Update

Update

I have been so caught up with my things that I forgot to celebrate an important Anyversary for me.

March 19 2004 marks the date when I returned home from my Operation Iraqi Freedom Deployment. These are some dates:

January 11, 2003 Got Activation Orders
January 19, 2003 Left Florida for Ft. Stewart GA
March 11, 2003 Flew out of the United States to the big Sand Box.
May 8, 2003 Landed in Baghdad International aboard a C-130
June 2, 2003 First time I was shot at..and first time I fired my weapon.
July 4, 2003 First time I see a US casualty.
August 31, 2003 First IED to hit my Hummvee
September 11, 2003 After getting hit by 3 IEDs in a week, the Captain gives my 6-man section R&R (Rest and recreation) in AL Assad Air base.
October 30, 2003. Our Unit gets attached to the 1st Infantry Division to do raids in the outskirts of Fallujah. We took no casualties.
December 10, 2003 Got 15 days of leave. I go home, see my family, took Martha to NYC
December 25, 2003 Flew back to Iraq on Christmas day.
February 28, 2004 Handed our sector to the 82nd Airborne who in turn gave it to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines.
March 1st, 2004 Drove from Ramadi, Anbar providence to Camp Victory Kuwait, 35 mph all the way across the desert.
March 11, 2004 Flew out of Kuwait to Frankfurt Germany, found out about the attacks in Madrid at the Airport. Got stucked there for 8 hours. Later landed at JFK international and I saw the big city, My face hurt for smiling so much.
March 13, 2004 Started the process of de-Activation.
March 19, 2004 Drove back to Florida, arrived at the Miami Armory where a band was playing, the Fire Department showered our buses and what it seemed like the whole Miami-Dade police department escorted us all the way there. I saw my Mother who was crying and my wife who was smiling. broadly.

2 years later. One six month old baby, one more semester to graduate. I love you Martha for being there for me. Mom thanks for your faith. To all my friends thanks for writing me. You kept me going. I never had any doubts that I would come back. Thank you Carola, Thank you all who prayed for me.

This is the past. It is gone, it happened, it is a memory. I am concerned with the future, my goals, my Dreams.

The thing is, I still have more dreams than memories. I dream that one day my Son will tell me that I am a good Dad. I dream that Anthony will not go through the hardships that I have gone through. My Dad comes from a humble place, but he worked hard for my sister and I. Anthony has many more opportunities than Dad and I combined. I hope that I can be enough inspiration for him. I want him to grow up out of trouble, I hope and dream of a Son who will be better than me, smarter, happier, richer and better looking.

Enough rambling. I have to go now.

J.V