All Good Things Must End

Yesterday was our final day in command. We expected to be here another 6 months, so it has kind of caught us off guard. Especially after the MAJOR STRESS of the last couple of months--we really couldn't focus on enjoying the company, since everything else was SO HARD. Anyway, last night was the brigade's Christmas ball. It was a hard thing for me. I am so ready to go, but at the same time, so much of our life is here. God willing, we will NEVER go through again what we have with these people. However, it did create a very special bond between us all. I am glad for that.

So, as S. did his final act as the commander--pouring brandy into the grog bowl--it hit me that it is over. Like I said, I'm ready to go. . .but I will miss this place and these people. Everyone told us that company command is the most special time of your career. I thought we had been lucky because we loved every job up to this point. But, this was different.

S. felt like these soldiers were his children, and at the same time, his brothers. I felt the same about their wives. And the single guys. . .a special place will always be reserved in my heart for them. Some of them are SO young. Some aren't--but I love them all. Even the crazy trouble makers that made the MPs have to call my house at 3am more times than I want to remember. . .I will always love them all. I hate that we are all going to seperate places now. It won't be long before we don't know where everyone is. They are off to other units. Units that are deploying. . .I hope that I don't hear their names on the news--or read them in the papers. That almost always means something bad has happened. I would rather just wonder...and know that as long as I haven't seen it in print--they are still out there. . .fighting for freedom (and fighting with each other and getting some other commander a call at 3am!!)