Saying Good-bye

Saying good-bye is never easy to do. I have said many good-byes in my young life (HA HA HA). However, being in Colorado Springs, a city with a dense military population, I have learned a hard lesson about good-byes....Saying good-bye to a soldier who is being deployed to a Middle Eastern country for a year or more to fight in a war is a different kind of good-bye.

I said bye to my buddy Josh in December. My dear bro, Trevor (Claudia's brother), deployed right after Thanksgiving. Also, my dear friend Doris sent her husband to Iraq for his third tour.

There are many deploying good-byes around here. To me, they are a different kind of pain and hurt than most good-byes...Michael's niece, Dechelle and her husband Ryan came back to Ft. Carson in June from Ft. Riley in Kansas. Friday, Ryan got on a plane and headed to Iraq for his second tour...I do not know Ryan and Dechelle very well, but they are wonderful people and sending him off after our fun evening together was a bit heart wrenching.

Michael, Dechelle and Ryan playing Trevon's favorie song...The moment he hears it, he stops fussing.

Ryan and Dechelle came over Thursday evening to spend some time with Mikey, Catherine and Uncle Michael (and me) before he left. We ate, chatted and played a few rounds of Skip-Bo. They have two sons, Eric (8) and Trevon (4 months). Michael and I fought over who got to hold the little dude first...I won, but gave him up to capture the moments and memories.

Michael telling lies to Trevon.

Michael, Dechelle and Ryan at the Skip-Bo table (Trevon was in his car seat snoring the game away).

I am the Skip-Bo Queen!!! (The only game I can win)

Ryan and Michael fighting for camera attention,