Last week was a special week for our family with our son home. He leaves Christmas Eve for Iraq.

The week will forever be remembered by us, but I'm writing to point out what everyone should know and, hopefully, maybe even experience.

We encountered something right here in Butler that was incredibly touching.

The first time it happened was a tender moment. A worker at Sears Portrait Studio realized our son was home on leave from the military. She looked him right in the eye and thanked him — sincerely thanked him.

The next time it happened was an emotional moment. We bought a cross pendant for him, feeling it was a vital piece needed for him to enter a war zone.

We needed the chain length adjusted. Don Paul Jewelers completely understood how important it was to us and offered to have it available the very next day.

That was so very much appreciated.

When we picked it up, they compassionately offered it without charge, thanking him for his services and wishing him well. It seemed important to them that he wear a cross, too.

It happened the third time at Zanotti Harley-Davidson. It was such a proud moment, not just of our son, but of our town. We were seeing a trend, and it was so apparent.

Nonchalantly the cashier mentioned college to him. When he said, "I am an airman home on leave before I deploy to the desert," she stopped in her tracks, reached across the counter to touch his hand, looked him in the eyes, as a tear welled up in hers, and she thanked him.

She saw her own much-younger son in him, told him to be safe, that he would be in her prayers, and that we (as a community) were proud of him.

As a member of this community, we have experienced such overwhelming support for our troops that we must say thank you: "Thank you for appreciating our son."