Soo since Carrie updated, I figured I needed to as well. I LEAVE HERE IN ONE WEEK!! It's crazy. The first time I was suposed to leave, I made it to 11 days on my countdown before it got changed. Obviously I was excited one it became less than 2 weeks and was really enjoying planning everything out. Well when it became 35 days I was just a bit depressed haha. I told Mom I didn't want to do anything with the planning anymore because it was just a bummer. I can't believe how fast those 35 days (well, 28) have gone. I really feel like this last month has flown by. And maybe it was a good thing to have my leave delayed. That next week after it got changed was really rough obviously but now I look back and see that almost a whole month has gone by since then. Since our countdown for this deployment revolves around months, one month is a big deal. The day I should get home will be 6 months since we've been in Iraq, the 13th was 6 months since we arrived in Kuwait. That's crazy. I seriously remember talking to somebody the first month we were here. He said he had been here for 4 months and I was soo jealous. I knew once we got to 4 months we would be close to the halfway point. Now I can't even remember when I realized we had passed the halfway point. If I had left on the 1st I would be coming back this week instead of leaving. While obviously part of me will always regret giving up Mom and Carrie's birthdays, I am glad that this week I am looking forward to leaving instead of preparing to come back. Now when I come back it will be less than 3 months left in country!! Wooh Wooh!
Moving past that super long paragraph.. haha I am very proud of our Auburn Tigers. They seem to be looking good, hopefully this WV game will solidify us as a good team and move us into the top 25. For all concerned, my Texas A&M Aggies are doing well also! They had a bye last week but did very well in their opener. Can't wait to see them play although I am a bit depressed that I do not know the next time I will get to watch Auburn play on the Plains.
I will be in Montgomery the first weekend of October, I believe its like the 5th? Regrettably, I will be a short trip but I will be there Saturday morning and for lunch with Deedah before I head back to Birmingham. I obviously do not know all of the plans, for more information please see my Mother, but anyone who is in the area and has a chance I would love to see everyone I can. If you have other commitments or plans I will not be depressed, I understand I am only there for a short time but I would love to see anyone who is available!
Well, I just bought a footlocker to start packing some of my stuff and sending it home ( we try and have everything packed when we go on leave just in case something changes and we have to move. If you have moved as many times as us you get really gunshy and don't want to leave your roommates to pack everything for you!). One week and counting. Love you all

So. Today is the day I should have been headed home. Obviously as everyone knows, I am not. As Nell said in her email to me, it is in fact bittersweet. Obviously I am very much looking forward to getting home. I miss all of you more than you know. I am also very ready to leave Iraq for atleast a little while. It is hard to spend everyday with the same people for 9 months and not end up wanting to strangle atleast a couple of them (sorry Mom will be mad at me for saying that ha). But, as many of you have guessed, when they asked for a volunteer, all I could think about was if I was in his situation. Coming home and not having Mom or Dad be there would just not be the same. If I wouldn't want to be in that situation then I should help him out. I do feel that in a lot of ways God will repay kindness with kindness (not that that was my motivation in anyway) but hopefully He'll help me out sometime later.
Well, I don't remember if I have made any updates about the promotion thing and I am too lazy to go back and read to check. If I repeat myself I apologize. When I completed my packet I needed the admin NCO to check it before it could be turned in. Well he didn't put forth the effort I needed and I missed the September board. I finished making the corrections last week and gave it back to my platoon sergeant to try and turn in again. The packet needs the signature of my team leader, the admin NCO, the Commander, and the First Sergeant. Well... I almost got all of those approvals. The First Sergeant doesn't believe in allowing packets to be submitted to the board if they need Time in Service and Time in Grade waived. I need both waived. Therefore, he will not allow my packet to be submitted. I need 3 more months Time in Grade before that doesn't need a waiver. Which means I can not submit my packet until the December board even though I have the points.
Obviously a little frustrating. But as Mom pointed out first and then my Chain of Command also said; it is better that time is the reason I cannot get promoted than if it was because they didn't believe in me. My Platoon Sergeant told me yesterday that he believes I should be an NCO and that I would be a good one, and I know my Squad believes in me because of the leadership positions they have put me in. I, along with two other Specialists now, am spending time being in charge of some of the leadership aspects of the missions. From being in charge at the trucks, or being in charge of the guard towers, to helping out giving the briefs before the mission. I would rather have their respect and confidence than stripes on my chest, I just wish I could have both!
Been a long start to a long week. I have missions everyday this week and then will be working on our offday Saturday. Small consolation, they are giving us Monday off for labor day. I guess I will try and catch up on sleep then!
My best friend will be back from leave around Sunday or Monday so that should help me out to have him to talk to again. I also want to apologize to everyone for all the emails my Mom sent out the other day! Haha, Guess I shouldn't have forwarded her the article.
I apologize for the length and if this post seems depressed. I am alright, missing home but I will def. be good soon enough. I will make sure that my next post is super happy, it is just easier to post the not so fun information once instead of telling everyone over the phone multiple times. Hope everyone is doing really well. Get prepared to cheer Auburn to some victories for me this year. I have waaaayyyy to many Tusca-losers around here that will be all over me if we lose too many games, haha. I love everyone and still look forward to seeing yall soon.