Because Every Picture Has A Story To Tell

I went with Matt yesterday to pick his hunter up at the Cedar airport. As we were driving up to the airport I started thinking about the times I had been here. I can remember every detail about those days, even the way I felt.
The first was when Matt was leaving for Mississippi. It was a cold and snowy day. Everyone crying and hugging, not sure when we would see each other again. The next time was better. It was the day after Christmas. We hadn't seen Matt for six months and he was coming home from Iraq for his two week leave. We decided to surprise the kids so we got up and got the house picked up and got ready and I told them we had to run to Cedar to take some stuff back. When we got to Cedar I took them to the airport to see the new building a watch some planes. We were sitting in the waiting area and I was trying to get the looks on there faces when they seen him walk in. It was so fun. Garrett was only two and he wasn't quite sure what to think. The whole time Matt was gone every time Garrett would see a plane he would point to the sky and say dad. The next time, not so fun. The two week leave was over and Matt was headed back to Iraq. It was night and we left the kids home. They let me sit with him in the boarding area until he boarded and then I had to drive home by myself. It wasn't until the end of June that we headed back to the airport for the fourth and final time. Matt was coming home for good and we couldn't wait. It was a beautiful day and there was so many people there. We were waiting for the plane to land and taxi up to stop. They asked for everyone to stay back, but there was no stopping me, as soon as Matt was in sight coming my way I ran to meet him.
As we were parking we were talking about the times we had been there and the sick feeling it still gives us. When we got in the waiting area there was a family there, wearing matching shirts and crying. He had his army bags packed waiting to board that plane. The little kids were at the window watching the plane land and saying maybe that's dads plane. All I could do was sit there and cry for them. I know what they were going through and had just been thinking of the times I had been through it. Had myself heard my kids wondering if that was their daddy's plane. I am grateful for having that experience and the things that I learned from it. And I am grateful that I don't have to experience that again.