24 November 2006

I'm Home

As of the day this picture was taken, I had been deployed for just over a year. The last time I had seen my son (on R&R) he was 10 days old, now he's almost 5 months. My sweetie, bless her heart, is no longer a single-mom, though I must say that she did a great job while she was. Now I get to learn how to be a dad.

I would like to thank the friends I've made over the last year through this blog, your support has helped me immeasurably and I thank you all for it. My plea is that no one forgets that we still have troops in harm's way and they still need your support. They need to know that there are people back home who still think that what they're doing is good and right, because it is.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers, they DO make a difference.

42 Comments:

Blogger Louise said...

I'm really happy you are all together again. The little guy looks like he might need to learn how to be your son, too. In that first picture he's not too sure who you are. LOL!!

15:19  
Blogger Louise said...

BTW, did you leave The Liz behind? And what about The Wiz?

15:41  
Blogger dcat said...

:):):) I am so happy for you! :)

May you have many, many years of baseball, basketball, socker,...with little Mark! You and your better half have a wonderful gift! Enjoy! :)

17:51  
Blogger andrea/pj's said...

a million smiley's for
U all!!!!!!!
and please don't thank us!
we thank U!!!
WELCOME HOME

18:59  
Blogger leap_frog said...

Such a beautiful family B.36.
So glad you were able to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday together.

We're not forgetting or giving up support, it's needed of us, more than ever.

LOL Louise, bet the little guy will bond to Daddy in no time flat.
:)

19:10  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh maaaaan, those are the pics I was waiting to see!!! Bet it feels great to be home! Ain't about to forget about the troops still in Iraq or Afghanistan. They're part of our lives. Was part of an escort for 147 troops (4 busloads) that just came home. The grin factor was high. :-)

01:55  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you God for keeping our blogger friend safe so he could be home with his family once again!

03:43  
Blogger LoveMyTanker said...

Welcome home! Thank you for your service and a special thanks to your family as well.

05:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome home! Now you can start helping to educate some of the good folks in the U.S. who do not get information like what I'm offering below.

Here are a few links which one may wish to read so as to broaden their understanding of just how the world really works. We'll begin with a quote and videostream from a U.S. patriot, John Stockwell:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4068.htm

John Stockwell, former CIA Station Chief in Angola in 1976, working for then Director of the CIA, George Bush. He spent 13 years in the agency. He gives a short history of CIA covert operations. He is a very compelling speaker and the highest level CIA officer to testify to the Congress about his actions. He estimates that over 6 million people have died in CIA covert actions, and this was in the late 1980's.

http://www.ahealedplanet.net/mcgehee.htm
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/7727/cia.htm
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/latin/x-july06-agee.htm
http://pdr.autono.net/levine.html

kb

14:52  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WELCOME HOME!!!! And an incredibly HUGE thank-you for all you have sacrificed and given on behalf of our nation. There are no happier, more joyous or more welcome words on any milblog than these: "I'm Home"! God bless you Bandit and bless your family too. And again a million thank-you's to you and to your family.

Finally, I am appreciative for all the informative and positive news you provided to your readers over the time you spent in Iraq. You filled a true need and I know that I for one am deeply grateful.

21:31  
Blogger blank said...

Welcome Home!!!! I am so glad to see you with your family!! Enjoy being a dad. According to my husband it's the best thing he's ever done (besides marry me of course ROFLOL!).

Thank you so much for your service to our country and your willingness to share the TRUTH with all of us.

05:24  
Blogger Louise said...

If anyone here has been a reader of Nabil's blog, he is trying to raise money to get out. He has an opportunity to go to New Zealand to study. It's getting really grim for him. If you can, please try to donate. He's a good kid. We need him alive.

07:55  
Blogger AubreyJ......... said...

Welcome back to the States and back in the arms of the ones who love you so.

Thanks for what you do and have done for all of us and your country...

Nothing but the best for you and yours...
AubreyJ.........

08:26  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can't believe how that little man has grown!!!

So glad you are all back together!

Hugs to all - and, thank you, Bandit!

13:02  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome Home!!!! I am soooo happy to see the family pics (where you are all in them together!!)
Certainly don't need to tell you to enjoy ~ I see you already have that down ~

20:31  
Blogger Household6 said...

Welcome home! What an adorable family. :-)

23:15  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome home, my friend! Thanks for your dedication and hard work. Enjoy the time with your family, you've certainly earned it!

