Dear Richie, I want to share with you a story I was told by a lady in church.  It made me think of you & the girls.  A lady had been in Georgia attending a conference, at the airport waiting to catch her flight home she heard people all around her beginning to clap & cheer, she looked around to see what all the commotion was about.  A group of soldiers was moving through the terminal in their fatigues.  There were 30 or 40 of them most not much more than boys.  She said it was wonderful to know she wasn't the only one who still loves this country & supports our troops & their families.  Just then, a little girl, not more than 6 or 7 ran up to one of the soldiers.  He kneeled down and said, "Hi" and the little girl asked him if he could give something to her daddy for her.  The soldier said he would surely try, and asked her what it was she wanted to give.  The little girl grabbed him around the neck, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.  Her mother stepped forward and told the soldier that her husband was with the Marine Corps and had been in Iraq almost a year, and little Courtney missed him real bad. The soldier began to tear up, and when the temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together.  Then one of his companions pulled out his radio.  They started talking earnestly into the radio, and listening carefully to the replies.  After about thirty seconds of this, the soldier walked over to Courtney, bent down and said, "Honey, I just spoke to your daddy, and he told me to give this to you."  He then gave her the biggest hug you ever did see, and a big kiss on the cheek.  "Your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything in the world, and he's coming home just as soon as he possibly can."  The young soldier rose to his feet and snapped a salute to Courtney and her mom.  As the soldiers began to head towards their gate, there were very few dry eyes in the place.  Before he disappeared the young soldier turned around one last time and blew a kiss to Courtney.  Your father and I love you very much Richie, and we think of you every single day.  You make us proud to be American.  Stay safe son, ours prayers are with you.  All my love Mom