Nearly the end

I don't want this to sound too energetic....but my time in Kirkuk is now measured by hours!!! With God's grace, I should be home with my family again in less than a week. And, though I have tried to welcome the challenges this deployment has brought, I'm getting pretty STOKED to see my family again!

But first, to update this page before any more outcry from the homefront. We've maintained the same schedule for the past few weeks without too much excitement, save for some new pictures and another race. The half and full marathon that Jake and I helped plan (and design the t-shirt for....thank you again Nate) was on the 7th. True to November form, the weather was perfect (low 60's) without any serious wind or rain and everyone in our EMEDS group that ran either met or exceeded their race goal. I was very happy to improve my time from last month's half-marathon by over 8 minutes and Jake bettered his marathon time by more than 20 minutes! We then had some light recovery runs this week but went out yesterday morning for one last long, Saturday morning run (as has been our routine the whole 6 months). It was fun, but I can't say I'll miss running around that 6-mile loop (again and again and again...).

We also engaged in the local tradition of decorating our group's concrete T-wall outside the hospital. Our pharmacist and dentist did most of the artwork, copying the design of our EMEDS coin onto the wall and we will all sign our names to it before leaving. Here is our entire group assembled for a photo around our wall....

....and another group photo with the outgoing MEDEVAC group that evacuated all of our patients for the first five months of my time here. They've been a fantastic group to work with and took GREAT care of our Soldiers/Airmen!

This is hopefully my last post before heading back to Al Udeid for a short stop (a couple of days) on the way home. I sincerely appreciate being blanketed with such fervent prayer from friends and family during this time. Although it wasn't as professionally exciting as I'd hoped, God has used this time to grow me in many unexpected ways. Now, I look forward to an awesome homecoming and, hopefully, a truly thankful Thanksgiving in Roseburg.

My Cita, I love you more than any words can accurately explain. You've been a rock, and should be incredibly proud of your single-parenting skills this year! I can't wait to see how much our big man has changed and to hold you in my arms again soon soon...

Kirkuk out.