My son left for Iraq in Nov 2007, a Butter Bar LT, fresh faced and ready. Me, not so much. I tried to hide the tears but I was pretty bad at it. When would I see him again? Would he be ok? I kept asking when was R&R. He kept saying he didnt know. Four months into deployment a soldier in his Squadron was KIA. He was from a small town about 4 hours away so I drove to the funeral to pay my respects on that warm February day. As I headed home, my daugher in love called me to see where I was. I told her I would be home soon and to leave the dog out as he needed his feet cleaned. As I walked into the house the dog, a Boxer/Great Dane appropriatley named Hooah, greeted me. I looked down and said "Hey buddy!" "Did Sister clean your feet?" And a deep voice answered "No, I did." "I wanted to play with my dog!" I looked up and began to scream and scream and scream! My son and his wife decided to surprise me with R&R. They had been plotting for months. Of course, through my tears of joy I felt tears of guilt and sadness. I had just watched a Mother bury her son and came home to find mine in my living room. Eight Months later he was seriously injured in a bombing. He has since been to Afghanistan and is currently a Cpt serving his country the way he always dreamed he would. I am proud to be the Mother of an American Soldier...........HOOAH!!

Anonymous
Kansas City, MO