03:23  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So glad you made it back to your family. I've been waiting for this post for a couple of weeks now and was THRILLED to see the photos of the WHOLE family.

No worries about us not forgetting those still in theatre. Busy busy around here shipping out holiday boxes, cards, etc.

Thanks to you and your family for your service. I hope that whatever the military and life hold for you in the future are opportunities that allow you to make the most of what you have to offer. And, my friend, you definitely have a lot of good to offer.

Thanks so much Bandit! Will miss your blog from Iraq but I know that you did your duty well, with dignity and honor. I look forward to more blogging from you in the future wherever you are stationed.

19:03  
Blogger Andi said...

I hope that you continue to keep up this blog now that you are home. :-)

09:16  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I AM SO GLAD TO WELCOME (THOUGH IT'S LATE) YOU BACK TO AMERICAN SOIL. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR MY FAMILY AND ME. WE WILL ALWAYS THINK OF YOU AND THE REST OF THE TROOPS WHO HAVE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE SACRIFICES FOR US.

19:39  
Blogger devildog6771 said...

Well dog gone Bandit. You slipped right past "security, lol!" Welcome home. I am so glad that you and the rest of your unit are safe at home. Thank you all for your heroic service.

Thank you all and your families for your tremendous sacrifices.God Bless you all.
Welcome home!

23:23  
Blogger Unknown said...

B36: Welcome home and I hope you have enjoyed the reintegration training.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

07:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome home. Great looking family. Thanks, for your service.

14:53  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love these "I'm Home" posts! I so appreciate your service and the excellent work you did on your blogs. Thanks also to your family - they're beautiful, btw. Enjoy!

03:53  
Blogger Grizzly Mama said...

God bless you and your beautiful family. Welcome home!

We will always remember the men and women in uniform who serve our country willingly and knowing the risks involved. It is no small thing. Thank you!

God Bless America.

07:31  
Blogger Rancher said...

Welcome home hero.

00:43  
Blogger Sean Dustman said...

Welcome home!

22:25  
Blogger Nikki said...

I'm so glad you're home.

My brother got home in November as well.

Welcome home.

I wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas.

22:07  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Be Well Be Happy - Good work Dad - you won't regret it! Thanks

23:21  
Blogger --TBAS said...

Dude...look at this mess, I turn my back for a few days and now its a few months later and you've gone back to the land of beer-by-the-suitcase.

Well, if you ever get homesick for that feeling of "was that a dumpster or was it..." hehe, bro I'm sure we could find a spot for ya!

Anyhoo...you've got a dismount to raise...and a few really cool stories to tell him now when he gets bigger.

10:13  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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02:40  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Bro- Might not want to leave so much personal info on a public website, especially when you link videos through You Tube... terrorist cells are alive and well in the US and you nor your family want to be a target... NSDQ!

05:19  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi. found your blog through Milblogs.com. You can find me a formycountry.blogspot.com

08:14  
Blogger M. Simon said...

Here is a song for our boys and girls in the military:

I Wanna Go Home

The author has given permission to those currently serving in the military who buy the song to share it with nine of their best buddies, wives, husbands, parents, or children.

If you like it, pass it on.

19:43  
Blogger Thomas E. Hennefer said...

I was so moved by you story about Ali that I just had to link it to my site at http://thomashenneferphd.blogspot.com/. Hope you don't mind. Do you know when you will be reassigned back to Iraq?

Let me know so that I can keep my blog up to date with your assignments.

20:21  
Blogger RG said...

Last post, 24 November 2006.

SLACKER!!

;-)

20:35  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is really nice to know that you're safe, and you're back with your family. It's always a nice feeling to be with our family after long period. Enjoy with your family. Like to see you here...
Car Breakdown

14:25  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am happy to see such a happy family.

04:40  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

God Bless you and your family

04:41  
Blogger Pamela I. Natterer said...

Hey :-) schön von dir zu hören!!! www.mypsace.com/pamelanatterer
wie gehts euch? ich bin februar die ersten beiden Wochen in Chicago und NewYork, freu mich wie verrückt da drauf! Liebe Grüße an deinen Mann und den Kleinen... deine pami

10:46  
Anonymous Saint Leo said...

Great posting. I will continue to reference your site in the future. Veterans deserve to be rewarded for their hard work. The new post 9-1 GI bill provides assistance to veterans while the earn their online degrees

23:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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03:12  

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