Long, FUN Ride

Well, I am still in the states and should have been back in AfCRAPistan a long time ago. I am not sure how much you have heard, but get ready for a long post. I am at Fort Campbell pulling CQ (Charge of Quarters) in the barracks from 6pm to 7am. This means I am sitting in a room watching for stupid soldiers to do stupid things and make sure no one comes in that does not belong.

Well, lets start in the beginning. I got home on Thursday, 25Sep. I came in the wrong gate so no one saw me coming. I walked up behind mom, dad, Tessa and Courtney and they were not ready with the banner and me not ready with the camera. I really enjoyed it. Then came the part where I had to decide who to hug first. I grabbed Courtney and squeezed her tight. Then came the time to grab Tessa up and finally tell her to her face that I love her!!

Well, that was Thursday and on Saturday, 27 Sep I proposed to Tessa at Cherokee Grill in Gatlinburg and she said yes. That was a huge moment in my life to love someone so much and the love to be returned. I think my dad even had a tear in his eye when it all went down. I called Jeremy right before I left the house (oh and I spent all day running and setting things up while mom, Tessa and Courtney went and got nails done and such). I called him in Iraq not knowing that he was about get on a plane to come home and see us and I asked him if I should do it before or after I ate. He told me before and of course I would not listen to him. He said I would not be able to eat and he was RIGHT!! After we ate, I went to the bathroom to try and clear my head. On my way back, I passed Tessa and knew how to pull it off. She came and I made her pose with me for some pictures and then I did it. I was the most exciting moment in my life up to that point.

The surprises did not stop there. Jeremy called Cherokee Grill and made arrangements to pay the bill from IRAQ!! The manager even wrote us a nice letter congratulating us and thanking Jeremy and me. It was one of the nicest things a complete stranger has ever done for me.

We spent the next two nights in a cabin that Fern Chase was awesome enough to help me out with. I really owe her for that one!!

The weekend was one that will never be forgotten for a lot of us. It will always remain cherished in my heart.

The next week we went to Ohio to see the family with Courtney in tow. It was her first trip to Ohio and she had a great time (could have been better if her mom was not such a pain and tried to ruin it for all of us). EVERYONE loved Tessa. My cousins really liked her, to include JD flirting and being a Schramm. Gina and Bryan spent Sunday at the zoo with us with Isaiah. It was a real blast. My grandma really liked her too. Lets just say I never thought I would have a farting contest in her living room and her laugh so hard. I kept hearing all weekend how they really liked her and it was so obvious how happy I am. They have no idea.

We came home and spent every moment together going and doing things neither one of us had ever done. That list is endless and will be another post some day.

She was even by my side the night I got to go to the hospital. Thats right, I made that wonderful trip to the hospital. I was setting the dinner table and fell off a ledge at Jeremy's house and MAJORLY sprained/fractured my foot. So here I sit at Fort Campbell doing physical therapy and waiting to go back to Afganistan in November. In the mean time, Tessa and I are spending a lot of time together when we can. She has drove here several times and I home several times.

I know that I talked about her in previous posts and talk about how great she is and how much I love her, but I never knew it would be so great when we finally saw each other and told each other face to face how we felt and it kept growing stronger and stronger and getting better and better. I never knew it was possible to be this happy. I never want it to end, and it never will. Just to give you an idea of how crazy I went and I am about her, I bought her a new car the week after we got engaged. Of course she had to put a HUGE BAMA sticker in the back window.

I have had a great time while I have been here. This has been awesome and I wish I did not have to go back.

Life is finally going great for me and it looks like it is going to be great for Jeremy too. I hope he gets to be as happy as I am right now!!

He also mentioned the elections a few times. I hope that everyone has caught on to what he is saying and that we put the right person in the White House this time. He is right about the experience. You really need to keep that in mind. Make sure that you do your homework and really think about what you are doing on election day.

I got to spend a little time with Courtney. It was great to have the time that I did. Unfortunately, someone, you know who, has made it difficult for me to see her and did not keep the promises that she made. Oh well. I guess that her turn will come one day. There is nothing that can take away the happiness that I have in my life.

Once again, God has answered my prayers and made me a happy person beyond belief.

There is not much else to talk about really unless you want to read on forever about Tessa and me. There are HUNDREDS of pictures I could post on here, but I do not have the time. You can see a lot on my myspace page if you want to see more.

I want to thank everyone for the support that everyone has shown us. It was great to have all the special times with my family and it was AWESOME to have my brother home at the same time. We shared a few "war stories" over a cold one and had some great times.

You need to be ready to come to a wedding in June or July next year. I will tell you that it will be unlike any one that you have ever seen.

Until next time.........