"CHARLIE MIKE!!!!"

OK, here it is...9:14 p.m., EST. the house is silent, except for some crickets chirping outside. Hubby dropped the kids off to spend the night with grandparents (spring break) and he is still about an hour away. So, I'm using my time wisely and writing out "one last card" to each person in Outlaw's platoon. Over the past year (well, i guess 9 months technically) I periodically sent a card or a note to each individual in the platoon... to "my" platoon. I didn't just adopt Outlaw - I unofficially adopted the whole dang lot of them, HAHA! (gotta take care of our local GA heroes, you know!) And so, here I am, writing each name on each individual card, with a little personal note in each saying "Thank you. Job well done. We're proud of you." And as I write, I can picture each one in my mind (Outlaw was great about sending LOTS OF PICTURES all the time!) and especially, the pictures from Christmas and Valentines come to mind, watching them dig into the cards and cookies and other goodies... and I find myself wondering, "What will it be like for them when they get home? What does the future hold for each of them?" and praying - praying that God would hold each one close as they transition back to the "real world" which will now seem so very surreal, at least for a time... Momma Kat's babies are leaving the nest, haha...and I pray all goes well for each of them. I can tell you this much, I will never forget any of them! I've never gotten to know so many in a platoon, nor so many of their family members, etc, as I have this time.

I have yet to write "the Final Letter" to Outlaw - that will probably happen Friday night.

It's always hard to say goodbye to the "old" soldiers (ummm...in this case, NO PUN INTENDED, hahahaha! ) even tho we are always happy they are going home. "empty nest syndrome" sort of!

Well, as the Outlaw would say, "CHARLIE MIKE!!!!" Continue Mission!!!!

And that is exactly what I will do. Once I'm done writing my platoon's cards, I'll write to my newest "daughter" -- I've decided to nickname her The Sand Goddess (has a nice ring to it, don'tcha think? hehe).

Check??

Check!!!