Thankful.

Today was a 'send-off celebration' for the 45th Infantry Division, which is Husband's unit. 2400 soldiers will be leaving their families for a year deployment in Iraq. This time Husband was in the stands watching and not participating. Grateful is how I feel. I could have been the one sitting alone in those stands with my boys watching the speeches and trying to see my brave Husband sitting among his men. Through many answered prayers he came home to us and for now our lives will stay normal for just a moment longer. Relived is how I feel. Husband was one of among 2400 other soldiers on the list for deployment. It would have been his fourth deployment in six years. I immediately began praying and sent the word out to all my family and friends for a selfish prayer to keep him home. I felt out of control.

The Colonel at Husband's civilian job created a job for Husband that would open more doors in his career and would keep him home for the next three years! I felt elated. The next four months were up and down on (1)If in the job would come through, (2)would the National Guard bless it, (3)would it happen before the final papers were drawn on who would be deploying. I felt helpless. THREE DAYS before all things were finalized with the Iraq deployment Husband was called in for his official interview and one day later he was offered the job and the papers were drawn! During this time Husband was gone for his first of three training sessions for the deployment and he was granted permission to come home early for the interview and eventually ended up staying home the rest of the summer to complete all his paperwork and begin his job immediately. I felt overjoyed.

The prayer of my Husband staying home with us lasted more than a year. I had many moments of uncertainty, fear, sadness, hopefulness, begging & pleading and joyfulness. Again I had seen God in action in my everyday life and for this moment the answer was 'yes.' I felt thankful.