Our Wait Is Half Over

My nephew, Jesse, is an Army Medic on his second tour in Iraq. He just emailed family and friends the pic below of him with his unit which is slated to return late summer. Actually the title of this post isn't quite true as their tour is 4-6 weeks past half over.

I cropped the pic at top out of the one he sent and enlarged it. Jesse tells us that his commander took the unit out in the dessert (I suspect so there wouldn't be local identifying structures or landmarks) with the flag and whiteboard and each member took turns being the one in the center holding the whiteboard with whatever message for family and friends they wanted to put on it. Jesse drew the raccoon head and tail which has become his families signature on letters and cards since his dad, my brother, first drew it on one a number of years ago. Jesse's last name is Coon as was mine before I married.

We are so proud of Jesse. But can't wait for him to be back stateside. 4 to 4.5 months to go.