WHILE I'M AWAY

Dear Spike:

You sobbed today when we talked about my upcoming trip. Two weeks is a long time for a little girl to be without her daddy.

But after I told you that you get to have two weeks of slumber parties with your mommy while I'm away, you perked up quite a bit.

Now you're feeling much better about things — but I'm feeling sad. Two weeks is a long time for a daddy to be without his little girl.

I'm proud of the work I do. And I believe it's worth the small sacrifices we make to help people in our nation understand the tragic consequences of war.

But my stomach churns when I think about being away from you. I'm dreading that final hug, that long plane flight to Iraq, that first night away.

I'll miss you more than I can possibly explain. But at least for now, I'll smile and tell you about how much fun you're going to have while I'm away.

Love,
dad