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I'm sorry I didn't post this sooner, but I had to clear this story through our public affairs office and our intelligence cell before making it public knowledge! :)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
-By Captain Marissa Mitchell, US Army, OIF 2007-2008

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and back in my trailer
I felt lonely and cold, like a long adrift sailor.

My roommate was snuggled up close to the heater.
If it turned on again, I swore I would beat her.

Melancholy, I gazed at my tiny, lit tree,
Wishing that I was back home with my family.

When outside, I heard the most terrible roar!
The sirens were blaring and I hit the floor.

“That was too loud for rocket or car bomb,” I said.
“Could it be a mortar the size of my head?”

Moments later, the giant voice sounded: “All Clear!”
Then I wandered outside, and I heard, “Over here!”

Toward the palace I ran, and looked at the porch roof.
Could it be? Hanging over the edge was a hoof!

And dangling beside it, a man all in red.
“It’s a short drop, let go. You can do it!” I said.

He took my advice and he dropped to the ground.
Helping him to his feet, I then turned him around.

“Who are you?” I asked. He looked at me and paused.
“Don’t you recognize me? It is I, Santa Claus!”

I laughed at his story. “The MPs will love you.”
“Don’t believe me?” He asked. “Well, then look up above you!”

I lifted my eyes, and what did I see
But eight furry faces that stared back at me.

“It’s okay, guys,” he called. “It’s safe to come down.”
Then the eight reindeer leaped without making a sound.

Behind them, a sleigh landed softly in dirt.
I gasped and I sputtered, “Is anyone hurt?”

“Not at all,” the man said, and he laughed merrily.
“I got lost, and this palace just crashed into me!”

I sat on a bench there and talked to St. Nick.
He regaled me with tales of his annual trip.

Then I looked at his overstuffed, velvety pack.
“Santa, what did you bring for the folks in Iraq?”

At that he grew quiet and lost in his thought.
“Peace and freedom for all are the gifts that I brought.”

“But the sight of my gifts seemed to fill them with dread.
They yelled ‘Allah Ahkbar!’ and they shot at my sled!"

His shoulders drooped forward, the jolly elf cried.
So I hugged him. “Dear Santa, it’s good that you tried.”

“But peace and freedom can’t come wrapped in a bow.
The people must want them; we can’t wish it so.”

“Someday this country will prosper, just wait,
These people will move past their fear and their hate.”

He nodded; a smile had returned to his face.
“But I can do some good, here in this tired place.”

From his sleigh he withdrew a box wrapped all in red.
“This may be the best gift of all,” Santa said.

He climbed into his sleigh. “You’ve restored my faith!
Merry Christmas, my child, and please keep yourself safe!”

I watched as the reindeer flew into the sky.
“On Dasher, on Dancer…” and I bid them goodbye.

I unwrapped my box with the greatest of care
And I gazed in wonder at the gift hidden there.

The beautiful note inside made my eyes tear.
“I promise you’ll be home for Christmas next year.”

It certainly has been an unusual Christmas for me; this is the first time that I haven't spent the holidays with my family. I really expected to be homesick and sad, but that wasn't the case; in fact, I was pretty joyful. Perhaps it was the anticipation of my R&R (I'm leaving in a week!), or the crazy office decorations, or some of the activities we shared. More than likely, my joy came from the knowledge that, God willing, this will be the one and only time I'm away from home for Christmas, and I'm so blessed to have such wonderful circumstances to return to in less than five months!

Once again, our dining facility went crazy with decorations...

A unique altar

I thought this chapel was really pretty

Styrofoam Frosty won't melt under the lights!

Our Christmas Tree and Santa's chair

Possibly the coolest manger scene ever - it could have been featured on Veggie Tales!

Yes, those are cauliflower trees and carrot shrubs

Look out! It's the Christmas Crocodile!

We had a little Christmas party in the J4 office, complete with gift exchange and funny headgear. Most of my colleagues were wearing the traditional red hats, but my mother had sent me something extra special...

Honestly, the one time I really remember being melancholy was at midnight mass. It was a beautiful Catholic service, complete with readings in a variety of languages to acknowledge the many countries supporting the efforts in Iraq. Of course, we sang Christmas carols, and when we sang "The First Noel", we got to the chorus, and I waited expectantly for the Soprano descant that never came. Old habits die hard, I guess. I'm really spoiled by our wonderful choir at St. Paul's, and missed our midnight mass terribly even though I enjoyed the one here in Baghdad.

So, I'll be home in less than two weeks for fifteen days of vacation that I'd like to think I've earned. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Lots of love,
Marissa

...For yet another post from Paul! I hope all of you back home enjoyed your Christmas holiday; I certainly enjoyed mine.

Last week, I climbed up in the tower on Camp Blackhawk to get a birds' eye view of Baghdad. I wasn't disappointed!

I'm a bit dark, but at least you can see that I was up high!

Undocumented civilians in the International Zone? Where?

