Leave

Don't mess me with me or my daddy.







Well, some you knew that I was going for a few weeks for the last time this month. I am now back in Clarksville, sitting here alone missing everyone. I am glad that I have friends that I can count on to keep each other busy so that I we are able to get our minds off of missing our families.

I had a lot of fun while I was in Sevierville the past two weeks. Unfortunately I had to come home one day early so that I could take a Physical Fitness Test that I knew I would not be able to pass anyway. I cannot run fast enough to save my life.

I got to hang out at the Roaming Gnome a little I was there and see a lot of people that I have not seen in a long time. Got to have a few beers with Johnny I was there. Glad that my brother has a friend like him that he can count on.

I got to spend some time with my daughter, Courtney, while I was there. She is growing so fast. I am worried that I will not be able to pick her up like I do now. She is also starting to act too much like her mom. I know that I love her mom and married, but that does not mean I want my daughter to act like her. I bought that little angel almost everything that she asked for while I was there. I only had 3 nights with her, but every moment was special to me. The last night I had her, she was sitting in my lap and I was telling her I loved her and I missed her. She told me that me loved too and in the middle of telling me she missed me, she passed out. I sat there for several hours just holding her knowing that it could be the last time that it could happen because she not let me do that anymore after I get back.

I started my leave out in Ohio. I left Fort Campbell on Sat and took off to Ohio to see family that I had not seen in over a year. I left Fort Campbell at 1 am and got to my grandmothers house at about 930am. I spent a few short days there and then left for Sevierville with my grandma. She had never seen Courtney and I brought her back so that she could finally see her. I was glad to have her there and see how happy she was to see Courtney. Courtney enjoyed having her around.

I got to talk to Jeremy quite a bit too in those two weeks. He is leaving for another post. He is upset that he will not have cell phone where he is going this time. He is finishing up his training so that he can get to Iraq. He also found out that he will be leaving towards the end of March and not the middle of April like he was originally told. This will put us both leaving very close to the same time seeing that my time was moved from the beginning of March to the middle of March.

I have to start packing today and tomorrow. We are having an inspection to make sure that everyone has everything. I am not looking forward to packing and will probably wait until tomorrow to do it. Had a late night last night and just looking forward to sitting around most of the day today.

I hope that you enjoy the new pix that I put up.

Here is my address after I get to Afghanistan. Do NOT add to it, do not take away from it. This is the exact address that you have to use. If you add my rank or country it will be sent back. They will not let into the country due to security issues.

John Strader

B Co, 101st DSTB

APO AE 09354