Bike riding in January!

The boys in spring jackets on their bikes. It was a beautiful January day!
Waiting to cross the street

This is the view I usually have...Mylique WAY ahead and Zayvion slightly ahead of me. They are both very good about stopping at the end of the sidewalk to wait for me...and thankfully Chapman's streets are usually dead:)

Raggs Live

Mylique enjoying the show
Zayvion also got into the show after spending half of it with his hands over his ears

Raggs is an all dog band...very cute show with lots of action and music...right up the boys' alley!

M's birthday still continued...

He's 6!!
New glow in the dark shirt from Aunt Janelle and Uncle Justin...super cool!

M's birthday continued...

Card and money from Grammy and Popo Miner...he was super excited:)
Can you tell how excited he was to get pants for his birthday? He really needed them!

Opening his other gift from mom, dad, and Zayvion...with Z helping:)

He has played with this toy more than any other toy he owns! Guess he liked it

Blowing out the candle on his birthday cupcake

M's 6th birthday

Cupcakes for his friends at school
Stuffing gift bags for his school friends

Happy 6th birthday M! It's hard to believe that we have a 6 year old!

Gift from Mimi and Papa...Z really wanted to open them too!

From Mimi and Papa

Mimi's visit

Poor Mimi! This is how it was the whole time she was here...2 boys and at least one dog on her lap (the other dog was on the floor...wanting to be in her lap!) We were so happy to have Mimi here for a few days! She helped us celebrate Mylique's birthday and gave me a few moments of sanity:)

Haircuts

Mylique sporting his new doo
After months of letting their hair grow the boys got a buzz! This is the first time Zayvion didn't cry and he was very proud of himself! He's getting to be such a big boy:)

Pics for Mark

Daisy in a basket...she tolerated this for about 10 mins!
M pushing Z and Daisy around the house...good solid entertainment for cheap:)

The pets on Mark's side of the bed...you are going to have to fight them off when you get home!

Z with his tractor and every hook-up allowed! He loves these toys!

Deployed again

"Deployed again, deployed again, jiggity jog..." wait, that's not right. "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Iraq we'll go. We'll laugh and play the live long day..." no that's not right either.

Well, this may be pretty delayed, but I'm finally in Iraq and fully immersed in my job as the Brigade Engineer. This is normally a major's job, but as it turns out the engineers organic to our Brigade aren't doing a whole lot of engineering. So what do I do without the need to manage engineer tasks? I'm busy coordinating the closure of the bases that our Brigade is currently occupying. So far our progress puts us on a good glide path to meet the President's promise of no "combat troops" in Iraq by September of 2010.

The job comes with a number of frustrations, but by and by it's a rewarding job seeing us slowly reduce our presence in the country. My biggest frustration is dealing with one individual, who I like to refer as "The Rock Star" because he's the one person in Iraq (an Iraqi himself) who can sign for a US occupied base for the Government of Iraq. This being the case, whatever "The Rock Star" wants, he gets. So we're often scrambling at the last second to cater to a man that apparently has little regard for planing or what it takes to make what he wants happen. We hope that as we close more bases the tasks common to every closure become routine so it's only a matter of reacting to "The Rock Star's" demands.

So far my quality of life is pretty good. I live in what is called a CHU (containerized housing unit) that can often be confused with a 20 ft semi truck trailer (minus the wheels). It has one window, three beds and a nightstand and bureau for each bed. Right now there isn't anyone else living with me due to the fact that the FOB has a good deal less personnel than it did just a year ago...or maybe I'm just too good looking, who can say? The first few days were rather lonely before I got Internet put into my room and was able to make contact with Heather and the boys. The down side to my CHU is that it's about a 15 minute walk from work and a 20 minute walk from the DFAC (dining facility). I added it all up and I spend about an hour and a half just walking on a daily basis. I wouldn't mind so much if I didn't have so little free time (the reason it's taken so long to finally write!). All in all it comes out to about a 14 hour work day, six days a week and 8 hours on Sunday.

To help me manage my sanity from working long hours I've been sucked into the Brigade's "Captain's Mafia." here are eight of us that eat lunch and dinner together. My nickname in the group is "New Guy," which I have no doubt will follow me through the remainder of the deployment, but they've been very friendly and conversation often provides a good source of entertainment.

