"Midnight Train to Georgia"

Some of you know these last few days (and yes - weeks :( ) have been quite tough for me. For a variety of reasons, most known to only a very few, there were many minutes when I just wanted to crawl into my bed, pull the covers over my head and scream: "MAKE IT STOP. MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY".......(that, of course, was the mature brat in me ;) )

But here we are, at midnight of the end of a looooooong day which started twenty four hours ago. In that time, I have had maybe one hour's sleep. In that time, I have thought about many things, but mostly about our troops, and my place in the larger scheme of things. You know, that scheme of things that asks will I stay the course, helmet on,( and yep - fishnets too!) and stand with them until they can stand easy; until their mission is done?

Those who know me know I was thinking about walking away from any and all things troop related, as well as many other aspects of my life. Was just totally overwhelmed with all that I was hearing, feeling.....BUT I know - as I guess I did all along - that as long as one of "our" troops is in harm's way, I will stay the course with them, for them... It IS that simple.. And I am counting my blessings that during this time a couple of 'my' guys have stepped up and supported me. In this time, many Angels have also spread their wings around me and held me up. You know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know as I always have - and repeated often - that none of us, not the troops in harm's way, nor any one Angel, can do what we do alone. We all need each other. We all stand together. We may take detours, turn a different corner, step out of view for a brief time, but we ARE all in this together until the mission is done, for all of us. Just as none of our guys can just walk away leaving unfinished business, neither can we.

So as I listen to Gladys Knight singing, she speaks for my heart


Until we are all on that Midnight Train to Georgia:

"going back to find a simpler place and time
I'll be with [you]...
I'd rather live in [this] world
Than live in my world without you"

I love you....and now off to walk the bratdog (some things never change!),knowing that "somewhere out there" at least one 'Ordinary Man' KNOWS he is loved because we ARE......

Turn out the light, will ya?