My youngest brother (who just turned 22) is shipping off with the Marines to Afganistan on Thursday. It sounds like he's going to be in one of the most dangerous areas as well. My Mom is going crazy, as we all are, but she's especially feeling it. Thankfully we all got to be together in late January for the first time since 2008 (there are 5 of us kids it's hard when 2 of us live out of state/country and one more was on a study abroad program for a year between 2009-10), and it was great to just all be together.

It's utterly disturbing how much equipment he had to purchase himself just in order to have a little safety. He's spent his last 3 checks on equipment for deployment.

I just called him to say goodbye to make sure I caught him and didn't miss out on telling him I loved him and to be safe.

Please send your prayers, positive energy, happy thoughts, whatever positivity you can to him.

he and all over there are in my prayers.