As the golden sun was setting down upon the desert mountains last night, I laid beneath the stars and thought of you. I have been hearing from you less often than when first we began writing and I wonder how chaotic it must be over there. The bombing makes it's way to the news here in America. My heart sinks when they announce that we've lost more troops in Baghdad. My sweet daughter has a young friend who is entering the army and will be deployed to Iraq shortly thereafter. I know this boy like a son. For a poetess such as myself, the images that come to mind cannot be laid to paper. The rush of emotions that I feel cannot fall from my pen like so many others never fail to do. The mere thought of never meeting you in person or of never seeing young Luke again puts my heart in a place with so many other family members and friends of the troops in Iraq. When I was a child I wore an MIA bracelet inscribed with the name of a school mates brother. He never did come home from Vietnam. I'm sure that she and her mother did finally quit crying, but that image still rests upon my heart. I have been keeping busy here renovating this old house for my aged step father. It is cooling down here so I don't tire as easily as I was. I haven't been able to spend as much time in O.C. with my family as I would like but things will calm down soon and I will be able to make that time available. Time seems to be speeding by me and I hope it continues to do so until you return home. I wonder if you have received any of the letters that I've sent to you. My prayers are with you and all of our troops. Take care and kick butt....