Wedding vows

He is a cop. She is a nurse. You might remember him from such posts as “NCO Alley” and you have never heard of her. They wedded before we went to Iraq and they renewed their vows tonight. It was beautiful. He is Tommy. She is his wife.

They met some years ago when he was a personal trainer and she was a member of his gym. They later hooked up at a local watering hole and their lives have never been the same since. They originally married in November 2003. And the wife said goodbye to her husband, as we boarded a plane to serve our beloved country. Their love was tested, but their faith and affection for one another withstood the firefights he endured and the difficult nights of newscasts she survived. He purchased an Iraqi cell phone and called her every night. He would skip NCO Alley at times just to talk to her, and we would give him heck, calling him “whipped.” But now I know that he wasn’t whipped; he was in love… In love with a woman who would never leave him and could endure the trials of any war. She is just one of a thousand women who stand by their men after they kiss their loved ones goodbye. Why? Because there is not another man – or woman for that matter – who could fill their heart with such raw emotion. And their love could never be captivated by words or a movie.

Tonight they said “I do” for a second time, and I was honored to be there. Tommy told me that I was like a brother and his wife said I was family. Those words were special and filled my heart with joy beyond belief.

For all the things we experienced and endured, I realized that this is why soldiers do what they do… so Americans can be happy. And love can be felt.