When I was younger, I didn’t have a care in the world. My Mom and little sister were always with me and my dad was overseas in Iraq. I found the amusing gifts coming from my dad who was overseas, awesome! The brass tea set and belly dancers bedlah were some of these gifts. I was always excited to get another postcard from him, to put into my Mom and I’s scrapbook. I got used to the fact that my dad was on the other side of the world and believed that he would always come back.

One day I was packing up my books into my bag after a long day of kindergarten. When I looked out the glass doors that opened up to my school, I saw a familiar face I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was my Dad! He surprised my Mom, baby sister, and me when he showed up out of nowhere. We knew he would be home soon, but not this soon! I ran out of the doors with my little legs carrying me as fast as they could. A leap of faith that ended in my dad's arms. Tears came rushing out like a raging river, and I cried more than I ever had before in that single day. Hope came like a tsunami, now that I was assured that my dad was going to stay with me forever.

My dad was home, although he still had to leave every month or so. Those weekends went by fast with our mom taking us to the zoo or to go shopping, reassuring us that our dad would be home by Sunday night. And when he rolled into the driveway after a long weekend away he would open the door to two little girls patiently waiting for his return. Two leaps but both still ending in my father's warm arms. We were whole again and as time passed, the fear of that hole appearing again was lingering.

It was a fairly sunny day with a few clouds but I felt like it was going to rain. Then I got the news and it struck my heart with sadness. My dad may be deployed for the third time. He was going to be sent off to Africa to help the people there. Even though what he was going to do would save those people, I wanted him to stay. Hugging and crying at the astonishing news my mom and sister and I cried enough to fill a water tower. My dad joined in later, but he was trying to stay strong to comfort us. I will never forget that day when they warned to take my dad away from me again, but they never followed through with the plan to leave to Africa, and so my Dad stayed with us.

About last year and a long time after that news, my family and I went on a camping trip. We went fishing, swimming, and did a lot of other things done while camping. Our long weekend was coming to an end when my dad got a call. He was granted an interview with another brigade that he wanted to join. His vacation was then stopped short and he left our family to go to the interview. I was happy for him that he was going to get a shot at another job that he wanted. He ended up not getting the job and we were sad about the effort he put in like just leaving right in the middle of our vacation for this job interview. He then got news latter that the brigade he wanted to be apart of was being deployed. This was shocking news to us, and in a way, I am grateful that he never got that job so he wouldn’t be deployed

Being that my dad was almost deployed multiple times scares me. My dad is still here with me but the fear of the news around the world and its conflicts worries me. Like me, there are thousands of other kids out there that don’t want their parents to leave. And if they already have been deployed than they want them back at home with them. This just reminds me of how blessed I am with the time I get to spend with my loved ones. I worry now more than ever that if he is deployed he might not come home this time. When I was little it was easier, I didn't really understand the risks. I know my mom and dad are here to support my sister and me and to keep us safe until they can’t anymore. I am grateful for the time I have with my dad and the future with him too, even if he is deployed again.