A tough day

Today is going to be a rough one for me.  I have to tell my kids that I am going back to Iraq.  This has to be the hardest thing to do.  As a Soldier, my job is rather simple.  The Army says go, I pack my bags, get on a plane, and do the job.  For my family, however, it is not as simple.  My wife has to go for a year without her husband.  My girls have to go a year without Daddy.  And finally, I will miss birthdays, aniversaries, and other important times in their lives.  Perhaps the hardest part is realizing that my children have to deal with mortality.  Knowing that Daddy is going to Iraq is one thing.  Dealing with the fact that some Soldiers are coming back either wounded or worse, that is the hardest thing for me to take and for them to have to deal with.  I will certainly keep people posted, and I know that at the end of the day, we will make it through this.......again.