It breaks me, the fact that my husband is in Iraq, my five year old son’s dad is in Iraq. It’s like a dagger thrown into my chest when he asks me “When will daddy be home?” because I don’t know when daddy will be home; I don’t know if he’ll ever be home. All I can do is hope that he will come home, and we can be a family again.  It’s horrible, the feeling that you may never see your soul mate again. That your five year old son may never see his dad again. It rips you to shreds, the thought of having to look your 5 year old in the eyes and say ‘Daddy isn’t coming home’ or ‘Daddy’s up in heaven now’
“Honey, we gotta get you to bed, you’ve got school tomorrow”, I sighed and looked down at Payton who looked as if he was going to burst out into tears.
“But I wanna talk to daddy.” His voice was shaky. I looked at Luke then back at Payton.
“I know hun, but you have school tomorrow and I don’t want you to fall asleep in school”
  I held Payton closer to me and Luke said, “Listen to your mother, We can talk again tomorrow, I promise.”  Payton nodded and got off the couch and walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
I sighed and asked “When are you going to be home?”
He laughed slightly. “Two weeks, I told you this yesterday and the day before that and the day before that”
I nodded and sighed, “I know, I’m just hoping it will be sooner. I’ll be right back I have to tuck him in.”
The next morning came and strangely it felt like it would be a marvelous day, something we hadn’t felt in a while. I set the fresh plate of eggs and bacon in front of Payton which he quickly downed.
“Ready for school?” I smiled, he shook his head and I sighed as tears filled his eyes “what’s wrong?” I questioned.
He threw his tiny arms around me and sobbed “I miss daddy!”
I sighed and picked him “He’ll be home soon, I promise.”
It seems like promises are always made, but it feels like they’re never kept. Luke and I both always promise him things, but can we truly keep this one promise? Daddy will come home. I don’t know that, Luke doesn’t know that, no one does.
“Promise you’ll be here to pick me up?’ Payton asked as I walked him to his classroom. 
I nodded “Of course! I’ll be here ten minutes early standing right here waiting for you just like always, have a spectacular day!”
When I got home I decided that I needed to clean, the house is a mess! My phone rang and I picked it up only to hear the amazing voice of my husband Luke “Hey, so my plane just landed you should probably leave now”
I furrowed my eyebrows “Wait? What?”
He laughed slightly and said “Open the front door” I quickly walked over to the door and opened it only to see my soldier. I jumped into his arms and  instantly started crying. We stayed there for what felt like a million years. It’s been exactly 398 days since I’ve seen him in person, 398 days since he’s held me in his arms, 398 days since we’ve been a family.
“I missed you”, I said quietly
He nodded. “I know, I know I’ve missed you even more”
We decided that we should go surprise Payton at his school. I watched as Luke knocked on Payton’s classroom door. I went in and brought his teacher into the hallway “So um, Payton’s dad just got back and we want to surprise him”, I smiled as Luke wrapped his arm around me and held me to his side as if he were protecting me from something.
She smiled “Welcome home Major Smith.”
Luke smiled and said “Thank you.”
She nodded. “Payton has lunch in about fifteen minutes you could walk in the cafeteria and surprise him there?”
Luke and I both nodded and he said “Okay sounds like a plan” I looked into the classroom and walked over to a nervous looking Payton
“Hey, everything’s fine, don’t worry! I just forgot to ask her something about that field trip next week” He nodded and gave me a hug.
He then sat back down and said, “Okay.”
I don’t know why I felt nervous, I just did. I didn’t know how Payton would react to seeing Luke after so long. Would he be mad? Would he be excited? I hoped excited. I watched as Luke walked up behind Payton, tapped his shoulder and said, “Mind if I join you?”
Payton jumped out of his seat as if someone had lit it on fire and screamed, “Daddy!” Tears filled my eyes as I watched his arms wrap around his neck and both of them start crying. “I’ve missed you so much buddy!” Luke whispered.
Payton screamed “You’re home! Daddy! You came back!”
Luke pulled away and said “Does daddy ever break promises?”
Not letting Payton answer, I smiled,  “No, he doesn’t”