So Blessed

For those of you who don't know .... Daniel surprised everyone and got home 2 weeks early. He had been telling me since the middle of November that he was going to see if they would let him come home in time for Christmas. I took his declaration with a grain of salt because he had made requests in the past, such as coming home for Piper's birth or being granted a week's leave for a board review course in the States, and the Army had never granted these requests.

As time moved on though he told me that Commander Shen was considering it. About 2 weeks prior to Christmas he told me that he would be coming home but we decided NOT to tell anyone. 6 days before Christmas he told me there had been some errors in paperwork and that it did not look like he would get out in time... I was very glad I hadn't told anyone or disappointed the children. It was Friday night or Saturday morning when he informed me that he had made it to Kuwait in time to get out on the last flight to the States before Christmas. I felt so lucky. I didn't know until Monday afternoon - (Dec 22) that he would be arriving at 6pm on Tues the 23rd.

The kids didn't know where we were going because we had been out running errands... by the time we got to the airport they were asking questions. I told them that someone had called the day before and asked if we could pick them up at the airport, that they were coming in for Christmas. So I told them that they should keep their eye out for someone familiar. They were happily surprised when they saw Daddy. In fact Piper did not want to be put down even for Daniel to grab his bags off the conveyor belt and she cried when we had to put her back in the stroller to go to the car.

We had an awful lot of fun surprising people. Daniel answered the door when Em and J arrived and when my aunt came Christmas morning. We had fun surprising people at his work and my family when we called my parents and sisters using the web cams Christmas morning. (I received a new camera for Christmas but can't seem to upload the pictures, so more pics coming later) Daniel's parents and brother arrived the day after Christmas so we've been busy visiting all week.

I am especially grateful that Daniel made it home safe. Two days after Christmas Daniel received an email from one of the doctors in his unit (the rest of his unit is due to be leaving Kuwait today). He informed us that a surgeon was killed on Christmas Day in a mortar attack at the base in Mosul, this was the base where Daniel served in 2006. It is in the middle of the city and receives mortar fire on a regular basis. I was grateful that Al Asad, where Daniel was stationed this tour was a much safer base. This surgeon was on his second tour as well, served his first in 2006 - just like Daniel. He was a top trauma surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital (so close to where we live). He had kids very close to the same ages we do 10, 8, and 4. My heart aches for this good man and his family. You can read more here:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nysurg285979773dec28,0,2034058.story

http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/12/30/15474-tribute-army-surgeon-killed-in-mosul-christmas-day/

Also injured in the blast was Col. Shen (seen here at right) who was the commander instrumental in Daniel's early return. He was visiting the hospital in Mosul and received extensive shrapnel injuries to the lower legs. He is recuperating in Germany. I am reminded of how dangerous these tours can be and am so grateful that Daniel returned home safely.