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My eyes teared up at your beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it and thank you to your family, those who serve and those who wait for their safe return.

I've never met President Bush, but I hope it is OK to share a personal observation I made of him when he was Governor of Texas.
Do you remember how the whole country was just reeling after the Columbine shooting? It seemed that every few months there was another shooting, and then one happened in Ft. Worth, TX. at a church with many young church members and a youth minister gunned down. Everyone in the city was in terrible grief....the tallest buildings in town, the Bass Twin Towers, lit up a message that said it all:
"SO" "SAD"
A memorial service was held at the TCU stadium. There was a platform on the field for the speakers, the families, priests and ministers, and some wonderful Columbine survivors and they all spoke and led everyone in prayer.

At one point in the service, someone on the dais pointed into the crowded stands, and thanked Governor & Mrs. Bush for coming. They had been sitting very unobtrusively, with us in the stands. The Governor gave the slightest of acknowledgement, I think he just bowed his head, and the service continued. That moment defined the man for me. He could have been down at the microphone, been one of the honored guests, even leading the mourners with a speech. Instead, he instinctively knew that this memorial was for and about others, not him. He was a humble and very kind man as Governor of Texas.