Friday, October 17, 2008

Welcome Home!


Sargent Bill, Welcome Home!


My sweet friend Donna, who lives in Minnesota, sent her son off to Iraq. She sent him knowing there was a chance she would never see him alive again. Bill is her first born, her baby, the only Bill she will ever had. Her heart broke and her eyes cried. I honestly don’t know how she was able to do this. But Bill was a Marine and wanted to serve his country. So off he went. Every time there was a news story about bombings or deaths or any of the horrors that go along with this war, I would wait and pray that Donna’s boy would come home safe. I know Donna always prayed for Bill, we prayed for Bill, many, many people prayed for Bill. Now, Bill is home. With Donna's permission I wanted to share his homecoming with you.

Bill arrived at Camp Lejeune finally at 6:30 PM on Wednesday! So happy to be here to welcome him home... he is one happy Marine to be in the good old USA! At one of their stops, about 300 Vets greeted them with cheers, clapping and many handshakes at the airport when they deplaned for a short layover. The town of Jacksonville, NC (where Camp Lejeune is) is just full of Marines and families welcoming them home...very heart warming to see the wives flying in to their returning hubby’s arms, the kids and babies being hoisted up and the smiles are miles wide! Bill is happy and very tired.... Thank you to you all for your prayers and support ... I am so grateful to have my son home.



Her is Donna with her boy Bill.


Thanks again my friend for all you prayers and support from you and Dick and your family. I can’t even adequately express what that means to our troops and their families!

I met a young Marine at the airport right out of boot camp on his way to combat training – of course me being me I introduced myself to him, told him how grateful I was for him and his brave service... and told him about Bill; he shook my hand, hung on the whole time we talked and grinned and told me how grateful he was for my words to him and thankful that I would pray for him... his name is Alexander...please add him to your prayers ... he was so young looking, sitting there with his music playing in his ear and this look of pride and youngness on his face... I wanted to just go with him and watch over him! Ha! The mom thing you know...

Flying back tomorrow morning... going to be hard to leave Bill, but not really... he is so much safer, and not long before we put him in our car and move him back home as a civilian. Yipppeee!


I cannot adequately express my thanks to those who have served and are serving in the Armed Forces. My prayers go out to all of them along with their families. Thank you Bill for your service and thank you Donna for being an inspiration to me. I love you!

12 comments:

Adiel | Rose Gold Lining said...

Aw, that's sweet. :)

Kim said...

How wonderful! I'm counting the days until my brother returns.

Tulsi said...

My husband has been home a year from Afghanistan and my son is at Ft. Sill, OK finishing up AIT. Before he joined we told him it isn't "if" anymore like when his dad joined. It is "when and where". He joined at 17 and was certain at age 10. He said it is the right thing to do. It would be harder to send a son than a husband. Husbands just seem smarter and have trained longer. Seeing how much he matured when we went out for his Basic Graduation, I know he would be an asset if needed. I guess we will see. I'm glad Bill is home now. It is a relief, for sure!!

What A Card said...

What a nice post. It must have been so hard for his mom...I'm glad to read a happy story!

Gretchen said...

Hi! I tagged you for a meme, so come on over to my place to read why.

http://whoputmeinchargeofthesepeople.blogspot.com

nikkicrumpet said...

AMEN...I am amazed at the men and women..and their families that serve this great country. Their sacrifice allows all of us the freedoms that we take for granted every day. God bless them all! Thanks for sharing this beautiful story. And thanks so much for visiting me on my SITS day!

Pancake said...

Tell him thank you from us all for serving!

iheartbowheads.blogspot.com said...

Prayers with them all!

Holly

Ritch in Love said...

I'm sooo thankful for the troops and always keep them in my prayers...very thoughtful post.

Aunt Julie said...

Thanks for reminding us about the importance of duty and family. That's EXACTLY why I presented you with the Superior Scribbler Award today! Please come by my place to pick it up. Kongrats to the Krazy Kat Lady!

Melissa B. said...

This is a wonderful story! Veggie Mom says she passed along my Superior Scribbler Award to you!! That's so cool-and this Superior Post validates Veggie's decision!!!

Anonymous said...

That's so sweet! And I am with you--there is nothing we can do to repay these people for putting their life at risk so we don't have to.