Separation Date 10/5

(With apologies to Jen, because I know she is isn't interested in my political posts, but I think she will be able to tolerate this one because of the Eric pictures and the Pete Seeger video.....lol)

Eric called yesterday. He has submitted his terminal leave papers. If they are accepted, his separation date will be October 5... after four long years and many sleepless nights. As KleoPatra put it best... Semper Fi Goodbye!!! He has seen an awful lot in the last four years and I hoped learned from it all.......the desperate poverty in Haiti and his 7 months in Iraq....

So my boy is out and all in one piece.....my heart bleeds for those still caught up in the mess over there, carrying out ill-planned objectives for unjustified reasons and those trying to recover from their injuries and all the families left behind trying to get by, day by day, without their loved ones......... When I think of what is going on over there, it reminds me of the Thomas Jefferson quote, "Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep forever." I know he was talking about slavery but I think it can also apply to our country's recent misguided policies.
All of our pictures are packed away, but I came across this one of Eric with his cousin Kimber, up at my parent's house
And here are some from his Iraq deployment:


I could put a gazillion more up, because I just love looking at him. Instead though, because I have the nerve to disagree with our current administration's foreign policy and that makes me (according to our illustrious Sec of Def, Rummy) a nazi/fascist appeaser, without a clear understanding of history, that believes America is the root of the world's problems and we should negotiate peace with terrorists, here are a couple of videos. Bruce Springsteen's version of Pete Seeger's Bring Them Home, June 6, 2006 in San Francisco, CA.

And just because he rocks it, here is a video of Pete Seeger, doing his original: