on a more serious... but much more important... note

My friend Travis is being shipped out (to Iraq) tomorrow -- he actually trains first, and then he'll go out. He and his wife Paula are being pretty brave about the whole thing, but really pray for them right now. It's hard to be apart from Nick, and he's in a safe country!!!!

I know in the broad spectrum of things, he's only one soldier of many, but this soldier is important to me. I know him, and it all hits closer to home when someone you care about is there, or has orders to go there.

He -- and his buddies, and all the soldiers before and after him, probably dont' think of themselves as heroes. They probably just see themselves as serving their country. But they are heroes, and I hope we never forget the sacrifices they make.

There is the ultimate sacrifice -- one's life -- a high cost of freedom. But there are other things that we take for granted back home that our men and women don't have over there. A nice bed to sleep in, a warm shower, an ice cold pop, a simple phone call to a friend, clean and dry socks, and slippers for tired aching feet... and many other things. Things that they have sacrificed, without complaint, because they believe that freedom is worth protecting, no matter what the cost. No matter how badly the media portrays them, or makes the enemy look like the victim of a school-yard bully -- instead of the other way around.

I'm pround of Travis -- and I'm proud of all our soldiers.

My prayers will be with him and his unit every day -- for safety and courage and strength -- no matter how dark it gets over there.