My life used to be any girl's dream. Something that seemed so perfect, but yet it seemed too impossible to achieve. Unlike most people, for one, my parents were still happily married. Two, I was enrolled in the best school in the city of Jacksonville. Three, I could get any guy I wanted. And four? I was as happy as a pig in mud. Life was perfect.

I thought life would always be this happy.

Little was I aware, though, that my façade of life would change. And by change I mean dramatic change, was lurking right around the corner, waiting to pounce like a lion. And when I say right around, I mean right around- as in today, June 1st. The day my father left to go to Iraq.

"Why can't you stay, Daddy? I'll miss you." Rose pleaded, rapping her arms around her fathers neck.

Her father patted her on the back lovingly. Pulling away from her, he looked her in the eyes sincerely. "Sweetie, I really feel like this is something God wants me to do."

"But what if you…?" She couldn't manage to say the word.

"If God puts you in it, He will see you through it." Not a single hint of doubt was in his voice.

"Are you sure?" Rose sounded real worried.

"I'm sure," he smiled at her, kissing her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Dad." Rose rapped her around him once again.

Once they were done hugging, her father now walked over to her mother. Before he could engage his goodbyes, she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Please don't do anything stupid! I love you, Shawn!"

"I love you, too, Amanda…" Shawn kissed her on the lips briefly as they pulled away from the other.

With that, Shawn headed towards the door. "I have to go now," he smiled at his beloved family. "duty calls."

Tears were threatening to come pouring from Rose's beautiful blue orbs, but she fought them back. Her father would be okay. He was right- if God wanted him to do it, He would certainly see him through him. Her father was a God fearing man and he most certainly was aware that you couldn't fight with God without expecting to lose, so you might as well do as He commands. Even though her father seemed completely trusting of God, she wasn't totally trusting of Him. It was hard for her to accept this, but she would eventually manage.

There weren't any tears to be seen watering up in Amanda's eyes. She was probably just trying to act tough for Shawn so he wouldn't feel bad about leaving.

The urge to run back over to her father swept through Rose, in which she gladly did so. Her father embraced her in a hug, but this one a much more memorable one that the last. It was the type of hug when you know you might never see that person again for awhile.

"Please be okay," Rose muttered in his ear. "I don't want to lose you, Dad…"

Shawn pulled away from her hug and gave her a firm promise. "I'll be okay- cross my heart."

"Really?" Rose made sure.

"Really, really." He smiled a loving, fatherly smile.

With no more said, he opened the door while waving to his wife, and walked out the door; shutting the door behind him. There was a moment of silence. Neither of the two moved a muscle.

"He's not going to live," Amanda suddenly said. "he'll be no different than the rest that have died."

Rose was taken aback by her mother's belief. Why was she so negative? What reason was there not to believe to trust in her father?

"What makes you think that?" Rose asked, her voice started to quiver.

"God wouldn't tell him to go out and kill himself," Amanda ranted. "that's just an excuse to get away from us so he can do whatever he wants."

Was her mother just upset about him leaving? She couldn't possibly mean that! Yeah, it had to be that. Her mother never usually acted this way. Although, she trusted her Dad, so why shouldn't her Mom?

"You don't really think that, do you?" Rose asked.

There was a moment of awkward silence. A sigh escaped her mother. Looking at the ground, she appeared to be in thought. "No, I guess I'm just afraid," she admitted, looking back up at Rose. "I don't want to lose Shawn, that's all…"

Rose walked over to her mother and held her in a comforting embrace. While they desperately would await Shawn's return, they would keep each other company and stay together, in high hopes of getting to see him again.

That's when the tears started pouring. The both of them burst into tears at once, still holding onto the other for comfort. Shawn was a wonderful father to Rose and an honorable husband to Amanda. He was a real prize and allowing him to go into this awful world where people couldn't give a rats behind about him, they were scared. Worrying, in the end, does nothing, so the only thing they could do was pray and put their faith in the Lord to keep him safe.

I thought that my Dad leaving us would be the worst thing to think of, but I was wrong. Way wrong. That was the easiest thing to get through. I'm sure you're all very curious to find out what I'm talking about, but instead of going into a detailed explanation, I'll just let my life do the talking as you watch it unfold before your very eyes.