This week I am going to tell you about one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had - driving cross country to meet my brother off the plane from Afghanistan. My mom and I did not have much time to plan, but we were really excited for the drive and for seeing him get off the plane. We decided that on the way down we were going to stop in various places across the country that we have always wanted to see.
First, we decided to take a small detour to Tennessee. We are both huge country music fans, and I always wanted to see St. Jude's Research Hospital. We had such an amazing time there. We were only supposed to stay one night, but we ended up staying for three nights because we were having so much fun. We went country line dancing, went to a country show with a country-styled homemade dinner, took a tour through the Grand Ole Opry, and went on a ghost tour through the streets. We also took a tour through St. Jude's and got to see first-hand the work they are doing there, which was one of the most humbling experiences ever.
The next stop was to South Dakota, which believe me, was a very difficult drive. When we got there, although we were really tired, we pushed through and went to Mount Rushmore. The sight was incredible. I could not believe that people actually carved that out of a mountain. It took my breath away.
Finally, we got to Washington. We checked into the hotel the day he arrived, and we could not wait to get him. The plane did not come in until nine that night, but we were excited to get there. We got to the base airport around 6:30, and we waited for what felt like forever. They played the movie Cars 2, and I remember needing to pace until the flight got there. As we waited, we got to talk to some of the other families and listen to their stories. Some women held babies that their husbands were going to meet for the first time. Some of those stories broke my heart. Finally, around 10 PM, the screen that was playing the movie switched off to the plane landing. The first one off the plane was my brother, and my mom and I screamed and cried when we saw the close up of his face. It was torture not being able to hug him.
About three hours later, a sargeant came out, talking to us in front of a big curtain. From under the curtain, we could see the soldiers' boots. The man seemed to ramble on forever, but finally, the curtain began to rise and everyone ran toward their loved ones. I felt like I was pushing people down left and right, but when I finally got to my brother, all I could do was hug him and cry. My mom was right behind me, hugging the two of us, finally reunited as a family.
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| St. Jude's in Tennessee |
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| Mount Rushmore in South Dakota |
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| The screen with the plane on it! |
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| Finally reunited! |
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| The sergeant coming to talk to the crowd |
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