Military Moms Sacrifice - The biggest kudos ever.

Yep. This photo makes me bawl my eyes out.

(I didn't take it, for the record. Don't know who did. I wish more people would watermark their amazing photos so credit goes where credit is due!!)

The first time I saw it I cried for at least an hour. I get teary each and every time since then. I actually debated posting it on here, because it's just so... intensely emotional. But I just... had to, because I feel so deeply touched by it.

All I can say is that by the wear on her boots it's obviously a homecoming photo and thank god. This photo really hit home with me - I mean, you hear about the men, leaving their families, etc etc, how hard it is and all that. But somehow, seeing the raw emotion as a woman greets her child after so very long... combined with the fact that her sweet little girl appears to be roughly the same age as mine. I know how I feel as a mom.. and I can feel in my very soul how devastating it would be to leave my baby, and how incredibly overjoyed I would be to return and feel her little arms around my neck again.

All I can say is - kudos. I couldn't do it, and I'm utterly, beyond thankful that there are men and women who can't do it either, but do it anyway to keep my child safe. What a sacrifice.

My upmost respect and admiration goes out to them. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed by me, at least. Not now.

I'm off to wipe my eyes again and sneak in for a midnight snuggle with my baby girl.