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This afternoon it was in the mid 70s for central Texas which means it is perfect park weather. Here is Grace playing in the swirly ladder tube at our favorite park. Bronco park has the nice rubber play surface. Grace loves to take her shoes and socks off and run around and I wish I had gotten a picture of her feet when we left. They were black! I call them her little dirty birdie feet.

Here are some photos that are pretty typical of Creighton and I's evenings. He goes to sleep between 9 and 10 and we hang out on the couch for awhile before I put him to bed bed. Hey, he's only this little once and if I want to enjoy holding the sleeping baby I'm going to! Grace won't let me anymore!!

We sent off the first boxes today. One big yet light one contained his stetson. The other small yet heavy one had some documents he needed. Sadly, neither was all that fun. Why do I mention such mundane details as the size and weights of the boxes, well, it is because I want you to picture something: (cue dreamy side waves) Myself, Grace (who cannot lift the small box nor get her arms around the large one), Creighton in his baby seat and my purse.

How many trips did it take to get to the car? 3

How did we get into the post office? very slowly because I had to get the stroller out, put small box underneath, give Grace my purse, push stroller one handed with big box under other arm while Grace holds onto handle of stroller.

Point being I'm sure we looked like a motley bunch trying to cross the insanly busy post office parking lot.

The first mail award of this deployment goes to Jean and Stan. Neilson received a card from them today. Congratulations Jean and Stan, your fabulous prize is in the mail, yeah, that's the ticket, it's in the mail.

I did hear from Neilson today. He made it to his final destination that I can now say is Mosul. It's in the north. And in biblical times was Ninevah (think Jonah and the Whale). He reports that Mosul is a very dirty, war torn city, the worst he's seen. Their FOB is also very dirty though he did conceed that it is the rainy/muddy season. He also will have spotty internet and phone communications in the short term due to a variety of reasons.