The Presidential Palace, with the Doura Oil Refinery smoking in the distance

The roof of Believers' Palace (overtop Saddam's secret bunker complex), damaged by bombs during the invasion in 2003

The Monument to the Unknown Soldier, with an unfinished mosque in the background

I truly enjoyed Christmas here in Iraq - the servicemembers were certainly lavish with their decorations!

I chatted with a variety of people, many of them strangers. I met a rather strange fellow who insisted on carolling the entire day. I have to admit, his voice did irritate me after the second repetition.

Dear Friends, this is my last post in country, as I will be leaving Baghdad in one week. I look forward to seeing you again soon, and I will especially enjoy a respite from my adventures until the next one comes along!

Sincerely yours,
Paul

Well, I figured this day was as good as any to end my months long moratorium on blogging. So, in honor of my wife and our first year apart (together), I raise my glass, (in this case a bottle of Mountain Dew), and wish my wife a Happy 1st Anniversary.

I remember first counting the passage of time in our relationship in terms of weeks after we started dating..then eventually months....then our Wedding restarted the clock last year and we counted the days, then the weeks and the months all over again. Fiery Demons of the Underworld (No, not my mother-in-law) were raised when I forgot the 31 week anniversary date!! Ok...it wasn't that bad, I guess.

All in all, I'd say our first year has been very blessed. Not having my wife home has allowed me to claim my domain in our new house. I can stay up late as much as I want....eat anything I want.....I have complete control over the TV....sometimes I even leave dirty dishes in the sink! It has truly been a blessing to have one more year of Freedom!

Although I'm sure my wife is plotting and scheming to supplant me from my stubborn way of life once she returns, I currently remain happy in my delusional fantasy that at least for this one year, I've been King of the Castle.

Perhaps deployment isn't a bad thing after all. Hmmmmm...they're already asking for volunteers to stay over in Iraq longer.....and I'm really starting to like the sound of Major Marissa Mitchell. Yes....it has a much nicer ring than Captain Mitchell, I think.

Alright honey....all joking aside, I'm ready for you to come home and just be Princess "Cupcake" Mitchell and start bossing me around. (yeah, right).

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

By the way, Patti.....I was just kidding about that Demon of the Underworld comment.


......Honest!

ETA: Oh! ...and Happy Anniversary to my wonderful In-Laws, Dan & Patti, who Marissa and I have the honor of sharing this perfect date with.

One year ago today, I married my best friend, my soulmate, and the love of my life. And although we've spent the vast majority of this year apart, I welcome our anniversary with the joy and satisfaction that I would feel if we'd been together. It has not been the easiest year for either Mike or me, and we've dealt with more than our fair share of challenges. But isn't that how it's supposed to be? Too often, young people view marriage as the happy ending to a story, when in reality, it's the beginning of a long, unpredictable journey. And frankly, there's nobody else with whom I'd rather travel this road than my wonderful husband, Mike.

So I raise my glass (err...water bottle) to marriage, which is so much more than I ever thought it would be, and to the future, which looks incredibly bright at this very moment.

I love you, Mike. Happy Anniversary.

I'd like to wish a very Happy Birthday to my little brother, who is turning 25 today. I'm taking this opportunity as an excuse to embarass the heck out of him by reminiscing about his childhood. I remember:

- Ryan wandering around the house singing the Beach Boys' "Kokomo", because it was his favorite song for about a year after it was released

- Ryan's affinity for constructing fully functional toys out of the cardboard backs of my mother's notebooks

- Ryan wowing the audience at his first piano recital with his rendition of "Fur Elise", which was absolutely amazing

- Ryan successfully getting me into trouble for every one of his clever misdeeds

- And many, many more that I will have to save for future birthdays

So, here's to my baby brother. I love you tons and I hope that your 25th year is filled with all of the happiness you so richly deserve!

So handsome! Doesn't he resemble his sister?

Well, December has been quite exciting for me thus far. It all began with a trip to Camp Victory here in Baghdad for some internal management training. I focused intensely on the course and was pleased with all I learned.

The model student

The class was taught by Peggy Johnson, who works for the Secretary of Defense. A bright, cheery woman, she kept the class entertained with catch slogans and a myriad of group exercises.

With Peggy

The food was wonderful at Camp Victory as well. The large dining facility offered a variety of choices that we don't get here at Phoenix Base, and we were offered a steady stream of snacks throughout the day.

I do enjoy Pop-Tarts from time to time

What I enjoyed most was the scenery. Our living conditions were more than comfortable, as we were staying in a an honest-to-goodness palace. I spent much of my free time enjoying the plush couches that once belonged to Uday and Qusay Hussein.

The foyer area was decorated for Christmas, and I enjoyed the lovely tree and the inflatable Sergeant Santa!

With one of my US Navy colleagues

During an extended dinner break, I was able to visit Al Faw palace, right down the lake from where we were staying.

Enjoying the scenery

I went with a few of my teammates and we marvelled at the ornate entryway.

Marissa posted quite a few pictures of the interior, so I won't bore you with duplicates. However, I did get to sit upon one of Saddam's thrones.

