"A powerful, heartbreaking, and patriotic book." -- Joe Eszterhas, screenwriter and New York Times bestselling author

45 mothers of U.S. service men and women open their hearts and share what it feels like when your son or daughter leaves home to fight a war.

"Mom, I'm being deployed . . ." When they heard that, all of these mothers knew their world had just changed. They were overwhelmed with emotions. A strange mix of pride and fear. Anxiety at not knowing exactly where your son is in the world, whether your daughter is facing enemy fire or heat and boredom. Elation at the arrival of the briefest message. Daily dread, when returning home, of seeing a government car in the driveway . . .

Any parent who reads these stories will feel their power--and will gain a greater understanding of the sacrifice made by parents as well as their children in our military.

"If you want to understand what war does to a mother's heart, grab a handful of tissues. One story will break your heart. The next one will fortify it. All of the stories will make your heart swell with compassion for every mother whose umbilical cord stretches across the ocean to Iraq and Afghanistan. . . . These military moms are all around us, at the grocery store, the dry cleaner, the soccer game. But they, too, have been deployed. Their hearts serve in war zones as invisible shields over sons and daughters who just yesterday were safe at home."

-- Regina Brett, author of New York Times best seller God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours

"This is a book for every American home; an important look at the courage of our military service members and their mothers, who dedicate their lives, no matter the circumstances or the consequences."

-- Helen Toolan, wife of Brigadier General John A. Toolan, Jr.