Welcome Back!

Its kind of an ironic saying, Welcome back! That has several meanings to me this Memorial Day Weekend. For many its a four day weekend, the one that starts the "summer season", cookouts, getting together with friends and family.

Well for me this Memorial Day has special meaning. As many of you know I have two sons that serve us in the military. Ryan is a Captain in the Army and has been serving in Afghanistan with his group since December. I have been keeping up with him on the internet and the creation of web cams,Yahoo and Skype. I have been able to see him and feel like we are talking in person. He and I are talking right this minute... the great part is that he is on his way back home. After lots of prayers, God has helped arrange it so that he can return home this weekend. They needed someone to come back and take over at the place he worked at Ft. Hood and they asked him to return home early..... This is almost unheard of that you get to return early from a years assignment overseas! So, my Memorial Day will be a bit different this year.
For our family it not only will be a Welcome Home but a thank you to heaven above that he has been kept safe. Thank you to Ryan for his commitment to his country. He has been married over 2 years and the large majority of that he has been serving in a war zone. He has a wonderful wife who has learned to deal with his absence, but holds down the home front until he returns. Thank you to her as well for understanding that he has that commitment.

In addition I also have another son Pete, who is a Captain in the Marine Corps. He too is on active duty here in North Carolina. This weekend he is serving at an airshow representing the Marine Corps instead of being at home with his friends and family. He has spent a good amount of time being away from home and his 5 year old son Sawyer. It is so hard to explain to a little boy that his daddy has to be away in a far away place or on a ship for 6 months. That amount of time is a long time for a little boy!

My other reason for talking about welcoming people is that the beach has finally woken up!! We have lots of folks here visiting us and I say Welcome Back to them as well. We love to have you here for a visit. I decided to go over to the beach this morning to the office and had to go early because after about noon you have to wait in traffic. Well, this morning like many other times I got over and did my errands, and when I got ready to go back the traffic started.

As I approached the top of the high rise bridge over Bogue sound, there was a wreck at the top. Unfortunately this is a common occurrence in the summertime, as people are looking down at the beautiful views and then someone stops suddenly in front of them! Crash!!!! This one was three cars, nobody hurt but since it is single lane the traffic stops so the police and rescue squad can come and do their job. I went out about 2 hours later and the traffic was still sitting because there are just so many people wanting to get to that beach!!!

Our company handles rental properties and our group welcomed 450 families today and probably that many tomorrow as well. We truly do love having all of our extended family and visitors here on Emerald Isle. We welcome you back and hope you will have a wonderful visit here in North Carolina

Welcome Back to Ryan, my son and all of the military that are coming home from deployments. My prayers to all that are not here and to the families of those service members. Remember those who have given their lives for you and I in order for us to be able to enjoy our trips to the beach and all the things we take for granted. When you eat your hamburgers and hot dogs this Memorial Day weekend, say a little prayer of thanks to all of our Troops!!
We salute you the members of the Army, Marines, Coast Guard, Navy and National Guard!