I've been lucky enough to be able to talk to Heather over Skype every night since I got Internet. It just so happens that my evening call coincides with the boys' "nap time." Whether or not they're taking a nap is another story, but at least Heather can escape for a little while to chat. I'm sure I don't need to write about Heather and the boys seeing as how she is (and always will be) better at updating friends and family.
Well, I think that's all I have for now, I'm sure there will be plenty of funnier stories to tell as the deployment progresses!

Love, Mark

Pictures: I was at a place called Mahmoon Palace (Brad, you may have checked this place out the first time you were in Iraq). It's near Tikrit and was one of Saddam's Palaces.

An Iraqi toilet...how that constitutes a toilet, I'm not sure, but I know for certain I'd rather do my business over a hole in the ground at Kings canyon National Park than pop a squat in there.

Part 1 of 2, Notice the Republican Guard in all their glory, shooting off RPGs, Rockets and SCUD missiles.

Part 2 of 2, the other end of the spectrum for military forces. Whether they actually DID those things is another story.

The palace itself. The second story balcony was used to view passing troops during parades.

Jean and Jo's Visit

We had visitors over Martin Luther King weekend! Jean and Jo (teachers from Lincoln, NE) came to visit us for a few days and it was so nice to have a few extra hands to help! The boys got to see a movie in the theatre (The Princess and the Frog) while they were here (something I wouldn't dare do by myself right now!) and they are still talking about it! The boys heard a lot of the same preschool teacher verbage all weekend...we all think alike:) We are very lucky to have friends who care about us and our boys! Thanks for visiting!!!

One month

The boys have officially been with us for one month today! So much has happened in this month: Mylique started a new school, we had our first Christmas as a family, and we said good-bye to Daddy for a few months. We have all been learning how to live together as a family and the boys have been challenging at times. The boys have started to refer to me as mom and Mark as dad but still occasionally use our names. Each day brings joy and some frustration but thankfully each new day is better than the last!

Kids and pets

Zoburt making sure the boys are staying in line!
Daisy loves to watch the cars go around and around!

Zoburts favorite place to be is with the family:)

Daisy is tolerating a lot of love from her new buddy! I am surprised she lets him do as much as he does!

Weathers finally warm!

Mylique LOVES to shovel!
Zayvion with his motorcycle

Check out your snowman, Mark! I'm pretty sure it will be here until Spring!

Z in the snow

After 5 days of being trapped in the house due to the extreme cold we were able to go outside today! We played for an hour or so and it was wonderful! Although apparently we needed more time because they are still wound up!

Zoburt catching snowballs!

A little video of Zoburt catching snowballs on a snowy day! He loves playing catch with balls but I was surprised to see him catch snowballs! It is a little wild because I was trying to throw to him and tape but you can see him jumping to catch balls! Mostly put this up for Mark...enjoy honey!

Snow day fun

Boys in a tent
A pretty full tent!

They had fun in here for a few mins but decided they needed every toy they own in there as well and it got croweded very quickly!

More shower gifts!

We received 2 Angel Ranch sweatshirts, farm machinery, Hermie dolls, and DVD's from Mike and Saundy Anderson. The boys love it all! Thank you!

We also received a montetary gift from John and Gael James that we used to help furnish the boys bathroom. Thanks John and Gael!

Mark's Iraq Address

Just found out that the address we gave out in Christmas cards is incorrect (it was correct as far as we knew...but the Army changed it's mind). It is now:

CPT Mark Haseman
S3 Section, HHC, 4IBCT, 1ID
COB Speicher APO AE 09393

He is doing okay. He is living alone in a 3 bed place but is a little lonely. He is taking over for a Major and has a lot of work ahead of him but I know he can do it!

Z's new room

Zayvion by his new dresser
We got rid of the crib and rearranged a bit

Super cute jungle stickers and the changing table has been converted to a bookcase and toy storage

Grammy's Visit

Grammy came to visit for a few days and we all loved seeing her! It was great having an extra hand around for a few days and the boys always love seeing their grandparents! She also made them these super cute hats...Mylique loves his and wore it everyday she was here!