Welcome Home Cory!!!

My brother returned home from Afghanistan on Wednesday night and I can't explain the feeling I had watching the video of him get off the plane.  It was one of the top happiest moments of my life but not in the "marriage happy" category or the "promotion happy" category...it was more in the "child birth happy category".  In one moment, all of my worry and anxiety was permanently lifted and replaced with the most wonderful feeling of joy!  All I could do was cry, just like the feeling of relief when Austin came into the world safe and sound.

I hate the war, I hate the sacrifices and casualties, and I hate that I am celebrating his return as the family of his replacement is beginning to feel the helplessness and fear that we felt for the past year.

I am in the middle of a series called Downton Abbey that takes place in England during the Great War of the early 1900s. Every episode I am devastated by the casualties and the horrific sacrifices the military and their families are making.  This last episode was the end of the war.  When I finished watching it, all I could think was- dang I wish that was the case.  I wish we could celebrate the end of this awful war and the return of all of our troops. It will be a wonderful day, whenever it comes.

But for now I plan to focus on the positives and the blessings we have to be so thankful for.  Next week we are headed up to DC to see Cory and Alicia! This will be the first time to see them in over a year so I am not sure I can contain my excitement!