On Monday, October 29, 2007 at noon our son Captain Chris Barber returned home from Iraq. Our whole family drove to North Carolina to be on base when his plane landed. We hadn’t seen Chris for 15 months. Â
There were cheers, banners, hugs, tears and plenty of smiles. But most of all there was a deep down feeling of peace and thankfulness. When we arrived at Chris’s home, before he even changed out of the uniform that he’d spent the night in on the plane, we stood out on his small back deck and Chris stood there facing the small creek area behind his house drinking in the sight of ordinary trees in the sunshine. Â
How simple a sight and how simple a pleasure and yet it helped me see with new eyes the sorts of gifts we take for granted and hardly see.  It reminded me of the hundreds and thousands of you who have prayed for my son, either by name or in your daily prayers where you mention our soldiers in harms way. Â
Your prayers have been answered. And we’re all extremely grateful.  Thank you from the bottom or our hearts.      Â