Tearful Goodbyes

This morning was one of my hardest on record. We had a group head out, and it was a sad, sad sight. Everyone gathered in the gym, I was there with my old unit's FRG ladies, providing goody bags, snacks, tissues, a coloring table for the little ones, etc.

Most of the women I was with have been through it, many more than once. Rebecca and I were the newbies, and we had a particularly difficult time with certain things. My hardest was an older man, father of a Soldier, quietly wiping his eyes as the Chaplain prepared to pray. Hers was seeing a child cry waving to his daddy who was boarding the bus. There were 4 or 5 who I recogized as Soldiers I had welcomed last October-December. One of them, who's spouse got pregnant shortly after they arrived, said goodbye to the baby they just had weeks ago. The lady who I followed in the welcome coordinator position was there to say, "see you in 15 months" to her husband. Our friend who we went to dinner with the retired General last year was going. She is single, and such a sweetheart. I'm glad I was there to be her "goodbyer".

In the coming days, the rest of the group will go, and that will be worse in some ways. Not as bad I hope because now I've at least been to one before, but worse because my friends, Marisa, Adrienne and Deanna will do the goodbying.

I'm not sharing this to make you cry with me, but to remind you that (as one of the other Heathers in our group said) these are not just news stories. We know these people. We shop with them, live near them, know them. Please remember them in your prayers. The Soldiers and their Families.

Thanks.