{be brave}

Well, it has been 78 days since David deployed for Afghanistan.  I can say that it hasn't been particularly easy.  Some days just feel empty, some feel lonely, some are filled with anger, and a lot are sad.  Between all those days, life goes on.  There is nothing that I, or any of my wife friends, can do about the deployment.  We can't wish it away, we can't have our men home earlier, we can't protect them from imminent danger, we can't do much for them.  What we can do is be patient and keep things going here back at home.  We will have good days and bad days, long days and days that fly by.  Those phone numbers we don't recognize and random knocks on our doors make our hearts sink to the pits of our stomachs. We are nearing the halfway point and get to begin to see the light at the end of this tunnel.

Ladies, stand strong and stand proud.  Our men are the best that our country is made of and we are the best women our country is made of.  We don't ask for much except love, support and prayers.  We are stronger than we know and can make it through anything.  So, we ask of you for just this, your love, your support and lots of your prayers. And to you, our men, our Marines, make us proud and think smart.

**David Update**

David, along with working and having meetings, has been at the gym about an hour a day.  At least he is spending his down time well!  Also, he received a package from a best friend.  In that package were golf clubs!  I can only imagine how much fun he will have hitting some balls in the middle of Afghanistan.  Still a Marine, but a golfer at heart!

Would you look at the antenna on that thing!!  Here is another photo that David has taken while in Afghanistan.  It's cool to see him and his Marines in action.

David, I made a big pot of soup today and wish that you could have been here to share it with me.  It was pretty delicious if I do say so myself.  

I'm here, with a full belly, waiting for you to come home to me.

I love you David.