About a month ago, I heard about an awesome organization called Operation: Love ReUnited. Op:Love is an organization where photographers volunteer their time to provide sessions for members of our military and their families. You should take a minute to check out the website. Go on. I’ll wait….

If that site doesn’t make you tear up even a little, you have no soul…or are a robot…or are a robot with no soul. And since I’m pretty sure my blog doesn’t have a big following of robots, especially the soulless type, I am going to guess that a visit to the site gave you a good idea of how awesome a thing it is that this organization does.

So, about six days after I was accepted as a volunteer, I received an email from Jamie. Her fiance was going to be coming home from a year long deployment in Iraq, and she was wondering if I would be able to photograph his homecoming. Heck yeah. So on Sunday, I got to spend a few hours with Jamie and the family of  Sgt. Jared Bentely, as they awaited his homecoming at Camp Pendleton. Here is a sneak peek of some of the images of that day, and there will be a slideshow coming later.

This is Jamie. Jamie and Jared are getting married in September.

This lovely lady is Jared’s mom. She does not look like a woman who has a son old enough to be getting married, does she?

Jared’s family was eagerly awaiting his arrival…and waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

I have learned that these homecomings don’t actually occur on any kind of set time schedule.  I believe I was told “the only four letter word the military doesn’t know…is plan. ” 🙂 But the wait is well worth it.

Word comes in that they are on base…..

The buses passed and the excitement grew. And then….there was some more waiting. 🙂 And even more waiting.  And then……

So exactly what would it look like to see a mom, who hasn’t seen her son in a year, finally get to see his face and know he is safe?

Enjoy your time at home Sgt.Bentley!