Burnin day's, good and bad

Wow, the more places I get to see the more I get a bigger picture of Iraq. I just completed another mission to a site that has an interesting story behind it. I am getting to do so much stuff with these mission's that most of us aren't getting to do, I love it! Our guys are doing yet another mission, this one involves going outside the wire on a regular basis, which around here brings all the ramifications that Baghdad brings... Charlie Daniels band came here the other day and preformed an awsome concert. I got to get my picture taken with him during his meet and greet and he gave a handful of us a small preformance. It was just us guys and him sitting on a chair with a guitar, strummin out a few songs and chattin it up with us. He's an awsome supporter of the military and it was appreciated by us all to hear it in person from someone like him. A lot of celebrities and public figures say they support us and our mission over here, but not a lot have put their money where their mouth is and came over here. It really makes it worth the crap we have to put up with on a daily basis to get a chance to see some entertainment, especially from great preformers.
Some days are harder than the other, it rained again the other day and the whole camp turns into a sloppy muddy mess. Everywhere you walk you have to trudge through thick mud 6 to 8 inches deep, go the long way around to place's to avoid small "lakes" and then at the end of the day you have to take those mud caked boots off before you go into your living area. But not everyone does, so you have mud tracked down the halls, into your room, and in the bathroom (if you have running water at the time...) You also cherish the moments when you have to take a piss or #2 at night or right when you wake up and have to slide into crusty hard boots just to trudge (hoping you don't stumble in the dark and fall into the lovely mud) to a rancid smelling shitter (porta john) with all the imagery that comes with that, and have that single ply TP waiting for ya (thanks MOM and Rach for the Charmin! So that gives you all back home a tiny picture of some of the things that grind on you.
I tell you all alot, and I'm going to keep saying it, that I love the packages, letters, and photo's. It keeps me in touch with home which seems so far away and almost hard to remember how easy and fun life is back there. I mentioned a few things for you guy's to send and I got tremendous support. Most of you all know that there is a PX here that I can buy pretty much anything I could use or need over here as far as food stuff and personal hygiene (except the Charmin) and have just ask for DVD's and CD's. I won't list any on here because everybody will go out and get the same one and I'll have 10 dvd's of one thing, so just shoot me an email and I'll give you a few titles to work with. Also I am still working on that iPod, and a lot of family has helped out, but I'm not quite there, if you want to help out that way I would really like to have some portable music to listen to, talk to my mom or Rachael if you want to help and they will take care of the details. I'm gonna try and just post my thoughts so you guys have some more stuff to read, I have been kinda busy and negelected my blog, so I apoligize to all you wondering what I've been up to...look forward to more soon!
I love you all!