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In Iraq

I know, I know, its been a while.  Been kinda busy these last 8 months. In those 8 months I have:

*Been serving in Northern Iraq for almost 4 months. *Gotten engaged to be married *Picked up learning guitar (seriously) *Began learning Iraqi Dialect Arabic *Began reading the Bible daily (currently on Joshua).

Things are much better here than the ..media would have you believe.  Things are bad in Baghdad, and that's about it.  Sure there are a couple of other tense spots, but large sections of the country are being turned over to Iraqi control every day.  Have I seen my share of war, yes, more than I care to again.  But by "war" standards, that is not much.  Things are going great here in Northern Iraq.  The only down part is that I am here.  At one point I was so eager to be a combat veteran.  Well, now I am a veteran of combat and I would have rather stayed at home with my family, thank you.  I can't say that I regret it, because at least now I can say that I have earned my freedom, and that for my family.  I know that it will be hard not to punch some (people) when they start to bash the good work we are doing here. 

People that have not been here, that hate the war and President Bush, think they know what its like here.  They have no clue and never will.  They think that by watching CNN and MSNBC that they know the truth.  The think that because they study the works of Al Franken, Al Gore, and Michael Moore, they are educated...  They are ignorant.  I have seen the buildings, stained by blood, that Saddam's regime used to torture people in.  I have talked to people that fantasize about the glory days of Iraq, before Saddam, how greatful they are to the Americans AND President Bush, and how much they hate the Iranian, Syrian, and Chechnyan TERRORISTS that came here just because they hate freedom of thought, religion, and expression (, and) the fact that women have rights under a Democratic system. 

I miss my children dearly.  I have not seen my son or daughter since October and I feel a huge hole in my life.  I love the fact that I have been able to put pictures of them up all over my room, so that I may be able to see them every day.  It has become increasingly difficult to talk to them, due to problems between their mother (my X wife) and I. 

The last blog that I left, I had been dating a wonderful woman for a month or so.  Well, now, my Kristina and I are engaged.  I try to talk to her every day if possible.  She is by far the most amazing, genuine woman I have ever had the blessing to meet.  It is so hard being away from her, but this time does nothing but strengthen us.  She also has two wonderful daughters that I love as my own.  I cannot wait for the day that I return home to my wife and kids and strive to be the best Christian father and husband.

Um, I dont know what else.  If you have any questions ask.  You do have a better chance of finding me on myspace though.

Take care, CPL "dj" smallz