Welcome Home

There are times in my life when I are grateful, truly grateful for the things I have, the life I live and the people around me. If you have read my blog, even one entry, you know that my family is everything to me. This wonderful growing group of people who populate my life with love, laughter, anger and wisdom mean everything to me and I know how fortunate I am to live in the midst of all of them. But today, this one day, I want so single one out, to focus on the acts and life and person of one of our family.

The man in this picture is our son-in-law. This morning he woke up on U.S. soil for the first time in a very long time. This morning he woke up one huge leap closer to the end of his deployment. This morning he woke up one step and a lot of miles closer to his wife. This morning our daughter woke up one day closer to being reunited with her husband. This morning I woke up and could breathe. For him and for her.

At some point prior to September 11, patriotism went out of fashion. Public display of pride in our country was minimal and yet for many brave Americans like our son-in-law, love of our country was anything but minimal. I know some of the reasons he made this unselfish choice, this choice that puts him in harms way (we tease him mercilessly that it's a good thing he wears a uniform because left on his own his color choices are a bit off), but to watch him, to see him and the men he serves with, to see their dedication, commitment and the ease with which he carries the burden of leadership fills me with admiration, love, pride and respect for the man he is, the person he is.

This morning I am grateful. Grateful for this man. Grateful for his choice to serve. Grateful for his life. Grateful for his leadership. Grateful for his sacrifice. Grateful for his love for my daughter.

Welcome home, Jay, welcome home