Today my son has been back in America one day. He has been gone on deployment to Afghanistan for almost a year. I was on FB when they landed in Germany but I didn’t know if he had flown in with the group that had landed or if he was still in Afghanistan. Finally another mother told me my son was with her son and they would be coming home by way of Bangor Maine. When they arrived in Maine FB lit up with so many happy posts that I couldn’t keep up. Then as I was scrolling down the news feed there was the most beautiful sight a mama could see-her son with a green water bottle stuck across his eyes. I thought he was funny before he left but to see him for the first time in months with a water bottle over his face well needless to say I had ‘mama shock’! The very next picture though was of him sitting at the same place minus the bottle. His expression to me was one of complete exhaustion, anger and depression. I say anger because someone had stolen his phone not to long after he got to Afghanistan so he couldn’t call his loved ones. Anger because he had to depend on others for any kind of help plus he had no money for any kind of snacks or whatever they need. His expression was also sad because they still had to wait for the debriefing and issueing out process which only detains them longer. I understand this is a requirement and is very important to make sure the soldiers are well enough to come home  and to make sure they are not carrying anything contagious or harmful into the country but this waitng is terrible. I said on a post on FB that it was like having a present under the tree at Christmas and you know it is the greatest present ever but on it is a card that says, “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS!”  He will be doing better tonight though because Mama sent him some money so he can get spruced up for his family and enjoy a few things that he has had to do without for a long time. His wife and kids and two sisters, aunts, plus, maybe uncles, nephews, neices, and many friends will be at his Homecoming Day as well as many other families who are picking up their soldiers. Me, his mama, well I’m leaving tomorrow to go to OKC and visit with family there and then I will, along with my husband, be at the hanger to welcome them all home. Well not all of them, 14 soldiers from their unit didn’t come home with them just their memories. They were killed in action. Their mama’s, wives, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters would give anything to see their loved ones with a green water bottle stuck over their eyes in jest. I do so pray for those families. I also want to thank God for bringing my son home to us. I do not know what is on the next page of his life but I do know that Tuesday he is coming home. This has been his third deployment. In 2003 he was sent to Afghanistan. He lost his Daddy in July of 2004, two weeks before he was to return home. In 2007 he was sent to Iraq. This time when he came home in 2008 his best friend’s son had died of heart disease at 12 years old. Two deployments, two homecomings, and two funerals of dear loved ones. This time he and the other soldiers carry the losses of their own. I can’t change what has happened in the past but I can try to make him forget for a little bit because this mama is going to kiss his whole face, and hug his neck, and cry for absolute joy!  He retires from service in a few months so there will never be another homecoming from war! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! WELCOME HOME SON! I LOVE YOU!