By Sarah Light
For the first time in years, the McGraw family will be together for Christmas — all except for their brother Mark.
During the past six months, Cpl. Mark McGraw has been serving in Iraq as a United States Marine. For Christmas, he will be in Iraq, along with thousands of other soldiers fighting for freedom.
As a result, this holiday season may be a little more somber than previous years for his family and the hundreds of other families around the nation who have loved ones serving in the war.
“It”s especially hard this year because we”ll have everyone — all the grandkids, everyone except Mark,” said DeAnna McGraw, 19, a sophomore at BYU who is one of McGraw”s younger sisters. Nine out of the family”s 10 children will be home.
McGraw joined the Marines about five years ago, following a long line of military history in his family.
“He really wanted to serve his country,” DeAnna McGraw said. “There”s a lot of structure and security in the military. You always have an assignment, and you”re always with your battalion.”
When McGraw learned he would be serving in Iraq, he experienced a combination of fear and respect for his opportunity, she said.
“I think at first he didn”t really know how to react,” DeAnna McGraw said. “It didn”t really seem like reality to him, but it was pretty sobering and a little scary for him.”
His mother, Ellen McGraw, said the family experienced similar feelings.
“We all shed a few tears, but we were really proud of him,” she said. “I know that Mark”s life is in the Lord”s hands.”
Although McGraw is unable to explain many of the details from his experiences for security reasons, his mother said he has already talked about a few situations that illustrate he is often in danger.
She said she hopes that at least during Christmas, he can be out of harm”s way.
She said every time he talks to her on the phone from the base, he reminds her that if they get incoming fire, he will have to hang up immediately and take cover.
Ellen said one day they were talking, and he dropped the phone mid-sentence. She could hear yelling and bombs going off in the background.
“I didn”t panic that day because I could hear voices in the background,” she said.
Despite these dangers, Ellen and DeAnna McGraw said they find strength in the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Surely the Lord is going to sustain his efforts to overcome some of that oppression,” Ellen said. “But no war is ever easy.”
President Bush recently visited Camp Pendleton in an effort to strengthen morale during the holiday season, according to The Associated Press.
In addition to the President”s encouraging words, the McGraw family has spent hours making homemade candies and cookies to send, along with items from McGraw”s wish list.
Jenny McGraw, one of McGraw”s other sisters, collected six boxes of clothes, books, toiletries and candy to send to her brother and the other soldiers in his group for her Laurel project.
“It was really amazing how supportive people were-both in the church and outside of the church,” Ellen said.
McGraw”s biggest wish, however, is to simply be able to celebrate Christmas.
“He told Mom to please pray that [he”ll] be on the base, instead of out fighting, for Christmas,” DeAnna McGraw said. If they are on the base, they will be able to have some type of church service, open gifts from family and talk with family and friends, she said.
And although it”s not a gift he can unwrap, having a peaceful Dec. 25 may actually be the most valuable one of the year.
