Leaving for War Our neighbor, Liam, left for Iraq last night. Liam isn’t married. His parents were here helping him get his house ready for winter. They brought his dog up from New Hampshire to see him. His mom left brownies and other goodies to pack and take with him. She left little sticky notes in the kitchen for his house sitter—little reminders of how to take care of her son’s things until he returns. He’s on a commercial plane—a twenty-hour flight. He’s asked us to watch his house while he’s gone. The plan is to be there for a year, but that will probably be extended by six months, so he’s told his troops to plan to be there for 18 months. Hopefully, everyone will be surprised when they get to come home early.

Our other neighbor, Bill, will be leaving for Iraq in the next couple of weeks. He has a family—a wife, two sons and a daughter. His oldest son will graduate from high school this spring. His dad will be in Iraq during the ceremony.

Thank you both for answering the call to duty, serving our country. We will take care of those you hold dear while you are away. We look forward to having you back in our neighborhood again, enjoying all that Alaska has to offer, and knowing that you are safe, sound, and with your loved ones.  ¶ 10:33 AM