Happy Birthday, Iraq (and me too)!!!

So today, the Iraqi democracy turned one year old, and I turned 29. I didn't hear of any celebrations in Iraq, but I know that I was celebrating for them in my heart today. I've found myself in recent days "plagued" by something akin to homesickness. I've heard that there was a second wave of "culture shock" around six months out, and I think I'm beginning to experience it.

While my roommate's husand has been home on leave, I've been staying with some friends from church who have cable and have caught a couple of episodes of Discovery's "Operation Homecoming." In one, a soldier who had been writing to some school children surprised them when he came home. When he began giving each child a "Saddam" (250 Iraqi dinars in the old Iraqi currency - it had a huge picture of Saddam on it and was the base unit of currency there, like the $1 bill is here), I burst into tears, completely unexpectedly.

I literally spent two hours yesterday going to all of the supermarkets in Laurel looking for pomegranates. I've been craving them because they'd be starting to show up in all the markets in Iraq right now.

But I was ok today. VNB made me leave work early today so that we could go on a picnic. After the picnic, he gave me my birthday present - a print of Van Gogh's "Starry Night," which is my favorite painting. After that, we had some time to kill, so we watched a movie. Then I got all "dolled up" and we saw "The Lion King" (the musical version, not the movie) at a theater in Baltimore.

Not only that, but the Orioles beat the Yankees in extra innings, so it's a good day all around! :)

So happy birthday, Iraq! May many more come to you, and may each be a little safer and more secure!

And happy birthday to me! And thank You to my Other Boyfriend for all the wonderful things He gives to me, especially VNB!