What are you doing in October?

This week I turned in my travel request for my first R&R and got approved almost immediately!!!
I was fairly confident there wouldn't be any issues with getting approved, but it still feels great to have it official. Now I'm waiting on Kathy to get approved (she turned hers in today) and then I can buy my ticket. For those of you who don't know, I plan to leave Kuwait on October 1st at 11:45 p.m., arriving in Kansas City on October 2nd at 10:24 a.m. Ah, the wonders of jumping time zones. Why Kansas City you ask? Well, I plan to do a lot of visiting and driving, so I wanted immediate access to my car. I've managed to convince Kyle to drive up to Kansas City, pick Kathy and I up, and head to Columbia, where I will say quick hello's to family there, and head on to St. Louis. I will be spending the bulk of those first two weeks in St. Louis, doing bridesmaid duties for my friend Jenna. Kathy and I have decided to use our accrued vacation time (a whole 4 days!!!) to extend the visit, and I don't plan to leave until October 22, from St. Louis, in the afternoon. What does this mean for you readers? Well, I'm sure Mom has gotten with you and informed you of an early Thanksgiving the weekend of the 17-19, and I think even Juli and Elise are driving up for that. So I know I will get to see you then. But if you catch me early enough, I would love to set up other hang out times. Emily and Noah already get a day from me, but that's easy, as they are in St. Louis. And I realize this might turn into a schedule-a-thon, which I don't want b/c who can have fun when obsessing over what appointment I have next? I guess what I am trying to say is that if there is something you really want me to do with you, let me know, and we'll work it out.
I'm so excited to be getting this ball rolling. The main scheduling I'm doing is planning out what delicious food I'm going to eat. I'm not kidding here folks. I think my first meal will be in Columbia at Chipotle, while I wait for the optimum number of loved ones to be home so I can say my much-anticipated hellos at once. I plan to eat Blackthorn pizza that Friday night in St. Louis, and work in some Jimmy Johns for lunch one of those days. This is only a hint of the planning I'm doing. I've missed great food so badly, I dream about it. So take a moment the next time you eat some delicious chokes and cheese from Flatbranch, or a chalupa from Taco Bell, or anything Ben and Jerry's related, and be grateful that your best meal of the day doesn't involve oatmeal with flavorless watermelon on the side.

Now, after I buy my ticket, the hardest part is yet to come: getting off of Speicher. It is notoriously hard due to weather and other circumstances; therefore, people start trying to get out as many as 5 days before their flight is scheduled to leave in Kuwait. So, when the time draws near, pray for me and an issue-less departure from base. Don't worry, I'll remind you.