Don't I look regal with my sailor servants?

Roughly translated, the plaque says "He who sits in this chair rules all of Mesopotamia"

I also got a picture with Marissa on the large spiral staircase.

We spent our last evening at Camp Victory enjoying the lake. I took a much needed bath...

This beautiful marble sink is a remnant of a destroyed bathroom facility

...and visited with a few of the local residents.

Upon my return to the International Zone, I was invited to participate in a Hannukah service with our new Australian officer, Major Leonard. After assuring my colleagues that I was indeed kosher, I even participated in the lighting of the menorah!

I love experiencing the traditions of others!

All in all, the first half of this month has been wonderful, and I am anxiously awaiting Christmas and my impending redeployment, now less than four weeks away!

Until next time,
Paul

December has been exciting and the month isn't even half finished! I'm in a terrific mood; it could be the fact that I'll be home on leave in less than a month, or that we've completed 7.5 months of our deployment, or that the weather is fabulous. Regardless, I'm not complaining!

Last week, I attended a two-day training conference at Camp Victory here in Baghdad. By pure luck, I was able to stay in the Joint Visitors' Bureau Hotel, which usually houses general officers and their equivalents who visit. It was originally a hunting lodge for Uday and Qusay Hussein and their friends, and is one of the few palaces that was never looted, so much of the furniture is original. It was about as posh as Iraq gets. I'm only including a few pictures of the palace, as Paul the Pig will be writing in the near future and I don't want to completely steal his thunder.

The ceiling in my palatial guest room

I thought this exterior wall was lovely

The JVB was also the site of our actual conference, and overlooks the lake on Camp Victory, to include Al Faw palace, our Corps Headquarters. I was a regular tourist whenever we weren't in class.

This pond was almost peaceful

Another palace on the lake; I'm unsure of its use

The morning sky

Al Faw Palace

My favorite picture - morning at Al Faw

On the last afternoon of the trip, a few colleagues and I ventured inside the Al Faw palace. It was absolutely breathtaking. Built by Saddam Hussein to commemorate the Iraqis' victory over the Persians on the Al Faw peninsula, this palace is one of the best examples of the former dictator's spending habits.

Looking down from the second floor

A third floor view of the chandelier

Marble columns flank the centerpiece

This long, slender chandelier dangles down all three floors of the spiral staircase

When I returned from training, I had an assortment of care packages from family and friends. The first one that I opened was from my wonderful mother-in-law, sent me the most beautiful table-top Christmas tree, complete with decorations and stocking kits. SSG Taber and I had a lot of fun decorating our corner of the office. We're even entering it in a post-wide contest!

Our little tree is perfect, tinsel and all

We're very festive!

The final boxes that I opened were from my mother and the Boyers. My mother and mother-in-law are perfect examples of the phrase "great minds think alike" - they both sent the same tree, but with different decorations! Ben and Suzi sent me a handmade "Countdown to Homecoming" counter, magnetic numbers and all. Adding some ACU-patterned stockings that I found, my roommate and I set up a little Christmas area in our humble home.

Santa visited early!

Even our latrine caught the Christmas spirit

And finally, this morning started with a bang - literally. Just after the Iraqi Ministry of Defense (MoD) released a radio statement declaring that they were in control of the security situation here, a series of rockets hit the Green Zone and the Doura oil refinery. Eight hours later, the giant smoke plume continues to be visible.

No explanation needed

So, in the next two weeks or so, I'll be celebrating my one-year wedding anniversary and Christmas in my home away from home, with fifteen days of leave twinkling on the horizon. Here's to the final days of 2007!

Hello, friends!

I just returned from a thrilling trip to Mosul, located in northern Iraq. I accompanied SFC Leigh and CPT Mackie with the purpose of closing a contracted warehouse, thus saving the government money. What a wonderful reason to travel!

With the warehouse employees

My companions were truly a blessing. SFC Leigh, hailing from Long Beach, California, works with CPT Mitchell in basing and life support. It was his responsibility to ensure that the transfer of property was complete and that all paperwork was signed. Incidentally, SFC Leigh also carried me occasionally when I had difficulty keeping up Short legs are certainly a disadvantage when working with the military!

With SFC Leigh

CPT Mackie, from Newport News, Virginia, is an Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) member who has served with CPT Mitchell since their mobilization in January. He was stationed in Mosul earlier in the war and was anxious to see if much had changed.

Enjoying some shade..

As it turned out, very little had. I was grateful to have someone familiar with the area in my team; many of these bases have unusual layouts.

A cleared ammunition bunker

In addition to some rousing games of ping pong, CPT Mackie showed us a few local landmarks.

This monastery is centuries old

The tombstone of an Iraqi Air Force officer, killed in action just after the Ba'ath Party took power

I assisted my friends with the final paperwork, resulting in the closure of a multi-million dollar contract.

"Don't forget the scanned copy!"

I enjoyed my trip immensely, but am happy to be back in the IZ where I belong, at least for now. As usual, thanks for reading and I'll see you all very soon!

Until next time,
Paul