Day Four

The house was like a tomb.
I was hiding in my room.
As my brother made his way on down the hall.
I didn't want to say goodbye.
And I was trying to deny there was a war,
And that he got the call.

I watched him from my window
Walking down the drive.
Then I ran down the stairway
Through the front door and I cried

You come back you hear?
And I let him see my tears
I said I'll give you my rookie of DiMaggio.
I'll do anything you want, Clean your room, or wash your car.
I'll do anything so long as you don't go.
But he said, this is what brothers are for.

Well I have my heroes, But the one I love the most
Taught me how to hunt and swing a bat.
And I wrote him every night, I said I miss our pillow fights
But lately I just wonder where you're at.
Sometimes freedom makes it hard to live.
When it takes things from you that you don't want to give.

I said you come back you hear?
I miss you being near.
Laugh and fish down in the maple grove
I'll do anything you want.
There must be someone I can call,
And just maybe they would let you come back home

But he wrote, this is what brothers are for.
I may never have to face the anger of those guns,
Or lie cold and wounded in my blood,
Or know the sacrifice and what it must of cost
For him to love me that much.

Well, it had been two years
And I held back my tears
When I saw him in that wheel chair on the shore.
And as I ran and held him tight,
That's when he looked me in the eye
And said I'm sorry that you have to push me home.
And I said hey, this is what sisters are for.


my brother left again today. He will be stationed in Ft. Hood, Texas, either deploying to Iraq immediately or around December, nobody is really sure. My mom is in tears, every other minute, which is to be expected. But, I am just filled with this overwhelming feeling of gratitude and protection. I am sad, yes, but I am so proud to say that my big brother is an Army soldier, protecting this country. If we have just a few more men in this world like him, who are willing to sacrafice everything for the protection of others, a few more men just like my brother, then we are in amazing hands. I trust him with my life, because he is my hero. I am so happy to say that my brother, has finally found his way (and his wings) and that just gives me more hope for my future. I love you, Matthew Conrad Corbett. Unit 21B, protect my hero.

Day Three

Butterfly Kisses
By: Bob Carlisle

There's two things I know for sure
She was sent here from heaven and she's daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and I thank god for all the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all
For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking little white flowers all up in her hair;

"Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried.
"In all that I've done wrong I know I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet 16 today
She's looking like her mama a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.

But I remember
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy,
But if you don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time.
"With all that I've done wrong I must have done something right to deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

All the precious time Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly. Spread your wings and fly.
She'll change her name today. She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said
"I'm not sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl.
"She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,

Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk my down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterflykisses
I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.
I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember every hug in the morning
and butterfly kisses at night.

This, of course, is me and my dad's song. It has been ever since I was little and I recorded this song at a karoke booth. He thought it was the cutest thing ever, but I balled my eyes out at the very sound of it. Being a crazy little kid though who didn't know what I wanted, I begged him to play it at his company picnic, but without a doubt, when he did, I burst into tears of embarrassment. This story has always been the joke of the of my family, but it outlines the relationship between my dad and I. We have, just as every father and daughter have, grown apart during my teenage years, and we have definitely had our issues. But with everything that I have gone through with Zack, I realize now that the only man who is pertinent to my life, and the one man that will always matter the most is my daddy. No matter our differences, or our seemingly inconvienent inability to communicate, I will always know that he is there. Knowing that I am getting ready to enter a whole new chapter in my life, I have become aware that I will miss my dad so much when I leave in three months. I know he is denying that I am growing up, graduating, and going off to school. I know that he wishes he could do anything to stop it, but I also know that I cannot wait to dance with him to this song at my wedding, or see his face when I try to teach my own kids how to ride a bike. I know that my dad wants to freeze time, or at least slow it down, but what he doesn't know, is that no matter how fast time goes, I am and will always be his little girl.

