All Settled In

Drew has made it safely and is all settled into his new room. He arrived on Thursday and quickly began the cleaning and organizing process. He will share a room with only one roommate. This is a HUGE improvement!! He has been living in one large room with tons of guys so he was more than excited to have his mini-dorm/apartment, not to mention a flushing toilet! He built himself a front porch with things the previous soldiers had given him or that he found. He also set his little room up nicely with a coffee maker and... his own internet! We are sooooo excited that he has internet in his room. We are looking forward to talking and being able to see each other. It makes us feel even more connected. I must say that with Thanksgiving coming up I am very thankful for technology. It has cut the gap between our countries and we feel so close. Today his mom and I were talking to him from the dock at the farm and he was in Iraq. How neat?! I was telling my family today that I feel so lucky and privileged when I can pick up my phone and send my husband an email. I usually have to wait for him to call me but I feel empowered that I can send him a note when I want to. I know, I know, my sister always tells me I am easily amused, but the little things like that are priceless.
Besides getting settled, he has continued with training and working out. They have met up with the team they will be replacing and will spend the next 2-3 weeks transitioning into their role and getting briefed on what they have been doing. I have said this before, but I am proud and honored that my husband's presence in Iraq means that another soldier goes home to his family.
As far as I go, I am doing well and keeping busy. I have been home for a week but I have been all over the place. This week I traveled for business, had margarita night with the girls in Drew's family (cousins and aunts) and went to deer camp this weekend. This coming week I am getting ready to go to Kansas City and come back to Illinois for a wedding. It is great to see everyone and catch up!
Also, I have been given the green light to begin sending mail. Drew continues to say he doesn't need too much because he has everything over there that he can buy. Like I said before, please let me know if you would like to send him something and we can coordinate it. Now that he is there I am sure he will start thinking of things that he would like to have so I will let you know. Drew should be sending me some pictures soon so I will post some of him when I get them. :)