Bye Bye Afghanistan

It is almost surreal.  I feel the gravity of the last year may never really hit.  So much has happened that there is a distinct possibility that getting home will seem strangely like just another return after a busy day at work.  I have met umpteen-million Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Civilians and Afghans and been to so many places I never dreamed to visit that it may pass as a blur.  I hope it isn't.

I hope that I can truly rejoice being back with my family and friends.  I hope that my emotions are not too much in check that I can't respond like I should to my three small children who are bouncing off the walls awaiting my arrival or my freakin' amazing wife who gives me a refreshed perspective of a true hero.  They deserve everything of me and I hope to provide.

I left Afghanistan two days early thanks to a surprise C-17 that was not being tracked except by a few folks at KAIA.  Originally I was going to spend the night at KAIA, fly to another base, spend the night there, fly to Manas, spend several nights there, fly to the States, spend the night at our stateside destination and then finally fly to beautiful Montgomery.  Instead, I'll be arriving home two days early!  Praise the Lord. 

Manas is OK but it's really cold.  The bays where we sleep are huge and this morning several hundred Soldiers left, waking us up at about 4 AM.  And yet, I am thankful.