Day 20

Happy New Year, my love!
By now it's 2012 where you are... But I'm still waiting for the ball to drop.

Since you educated me on some Alexander the Great history yesterday, and you know I love it, I'll give you a little background on Auld Lang Syne.

Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish folk song that most English speaking countries have adopted to sing on NYE. Roughly translated, the name means "days gone by," or "old times sake." It starts as a rhetorical question. Should we forget about old friendships of days gone by? Leave them in the past? It goes on to toast those friendships and everything that we've been through.

I think it's a very meaningful song for us this year. We've certainly made some lifelong friends, been through some seriously tough times, and as the song says, wandered many a weary foot since this time last year. I feel like we are closer for everything we have been through, although it wasn't always easy.

We find our strength in times of struggle... Trial by fire.

So tonight I will toast to you, baby. To us. To this year passing, and a new beginning. To loving someone more than you love yourself, and to only looking back to the good times, never the bad. I love you, and I will give you your New Years' kiss just as soon as you get off the plane. Be careful, soldier, and remember that you have all of my heart with you. Goodnight.