More seats at the table will forever remain empty. My deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the three Canadian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan since Friday. We must also keep the families of the Afghan soldiers, police officers, and interpreters who have also died in our thoughts and prayers.

I had hoped Drew would go his whole tour without ever witnessing a ramp ceremony and yet now he shall have attended two in less than a week.

My heart breaks a little everytime I read the news. There are times when I think I need to disconnect from the Interwebs and stop watching the news but the politics and news junkie in me is unable to do so.

There are nightmares that military families live with daily. To address them we set ground rules. The most important one when a spouse (or child, sibling, etc.) is deployed is that you never drop in unannounced for a visit. No matter where you are “in the neighbourhood” don’t ever ring my doorbell without calling first to let me know you’re visiting.

Spouses, children, parents, and siblings all dread the possibility that a padre will walk up the walk-way and ring the doorbell. Normally filling a position of comfort or joy, when a member of your family is deployed the padre is the last person you want to see near your home.

Our shared goal is to make it through the months never having heard a doorbell ring. Don’t ring mine.

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