Major John Bruun comes home!

For the last six months this blog has started with the salutation, "Dear John" since it was my way of sending pictures and stories to Major John Bruun, a surgeon in the United States Air Force.  That salutation is no longer necessary as he recently arrived home from his latest tour of duty after nine months being away from his family.  How wonderful it is for him and his family that he arrives home so close to the 4th of July holiday!

Major John Bruun reunited with his wonder family!

I don't know all the details of what he has planned immediately, but I know he is going to be taking some time to be with family.  He has a lot of catching up to do.

Home from his second tour of duty.  His girls may never let go of him again!

I will call him in the weeks to come.  Right now I know there are a lot of people who need his immediate attention.  But life will start to slow down in a little while and things will get back to normal.  I'll be able to talk to him then.

I look at him with his family and think about the stuff I sent him the past six months.  I know at times my stories about the things I did with my family had to weigh heavy for him not being able to be with his own.  But I think that in the long run he was more happy to have something to read and keep his mind off some of the many hardships he had to endure while being gone.  Hopefully he picked up a few ideas he can do with his kids along the way.  I know that he knows I always sent him info about my home life with the hope that it brighten his day.  And I think it did most the time.

He is a humble man.  Whenever I tried to build him up (which he definitely deserves) he would always bring it back to the men and women on the front lines.  He has so much respect for those who give their lives for this country and he found great satisfaction in being able to heal those who were wounded on our behalf.  

I am profoundly moved with emotion at the sacrifices John and all those who serve our country in the armed forces.  I do not know how to thank him for the time he has sacrificed.  I do not know how to thank any of our warriors.  But know that I am grateful.  Every time I see our flag flying high I am reminded that it flies with a price paid with blood, sweat, and tears of men and women who love this country with all their heart, mind, and soul.  When I see that flag I usually have to choke back a few tears knowing how blessed I have been and knowing that so many give so much to protect our way of life.

Politics be damned.  This is America.  Perfect, we are not.  But try, we always do.  And along the way a lot of good is accomplished.

God bless America.  Be safe on this 4th of July weekend wherever you may be.

Welcome home John.

We thank you.  We are humbled by the strength of your family.  We love you.

Thanks from our family to yours:  Tom, Vikki, Ryan, Brooke, Kelly, and Sean.

With that in mind, good night.