Incredible Surprise

I hadn’t really planned on many posts this week or next with so much on my plate.  But I couldn’t let this one go unmentioned.  A friend from church just recently retired from the Air Force.  At one point in his service he was a PJ.  Some how he got involved with a group that was to perform a reenactment of the June 6, 1944 D-Day drop over Normandy.  There is much more to the story than I have heard yet.  I followed his adventures on the book of faces.  He posted some great photos of where he was and some of his jumps.  He made a total of 3 in all.  They even jumped out of an actual C47 that was used on D-Day, how cool is that?

He returned to the States Monday.  He messaged me Tuesday that he wanted to get together with me and when could we meet.  Wednesday evening at church would be good since we both live in opposite directions it would be the most convenient.  Afterwards his family gathered around me and he told me that I could not refuse what he was about to give me.  His youngest daughter, about 8 years old, was about to bust with excitement.  She handed me this.

He collected that sand from Omaha Beach.  He also handed me this.

Buster was very interested in this flag as you can see.  He carried that with him on all three of his jumps.  I was pretty much speechless.  An incredible gesture that I in no way deserve or earned.  He said some really nice things to me, and I am not quite sure that my gratitude was evident since I was pretty stunned.  This will go on the self, next to my Ranger Challenge coin.  I have some amazing friends.

Words still fail me.