Journey to the Land of Free

Well tomorrow 10 December after 4pm local time here in Afghanistan I will board an aircraft and do something I haven't done in over 288 days… Leave my base here and begin a journey that started 298 days to return to my family. Right now I just feel like I'm leaving. When you've been away so long it just doesn't feel real until it really happens. I will leave my base here and go to a much larger one. There I will catch a military flight to Kuwait. Once I get to Kuwait I catch a civilian flight from there to Atlanta before ended at my final destination of Savannah Georgia where my beautiful bride will meet me. I've been here so long that there is no one on the entire base that has been here longer than I have. Most have rotated home. I'm going to enjoy this holiday like no other…. I know that we are going to take my son to Orlando for a surprise visit to Disney World.   He will find out when he unwraps me from the box my wife has set up for me the day after I get back at his Grandparents. I'm looking forward to doing the simple things….. Playing catch with my son…. Holding my daughter…..cuddling with my favorite cuddle bunny Shayla! If I get to do these things then my trip will me more than I could ever hope for. I know that the 2 weeks will eventually end and I will return here, but that time to me is invaluable to me. I can't put a price on it. I hope this December you will do me a favor and if able spend time with your family, tell them you love and appreciate them. Because when your away far away like I am, they will be the only ones that will be there for you. Friends most will talk a big game that they plan to write, email you or send you care packages. As the time goes on those letters, emails and packages will never come. The ones that do will be from those of your family or complete strangers that will appreciate you and your service. Well I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I pray for peace in the New Year.

Exit

Its feel so cold here. I'm so close to leaving this place to visit with my family for 2 weeks. Yes its that time this Saturday I should be boarding a flight. I go to another military base which I wait for a flight to a civilian airport. Once I arrive at this civilian airport I should be staring my wife in the eyes in less than 48 hours. The thought of it excites me like the thought of doing something for the first time. This place has really made me appreciate what I have in my life. I'm tired of hearing of Marines lose their lives amongst other things. I'm tired of seeing our country poor everything we have into this country… our sweat…our blood…. And the millions and billions of dollars. I hope in the end we get it right but my gut is it wont be right in our eyes because this region of the world will never fully accept the idea of what we represent because we are that country in the west that is everything they don't like. I hope I'm wrong but only time will tell.