This is something I wrote for my creative writing class. If you could take an a few minutes to read this and tell me what you think, that would be great.

I'm Coming Home

You ever noticed how the winters feel colder and summers feel hotter when you're away from home. The nights feel lonely and the days seem dull. You have your army family around you, but it's nothing compared to actually being with your real family. The only communication you have with them is through letters, telegrams, and monthly phone calls. Wars cause many problems in the world today. The biggest problem the cause is separation from your family. A war is a monster. The march right in, snatch you up from out of your home and force you to travel miles and miles away from your family. It's happening everywhere.

Being apart from your family does something to you. Just all the time you feel this aching feeling inside of you. You always long to be near them. The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950. War is a horrible thing to face. Thinking of all the men, women, and even children who have lost their lives in previous wars. Young men are drafted from their homes and forced to serve their country. American doctors are stationed in MASH units all across Korea. The US finally entered the war in July that same year. More American soldiers were drafted from their family's. Young men starting at the ages of eighteen would join the force right after graduating high school. Some men didn't even get to finish high school. Husbands, fathers, and sons would have to leave their home to go fight in the war. Although the struggle for soldiers to stay alive so they can return home some day is real. American doctors and nurses serving in Korea go through the same thing.

Tons and tons of specially trained surgeons, nurses, and doctors were also drafted from their homes to serve in the hospitals set up in Korea. These hospitals were known as MASH units Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. These MASH units first established during the Korean War. Wounded soldiers would be rushed to these units for fast care.

Dr. Toby P. Cavanaugh was one of the many doctors who served in one of these units. He was documented the top surgeon in his unit. Although he enjoyed saving lives, he missed his family back at home. He's married to his wife, Spencer and they have two children. A little girl named Carolina who is four years old, and a little boy named Carter who was born just a month before Toby was shipped out in late August. All kinds of men were shipped out to serve in these hospitals. Even women were drafted to serve as nurses in the army. Every two weeks his wife would write to him and then every two weeks he would write back. Most of the time, Spencer would write about what's been going on at home. She would say what the kids were up to and that Carter is starting to walk. Toby started to tear up when he heard about his son's first birthday. How he wished he could've been there. His daughter is starting to learn how to read and write. Spencer got a job working as a mistress, so she's bringing in money for the family.

While working in this unit for almost three years, Toby's come across a lot of friendly soldiers. One soldier he met was Caleb Landon Rivers. Caleb was his age and got drafted into the army just seven months before he got shot right in his soldier blade. While he was there he talked about his wife back at home with their two-year-old, Louis. They both talked a lot about how much they miss their families.

During the day, Toby would hang out and talk with the other doctors. There were times when they would have good times, but when the lights turned out and night time came. You were left to lay in bed and think about your families back home. Night time is always a lonely time in the army. Whenever Toby couldn't sleep (not that he got much sleep anyway), he would get out his letters from home and read them over couldn't wait for the day when he returns home.

After 3 years of fighting, the announcement of the end of the Korean War came on July 1953. He was in the middle of performing surgery when he heard the announcement. "Attention all personnel. The white flags have finally been raised and they've finally called a ceasefire. The Korean War is over!" Those words were like music to his ears. The war has come to an end and pretty soon he would be reunited with his family.

After performing surgeries for the last 48 hours, Dr. Cavanaugh finally had some time to rest. All the doctors, nurses, surgeons, and wounded soldiers would be sent home tomorrow. He wrote Spencer that he would be home before they both knew it. He has been counting down the years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds until he would be able to see her again. Tomorrow will finally be that day.

"You ready for tomorrow?"

His roommate and best friend, Dr. Tommy Ross came in and sat across the room from him. They both have families back home. Tommy's position is much different than Toby's. Tomorrow, Dr. Ross is returning home to his parents and sister. They've both been away from home for too long and are ready to return home.

"You bet," Toby smiled.

The ten men grinned at each other. The next morning, a helicopter that would take Toby home arrived. He was saying goodbye to all his fellow workers when the pilot gestured for him to hurry up. Apparently this guy is running on a tight schedule. Toby finished saying goodbye to everyone and climbed aboard the small helicopter. The helicopter pushed off the ground and hovered over the world below. The camp that he spent so much time at, got smaller and smaller as the helicopter flew. Pretty soon, the camp was out of sight and all he could see was green treetops and hillsides.

He was dropped off at an airport then got on flight 214 back to Washington D.C. That flight took over 14 hours. He then got on a flight from DC to Philadelphia, which is his home. That flight took a little over an hour. By the time his 2nd flight landed, he was exhausted, but that doesn't decrease his excitement to seeing his family once again. He's so close to seeing them. He can hardly wait.

Spencer waited in the airport along with her two kids waiting for Toby to arrive. They got here an hour ago so they would be extra early for his homecoming. The announcement that flight 407 from DC has landed nearly put Spencer over the roof. Carolina climbed up on one of the chairs to try and see over the busy sea of people.

"Where daddy?" Carolina asked her mother.

Spencer shrugged and said, "I don't know, but he should be coming soon."

"What if daddy died?"

"I would be very sad."

Carolina faced the crowd again waiting for her father to arrive. A tall man wearing a brown suit and hat started making his way towards them. His crystal blue eyes weren't hard to find in the crowd. Carolina grinned and began jumping up and down.

"I see daddy!" Carolina squealed

Spencer turns around. Here he comes carrying his brown backpack over his shoulder. A huge grin spreads across his face as he spots his family just a few feet away. Carolina jumps down from the chair and runs up to Toby. Her little arms were spread out wide.

"Daddy!"

She jumped into her daddy's arms and he picked her up and hugged her tight. Spencer's eyes clouded with tears at the beautiful sight in front of her. A father and his daughter reuniting for the first time in almost three years. Carter started wiggling around in Spencer's arms. She took that as a hint that he wanted down. Spencer kneeled down and helped Carter steady himself so he was standing up. With a gentle push, Carter was off on his feet slowly waddling his way over to Toby. Toby saw his little man coming and kneeled down getting ready to catch him. Carter's smile widen and he increased his speed to reach his daddy sooner.

Finally, Carter reached his daddy and Toby caught him in a tight embrace. He grinned from ear to ear. Spencer's eyes clouded with tears at the sight of a father reuniting with his children after almost three years of being away. Toby looked over his son's shoulder at Spencer. She removed her hands that were cupped around her face and began her short walk over to her family. Toby already had one arm held out for her and she gladly accepted.

Tears were streaming down both of their faces. Toby held both of his arms around his family and silently prayed to good thanking him for allowing him to live for this moment. Being reunited with his family is the best thing in the world. A leaned over a placed a soft kiss on his wife's forehead, then kissed his two kids. Boy, he is glad to be home. He sure hopes that he will never have to away from home again.

The end.