Coming home... Rather, "homecoming".

Today, I was thinking about homecoming and what it means to the families and spouses of those in the military, and I realized that it really means nothing to us in comparison to what it means to those who were gone.

For us "homecoming" is like Christmas - a far off event that we spend months thinking about, planning for, and dreaming of.
For them "homecoming" is like the end of a marathon - the end of a long, arduous, process, that seems to be never-ending.

They have been running the marathon of their lives and when they reach their "homecoming" time, it seems to be more gratifying for them than for us. Though we live, breathe and dream of homecoming, their entire world becomes that one event; they fight, sometimes to the death, to be able to come home to us. So, to me, Derek's "homecoming" isn't going to be about anything other than him. He will have done his time, given his all, and made it through. No one else will be able to understand the feeling he will have when his boots are finally back on American soil - no matter how many emotions I feel, I'm sure he will be overwhelmed with emotions on that day.

I am proud that I am married to such a strong man. I cannot wait to experience his "homecoming" with him, once again.