Let the Countdown Begin

Today I starting counting down. Okay, so I have been counting down since the day Brigham left but can it be a countdown when I only had a vague ideal of when Brigham might return, sometime at the end of February beginning of March, and the dreaded possibility that the powers that be in the their very finite wisdom decide to extend his deployment? But now I know when he will return or at least a generally ideal, nothing is for sure in the military until it actually happens. Today the unit that is replacing Brigham's arrived. Tomorrow he starts training his replacement. Bags and trunks are being packed. Soon he will have to shave his beard and cut his hair and then home he comes. For those who might be wondering what Brigham looks like with a beard here's a picture:

Some important things to notice about the picture: the beard, the job he does for the military encourages him to grow one and he has been asked if he is Afghanie; he is wearing about 100 pounds of body armor and other equipment (good, I like to know my favorite body is well protected); skull cap (bad, I can't see how long his hair grown supposedly it is longer than I have ever seen it), M-16 slung casually at his side (good but I am glad that it does not come home with him), and most important, the wedding ring prominently displayed on the hand holding the helmet (I point this out because I am glad he is holding the helmet, he looks really funny wearing it since it is too small for his head, and I'm very possessive I am glad to see that my property.... umm, I mean husband.. is clearly tagged with ownership). In about 4 weeks I reclaim my dishwasher from the army!