USA!

Hi, from Christiansburg, Virginia, close to Blacksburg and Virginia Tech! I touched down in DC yesterday after a long but un-noteworthy flight. The only thing of note is that the passport control agent in Frankfurt actually looked through my passport, asked me how long I had been in Europe, and asked to see my soggiorno from Italy. Impressive!

My mom, brother, and brother's dog, Casper [I need to insert here that he rescued the dog, and the name already came with it] picked me up and we hit the road. We're heading toward Little Rock, AR and my sister and nephew [her husband is also deployed].

This is the first time I'm meeting Casper, who is a lab and a sweet, sweet dog. He's very well-trained.

Our only real stop on the trip happened to be in Harrisonburg (Go Dukes!) for a chicken pita to go for dinner. Oh, it was worth it. For the few seconds I got to spend in the 'Burg, a lot has changed, JMU folks! Did any of you know that Z lot is gone, and a Starbucks is there now? Who knew? Not me. Dave's Express has moved, as has University Outpost. And, I just saw that little intersection right there, so who knows how much other stuff has changed.

Well, I'm excited for a drive through Tennessee today, and getting to see my nephew tonight!