Surreal

I went to a fancy restaurant with my mom and dad this evening. We discussed at length different ways to avoid being blown up by roadside bombs and what to do when your camp is being attacked by mortar fire. Dinner conversation has gotten progressively stranger over the last few weeks since I found out I'm headed over. My family is being great about it though. I know they're all pretty scared, but they do their best to keep smiles on their faces and appear strong. I know they're doing it for my benefit, and I wonder how they are really doing when I'm not around. I love them all very much, and for some reason, I'm much more worried about how they're going to handle this over the next year and a half than how I am.