Today I got the chance to talk with my cousin, Paul. That may not sound like anything spectacular, but believe me when I say that it is rare. Paul is currently serving his second tour of duty in Iraq as a member of the United States Army. I have not seen or really talked with him since some time last year. So getting to talk to him online was an unexpected treat.
Paul and I are only a month apart. I have the advantage of being the older one. I get to be the boss in the family. Right....Paul and I have always been close. We grew up together. I remember going to my first day of kindergarten. In the car behind me was my aunt, uncle, and Paul. We ended up in the same class that year. It was always the two of us growing up. He always seemed like more of a brother to me than a cousin. He was more of a brother than my real brother was at the time.
When we graduated high school, I chose college and Paul chose the Army. I remember some of us taking a road trip to see Paul at the base he was stationed at new Baltimore, Maryland. We had an awesome time touring Washington DC. There were the times we were on Club Dance. Those were the days.
Now Paul is married with 4 kids. While he is serving his second tour in Iraq, his family is stationed at Fort Hood, in TX. They are far from our home in Tennessee.
I am proud to know someone like Paul...someone who is willing to risk his life for his country. He has given so much of his time and life for the United States. He has sacrificed being with his family when called to serve. He has missed the first two years of his new daughter's life. (Well, most of it.)
Now he is sitting in the cold desert and counting down the days until he comes home. His tour is over in January, and he should be back in the USA by the second week of the new year. I know there is going to be a huge celebration when he makes it back home.
So my only purpose for writing this post is to publicly thank him for his many sacrifices and the work he has been doing.
Love ya, cuz!
- JC
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