epic haiku

modern day war bride

My oldest friend I've always called Bephy, since Bethany was to hard for my toddler mouth to get around. We've been friends since we were zygotes, literally, our mothers carried us together. This picture sort of capsulates our relationship.


She's always wanted to be an officer in the military, since a large portion of her extended family has served or is serving in the military. She joined the reserves and is currently  MP (Military Police).



She volunteered to be deployed and will serve in Iraq this coming September.

Her younger brother Noah (one of three younger brothers, btw) was also in the military and was stationed out in Seattle. She went out to visit him last year for a week and ended up hanging out quite a bit with his infantry Sergeant who pretty much fell for her at first sight. About six months later they were engaged. I was visiting her two days after the engagement took place, around Thanksgiving and we were talking and I notice this large sparkly thing on her ring finger... I think my exact words were "You have a f***ing phone!" She got married a few weeks back, right before her fiance, Michael, was deployed for his second tour of duty in Iraq. They are planning a wedding "proper" for when they get back, but they wanted to make it legal now so they can see each other while they are over there. She's coming up to stay with me this weekend, and we are going to go try and find some suitable bridesmaids dresses. Here are some pictures of them signing their marriage certificate and exchanging vows... how did we get this old?




I keep thinking about this and thinking about WWII war brides and the differences and similarities between then and now... it's funny to me because this is my second friend who has volunteered to serve in Iraq so she can be with her husband, the first being my former roommate Elsbeth. There is something beautifully sad about the whole thing, as well as it being an extremely romantic gesture of loyalty and love. That's the way it's supposed to be. You're not supposed to get married and live separate lives, with separate bank accounts and separate dreams, it's the melding of vision. The beauty of sacrifice. The funny thing is, after my friends get back from war some of the real battles will start, just trying to get through day to day life and stay on the same path. It reminds me of one of my favorite scripture passages. Jeremiah 2:2b "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown." God calls us to be devoted to him that way, and to each other.

It's weird because as scared as I am for her going into a war zone and all, I am less scared then I was with my boys, Scott and Jason. The day I found out they were being deployed I cried for hours, alone in my room of course. I remember trying to get myself together in time for math. I think Beph's going to be okay though, I have a different feeling about her going... but I am worried about this weekend, picking out the damn dresses. Our last summer of high school we went to Cedar Point and were arguing while we waited in line for the Millennium Force and she wanted a point to get across to me and she just *POW* punched me in the arm... I don't think that kind of behavior flies in bridal boutiques.