UPDATE:
I got the head back from the machine shop FINALLY! Now it's time to start preping everything. Right now I'm in the process of porting the exhaust ports to match up to the DSM manifold. This morning I gave the block a coat of Ford Blue.
I'm leaving my current job at the end of next week, so I'm trying to at least have the motor assembled before I go. With that said, I should be updating almost daily for the next week or so.