ma, get Vanessa on here!

Day 164

This being the last camp I officially go to as a Catholic Priest's assistant, Im enjoying it quite a bit :) It has a great big gym (I have been literally living in them since the beginning of the year), internet is not so bad (I can get on just about any time I want too!), the food is ok for a PIG hehehe (Im not eating as much because the choices arent so great for a health nut like me). But all in all, Im in great spirits. Rumor has it that my stance on my June 15th arrival is still intact (but I dont wanna jinx it!). If it goes all to plan, I only have like 15 days left in Afghanistan and then I would be in Kgyrkistan for like 2-3 days then a whole day/night to fly back to the states! But worse case scenerio, I shouldnt be back to the states no later than the 24th. Lets hope the first scenerio plays out :)

Day 163

Hooray!!! Im at my last camp on the last leg of my tour :) Ill be here for the next 5 days or so. Looks like we will leaving on the 31st as planned back to Kandahar. Dyan, Vanessa knows I will ALWAYS be in her life as I will always be in YOUR life too :) Even if a situation came up where for some reason Vanessa isnt talking to me, I would not let that stop me from talking or seeing you :) Remember that! But I dont think that would EVER happen. Well, I think I MAY have time to call some people up tonight (morning-afternoon for u all). I just might include you Dyan hehehe :) Nicole, Im pretty sure Ill give u a ring as well. Vanessa's phone is off I think so when you talk to her Mom, let her know I said hey. Ok, well off to get some fooooooooood. Hope to hear from you all soon. Love always,

-Ricky


(lol, I never put my name on these things so I did it this time)

Day 162

I arrived at a new camp yesterday as expected and my boss and I are trying to leave tomorrow morning to my LAST place to go :) Hopefully if all goes well, we will be at this last camp until the 31st of May and then by early June, Ill be in Kandahar twiddling my thumbs until I leave in the middle of June. Thats of course, if everything goes to plan. Anywho, as usual, just keeping busy with things around here so I dont get so anxious to get back :) Oh and Dyan, PLEASE TELL Vanessa if you talk or see her anytime soon, to STOP being a stranger on my blogger! lol I know that her job can be stressful, but I know its something else! :) She just wont admit it. Nicole, Im glad your doing ok. Ill definitely let you know when I will be in town. Well, I will go for now. Pray for me that I will get to my LAST destination in one piece! :) Adios

Day 161

I think that is very nice of you to say that I would be a nice "catch" when the right woman comes along :) Sorry for ruining my poetic sense at the end lol At least I am being honest on how I feel! Nothing in any of my letters are fake feelings, I promise you that :) Ok well my boss and I are finally headed to the next camp today. So I better go wait for the Chinook outside. If it doesnt come today, then Ill try to hop back on and add a little more to this. Adios!

Day 160

Thanks Dyan. Once again that means alot ;) I did take ALOT for granted over in the US. Being over here definitely put my whole life in perspective and I will definitely not take ANYTHING for granted ever again! lol Im just ready to sit down at a nice restaurant, eat ANYTHING I want for once and take normal everyday showers hehe. Plus I wanna lay on the beach and just soak up the sun and the ladies haha.

Day 159

Well found out we will be at the camp that Im at for at least a few more days. For once, I will NOT complain about being here since it is nice! Not sure if I already mentioned it, but I only really have like a week or so left of traveling in Afghanistan :) Im gonna be in Kanahar pretty much the rest of june. Cant wait ;) And yes Dyan, I think I look cute with my buzz cut! I think you would too :) I remember Vanessa liking it when we were together. Oh gosh, Ricky is ready to get back!

Days 157-158

Well Im hopping along all over Afghanistan as expected and we are almost halfway done with our 2 week mini-tour. This new camp that we are at resembles a "hilton hotel" compared to alot of camps that we are usually at :) I apologize that there isnt much for me to say on here but the only things that have been new is just moving from one camp to another. Ill be here until Monday then we once again hop to another :) But Ill try to write more tomorrow though. Maybe Ill make that the day to make a few calls back to the states. Its been over a week since I last did that :) Ok, adios!

