This is Kevin's second deployment. His first deployment was days after my wedding, where he was on his way to Iraq. As happy as weddings can be, knowing I wouldn't see my brother again for well over a year made for a few tears at the reception (and again when he dropped us off at the airport for our honeymoon). I'm not going to sugarcoat it - deployments don't get any easier over the years. I don't know how these soldiers with spouses and children handle their sadness. Kevin is my big brother, whom I only see sporadically due to geographic constraints; after three days, I am already feeling his absence.
Once May rolls around, we will all be ecstatic to drive to Fort Campbell to welcome him back. In the meantime, please keep him and his unit in your prayers, that they are able to achieve their objective safely and quickly.
Here are a few pics from our family fun weekend:
Megan, her daughter Emma and me
The Abel clan: front (l-r) Clint, Emma, Mom and JD. Back (l-r) Megan, Kevin and Katie
