Home On Leave

My oldest daughter Lauren is in the US Armed Forces training to be a combat medic. I haven't seen her in about 6 months and she wasn't sure if she'd get leave for Christmas as she's been waiting on orders, but she finally found out a week ago and she came home last night.

Seeing her is great, she's sleeping in right now and I figure I'll let her get the rest as she's used to getting up at such early hours and we had a long night at the airport. Just as they always do when my son comes over from the UK, the airline lost her luggage and we spent from 10pm till midnight trying to locate and finally found it on the wrong side of the airport.

She looked fabulous in her uniform and she carries herself so differently now, when she walks it's almost like she's marching and when she stands her hands automatically are behind her back, she was getting so mad at me teasing her about it, but it's just so cute! Random people would keep talking to her and thanking her for her service and she was so outgoing and refering to everyone as Sir and Ma'am, it just about blew my mind the positive change in her. She's definately not the teenage handful that left home in the summer and I'm so proud of her. Her nickname is "tornado girl" courtesy of dad, thanks to her ability to come home and make it look like a tornado hit within just a few hours!