My brother's homecoming was much to celebrate. After a deployment in Afghanistan, we were so anxious, excited, grateful, and eager to see him! The girls decided to make the trip to Camp Lejeune to welcome him home. My mother was kind enough to buy a plane ticket for me while she and Auntie A chose to drive in order to be able to stay for an indefinite amount of time.My journey required me to connect to a small sized propeller vessel and fly into a minuscule airport in the boondocks of Jacksonville. I boarded this late night connection along with a group of uniformed new Marines who seemed shockingly young to me as they excitedly chatted about when they would turn ages 19, 20, and 21. Their youth was a difficult reality to accept when I considered the grave and serious nature of the jobs awaiting them.
Mimi picked me up and shuttled me to the hotel where we excitedly got ready for the long anticipated event scheduled for the following afternoon.
The day of homecoming, we awakened early and prepared to welcome our family member back to the United States--home. Driving past the fence of banners decorated by the many families moved and inspired us, and we painted a special sign just for Thomas.
We decorated green (his favorite color) t-shirts with his face, had a large photo printed of him holding one of his better catches from a long ago fly-fishing escapade in a Tennessee trout stream, and arrived to greet him at the designated time.
Finally, after hours, days, months of waiting and worrying, the heroes arrived by bus, and babies, children, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers, and friends were overwhelmed by joy to hold, touch, and converse with their loved ones.
We spent that evening and the next day eating, drinking, toasting, and beaching it with our very own Marine. Overcome by happiness, relief and communion.
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