Matthew Is Coming Home for Christmas

YEAH ... Matthew is coming home for Christmas.

I was feeling blue over Thanksgiving since Matthew couldn't make it home. This was our first Thanksgiving without him. I guess we had been quite lucky since last year he was able to make it home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Last night in the final minutes of watching LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING ... the phone rings ... It's Matthew!!! He found a spot in the dessert that gave him service on his cell phone.

*** Can't you just see him in his desert cammies, standing in the middle of the desert, with his cell phone up to his hear saying ... Can you hear me now? ***

It was so good to hear his voice. It's amazing how that 1,000 lb. weight lifted off my shoulders.

His leave starts Monday, December 22nd and ends January 6th. So he'll be flying the RED EYE out of Palm Springs on Monday 12/22 evening and arriving into Harrisburg sometime the morning of Tuesday 12/23. He'll need to head back to base on Monday 1/5 in order to be there on time to check back in on Tuesday 1/6.

Matthew won't get leave again before heading over to Iraq in February, so you know we will be making this the best family time we can. Lots of good meals to fatten him up ... lots of Wii to keep us in shape (hahaha) ... and lots of love and laughs.

That's what Christmas is all about ... family, friends, love and laughing.

Can't ask for anything more that means as much.