We Will Never Forget

9 years ago I was a senior in high school. I was sitting in Government class when we heard the tragic news. I immediately went to the bathroom so I could sneak on my cell phone and call my father. His voice was the one I wanted to hear in a time of national crisis. After school I went over to Philip's house (we had just began dating a month before) and we sat on the couch glued to the news - sad, stunned and shocked and took it all in together.
My family and I were in Pasadena, CA visiting my granddaddy (another man I miss every single day) when the war broke out. My brother Marco was there with us on this trip. I'll never forget watching the images on the news that night and just remember this feeling of knowing it was only going to be a matter of time before my brother Marco would be over there. We all knew it. We were all so scared. And sure enough we were right. As many of you already know, this is my darling brother's third deployment.
He truly is my hero! I am so proud of my brother. Since I was little he has always taken care of me. Has always had the sweetest and most thoughtful heart. Yesterday I came home to a package from my Kuyah. The second I saw his handwriting I was overjoyed. He sent Philip and I an American flag that had flown over the skies of Iraq on a mission. It made me cry to hold that flag and what it symbolized. It made me cry to know it had been in his hands and now in mine. It made me cry because when I hugged it to me I felt close to my brother. It felt so fitting given the date that I would receive it when I did.

*My dad took this picture of me today with the American flag my brother sent me and the certificate. My brother is the one on the left kneeling down in the photo. He's so handsome :) This is taken in the backyard next to the Texas flag my dad painted a couple years ago.

Thank you to every one of you who has sent cards, letters and care packages to my brother while he's overseas. It means the world to all of us! Thank you for the prayers and for your thoughtfullness!

I wanted to post some photos of my brother and me when we were growing up, but I don't have a scanner at home and when I tried to take pics with my camera they came out blurry :( I'll have to share those another time. Here's a couple that were on my computer:

*Kuyah and me on my wedding day

*December 2009 at Marco's deployment ceremony in Lawton, OK

*Me, Marco, Madeline, Chet and Micaela July 2010 at Maria's wedding. I am blessed with such amazing siblings! I miss both my handsome brothers!

*Last picture we took at the airport before he went back to Iraq July 2009

No we will never forget 9-11-2001. Thank you Marco for serving your country and protecting our freedom. Thank you for being the best older brother any little sister could ask for. I love you always!