Days 155-156

Nothing really new except Im ready to gooooooooooooooo! hahaha. Ill be off to another camp tomorrow. Ill post more later then :) Adios

Days 153-154

Nicole and Faith, have you ever watched "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson in it? You both remind me of those two ladies that worked under Mel Gibson's character haha. :) Its a compliment by the way. Anywho, Im looking at two dates of arrival. Its either going to be June 16th or June 24th. I do have my family coming to pick me up from the airport but thanks for asking though you guys..means alot. Oh and Dyan, so your whole family is going to the Bahamas? I wanna go! Seroiusly :) I was planning on going anyway and now I would have a reason to go. IF ITS OK WITH YOU OF COURSE, let me know the for sure dates so I can buy my hotel reservations/plane tickets too! :) God knows I can afford it now hehehe. Ah man, that would be awesome! Then Mike and I can go jet skiing! Ok, gotta stop getting excited over this since Im not even sure you would let me! Ok anyways, Im currently outside the wire. Im on my first day of the 2 week mission we are on. Ill be here at Sherona PRT (NE Afghanistan) until this thursday. Anywho, hope to hear from you all soon.

Days 151-152

Well Im about to go out and about again for 1-2 weeks instead of the usual several days. But THIS will be my last real trip before I leave! Yay! Oh My! haha. Yes, Mama is baaaaaaaaaaack! I missed you :) OK, sorry to make it short but gotta pack AGAIN. Man, I really cant wait for my MONTH long vacation hehe. And Faith, I am Vin Diesel, but dont take it the wrong way haha.

Day 150

Well, I did something new last night. Something I havent done since I joined the army early on. But the weather is just to hot NOT to do it. Can you guess what it is yet? I SHAVED MY HEAD! Oy! Oh My! lol Actually everyone that I work with said I look like a smaller version of Vin Diesel so Ill take compliment on that I think. Well that is all for now that is new :) Oh, found out I could be leaving for back to the states on June 14th. We will see! Adios!

Day 149

Your right Nicole! haha Man, that shower yesterday evening was the BEST shower I have ever had! Oh My! Oh yeah! I literally had a layer of dust/dirt all over my body that I washed off yesterday. My face feels so clean! Oy! Sorry for being so happy about a freakin shower :) I think you would understand if you were here! Well found out Im going out AGAIN tomorrow for another week but hopefully this place isnt as dangerous and AT least has a shower. Im sure it does. Ok hope to hear from EVERYONE soon! Thanks for keepin in touch Nicole and Faith. Im surprised Mama hasnt came on yet. Sure she has a good reason isnt that right Mama? ;) Laters

Days 147-148

Hola Amigas and Madre! Just wanted to say a quick hello. Well Im on my way to Kandahar so I can take a SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:) I dont know whats worse....not taking a shower for over a week or getting hit on by a Gay Korean? haha. Ok ladies, Ill write more later

Day 146

Haha. I posted a blog back to back! Yay! Oh my! Nothing new here of course. 2 more days until that shower...aahhhh I really really REALLY hate going without a shower for this long. The sand storms are getting stronger and stronger by the day. The other evening, it took 6 guys plus myself to hold one side of the tent just so it wouldnt blow away. It was horrible. We had a mini one last night and did a little damage. Cant wait until I dont have to worry about 100+ degree temps, severe sandstorms, and NOT having a shower! Ok everyone, keep the peace

Days 137-145

Aahhh......back on the blogger. This must have been the longest I have went without getting on...9 days. I wrote an email to most of you regarding why so I wont explain much about it :) But I will say that I found a way to get on at where Im at. Yes Im still out of the wire and yes Im still stinking from not having a shower in several days. But the computer Im on is located on the other side of base. Guess where Vanessa? On the Special Forces side of all places. HaHa. And they let me online and they dont have a internet "blocker" so I can get on virtually any website thank god. Anywho, Im back for now and canNOT wait as usual to get back to the states! According to the Army NOW, I have like 4-5 weeks left but Im not holding my breath any more. They changed my arrival date so much I cant even keep up with it. Well I hope you all come back out of hiding and write in my blogger again! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease! And Nicole, that is totally awesome that you are dating :) And yes it does suck that it happened at the end of the semester Im sorry :) And Dyan, I wanted to let you know that I will be driving through (maybe stop in for a day or two?) in the middle of July. Im visiting a few friends and a few cousins in Florida and since Ill be passing through, why not come and see you and Mike for a bit? :) Let Vanessa know as well, could be just like ole times haha. Ok you all, I love every one of you!!! Take Care