An American Soldier

I’m just tryin’ to be a father, raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother, everythin’ to everyone
Up and at ‘em bright and early, I’m all business in my suit
Yeah I’m dressed up for success, from my head down to my boots
I don’t do it for money, there’s bills that I can’t pay
I don’t do it for the glory, I just do it anyway
Providing for our future’s, my responsibility
Yeah I’m real good under pressure, being all that I can be
And I can’t call in sick on Mondays when the weekend’s been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays, and sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready, when the wolf growls at the door
Hey I’m solid, hey I’m steady, hey I’m true down to the core.
And I will always do my duty no matter what the price
I’ve counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice
Oh and I don’t want to die for you, but if dyin’s asked of me
I’ll bear that cross with honor, cause freedom don’t come free.
I’m an American Soldier an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand
When liberty’s in jeopardy, I will always do what’s right
I’m out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight
American Soldier, I’m and American, Soldier.

By: Toby Keith

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            It’s Saturday morning, so naturally I slept in.  I sleepily rolled over, pick up my phone, and open up Facebook to check if I had any messages.  I jolted awake when I saw the topic of almost every status on my newsfeed.  “Largest casualty attack in Afghanistan to date … 31 US Soldiers killed …” 

The last time I heard from my husband was on Wednesday night. 

I looked through my inbox and found texts asking if Joey was OK. 

I get up out of bed screaming for my grandmother, “Mema, Mema, what happened?  I just saw the news!”  She came in my room and told me that she wasn’t going to tell me because she knew I would freak out.  (I don’t blame her …) So she told me the news story, reassuring me that it wasn’t Joey, but they were Navy SEALS and Special Ops Soldiers, and it wasn’t even near where Joey is stationed. 

What a strange feeling: relief and grief.  I was relieved that my husband was safe and healthy, but at the same time I was so grieved for the families of those Soldiers that were killed.  We don’t think about it all of the time, but because we are a military family, that dreaded knock on the door is always in the backs of our minds while we have a deployed spouse or family member.  So although that terrible knock was not coming to my door, and I thanked God for it, I could not even begin to imagine the pain and heartache of the families that received it.

I am thankful for my Soldier, and most of all thankful that he is safe (as he can be) and healthy.