Welcome home...

Well Friday could not have been a more perfect day, at least the best surprise this year helped me get through a pretty stressful day at work anyway. My brother called me about 8 am as I got to work, and I looked at my phone and was confused to see "Brandon" on the caller ID. Sure enough it was him to tell me he made it home from Afghanistan. He was just leaving KCI and heading to Topeka to make his final out-processing appointment before coming home. I was so flabbergasted to hear his voice let alone to know he had safely made it home from serving our country since late in the summer last year.

I realize that he was not gone as long as many, many friends have had to deal with their spouse, family member and other friends, but regardless of how long anyone is gone fighting for our country, it just makes you so happy to see them safe and home in our FREE country! Brandon asked me to keep it a secret from our parents as he wanted to surprise them. I went along with it and anxiously waited by the phone for them to tell me he had made it home, but I went through the entire work day with no phone call. I had to think fast as I wanted to meet everyone at my parents' home in Hiawatha after work. I called them to casually say I was coming to town to deliver some MK to some customers and wondered if they were doing anything that night. They said to come on over, and I then had to think fast as to what we had to do for the extra half hour between me arriving at my parents home and Brandon arriving. I said I had to wait as the antibiotic I was on made my stomach upset if I ate too quickly after taking it...ha! Finally, Brandon walked down the stairs of my parents' home, and that's when they saw him, and of course went crazy to know it was a surprise.

Here is the video of their reactions.

I wanted to do a little crafty project with this graphic when Brandon would have told us he was supposed to be on his way and we were to meet and greet him at the airport, but he was given the opportunity to come home early, and I don't blame him for taking it.

Either way, we are very excited he has back. Thank you for serving our country and making us proud, brother! Not many step up to the plate to willingly join our military and then have to leave everything to go overseas, and you did it because you were honored to do so.

Here is a little something made by Brandon's daughter, Alexa, for his return home:



Brandon and I have some exciting things planned this spring to do together, and I can't wait to share them with you all.