Oh Frabjous Day, Calloo, Callay!!

I didn't want to post this prior to the 9/11 tributes so as not to take away from them. Last week, Tuesday September 5th, to be exact, I received a phone call in the late afternoon from the Frog Lady. That is - the Family Readiness Group Leader.. It was short notice but it was joyous news, indeed.

My son returned home from his second tour in Iraq on Thursday September 7th, 2006!!!!!

It's amazing how God works these things out!! My older son's truck had completely died. Mind you we live out in the 'country' now and this was presenting a bit of difficulty. His boss asked him Monday if he would consider trading his Thursday day off for Tuesday instead. He said yes and so on Tuesday we went car shopping and in fact he GOT a new car. We spent most of the day at the dealership and I had been home for about an hour or two when the FRG call came. Wow.

So I hang up from the FRG lady and I'm ready to go tell my husband when I have to stop a minute and fight away tears. Then I realize I need to tell my son's father first and do so. THEN I go tell Ruben (spouse) and what a great relief!! He had advised his job that this would be coming soon, would likely be on short notice and that he would be taking the time to attend the welcome home with me. (He didn't get to come last time as he had a job related something that he had to attend.)

I should tell you that I was absolutely beside myself. I truly could not think straight! Someone asked me a question that should have been an easy answer and I had to tell her - and thank God she is a dear friend whom I love - "I'll have to get back with you on that." I hardly knew whether to breathe or pass out!!!

At any rate, after notifying everyone I felt I should, I packed up my suitcase (thanks be that my husband was out for the evening at a commitment he had!!!) and the next morning we left for Huntsville, Alabama.

Why Huntsville, Alabama you may well ask. Both of my sisters live there, it's conveniently close to Fort Campbell, Ky, and we would be caravanning up together. Troy's last redeployment both my sisters, their spouses and most of the nephews were able to attend with me. This time I had Ruben, both sisters, and two (out of 4) nephews with me. Thursday morning we leave at the (excuse the language) butt-crack of dawn so as to get to the base in time for the meet and greet. We hit traffic well South of Nashville whereupon the conversation turns to 'maybe we should bypass Nashville.' The thing is - at this geographical location there IS no bypassing Nashville. PERIOD. Once we get past this maybe 30 minute slow down to a crawl we make excellent time. We come to the HOV (High Occupoancy Vehicle) lane where it says 2 or more occupants required. Great!! There are 2 in our vehicle, 4 in my sister's vehicle so we hit it and fly. Oops - here comes some knuckle-head with Arkansas plates in an SUV and he is all by his lonesome. He cuts in front of us BARELY missing us and stays ahead of us until he sees a Tennessee State Trooper and a guilty conscience over takes him (or perhaps experience with receiving what I understand is a pricy ticket for breaking this law) and he cuts out of the HOV lane trying to avoid detection. Not very well, of course, because this really draws the attention of the State Trooper who promptly pulls him over. We are applauding as we drive past.

We get to Fort Campbell in time to spare (this trip, by the way, was filled with back and forth phone calls - hurray for cell phones!!) and pull in to Gate 7, get our instructions and the bus ride to the hangar. Our flight and ceremony of interest is 253, scheduled for -- oh wait, it's changed from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm to 11:45 am already by this time. It is, however, scheduled.

Turns out the three, yes THREE flights scheduled to come in on this glorious and beautiful early part of the day are clumped together to within 15 minutes of each other. Oops. The powers that be realize that there is no way to get 3 different groups landed, deplaned, greeted (which is like 20 minutes), and out again in only a 15 minute time frame between landings. Okay - they will get all 3 planes landed, emptied, have the men "park" their equipment outside before marching in to the hangar and combine it all into ONE ceremony. Of course, do not forget, the military is now dealing with 3 plane loads worth of family members (read civilians) as well. They realize a bit belatedly that dealing with all of us civilians is a bit - okay, a LOT - like herding cats. We hear "orders" over the intercom that they want everyone outside the hangar to see the planes land and that THEN they will let us back in. Having been through this before I will tell you (and, in fact I did tell another family group so they could make an informed decision about leaving or not... yes, think herding cats) it is really exciting to see the plane in the sky. It really is. You don't think it will be, but all of a sudden just spotting that plane high in the sky, knowing YOUR soldier is on it puts you in a screaming jumping up and down flag waving frenzy of excitement. I kid you not. Unfortunately all these other people are in the same frenzy and unless you are at the very front you are NOT going to see and recognize your soldier as he comes off - come on, they may vary in height and skin color but they are all wearing the same identical thing, they all have on their helmets, their equipment THEY LOOK ALIKE and if you are at the front, you are not going to be able to get near the floor when you get back in the hangar. We stayed in the hangar. What, 101st would demote us? To what? I'm the mom, thanks - I will still be the mom.

