I finally have a minute....

I wanted to write a bit tonight....finally have a chance...the last 3 weeks have gone by SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fast! My son and his unit arrived back in the states on September 15. His arrival time changed about 30 times just on Saturday alone, to where I was pretty much a basket case! Everytime I would see the email...I would have a flash back and think someone else was injured....but thankfully it wasn't...just a time change....that I could handle!

Spc. Louthain arrived with his company in grand style! I cannot fully explain the feelings of joy, relief, excitement, jubilation, sorrow, sadness, apprehension, and exhaustion that I felt that day...I was doing okay...and as they played the Star Spangled Banner while they stood in formation...I said to myself, "thank you God for bringing my baby home alive"...and then the tears began to flow. And flow they did...but I didn't worry...and I didn't try to hide them from my soldier...these were "happy tears". By the time they were told to "fall out"....I was pretty much a wet, teary, mess, but we found each other...and I hugged him for I can't tell you how long...he kept saying, I'm okay mom...I'm home...I'm okay mom...I couldn't help it...

As I began to "pull myself together", I handed him my cell phone so he could call his dad, his sister, his grandparents, and just work on down the line. I started walking around him and he was like "what are you doing"....I told him I was checking his fingers and toes...then I thought how morbid considering what he has been doing....but I told him I needed to check him out, just like I did when he was born...that I had waited so long for this day...and I just needed to know he was okay. He chuckled at that one...I think it is only something a mom could understand!

I spent that next week at Ft. Bragg with him. He stayed at the motel with me, so we had a chance to "catch up", to get him a cell phone, to take him to his favorite restaurants, and yes, to have his Bud long neck. Just as I promised, I had one waiting in the cooler when he was released....He drank the first one before I could even get the car out of the parking lot! He said beer never tasted so good. I got tickled at him at one point...he said to one of his fellow soldiers....did you notice it as we got off the plane? That "sweet smell of humidity"! I thought I was going to bust! I have heard of soldiers kissing the ground as they get off the plane, but this was a new one for me!

I returned home on the 22nd....caught up on orders (again) and finished preparations for his welcome home party. It was a busy week and I was exhausted...but I couldn't wait...and our family was so anxious to see him...you can only imagine...to know that your son, brother, grandson, cousin, nephew has been to hell and back and made it home is just so utterly amazing. There wasn't a one of us that could wait to get our hands on him! I start to "tear up" just thinking of this...

Spec. Louthain returned to Kansas City on September 29th. Again, he arrived at the airport before we did! And we even had a Patriot Guard escort! His plane was a half an hour early...and no one there when he got off that plane...But he came home in style! He was so amazed. We had a escort of 20 bikes and 2 cages as well as 2 family cars. What was really hard was that there was a MAJOR traffic snarl on the interstate...that caused our welcome party to be late or to turn around and give up...even the ride captain for the Patriot Guard was late! But we rode home in style, and our local police department met us on the highway and escorted us on home...blocking intersections for us...and with the fire department in front of City Hall saluting as we drove by. They actually came to the house to officially welcome him home...it was totally cool...

We had a Missouri Backyard Bar B Q for him as we arrived...we had invited friends, family, the Patriot Guard, Soldiers Angels, the support group I have started...he was just amazed at all that were there to welcome him home...it did this soldier good...and his momma good...to see the love and support of our community, our family and our friends...I had taken an invitation to the post office...to the lady who would help me get most of his care packages off to him...she was here when we arrived...I was so excited to see her! she was actually on vacation and starting a long road trip the next day, but she took time to come and welcome him home...I cannot tell you what that meant to me...

In the end, we had about 75 in attendance,but only fed about 50...some had to take off and couldn't stay. My husband and daughter had worked hard to get our yard into shape, and my brother came and helped get the tents set up...we even had a port a potty donated by family members...so we were ready to party....we made sure we had plenty of food and beverages to keep everyone happy! It was good for our soldier to have this time to just be a guy...to talk about guy stuff...and to see friends and family that he hadn't seen in a year.

I am starting to get a little nervous now. He leaves on Monday to go back to Bragg...this is Thursday...not to much more time with my boy. But that is okay, as long as he isn't in Iraq I won't worry too much. He leaves in January for Belgium. He reenlisted while he was in Iraq and was given a billet to Belgium. This is a good thing...it will keep him from having to go back...or at least that is the plan...

I will close for now. I will try not to be so long in between posts. I will post some photos as soon as I can figure out how to make them look right...

One of my moms from my support group...her son leaves Ft. Hood on Saturday for Iraq. I pray for her...for strength and for her son for his safety and his strength.

Please continue to remember all our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines...they are fighting a hard battle, one which we MUST win.

Head down, eyes open, I love you.