Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

It has been a year, and what a year it has been!

Tomorrow afternoon, we welcome our soldier home to the eager arms of his wife and son, and all the rest of us who have been missing him while he's been serving in Afghanistan.

 

Ali and I have spent most of this year 'waiting for our boys to arrive' - me waiting for Henry and Ali waiting for her husband to come home. Waiting is an uncomfortable state to be in. It's aggravating, and it's itchy. We bonded over waiting. 

Now at long last, the rooms of Ali's house will be filled again with the sounds of her boys - her family complete and together and home.

Malachi will get to know his father in a real, three dimensional sense. No more will daddy be the man with the voice delay in the talking box (skype) with all the tempting buttons.

Steve will get to know his son in real-time - no more pictures sent via internet, no more stories shared of what new antics Mal has been up to. Steve will finally get to be there to experience it all in person.

And my sister and her husband will get to know each other, again, and fall in love again with the shiny new versions of each other that they are. Stronger. Braver. Different for having gone through this year loving each other from a distance - taking care of so many things by themselves to support their other half, half a world away. I think they will find their love to be more solid - just as they will find themselves to be.

I personally am looking forward to the nights ahead filled with strategy games and goofy laughs. 'Cause I'm pretty sure the 'New Steve' will still be that kind of good time.

Welcome home, brother.