On being home

I have to say, it makes everything seem a bit more surreal to be waiting every moment for word that your child was born halfway around the world. I remember how much fun Isaac had torturing us with his many false alarms as we waited in the days following his proper due date. At night I sleep fitfully and wake up early because in my subconscious I am expecting to be awoken by the unmistakable sound of someone trying to reach you through skype. Those of you who are skype users know what I'm talking about. And when I am traveling down Tampa in the back of a MRAP or Cayman or RG33, I keep remembering with a start that I could be getting a BFT message at any time from Company. (BFT = Blue Force Tracker, basically a computer in each truck that communicates position and can send and recieve texts among the trucks or back to headquarters.) So, I must simply wait on tenterhooks for the inevitable message. Does anyone actually know what a tenterhook is without looking it up? I looked it up, it's actually fairly anti-climactic, although it makes sense. Anyway, with Isaac, I was with Bonnie pretty much the whole way through her labor and a lot before it, so I could help her out and make sure she was taken care of. This time I'm not, and even though I know she has a family who will take care of her, I'm still not there, and knowing how much she hates to put anyone out ever I just imagine her at the end of her rope and with no help. I know it's not true though, so I'll just stop worrying right.......now.
Ok, for real this time, I'm really going to stop.
As for any other topic..... well, it's down right cold now. I had to dig around for all the cold weather gear I didn't think I'd ever use. I am DEFINATELY using it now. It sometimes gets down into the 30s at night!
Wait a minute, these posts are always too long anyway, so I'm going to break the habit here and now.
P.S. Quite a few of you have sent me letters and even packages, and I just want you to know that it means a LOT to me! Thank you so much, I love to be reminded of home. I do have to say though that none of you can put a package together like Bonnie, sorry, and it's not just because she's my wife, she's really good at it... or maybe it's just that she has come to know me pretty well... I don't know. Anyway, I've already responded to most of you, but it always seems like there are a few that I still have to do. I just want you all to know how much I appreciate your thougts. :-)
Ok, NOW I'm going to break the habit.
P.P.S. No I'm joking, seriously how weak willed do you think I am?