You don’t realize how early 5am arrives when you’re used to waking up at 6:30am. It seems to come even sooner when it’s the day you drive your spouse off to the tour drop-off point. Bags packed and paperwork in hand we were as ready as we’d ever be. At 6am we left the house and made the drive to the base. Cold and snowing; no sun in sight.

I’ve met some of Drew’s co-workers in the past but it never really occurred to me how “old” many of them are.  This was not a group of young and naive sons and daughters being sent off to war.  Most were in the late 30s and 40s with only a few in their 20s or 50s. Some had been on tours before. These are our volunteers.  They are educated and experienced in their chosen vocation. They believe in what they do. They chose to go. A little bit of them stays behind with us when they leave. Just like a little bit of us goes with them.

I know every tour send off is different but I for one (and I know Drew makes two) am extremely grateful that this one was closed to the media.  It was a closed event; friends and family only.  This was a smaller group than the one that left earlier in the month. There were nearly as many men and woman dressed in green combats as in the tan coloured sets.  The hangar was seemed near empty as they filed in (and out) over a 3 hour period.  Yes, even on the day you leave for a tour, you can be blessed with the infamous hurry up and wait experience.

There were children of all ages.  Some moms and dads. And dogs too.  Not ours.  I never would have managed the drive home with our dogs in the truck. In the canteen someone had spent hours putting food platters together. There was coffee and tea. Breakfast snacks, fruit and cookies lined the tables. People laughed and joked. Pictures were taken and cell numbers exchanged by some wives.  Kids played foosball in the corner while mom and dad talked quietly. Most of the crying will happen later in the privacy of individuals’ homes.

I took lots of pictures but there are too many identifiable faces in them to post them to my blog.  I didn’t have time to get all the waivers signed *grin*

I haven’t decided how much blogging relating to the home front tour experience I will be doing. Other spouses already do that and probably much better than I could.  Then again, I’m not the type to pass up an opportunity to whine and there’s a lot of snow shoveling in my future this winter…

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