Army Sailor -- War in the Sandbox...
The Adventures of a Sailor in Afghanistan...

I am still feeling a bit anxious about my impending departure, but I have decided it is best not to think about it and to use my time constructively... So I decided to post some of the SCUBA shots I took on our vacation to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately the only underwater camera equipment we had was some cheap disposables from the resort we were staying at. The film speed was crappy, so the pictures did not turn out as well as I had hoped... These are the pictures I managed to salvage...

Yasmeen & I about 25ft down

Yasmeen swimming

She found a sea urchin...

Yasmeen gives me the 'Thumbs-Up' to indicate she is ok...

Me swimming...

We also went sailing on a catamaran the resort had available to it's guests. It was a nice opportunity for Yasmeen and I to spend some tranquil time alone together, and a great chance for me to practice my sailing skills.

Yasmeen chillin' in the sun

Keeping a steady tiller, to keep us on course...

I have less than 36 hours left, and I have to admit I am dreading the thought of having to leave family, friends and the woman I love yet again... It's very hard. But I was not expecting it to be this hard, nor was I expecting the pain of leaving to set in so quickly.

I know that once I get back in country and I am once again with guys in uniform, and eventually with my team again I will feel ok, but for now my heart is heavy with the grief of knowing that my departure is approaching way faster than I'd like.

As much as I love the Navy, I hate this feeling of leaving all the time. And I don't want to go through it any more. I am ready to settle down and start a real life for myself... I can't wait.

Today is the birthday of my beloved neice, Ashley. Yasmeen and I took her and her boyfriend to dinner to celebrate. It was very nice. Ashley is a Culinary Arts Major who recently graduated from Penn State, so I thought it seemed like an appropriate gift that we take her out to a fine dining establishment in Philadelphia. I am just very glad that I had the chance to be home in time to celebrate her birthday. I have missed too many others.

Ashley & 'Brother Love'

They were both obviously pleased with the dinner...

One of my priorities while I was home on leave was to visit the caribbean and do some SCUBA Diving. I was fortunate enough to be able to pull that off for my first six days at home. It was fantastic. Warm sun, tropical breezes, cold drinks, and miles of beautiful beaches.

My original intention was to go to a Sandals Resort in St. Lucia, but they were boooked solid for the whole month, so I went with my second choice, Puerto Rico. And I could not be happpier that I did. We had an absolutely fantastic time. Most importantly, I got some great downtime and the chance to truly relax.

So I figured I'd share some pictures. Sadly, most of the SCUBA pictures did not come out very well. If I can manage to make them worth seeing, I will post them later.

Chillin' on the Beach

One of the Resort's Pools

Yasmeen & I at the top of a Sea Cliff

Down by the sea...

It was nice to smile again. I had forgotten what that was like.

I had the chance to do some exploring.

This was the view from our private balcony. It does not get much better than that.

We saw a sinking boat

By the Harbor with the Sinking Boat (Guanica, Puerto Rico)

Yasmeen & I. She Looks gorgeous, and I look like a goon.

We found an abandoned old lighthouse

This is our building, our room is the one with the towels...

It was hard to leave, but we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise as we drove back to San Juan.

Well it's official, I made it home for my 2 weeks of R&R leave, and my deployment is more than half complete. I could not be happier about either fact. It's all down hill from here. I am so damn happy to be home I can't express it. We went to Guanica, Puerto Rico to relax and do some SCUBA diving. I'll post photos later, but for now, I am enjoying my leave, and dreading my return to Afghanistan.