A Thank You to My Family

I have an amazing family.

Without the support of my family and friends this would have been exponentially more difficult, if not impossible. To them I offer these heartfelt thanks:

To the most important of them all, my wife Emily. The amazing woman who, through no request, desire, or fault of her own, was thrust into the role of being sole provider and caregiver to our two wonderful children, Sarah and Sammy. While doing this she managed to take care of the house, work as a registered nurse in the VA hospital, pay the bills, fix the car, mow the lawn, and still have time to start my motorcycle once a week. Oh, and she has been pregnant the entire time. I could not have dreamed of having a more supportive wife of not only this deployment but the reasons we are over here, nor a better mother to our almost three children.

My mother and father, who had their hands full with life’s situations of their own, managed to send emails of support, cards, and care packages to me while I was over here, and served as a constant check-up of my family while I was gone. They also helped cry with me when the Red Sox lost in the playoffs and then traded Johnny Damon to the Yankees (damn owners).

My sister, who is expecting her own son at around the same time we are expecting ours, gave me support in the form of communication and filling me in on the background of “Alias” so I wouldn’t be clueless watching it for the first time. In the last 10 years I have not communicated this much with my sister and it was very important to me.

My grandmother, who never missed a holiday card the whole time I was here, and my Aunt Mary who supported me with words of support over the past four months.

My aunt Sherry and her family, who I have not spoken to in many years, sent me a care package out of the blue that I couldn’t believe.

The teachers and brownie troop leaders from Vail Elementary school in my hometown sent me more Christmas cards than I could ever respond to. The kids from schools all over the country and at military bases worldwide (hello Aviano!) brightened this place up at just the right time.

To all these people and the many I’m sure I forgot, thank you from the bottom of my heart.