I Know What it Means

I know it means to miss New Orleans. I've missed it before. I've left it before. I know I will miss it again. It was so very good to come home. To come home for this deployment was the right thing for our family. My husband was right.

I love this place.  

But in a few hours I will pack my kids into a new car already packed full of everything else and drive away from it. There are people I need to thank before I go. There is a city I need to thank. So here goes ... 

Thank you New Orleans for opening your arms to me again and taking me back after I had been gone. Thank you for filling my heart with so much goodness by the kindness you poured out to me. Thank you for showing yourself to my children who will return here someday and claim this as their home too. Thank you for allowing my children to climb your oak trees draping the grass of city park, for allowing our Logan to ride your streetcars and visit your beautiful zoo. Thank you for being the same city I remember and for allowing those same memories to my children.

Thank you to the people at the Ritz Carlton who greatly upgraded our room during R&R and surprised us with unexpected extras to show their gratitude. Thank you for adding to that special time with my husband. Thank you to the old friends who helped that to happen. Thank you for every small thing you did during that time.

Thank you to the many people who have watched my little boys for me and helped to make juggling a little easier. Thank you for being there for me and for them. I hope someday to return the favor.

Thank you to my church that offered me a choir to teach. Thank you to those little voices with the big personalities behind them. I will never forget how you sang "America" and the tears it brought to my eyes. Thank you for making me smile. Thank you to the members who donated at the Troops Drives and gave me a hug and told me about their loved ones deployed. Thank you for that kindness.

Thank you to the many people who came out of the woodwork to offer support to my soldier and his men. Thank you to the friends of friends, the parents of friends of friends, the strangers who asked about the hand and foot print covered packages with the flag on the side and talked with me. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me, who has hugged my kiddos, and patted my hand. 

Thank you to all of you who have joined our journey. Who have offered support to both myself and other readers, who have emailed and posted, and shared your stories with me. I hope to continue to grow with you.

Thank you to my closest friends who have never failed me. Who have known me better than most. Who have never wavered in their support, their love, their ability to listen. I could not be more blessed by those closest to me. I could not be more thankful for their friendship. 

Thank you to my family - especially to my parents. I know that when He made me for this he intentionally gave me these two beautiful people. He has blessed me with a mom who has been unbelievably good during this time for my small family. A woman who is generous and supportive and always wanting to do more for my husband and those he serves with. I am so very proud to be her daughter. I am so very grateful for the hugs she has given me that she just knew I needed. I am equally blessed to have my dad who will leave work today and get in my car and make the three day trip with the boys and me. I am so grateful my boys got to spend this special time with him. He is such an incredible Poppa and a good, good man. Thank you, mom and dad, for teaching me how to live gracefully, to love unconditionally, and to endure whatever comes. 

I know what it means to miss New Orleans, to miss my family, to miss my friends. I have done it all before.

Coming and going is our way of life. So today begins another part of "going" and I am so grateful for this too. Because this going means my husband is soon coming home.

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Many Military Spouses will be guest posting and featured in the coming days while I travel to Ft Carson. Please check them out and comment on their posts and blogs! Please say prayers while we take this next step.   : )