A Nice Surprise

    All of my readers who are military wives know that the military is full of surprises.  Unfortunately, most of the surprises are not so wonderful.  We usually spend important dates like birthdays and anniversaries alone and we spend holidays away from our biological family.  In the short (almost) 2 years as an Air Force wife, I've learned to hope for the best but to always excpect the worst.  We've been granted leave for an anniversary trip and two days before it has been taken away.  We've made plans to spend Christmas with family only to find out that the extra day off is no longer going to happen.
    So, when our niece unexplectantly passed away, I wasn't the least bit surprised that Anthony wasn't going to make it home.  I was, however, surprised when 2 days later the commander did PT with my husband's squadron and told Anthony he would get him home in the next two weeks.  For the reasons stated above, I didn't count on it.  I had gotten excited and then let down too many times.   Even when he told me he had a specific date, I still would not let myself get excited.  I started cleaning house and getting things taken care of, but I wasn't giddy like I'd expected.  I was beginning to think something was wrong with me, but then I figured out, it was my way of protecting myself.  Thursday, when I heard he was no longer in Iraq, it finally became real and "official."  Friday when he was in the United States, I finally became excited.  He was really coming home (almost a month early).  And, on Saturday, the military provided.  My husband came home!!!
     Thank you Air Force for bring Anthony home early and for showing that you really do care.  Now, I actually get to spend our two year anniversary with my husband home (although he will be working all day).