Been a While

I am sorry that I have not posted in quite some time. I have been busy and tired. By the time I get back from work, I go straight to bed. Most days I do not east dinner because I am too tired.

Some of you know that I have made some tough decisions recently and it has my mind preoccupied. I have not been able to think of anything to write on here for some time. I have gotten some great support from family and friends regarding some things I am having to do with situations at home. I have also found a tremendous amount of happiness recently that I can't wait to share with everyone when the time is right. Some already know the cause of my joy and happiness, the rest will have to wait until later.

It is now about three months until I get on the plan home to see all that matter to me. I will be on a plane headed to wonderful East Tennessee to see my precious angel Courtney and to explain and show you all my new reasons to be happy. Sorry for the secrecy here, but there are several reason that I have to be like this. If you want to know, just ask me. You know my email address. Or just leave a comment and I will tell you. See what I am doing. I am trying to find out who is curious and trying to get more comments on here.

Life here is not that bad right now. Most of you saw on the news where there was well planned prison escape. That was a few hours south of me, but it is still causing me extra work. There have been a lot of attacks on the US and Coalition forces here since then. Plus they are going out and looking for these guys to put them back where they belong or help them find Allah.

My mom asked me to put some pictures up on here of Afghanistan, but I have not been anywhere, and there is not much going on here to put up. I was going put up a video on here, but I decided to wait until I buy a video camera and then do it.

Other than the normal stuff, it is all the same here for me. Work, sleep, eat and do it again. Mom also asked me to do a continuation of the small things in the life, but I have not had time to think it all out. I plan on doing it again some time soon.

Jeremy put up a post about our dad that had me crying like a baby. I could not have done it any better. I was FAR from the perfect son. Getting caught with girls at the house when they were gone, smoking....uh....well......cigarettes, yeah, cigarettes and doing other things I was not supposed to do. But you know what, dad was there to put me in the right direction. We both owe dad a lot. Jeremy talked about the car starting for the first time, well he did that for me too, only mine was a 1969 Chevelle Supersport. We started it with straight headers and it was the loudest thing I had ever heard. I almost peed my pants I was so excited. There are some things you will never forget about your parents, not to mention the ass whoopins to keep us in line. We hated them then, but respect them now. Trust me, Courtney gets hers when she deserves it. I can ever remember practicing baseball in the front yard on Howey Bottoms and dad would be pitching and we would miss and DAD would hit the truck. Of course he would move it after he hit it. I can't tell you how many times me and Jeremy hit the truck when he was not around. There were a lot of things we kept from them and over the years we have admitted too. Like me shooting Jeremy in the head with a BB gun. Dad has really been there for us and we will never forget it.

I got some letters in the mail yesterday, three actually. All three from complete strangers. One from some one that got the address from the blog. They did a search fro Bagram living conditions and found the blog. She is Air Force and will be here in November. She is going through the tough times of realizing she will be away from her two kids and husband. Say a prayer for Rebeccah that she will remain strong.

I have also gotten two boxes from complete strangers. I cannot thank them enough. They got the address from www.anysoldier.com. Jeremy and I both are on there and cannot thank everyone enough for the love and support. The sad part is that the one that is supposed to love me has not sent a thing. You all know who she is.

I am going to get off here and try to catch some sleep for work. I will work a longer one this week and work on "The Small Things In Life" by mom's request. I have some thoughts for it.

Until next time.......

SGT Strader, John
Afghanistan

REMEMBER: Do what you always did, and get what you always got!! (thanks Mom)

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