Pride

Today is Saturday. Just a normal Saturday like any other; for me. But for my cousin Sam..today is different. Today he leaves for Afghanistan. I feel an unusual combination of emotion. This is something completely foreign to me and I can't seem to come to peace with it. This war, for the first time ( I am ashamed to say) has really hit home. What I do know is that he is the kind of man I am proud to call my family...I am proud to call my soldier. He is a good man, he is determined and he is honorable. I can only hope to be so strong. I can only hope to ever be so brave....

His amazing sister put her thoughts into words..and I think that she is so phenomenally poignant. I would like to share her words with you.

"*Obama's War*...taking my brother...and I think I'm ok with it"

"If you know me...you know there's a few things in life that I don't like...showing emotion...and writing about it. But this has to be said.I'm sitting here in my warm apartment...'studying.' Washing my sheets (only because I like to sleep on fresh clean sheets,) wishing my neighbor wasn't playing his TV so loud, and cranky because it's cloudy outside. I have warm coffee in my tummy, had cereal with strawberries for breakfast, and just realized that I need to shave my legs...I have 3 papers due next week, and I'm dreading work on Saturday...I hope it doesn't smell like poo in there all day. I'm spoiled rotten.This Saturday, while I'm sitting in my comfortable chair at work, gracefully answering patient calls...my baby brother will be on his way to work...in Helmand, Afghanistan. (Helmand just happens to be one of the places the Taliban hang out.)He won't be sleeping for prob...a few days. When he will get to sleep it wont be in a bed, or on a cot. He will only sleep for a few hours at a time. He'll get to eat MRE's for the next 7 mo. No NEX, ATM's, or Mess Halls. He'll work during the day in 120 degree heat, and freeze in the cold at night. He won't punch in at work everyday...he won't get any weekends off. There will be no thanksgiving dinner, or champagne toasts on New Years. He'll be way too busy...protecting America. I was supposed to drive down to NC after work on Saturday. He was supposed to leave on Monday. It's tradition to share tequila shots and cause mayhem with my brother before he leaves for a long departure. I think the Marine Corps found that out... because now he leaves on Saturday.It's probably best that I don't see him before he leaves. I know what he's going to see over there. I know the danger he will be in every second of every day after he leaves American soil. I know he will suffer from extreme exhaustion, heat, cold, and hunger. I know he will always have dust in his eyes, sunburn on his face, and sores on his feet. Where he is going, they walk...everywhere. The only piece of equipment keeping him from stepping on a mine is a freaking robot. I will miss his pointless phone calls. How he calls and demands you answer the phone...but then talks the whole time to someone sitting next to him. Random texts just to tell me how retarded I am. Disgusting pasta he makes with whole wheat noodles. I might even miss the rank farts that turn the walls of my apartment yellow. But - I have never been more proud of someone in my life. (Dad retiring, Rach getting married, and seeing Christopher walk are right up there too :)I know that I can sleep at night because of my brother. I know that my daughter will learn about this war in school, and know that her Uncle was right there in the middle of it. She will learn about her Uncle bravely fighting the Taliban to keep her and all her little friends safe. Not only is my brother doing this for his family, friends, and future generations...he is also doing this for the Afghan people, and their future generations.I never would have imagined that on Sept. 11th, my little brother, (in high school) would one day be within feet of the Taliban terrorists ... and kicking ass.This was a much needed purge of emotion, and I now think I'm ok with him going. If I had known what an amazing person he would have turned out to be, how he has been the best male role model / father figure to my daughter, and how he would go to war for our family and America...I might not have spray painted his hair purple while he slept...(Or smashed his alarm clock, told on him for hiding cookies under his bed, stole a few bucks from his wallet, put pics of him dressed up in a bra on the Internet, drew harts with "love, mommy" on his lunch bag in high school, or saran wrapped the toilet so he peed all over the floor.)My little bratty brother has far exceeded my expectations, and the expectations of the Marines. With him being hand picked to go to Helmand...I know he's a hero.I promise him, that...I will pray for him and all the troops every day, I will not get a dog and I will not marry Cohen (while he's gone), my daughter will know that her Uncle is a hero, and I will have mas tequila waiting....... for when he comes home."