Welcome Home, Gunner

After rushing home from a busy day at "UT Explore," the children donned their special outfits and we rushed off to Ft Hood to await their dad's arrival from his 3rd tour in Iraq.

We all waited in a large tent that boasted a myriad of things to keep everyone entertained until the big moment. The music was loud and exuberant. While the children ate and played, we watched a blow-up movie screen which showed the arrival of the big bird bringing the troops home.

Flags were flapping merrily in the brisk breeze as we waited impatiently for the buses to discharge their occupants. The troops stood in formation for a brief prayer of thanksgiving , then broke out after being dismissed.

It was almost impossible to find one person in the sea of camoflauge, but ABW saw Gunner first and hailed him from across the field. There were lots of hugs exchanged before Gunner hoisted his 200 pound duffle and hustled to the car.Now it is time for the yellow ribbon in my yard to come down.

PhotoHunt - "Thankful"

Gunner will be home from his third tour in Iraq soon. For that, we are all thankful!

Happy 14th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to you, ABW & Gunner!

Maybe one day you will be able to spend it together....I know, I know...."If the Army wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one,"

We Can Start the Countdown

Gunner left today. Of course, it wasn't that simple. He was supposed to leave at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, so we all gathered and hurried to wait, just as Army families have been doing for years, but his deployment was delayed. Then it was delayed again and everyone finally got a couple of hours sleep. Deployment departure finally occurred about 11 a.m today. You will notice there are no women here. This is a combat unit.

Today DD#2, Gunner's Mom & Dad, and I, stood around and bantered for 3 hours. It was decided not to put the children through another day of show-up-and-change, so they were all dropped at school. His Mom & Dad had already taken 1 1/2 days off work and we were still in limbo, so they had to leave. Finally, we went into the gym - troops in one door and families in another. Ribbons of tape separated two areas in the gym where loved ones said their final goodbyes - troops on one side of the tape and families on the other.

Em is old enough to understand now that Daddy will be gone for a while and Abs is close to that age. Of course, Dad is gone a lot - to the field, CQ all night, training in another state, and now his 3rd tour to Iraq. Gunner is sad to go but is well-trained for his job, has lots of equipment, and reacts automatically. Jr. slammed a drawer behind Gunner's head this morning and Gunner dropped to the floor. While our soldier has been waiting, he has been mentally preparing.

A conversation with Em told another part of the story when she lamented that her Dad would be leaving again.
"Well, he has been home a long time now and it is time for him to go and let someone else come home. He has been home 15 months. That's a long time," her mother explained.
"But he will be gone a long time," Em cried.
"Only 15 months," her mother said, "that's not so long."

Well, time is relative, isn't it?