Military Homecomings are the Best

Recently, we had an influx of traffic, lines in the stores were longer, lines to get on and off post were longer.  Normally, one would complain, but not this time.  More people on base meant soldiers were coming home!!

I loved it!

Rush of emotions came back to me as I remembered my soldier's homecoming.

I had the privilege of taking photos for a very dear friend of her husband's homecoming.

(These are just a few of the ones I took so I could blog about it.)

I tried to remain very focused, but you can't help but put yourself in their shoes...I have been there...right there...waiting with excitement and fear.

The atmosphere is amazing! You can feel their smiles, their hearts beating, their hands sweating.

But it is all so surreal.

He has been gone so long.

Then the bags start rolling in.  Bags that carry your soldier's life in them.  Bag that have filthy dirt on them from the desert.  

Then it hits you that you aren't just sitting there...he is really coming home!

 They start filing in, butterflies come.

You scan every soldier to find yours. 

Are you going to recognize him?  

Did he get a hair cut that is different than his normal?  

Will he find you in the crowd?  

How will you get to him with all the others that are rushing to find their soldier? 

 How long in the Commander going to speak?  

Then...just like that...they are released to your arms.

All worries fade.

You can't stop touching, hugging, kissing, because they are physically there...with you.

I am not much of a cryer...especially in public, but no matter what, I will cry when I see a homecoming of a soldier...I have been there.  

I KNOW what it feels like.