To My Heroes, Welcome Home

                                       

Today your finally home and I want more than anything to let you know how much you are loved and how much your country and community respect and appreciate your duty to our country. I have come to realize how much more precious life truly is because for this time I feared losing you.  

The world seems so much brighter today, my heart so much lighter and my mind is clear because you are finally home. I missed you so much and I love you all.  To My Heroes, Welcome Home.         

I have had a heavy heart awaiting this month when my nephews brothers would arrive home in the arms of their loving family and friends. Well today I can tell you that my heart is no longer heavy my eyes filled with tears of happiness that they are home where they belong.  Don't get me wrong I am also saddened that my wonderful nephew "CPL Chad S. Wade" is not wrapped in the arms of his loved one, but then I woke this morning and I thought to myself "he is, he is wrapped in the arms and hearts of all his family and friends" Chad would not want us to wallow in the sorrow that we may feel right now, he would want us to celebrate his amazing brothers, he would want us to know that he is looking down from heaven so proud, so honored to have loved and served with these fine young men. 

As I stay tuned to my computer just waiting for the next brother to arrive home, the next beautiful picture to appear I see more clearly now. That my heart was heavy because I feared losing another great man, but I do not fear anymore, I do not dwell on the sadness for I am rejoicing inside for each and everyone of them. I am rejoicing for each friend and family member that are by their sides ready to begin a new life for I know that Chad is in their hearts and forever will be.   For those of you that do not know, we have known these guys since boot camp.  I never dreamed at that time that I would love and need them as much as I do today, if I could go back in time I would have focused on them as much as I did my nephew, but I can not go back in time, I can relish in the memory and the stories that were shared with me during those years. I really began to know what wonderful men and women had joined my family on December 1st 2010 when we lost my nephew in Afghanistan.  I began to reach out to them and their families, and at that time they became apart of me, for this I am so thankful.  Not a minute has gone by that these men and their families and friends have left my mind.  With all they have been faced with let me tell you that not ONCE have they forgotten about this family, my sister (aka Bonus Mom), they NEVER failed to keep us updated, keep us in their prayers and have held to the motto that they live by "Semper Fi" I will forever be grateful to these men and their families, for you have made this journey worth traveling, you all made it a little easier to awake every morning with a new purpose. My life has forever been changed, I see things so differently now, I love so much deeper, care so much harder.  I owe that to you I owe that to all of you

I have become so very close to some of the wives and girlfriends, and mothers of these amazing young men, a friendship that I can not explain with mere words. I want to share the beautiful pictures of Home Coming with you all for these are the people that have taught me that you can never have enough family, you can never have enough love.  These ladies and their families,  I am about to share with you stood by their men, raised their children, their newborns, never failed to stay positive, held their heads up never to show weakness, stayed in touch with their families, kept their mamma's updated if they talked to them, I can not express enough what amazing ladies they are I am truly blessed to have them in my life they too are my "Heroes".



Jamie and Manny Yamas
"precious boys Devin and Zeke"





Gladys and Robert Schmitt
"sweet daughter Abigail"

                                                  

                                       







Zach and Ashley Willhoite



Russ and Susie Moseley 

"sweet Lily Grace"



                                

Lindsey and Shawn Spratt

                                                


Bridget Dooley and her son "AJ"



Karlie Daniel and AJ Dooley











 









Lacie and Jeremy Fisher










 

Chadman and our sweet Ro Ro

                     

                                   




Chris J. Loychik
(Dear brother of Chad's)







Nikki and Chip Tippett

"sweet son Ryder"







Zach McGuffey and Owen



Seth, Zach, Ashley, Lindsey & Shawn  

                  



Manny and sweet Devin







Robert and sweet Abigail



 

                               

 





Shawn and his sweet Suri
(I just had to steal this one)



Zach McGuffey and sweet Owen



Owen and his daddy heading out

I just loved this...

 



Lindsey and her sweet Suri















                                                



















Zach and precious "Serenity Dawn" aka: Suri

Chad loved this baby girl so much



  

Chip and his precious boys
Maverick and Ryder













     

                                                           









                                        

 



                                                     

                                                                        

                                             

 Now you can all see why these people mean so very much to our family, we have embraced them and they will forever be in our hearts and in our life. We are so blessed that these wonderful men made it home safe and are in the arms of their families, able to begin their life again. Becoming that wonderful husband, friend and fathers to their children... I am so proud of each and everyone of you. Russ we are so blessed that you are alive you will forever be a hero in my eyes and you will forever be in my prayers. May God Bless each and everyone of you!!!  A huge thanks goes to the mother of AJ Dooley her name is "Bridget" and she made these wonderful pins for the ladies to wear at homecoming, they are beautiful and we will forever be thankful.      



What a precious gift you have given us, thank you will never be enough.



These "Brothers" are amazing and loyal, a beautiful rock was made while in Afghanistan and Zach has honored Chad with a memorial tattoo.  My heart is overwhelmed by the love they all share.............



I wish I knew who to give credit to for this beautiful rock..



Zach Willhoite you are an amazing friend thank you for the love you have for
Chad and his family, you are simply amazing.





Zach McGuffey's new Chad Tat... Simply Amazing
these men are just Simply Amazing!!!!!





Can't wait to see this finished!!!!! Zach  this is just amazing
you and Zach Willhoit will never know what this means to
us... Chad would be so proud and I am sure he is getting
a new Tat in Heaven!!!!

I will forever be your AUNT PAIGE!!!!