I've been away, visiting another Stryker mom who lost her son in Iraq as well as various relatives. My family has all been home since I got back on Tuesday night so it's been hard to find time alone to post and, since I'm expecting them back any minute, I'm not going to try right now either! Just a note here to say that I will be back to talk at length about my visit with Laurie Whitham (Chase died on May 8, 2004 in a swimming pool accident--a number of noncombat-related deaths have occurred as the result of deteriorating infrastructure and this was one of them. Iraq is a very dangerous place to be) as well as a few other thoughts when Matthew returns to school next Tuesday.