• Erica Rodriguez •
• Originally published July 1, 2009 at 8:54 p.m., updated July 1, 2009 at 11:05 p.m.

Tears, hugs and red, white and blue balloons greeted Army Spc. Sharif Rachid on his first trip home from Iraq in two years on Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm still alive," were his first words to a tearful family at Victoria Regional Airport. "I'm still good."

After two years of not seeing his hometown or family, Rachid, 23, was at a loss for words.

"It's amazing," he said after embracing his family, who were overcome with emotion.

"Just having him home and being able to spend some time with him," his father, Omar Rachid, wiping moist eyes, said of his plans for his son for the next two weeks. "E-mails and phone calls are not the same as seeing him in person and being able to hug him."

Rachid said he was looking forward to a shower, barbecue and his father's home-cooked Lebanese food.

Rachid spent nearly 26 hours flying around the globe and going through six airports to spend time with his family on leave. He plans to spend the holiday weekend on Lake Travis in Austin, attending a cousin's wedding and visiting more family members.

Rachid volunteered for active duty two years ago after serving in the Army Reserve since age 19.

He has been stationed in Mosul, Iraq, for the last nine months as an intelligence specialist.

His family was concerned after his plane was delayed on his return trip, but didn't doubt he'd make it back OK.

"Now he's here and that's all that matters," said Jennifer Rachid, Sharif's younger sister. She clutched a homemade cardstock sign with Sharif's name colored in marker. "I just had faith that he'd come back."

Also there to greet him were his mother, Ann Rachid, and family friends.

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