Happy Thanksgiving, Greg

Greg Gabrielli is in Iraq on his second tour of duty, so he couldn't be here for Thanksgiving this year. I think of him as my nephew, although as my cousin Peter's son, technically he's my first cousin once removed...I think.

Greg is a Marine; he trained to drive amphibious vehicles. Not a lot of need for amphibious vehicles in the deserts of the Middle East, but he's there anyway, driving something. The vehicles are better on this tour; they have heat (and hopefully some strong armor)!

Greg was wounded during his first tour of duty; a buddy in the same vehicle was killed. Now he's the voice of experience, and in his emails home he sounds casual and matter-of-fact, although I expect that's mostly to keep us all from worrying.

It doesn't work. Every day I worry about Greg, whom I really don't know very well but who is family. I hope he comes home soon and safe and whole, and I took this photo so he'd know we were thinking of him on Thanksgiving.