Returning home was one of the high points of my life. It ranked up there with high school graduation, my first date, other major events that made my heart pound and my palms sweat with anticipation!

We all screamed and cheered when the planes wheels barked on the runway, and everyone crowded around the widows to get the first glimpses of family and friends who were gathered there waiting for us. A band was playing, and everyone held banners and balloons. A long line of soldiers waited at the end of the planes stairway and all of them shook our hands as we passed them. The last person in line was Shoshanna Johnson., one of the 507th's rescued P.O.W.'s! She stood on crutches, grinning as she shook hands with us. I held her hand for a second longer and told her "Im SO happy to SEE You!" and I honestly MEANT those words!

Then we saw the crowd.. IT WAS HUGE!! I literaly could NOT believe how many people had showed up to welcome us home! Literaly HUNDREDS of people were behind a roped of section on the tarmac, cheering, screaming, waving...
Then I heard the voice of a child above all the rest. That one small voice brought me to tears when I heard him yell " MY DADDY! MY DADDY! I SEE MY DAAADDYYY!!!! MAMA LOOOK!! THERE'S MYYYY DADDY!"

We formed up and marched inside the terminal of the posts airport, as arms, and hands reached out to touch us. I recognized faces of families I'd only seen in pictures, brought out of the pockets and letters of my friends over the long months. I saw new babies being held up over their mom's heads, tiny hands waving to daddy's, saying hello for the very first time. They were all waiting for the moment when they could touch their soldier, to make sure it was all for real.. that we were actualy HOME.

Somone gave a speech, and it seemed to last for YEARS! I have no idea what was said, and I'm sure nobody else did either. At this point I was feeling a little sad. I had nobody there to meet me, or to hug me and welcome me home. My kids were still in Oklahoma, and none of my family could make it to El Paso. Chris had his brother and sister in law there, but because of our direct order from our chain of commad, we coudnt even hug each other! I was TRYING not to feel horribly jealous of everyone else, but it just wasn't working very well.

We were released from formation and everyone exploded into the arms of their loved ones as I tried to edge my way out of the middle of all the hooplah, when I heard my name over the loud speaker. "Ladd, please come up to the stage" I thought ' Oh great... now I'm probably on some damn baggage detail' I wandered up there and the site that met my eyes almost brought me to my knees. There stood my dad.

He had driven all the way up from Oklahoma! This man NEVER leaves his tiny little redneck town, but he drove HUNDREDS of miles to welcome his baby girl home from war! He huged me, battle rattle and all, and I fell to pieces, sobbing on his neck. He joined me, crying his eyes out too, telling me how proud he was of me, and that he was SO GLAD I was home safe! It was a great moment!

I had to wait a week to be able to take leave and go pick up my kids. That was the longest week of my LIFE! Chris and I drove the long 10 hour trip, as I bounced on my seat, wishing the truck could go faster. I wanted to get to my BABIES!!
We pulled into the driveway, and the front door flew open. Kayla, Courtney and Hunter flew out the door and ran down the steps. I opened the door to the pickup and was on the ground, running to the kids before Chris had even stopped the truck! the 4 of us slammed into each other in a wave of arms, legs and tears. I couldn't seem to get my arms around all of them fast enough, or hug them hard enough! I was laughing and crying, and kissing them over and over as they were talking over each other trying to tell me every single thing that had happend since I'd been gone! It was simply wonderful. It was like giving birth all over again!!

Time has passed now, and life has returned to a fairly normal state. Some things have changed forever. I tell my kids I love them so many times a day, they say "I KNOW mom, I KNOWWW" I value my friendships more highly than ever before, and I REALLY enjoy my food! I love to have a lot of ice in my pepsi and a very HOT bath! I find myself choking up when I hear the National Anthem.

My heart swells with pride every time I see a bumper sticker that says "Support Our Troops", and I want to run up and thank the driver for putting it on his car. Obviously I can't do that every day, ( I might get locked up) but I CAN say it here.


THANK YOU to everyone who puts a yellow magnet on your vehicle, or for flying a flag in your yard. THANK YOU for sending care packages to the troops ( for which we all cheered and hollerd like a bunch of crazy people when those boxes arrived!) THANK YOU for sending letters, cards and notes to 'a soldier' , not even knowing who it would go to, but still taking the time to send support and encouragment to those who so desperatly needed to know they werent forgotten or had gone unapriciated.

Know also that a certain somone was THRILLED to see those flags, stickers, and car magnets and felt the love and felt appriciated when she returned home. Thank you from the bottom of this soldiers heart for supporting all of us and for showing your pride in your country! Please never think any act went un -noticed or was unappriciated. Each of you made an impact on somone, somewhere.

Please continue to support my brothers and sisters in uniform who are still overseas, and pray for ht efamiies who lost loved ones in the war. Once again my thanks goes out to you all,
Sincerely,
Becky Ladd-Welborn (SPC)
11th BDE, Echo Battery 5/52 A.D.A.

"ONE TEAM ONE FIGHT-ALWAYS PREPARED"