10

My sister and her husband are coming to visit tomorrow. I haven't seen him since this past July when he was home on leave. We had a nice visit this summer and I anticipate the same tomorrow. My brother-in-law is just home from the war in Iraq, a war that I am strongly opposed to and I'm so glad he has come home.

When I first met my not-yet BIL, he was a goofy college kid. He was obviously smitten with my sister and agreed to come and meet her family. It was Christmas time and were all staying at my mom's house for the holiday. Back then, Sean & I were the only ones married with children.

Sean and I had a tradition of buying my grandma a bottle of nice whiskey for one of her Christmas presents. It was Christmas Eve and this bottle of whiskey was under the tree when BIL cracked it open to smell it. The room went quiet as he realized what he had done. Initially I thought I might have to smack him. He had just "ruined" my grandmas present in our minds. But, instead, I decided to laugh. This young man who was in a house with people he didn't know, nervous, trying to impress them had just committed a terrible faux pas. He looked at me with this goofy grin on his face and I knew then that he was going to be a great member of my family.

He is a wonderful uncle to my three boys. He was always wrestling with them and carrying them and being a general goof. He was also willing to change dirty diapers and feed them if needed.

When my youngest son was born, he was very ill and needed medical attention. We weren't sure if he was going to be ok for the first few hours or would need to be flown to a larger medical center. BIL drove from his base in Texas to Missouri only stopping for gas to come meet his newest nephew.

BIL has a job that requires him to do things I could never/would never do. He has fought in a war that I don't understand and perhaps because I am a mother, think is a terrible stupid waste of human life. BUT.... He doesn't have a job that he can quit when he gets told to do something that doesn't agree with him. He can't call in sick and not report for duty. He can't take a vacation day to get away from it all unless the government says it's ok. And even then, he can't go more than so many hours away from his post or another base incase he's needed.

My job is demanding. My job is stressful. But, no one at my work died last week. No one at my job lost their legs last week. I am not afraid for my life everytime I go to work. I am only gone for 8 hours at a time and dont' go months without seeing my husband and sons. And the last time I checked, my hearing was intact.

So, with all that in mind:
1. living in a country that lets you choose to be in the military - and I pray this continues....
2. the peace I have now that I can stand back and see both sides of difficult issues
3. not needing to be right all the time
4. BIL's
5. family coming to visit