Day Two

Funny the Way It Is
By: Dave Matthews Band

Lying in the park on a beautiful day
Sunshine in the grass, and the children play
Siren’s passing, fire engine red
Someone’s house is burning down on a day like this?
The evening comes and we’re hanging out
On the front step, and a car rolls by with the windows rolled down
And that war song is playing, “why can’t we be friends?”
Somebody’s screaming and crying in the apartment upstairs

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
Somebody’s going hungry and someone else is eating out
Funny the way it is, nor right or wrong
Somebody’s heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song
Laying out in a field in a lover’s kiss
Like a baby bird on a breeze or water to a fig
A bomb blast brings a building crashing to the floor
You can hear the laughter while the children play “war”

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
A kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out
Funny the way it is, nor right or wrong
Oh, a soldier’s last breath and a baby’s being born

Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me
It must’ve been much harder when there was no bridge, just water
Now the world is small. Remember how it used to be, with mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars? Watch the sky, the jet planes, so far out of my reach
Is there someone up there looking down on me?
Boy chase a bird, so close but every time
He’ll never catch her, but he can’t stop trying

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
A kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out
Funny the way it is, nor right or wrong
Oh, a soldier’s last breath and a baby’s being born
Funny the way it is, nor right or wrong
Somebody’s heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song
Funny the way it is, nor right or wrong
A kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out

Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me
It must’ve been much harder when there was no bridge, just water
Now the world is small.
Remember how it used to be, with mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars?

When I heard this song for the first time, it got me thinking about how lucky I am to have the life that I do. I am so lucky to have the family and and the friends that I do, and it makes me so sad to know that a lot of people are not as fortunate as me. My family has been through its share of trials, but who doesn't? And the good always outways the bad. Recentely, I have realized that everyday is a new opportunity for success, and a new chance to experience those things that you never have experienced before. These realizations help me move forward into the next chapter of my life, with a new perspective on everything. Sitting here, next to my big brother with the possibility of him going off to war soon and my new 8 year old brother that we adopted reading in the other room, I know that I just have to open my eyes every morning and thank God for the beautiful things that I do have.

Day One

NO SURPRISE
By: Daughtry

I’ve practiced this for hours, gone round and round
And now I think that I’ve got it all down
And as I say it louder, I love how it sounds
Cause I’m not taking the easy way out
Not wrappin’ this in ribbons
Shouldn’t have to give a reason why

It’s no surprise I won’t be here tomorrow
I can’t believe that I stayed till today
Yeah you and I will be a tough act to follow
But I know in time we’ll find this was no surprise

It came out like a river once I let it out
When I thought that I wouldn’t know how
Held onto it forever, just pushing it down
Felt so good to let go of it now
Not wrapping this in ribbons
Shouldn’t have to give a reason why

It’s no surprise I won’t be here tomorrow
I can’t believe that I stayed till today
There’s nothing here in this heart left to borrow
There’s nothing here in this soul left to say
Don’t be surprised when we hate this tomorrow
God knows we tried to find an easier way
Yeah you and I will be a tough act to follow
But I know in time we’ll find this was no surprise

Our favorite place we used to go
The warm embrace that no one knows
The loving look that’s left your eyes
That’s why this comes as no, as no surprise
If I could see the future and how this plays out
I bet it’s better than where we are now
But after going through this
It’s easier to see the reason why

It’s no surprise I won’t be here tomorrow
I can’t believe that I stayed till today(stayed till today)
Yeah you and I will be a tough act to follow
But I know in time we’ll find this was no surprise

I just broke up with a boyfriend of three years a little while ago. They were the best three years of my life, but I learned so many things (good and bad) from the relationship, that I know I will never forget. This song reminds me that I was ready to go, ready to move on with my life. This song reminds me that I am still living, that everything that I needed to learn from that relationship has already been learned. That is when a relationship is over, when everything that can be learned, has been. Today would have been the third anniversary for us, and although I have been bitter and angry since we broke up, which would in turn make today a really depressing day, I am actually ready to forgive and let go. I am in a lot different of a mood than I expected to be in today, and it is good. I have finally realized that this is for the best. I am gone from his life, and it's no surprise that I will not be here tomorrow...and honestly, it does make me wonder why I have stayed until today. I am okay, which is a lot easier to say than it used to be. I have found the new love of my life, just loving life.