Let Freedom Ring.....and soon, please?

A few weeks ago, in Council Bluffs, IA., my nephew Ben was called for his 2nd deployment in three years, this time Afghanistan. We may have guessed he had a calling for living on the edge sometime around age 4 when he would, without warning, take a leap of faith off anything high. Somehow he always landed upright and solid and that is what defines him today, upright and solid. He is a captain, an officer and a gentleman.

The men and women in this country who agree to leave for months on end to defend us certainly have far more courage and dedication than I. My courage and dedication is put to the test by simply attending a deployment ceremony. You can't believe what it is like to witness the stamina of the soldiers and their families as they say their final goodbyes in the 45 fleeting minutes before the bus pulls out. Little kids clinging to Moms and Dads, asking for the 1,000th time why they have to go away? It's impossible to keep one's mind in the moment because two thoughts completely take over. The first is the realization of the extreme sacrifice and safety factor of the soldiers. The other is wondering how those left at the station return home to immediately shape new life styles alone or as single parents for the next 12 months. They wake up alone Monday morning and know they own all the home front responsibilities for the upcoming year. Single handedly, they now must get the kids to daycare and school, go to work, pay the bills, unclog the toilets, shovel the snow, and nurse sick babies while suppressing all the nagging fears. What exactly are the calming words to explain why Daddy is halfway around the world in a foreign war zone and why he will be OK? How does one ensure the television never gets turned to an evening news channel so a 7 year old doesn't hear the negative media reports describing where her Dad now lives? The news scares the living daylights out of me, imagine being 5, 6 or 7 and hearing it? That has to be the hardest part.

Ben is 6 foot two and looks as rugged as the jagged mountainous Afghanistan terrain. But as rugged as he appears on the outside, inside he is beautifully balanced by a gentleness as a father and man.

We were all together Friday evening in Des Moines and Saturday evening in Council Bluffs. Afterwards, I wondered if, indeed, he is honoring his true calling. There was seldom a time he didn't have a child in his arms. Not only did he cuddle and spar with his own two, but also and often, he held close to his heart the small children of his sister, cousins and friends. It may be a rare quality to bark military orders by day and coo sweet nothings in kids' ears after the sun goes down. I wondered if his calling was to defend his country and help rid the world of the bad guys or own and operate a daycare? His love for kids is so obvious and pure.

So it hit me as I was writing my thoughts for this blog that maybe his motivation to fight and defend is quite simply for the purpose of trying to maintain the country as safe a haven as possible for our kids. Tall order, huh? Maybe he does see himself as a keeper of the kids, only in soldiers clothing.

I'm fairly certain Ben still gets his thrills jumping off high places, both mentally and physically. He has always landed exactly the way he should, perfect posture, upright and solid so I have no doubt he will continue to do so.

Let us pray for the safe return of every soldier. Also, pray this darn war can be won or controlled. It will be a very long year (again) for wives like Kyra, the kids, families and friends. And speaking of Kyra, like Ben, she has had to reach deep within to muster up the bravery to keep her worries in check and take care of their family. She is a survivor, amazingly strong and supportive and loves her husband very much. I am on TEAM KYRA.

To the best of his ability, Ben has promised his mother he won't see combat, but it isn't much comfort to the one who went through 12 brutal hours of combative labor to get him into this world. Therefore, she is a nerve ending to be reckoned with as well. I'm positive she would much prefer her son operate a daycare in Des Moines but she knows better. And underneath the worry is a woman who is extremely proud of the little boy she raised so well. His father, Tom, a military man himself, is a rudder, always calm and brings up the rear in true form every time. A good man can always be relied on and that is what defines Tom.

So, here's to my nephew and his fellow comrades who choose to serve the country. So far, it is a choice most of us wouldn't make in a million years. They are an elite group of amazing people. May God keep them out of harms way. And may the next 12 months go by in a blink. I'm looking forward to watching big Ben cuddle a little kid again. It truly comes natural to him...proof positive you are what you learn and a major reason why I am so very proud of my family's ability to raise such wonderful kids.