Home for good!

There's been only one other time I've been this excited to see Jeff come home in uniform. That was almost six years ago, the day he returned from his deployment to Bosnia. That time, there was a bus caravan, more flags than anyone could count and a massive welcome home ceremony at the armory.

Sunday's return was a bit more low key with a considerably smaller welcoming committee. But it was all the more important.

Jeff had, after all, only been gone about 10 hours, and we'd just seen him up at the armory less than an hour earlier. But this return was the final one. He's now officially discharged. Retired.

I can't even type this without tears rolling down my cheeks. The Army has been such a huge part of his life for almost half of his life. And I know he has mixed feelings about saying goodbye to his fellow soldiers.

But for me, it's all good. I feel like the proverbial weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Jeff's been in the Guards for as long as I've known him, but it's only been since 9/11 that I've appreciated the sacrifice that his oath could have required. For the first time in eight years, I don't have to worry about him deploying.

I'm forever proud of him, and grateful for those who continue to serve. I'm honored to have been part of a less official (though no less important they always tell us) group these last few years, the army families. It humbles me to consider myself one of them, because so many of the wives I've met have held their families together through much tougher times than I've had to endure: longer and repeated deployments to more dangerous places, all while raising multiple kids. I wish them all well through deployments to come.

In the meantime, I'm going to hold my family close. And thank God that we're safely together. Forever.