Saturday, February 5, 2011

He’s Coming Home Early!


My baby brother, Derek, is coming home from Afghanistan earlier than expected.  I’m not sure the reason, but I found out last weekend that he will be home on my 30th birthday.  By “home,” I mean back in the United States.  I couldn’t ask for a better birthday gift than having him on American soil and away from the war.

Six or seven years ago, I was flying to Paris Island to watch my brother graduate from boot camp on my birthday.  There were a lot of tears that weekend.  Some seeing how grown up the military made my brother (who was generally a really bad kid growing up!) but also A LOT of them due to flight delays because of a horrible snow storm.  I was crying to the lady at the counter telling her I COULDN’T miss my brother graduating from boot camp.  It was a long, long night to get to Paris Island, but I made it, around 2AM.       

Even though my brother and I don’t see each other often, nor do we talk much (my brother is not much of a talker,) I love him so much.  We’ve been told that we are two of the closest siblings people have met.  That strikes me as odd, because I don’t see us as that close, especially since he’s been in the military for nearly 8 years.  But I know that if I ever need him, he’d be here for me.  I hope that he knows the same is true for me.

I’m so glad he’ll be home soon!

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