“A powerful, heartbreaking, and patriotic book.” — Joe Eszterhas, screenwriter and New York Times bestselling author “Mom, I’m being deployed …” 45 mothers of U.S. service men and women open their hearts and share what it feels like when your son or daughter leaves home to fight a war. Some were stunned when they learned that their “baby” had enlisted. Others had long been familiar with military life. But all of these mothers knew their world had just changed. They discovered a strange mix of pride and fear. Anxiety of not knowing exactly where your son is in the world, whether your daughter is facing enemy fire or heat and boredom. Elation at the arrival of the briefest message. Daily dread, when returning home, of seeing a government car in the driveway … Any parent who reads these stories will feel their power—and will gain a greater understanding of the sacrifice made by parents as well as their children in our military. “If you want to understand what war does to a mother’s heart, grab a handful of tissues. One story will break your heart. The next one will fortify it. All of the stories will make your heart swell with compassion for every mother whose umbilical cord stretches across the ocean to Iraq and Afghanistan.” — Regina Brett, author of New York Times best seller God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours “This is a book for every American home; an important look at the courage of our military service members and their mothers, who dedicate their lives, no matter the circumstances or the consequences.” — Helen Toolan, wife of Brigadier General John A. Toolan, Jr. Packed with images and moments that resonate with the reader long after the stories are told . . . offers a powerful statement about the sacrifices made not only by those who serve, but also by those left behind. -- Jim Vickers ― Cleveland Magazine Published On: 2009-05-01 A book for all mothers, fathers and Americans regardless of which opinion of the war you may hold since it speaks to the enduring sacrifices of parents for their children, of young soldiers for their country and to the nobility of the human spirit when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. -- Gloria Hanson ― CoolCleveland.com Published On: 2009-05-27 A testament to the resilience of the human spirit, to the need for peace and diplomacy, and to the courage and strength of our soldiers―and the families they leave behind, awaiting their safe return . . . [These are] moving stories, all of which are framed by love, sacrifice, and service. -- Dennis Kucinich ― Rep. Dennis Kucinich Published On: 2010-12-06 A book you can’t put down . . . incredibly riveting. -- Jim Mantel ― WGAR FM Radio Published On: 2009-05-01 Proud stories, hopeful stories and mostly love stories. They’re all stories that Americans, whether they have children in the military or not, should read. We all know someone who has enlisted or the parent, spouse or friend of someone who is serving our military and fighting for us. And in that way, those soldiers become our sons and daughters. -- Sali McShari ― Currents Published On: 2009-05-25 Janie Reinart is a storyteller, educator, and freelance writer who seeks ways to give people a voice to tell their own stories through prose and poetry. Most weekends she can be found praying and singing with the choir at Holy Angels Catholic Church. Mary Anne teaches and directs plays and musicals at St. Francis Xavier School. She lives in Medina, Ohio. Time Will Start Again Amy Kenneley The clock on his bedroom wall stopped many months ago― I can’t remember exactly when. He hasn’t been home since last Christmas, and my projects and hobbies have gradually drifted into corners here and there, like dandelion fluff. Summer clothes are crammed into his closet, where only his bathrobe had hung. Now, I am driven to clean and organize, to freshen the room, to put new sheets on the bed. An e-mail confirmed he’s coming home. Since February of this year, he has lived on an amphibious assault ship with several thousand other Marines and Navy personnel. He has been carried into battle on helicopters, has been driven miles into mountains in Humvees, and, for the first time, has known what it is to command under fire. There have been endless frustrations and deprivations, and now, finally, a brief respite before being reassigned―because this is his life, his career. His boyhood room is just a brief stopping point before moving on again. I wonder if this larger man will fit into this tiny room now. Surely it is bigger than the bunks aboard ship. Maybe the size of the room isn’t what I should be measuring. Maybe he will tell us how he measured up out there in a very hard school of hard knocks. $CALLOUT$ I only have little bits and pieces, you see. Remember V-mail? Well, e-mail is the descendant of that super-thin, crinkly letter in pale blue that would arrive weeks, sometimes months, after it was written. Now messages zip through cyberspace acr