!! HE IS HOME !! At least for 2 weeks.

" Home is the hunter, home from the hills,
And the sailor is home from the sea..."

Grandson is neither hunter nor sailor but is a soldier in the U.S. Army serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and has been allowed a 2 week furlough at home in Texas. There is great joy and rejoicing in Worried's large, closely knit extended family. His parents took off work, his sister took off work and drove from Dallas to Houston, his wife from college and the children were taken from school today in order to meet him athe airport.

His wife has been beside herself with nervous excitement and his two children - aged 5 and 7 years - have exhibited more wild excitement than that displayed at the advent of Santa Claus. "Daddy"s coming home! Daddy's coming home!" has been their constant refrain during waking hours. Such exurberance is a wonderful contrast to the usual tearful, chin-quivering query, "I want my Daddy. When's my Daddy coming home?"

Only the immediate family participated in the joyful reunion at the airport and first day home. The remainder of the Thundering Horde will have their turn during the planned festivities over the next two weeks.

Several days will be taken up for a trip to see my Mother. Gene was so afraid she would pass on before he got home, to see his great grandmother one more time. She has held on, confounding her doctors and keeping the family hanging on semi-red alert; some say she has been waiting for Gene. Who knows the iron will or the inner strength of terminal people that allows them to survive long past odds?

There will be a hullaballoo of reunions in CC as the Horde descends upon the relatives there to see Mother and visit each other. Rejoice! One of our own has returned to the bosom of the Family!

For a little while Worried will be busy. For a little while I will not be Worried; I will resume my roles as Mama/Grandma/Sis/Daughter/Cousin/Ree-Ree/Marie/Auntie. It will be fine, fine. I am happy.