Happy Birthday, Brad

I'm late on this one. By more than a week. Lieutenant Trouble turned 26 on the 26th.

Yeah. February's a busy month around here.*

Twenty-six years old. In charge of security--in fact the second in command at an Air Force Base--at twenty-six.** With a tour in a war zone under his belt. And a rising Captain.

Yes--Lieutenant Touble will soon be no more. He will shortly be known as Captain Trouble.

I was going to fly down to Texas and pin his gold bars on for him, at his request, in April.
That won't be happening. He's going to be back in Iraq. He's leaving next week for two weeks of training in Germany, and then he's off to the war again.

He's pretty sanguine about it. He says he'd rather get it over with now, so that it won't impact his wedding next July.Ain't they cute? They're getting married on the beach of an island off the coast of Virginia.

At dawn. That's 5:59 am. I know. I checked.

I told them I would definitely be there. I'll be in my bathrobe with a cup of coffee in my hand, but I'll be there.

But that's down the road. I'm just looking forward to having him back for the weekend. He's flying in on Friday morning, and leaving Monday morning. He's opting to stay with me, and it will be good to have him here.

We'll have people over, and he'll hang out, and after everyone leaves, he'll give me his will, just like last time, for safekeeping. And just like last time, I won't read it. Because I won't need to.

He'll be back. I won't entertain any other thought. Would you?

Happy Birthday, Brad. Godspeed, my son.
Love, Dad

yeharr

*So, apparently, was May. In case you're wondering, No. 2 son--Puddle--was born in November. We're still trying to figure that one out.

**When I was that age, I was in charge of wearing matching socks and getting to work at 8 am. It was too much responsibility for me.