Deployment Eve

Despite all of my preparations, I decided to repack one last time the night before, scared to death that I was going to forget something.  On my last deployment, we had a definitive list of stuff to bring--which I had packed and sealed weeks before I left.  This time, since we are going back into a country that we "quit" six months ago, no one really knows what to bring, so I spent my last day (unfortunately) repacking all of my stuff to make sure I had what I thought I needed.

At about 10pm, when I was in the garage finishing up trying to zip my bags closed, the door opened and Sarah came out.  At first I just said hello over my shoulder.  When she didn't answer, I turned.  She was sobbing and holding a card out to me.  She had colored in a felt cartoon cardstock of a princess with a rainbow in the background.  On the back she wrote:

Dear Daddy,
I love you so much! If you were here I'd give you a hug. But, know that me and the kids are safe. We just want you to come back home safe.
Be Careful,
love,
Monkey
P.S. I've gotta say it again I LOVE YOU!

For ten minutes we just held each other in the garage and cried.  It was so hard for me to see my oldest this upset about anything, let alone something I was having to do.