Once upon a time....

there was a young girl who had stars in her eyes and fell in love with a man in uniform. They wed and moved to Germany. The man in uniform deployed for 12 months to Bosnia. Said Soldier returned to happy wife and they had a beautiful bouncing baby girl. The happy couple moved to Fort Lewis, Washington. There they spent their days hiking, biking, and being happy. The joyful couple decided that baby girl #1 was almost 4, it was time to add to their happiness. After a JRTC adventure, the happy couple added another bouncing baby girl. The now happy family of 4 continues the army adventure. The happy family moves to "The Great Place" (anyone currently stationed here probably knows where I hear that every day) and the cute Soldier deploys to Iraq for 12 months. During this lonely time, bouncing baby girl #2 manages to wipe poop on the wall, empty a 2 gallon bottle of olive oil and mix it with a Sam's size box of detergent, coat herself and the couch in desitin, and wreak havoc everywhere. Soldier returns to his happy, but tired family. The once young girl decides two is such fun, why not add to the excitement and shortly before Soldier deploys, she finds out she is expecting baby #3.

With stars still in her eyes, she sends her Soldier off to Iraq again for 12 months on tour #2. Bouncing baby boy arrives while he is home on R&R. 5 months later he returns home for good. With no stars in her eyes, said now old girl, races Soldier to nearest hospital to be fixed. So now fixed Soldier heads off to Iraq for the third time. Life is plugging along...

Beautiful bouncing baby girl #2 has managed to flood the house. Her brothers room had water all in it, the carpet is soaked, the hallway is flooded......and amazingly the bathroom is dry. Now tired old wife has three children nestled into bed, 25 soggy towels--yes, I have that many on hand for reasons such as this--and what once would have made her cry, now makes her laugh.

And through her tears of laughter she is checking out goarmy.com in the hopes that she can deploy when her Soldier returns home.

Section 60

I got a copy of the show to screen, and it was hard to watch. I shed more than a tear or two. Lots of tears. I actually watched it with my mom, but I need to watch it again by myself.

The story showed section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, a sad, somber place in itself. To watch these families come and mourn their loved ones was heartbreaking. From the man who comes to sleep on his son's grave, to the baby taking her first steps, the the little girls singing happy birthday to their dad on what would have been his 30th birthday.....

As families come to visit their fallen Soldier, they comfort one another knowing exactly what the other is going through. Small rocks are left on the headstone to let the families know that someone was there to visit their Hero. Abs has always collected rocks wherever she goes and the last time we went to visit my dad, she out a few of her treasured rocks on my dad's headstone.

While Gunner was still here, we have talked on several occasions about where he wanted to be buried in case something happened. Not a conversation I thought I would ever have so young, but one that has been necessary.

The show airs tonight on HBO.