Day 82 - Broken Hearted

This pass week has been one of the hardest of this deployment.

I drove over 14 hours last Saturday to vacation at my grandparents house on the beach. It was suppose to be my reprieve from this mess. Early Monday morning I received a phone call that literally SHOOK my world.

On Sunday morning I woke up and after a few hours I had a good sense that something had happened overseas with our men. M2 had not called to see that we made it safe and I continued to not hear from him throughout that day. Those days are hard. Us Army wives will start calling each other and confirm that no one has spoken with their soldier. I was assured that something happened by late Sunday evening and just prayed it was minor. I went to bed after promising several friends I would call if I heard anything and they promised the same.

Then early Monday morning I received a phone call. There had been a death with the unit. It was a friend's husband. I could not even comprehend what I was hearing.

I drove back early from vacation to be able to attend the Memorial this morning. It was heartbreaking. I am reminded of what sacrifice is. I am reminded of how our families pay for our freedoms. I am reminded that war, although necessary, is ugly.

My friend was an inspiration to me this morning. She gracefully held her head high and with the same strength her husband had - she faced this day.

As this deployment began I started to feel more separated from the civilian world. I feel like most of them are not remembering what is going on - who is dying - for them. It saddens me. People please remember. Do not become numb because we have been under this weight for 10 years. Do not become forgetful because the news stops running as many stories. Remember! Remember that on this day a beautiful wife has given you her husband and two precious children have given you their Daddy. They have said they will bear the cost for you. They will not stop bearing it today. They will bear it for the rest of their lives.

Do not forget them.

Do not forget that freedom is not free.