A Tearful Goodbye

I thought I would post some pictures and some info about our Sunday, September 17th. It took me a couple days to be able to look at these pictures without being too emotional.

Daniel's plane was slated to leave at 8:03 am. We got to the airport about 6:45 or 6:50. So we had some time to just sit together before he had to go thru security. The Harrisburg airport is quite small so there really isn't any waiting to get thru security. I told the kids that it's funny that the next time we see Daddy, we'll be in the same exact same place. We'll just be waiting for him to come thru a different door ,we'll have a baby in a car seat, the lobby will probably be decked out with a big Christmas tree and lights strung around, and on over the speakers instead of hearing "On my Own" by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald ( no kidding - that is what was playing over the loud speaker as Daniel walked to security - and I thought "well that's fitting!") we will be hearing Christmas carols.

I had really been doing quite well that morning until Daniel checked in. The kids and I were standing back a ways waiting for him and woman waiting in line asked me if that was my husband. I said, "Yes", and she asked me where he was going. I told her Iraq and she responded "Blessings!". Then she asked me how I was doing. Well that question ended any composure I had. The funny thing is that as tears started welling up in my eyes and I couldn't speak - instead of patting my shoulder or saying something comforting - she moved away and tried not to look at me. I guess she didn't know what to say and thought she was upsetting me or something. I just found that strange. We waited until about 7:25 and then gave him our last big hugs before he headed for security.

One of the Kids took this one.

MacGregor and I cried and both needed tissues. Chase sort of isolates himself not really showing any emotion. While we were giving our hugs he was walking around the giant mosaic circle they have in the lobby. He came over to give his hug and went right back to walking the circle. MacGregor later said that Chase acted like he didn't even care, but I explained that everyone shows their emotions differently. Chase internalizes while we externalize. Ainsley didn't really understand. She tried to go with Daniel to the security line saying, "I want to be with you, Daddy" We watched him go all the way thru security before we headed out. Our stake was having stake conference that day in Hershey at a place I'd never been too so instead of dragging 3 kids to a 2 hour meeting in a place I'd never been, we headed up to my parents ward building and went to their ward.

The saddest part of the day was - on our way home from my parents, around 7:30pm, Ainsley asked when Daddy was getting home. I told her that he had left that morning for his really long trip and wouldn't be coming home for a long time. She then asked me what comes after the dark (the sun was setting as we drove home). I knew what she was getting at but I told her morning came after the dark and it would Monday, Sept 18th. She then asked if would be Christmas tomorrow. My heart was breaking for her because she was trying her best to understand when she would see her daddy again. (She knew he would be back at Christmas.) She then started crying saying she wanted to be with Daddy and she wanted it to be Christmas. I told her I couldn't make Christmas come any sooner but I would if I could. (Incidently she had told Dan at the airport that the baby was coming tomorrow, again because I had told her that when Daddy gets home the baby would be here) 3 yr olds have no concept of time yet, so it broke my heart to see her try and figure it out.

Daniel called me that evening. This has made the transition a little easier because as he trains this week in TX, I can talk to him each evening. I go from seeing him to not seeing him but being able to talk - then we take the next step where we won't be able to talk much. It's a waiting game to see how that will work when he gets to Iraq. On his flight from Chicago to El Paso there were about 20 service people all going to report with him, but only 3 were in uniform (Dan being one). The 3 in uniform were upgraded to First Class seats. Daniel had never ridden first class and said it was awesome. They served warm homemade cookies and fancy chicken salad sandwiches. I think that was great of American Airlines!

He arrived at the base and started going thru all the readiness programs. They have had a ton of paperwork, fitting for the new uniforms - the gray/tan camo (The Major overseeing him before told him to pack ALL of his uniforms ((green camo, brown t-shirts, black boots)) Well, he will be sending all that back home in a box. They have to have gray camo, tan boots, and gray t-shirts. They were assigned bunks in a bunkhouse and will be staying thru Friday (he thinks). He told me Revely was as 4am with formation at 4:30am. The rest of the week consists of first aid tests, more immunizations, being issued gear - vests, kevlar helments, new ID cards, medical/dental exams, shooting practice/tests etc... He believes they are taking a red eye to Kuwait on Friday night. I hope this sheds a little insight on what he's doing for all of you. I'll try to keep you posted as I hear things - although today's conversation consisted of about 6 minutes.

His military email where you can send him messages is:

daniel.henrichsen@us.army.mil