Because there were 3 plane loads full, the men (read soldiers, non-sexist - there were a few females, after all) had to wait outside until everyone was deplaned and had "parked" their equipment. No way was there going to be room on the floor of the hangar for all those soldiers, their equipment ( yes that includes their weapons!) and family members too!

Last time, when the men marched in, Troy stopped directly in front of where I was sitting, one man in. This time he stopped directly in front of where I was sitting, one man in.

I WAS SO EXCITED I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I WAS. I was not alone in this. I don't believe I have ever heard quite this decibel level of enthusiastic carrying on!!! Ever. The reception committee did their little ceremony - which you could not really understand because the murmur of excited civilians kept an echo in the hangar - and FINALLY!!! we were able to meet and greet our GIs.

Now I know, my son had taken mid-tour leave in May and I had seen and hugged him then. No matter. It was so good to put my arms around this young MAN and know he was really home on American soil and safe.

The Huntsville contingency and my husband and self stayed over night in Clarksville and took Troy out to dinner - I'll have to remember to relate the "cool dad" incident at another time. My sisters had to leave Friday morning but we stayed over on Friday night as well and we had gone shopping with the young Tab-meister en masse after dinner Thursday evening. My son was tired and crashed with us at the hotel on a roll-away. Somehow that helped me rest easier - he was right there and now I could start to sleep again after a year of not....

That is all I want to relate at this time - joy, joy, joy - my son, my soldier is home safe from the war.

In Honor of Michael Joseph Duffy - 1 of 2,996

The morning was perfect, an indicator of a beautiful late summer day. The oppressive heat of such a short time ago was gone. The sky a clear crystal blue, the sharp beauty of it a comfort and a promise of the coming day, the coming season, the wonder of life itself.

Michael Joseph Duffy, age 29. What had his morning been like? Had he had a fun weekend with family and friends? I like to think his Monday had been a good day, a good start to his work week. He was a bond salesman and likely on h is way up the corporate ladder. This day, this lovely morning - did it hold promise for good? How could it not? He was young, handsome, beloved by his family, a vibrant part of life, a jovial member of his circle of friends. Ah, with a name like Michael Joseph Duffy - wouldn't that be a good Irish boy's name? Wasn't he blessed and beloved by God, our almighty father? Oh, yes, indeed - mightily blessed.

And in to work he would have gone, maybe considering a day of 'playing hooky' to enjoy the day. But responsibility called and he answered.

This day, this beautiful day of promise was Tuesday September 11, 2001.

This day would end in tragedy and sorrow for too many. This day would see our nation attacked. This day would be the day America the Beautiful would be filled with sorrow, would be bent by the weight of the tears of our whole nation.

Remember, remember the knife thrust to the heart of the US. Remember that this young man, this vibrant young man full of potential, full of life, full of energy was murdered that day five years ago.

Consider this -- for eleven days his family hoped and prayed and cried a river of tears that they would have a miracle, that he would be okay, that he had only been injured and unconscious, perhaps. This murder victim -- for that is precisely what he is -- was not confirmed dead until September 22, 2001. Eleven days his family held in suspense, suspecting, fearing the worst because who could have survived such an atrocity? Eleven days of torture as they tried to hold on to the hope of a miracle for them, a miracle for Michael, knowing, knowing, fearing as the little thought ran through their minds - who could survive such an atrocity. Some did, of course. Some lucky few of the people who had not gotten out did survive.

Can there be a healing? There must be a healing. This young man who bore hopes and dreams and promise for a bright future is our nation. I do not minimize the sorrow of his loss. I have great empathy for those who loved him and lost him. God rest him, God ease the pain of his loved ones. Michael Joseph Duffy - one of our nation, representing our nation, the sorrow and the joy of our nation. Honor him this day, honor all of those lost this day. Our nation was attacked. This young man was attacked and murdered.

This was not his fault. This was not the fault of the United States. What stupid drivel is that? This is a personal, unwarranted attack - not on our nation alone - but on every individual in our nation, every individual in the world.

His family takes it personally. We all need to take it personally. To honor those murder victims, to honor those who tried to rescue them, to honor the families of all whose lives were stolen, we must take it personally. We must fight evil, for evil this was.

Michael, I did not know you. I honor you and say a prayer for you this day. I pray for solace for your loved ones, rest for your spirit, renewal of hope for all who hold honor in their hearts. God rest you and keep you.