is that him?

It was 9:00pm and the jets were overhead. It was unbelieveably loud and each time I heard one approaching in the distance, I silently willed the girls to stay asleep. Often the jets wake them up when they fly so late and they get scared. I have to go into them and we talk about what the jets are doing and who is up there and why. When Daddy is deployed, it is hard, so very hard to comfort them. BUT when he is home and flying late, we wait and listen and wonder: Is that him? It becomes a game and when we hear a jet, we wonder, if it is Daddy, can he see our house, is he busy, is he going to land soon, is he hungry, did he get the bad guys? The jet noise becomes less scary with each pass and more and more fun as we listen for the roar in the distance. "Here he comes again!" and the game continues. Eventually the jets land, the noise stops, the quiet is still, and it is goodnight time once again. As I leave, I promise the girls I will remind Daddy to come and kiss them. Tonight as I sat there and the girls stayed asleep, I couldn't help but play by myself as I heard one off in the distance....is that him?