When reality hits you

This week another Hero was killed in Afghan along with 3 others. While I have never met him or his wife, just reading about him I could tell what a special young man he was. His wife is a member of a Army Wives chat board that I belong to and while we have not seen one another, it hit us like a ton of bricks.

Bubba was a 28 year old Captain in IRR status and was re-called last year. He leaves behind a very strong and loving wife and a precious little boy who was the light of his life. From reading different sites and what others have written about him, made all of us realize how lucky we were to have him fighting for our country. He was a graduate of West Point and made his family so proud of him. He and his wife had such plans when he got back home and now she will carry out those plans without him. While I do know some of what she is feeling, I do not know the feeling of coming home to find Chaplains waiting for you to tell you your life has now been halted and turned upside down. It was bad enough for me to get a knock on the door years ago. Bubba was just home on R&R just 2 weeks ago and was able to speak to his wife about his feelings. The one thing she said that he had told her was right before he left to go back and that was, "If something happens while I'm gone, I will be at peace with myself as I have everything in my life that I could ask for".

Our time is down to single digit weeks before my Hero heads to defend our lives, freedom and country. All of the people on my chat board have gone thru so many emotions this week and our hearts are breaking for Bubba's family. This tragedy has hit "home" so to speak and made us all have a wake up call, so to speak. Please keep Bubba's family in your thoughts and prayers and understand I will not give out any other information due to security reasons, OPSEC, and for the safety of his family. Please keep Mike and all of our loved ones in the military in your prayers and thoughts. While you may not think it matters, it does. I can tell you knowing that people who care are thinking of them makes it a little easier for each of us to go on another day.

We will be heading back home in a few weeks for a visit with our families and friends before Mike leaves. We are excited to go back home since it will have been a year since we were there, but at the same time we are sad because we know that it will mean he is leaving in just a little while. Kyla and I have so much support here in Texas we know we will be alright but all the support in the world does not take away any fears and the reality of what is going on.

Like I have asked before please please keep Bubba and his family in your thoughts and prayers..