Homecoming Reunion

Well, I'm off. Off to the windy city of Chicago to welcome home my husband. I cannot tell you how excited I am this time is finally here. This deployment was much shorter than the last one but this time we have our lil Dayden. It has a slightly different feel to it with our little addition. I haven't truly slept in days. Well, the night David called and said he was safe and sound in California I slept really, really hard. But ever since I have been too excited to rest! You cannot imagine the sense of relief when your husband makes it back safely from the war. Our relationship continues to grow stronger and stronger and you realize just how much you love each other when you are separated by war and have to deal with the reality that you may never see the love of your life again. How lucky am I? I am married to the love of my life and he has successfully completed another deployment...

My mom, father-in-law, Dayden and myself will all be there to welcome him home and spend some much needed family time together. The older kids have school so they will welcome him home in Texas. I AM NOT taking my laptop-as I will be WAY to preoccupied getting reacquainted with my husband. We shall return in Sept-but David will most likely have to remain in Chicago for a short time to square the last few things away before heading home. I'll take as many pictures as I can and tell you all about it when I get back.

Man, I'm such a sissy la-la...the tears are already starting and I am SO NOT a crier!!

No Down Time

Okay friends and family. Some of you have called or emailed asking why David hasn't called you yet. Well, the truth is-he is WAY busy. Unless you want a call at 3:00am (thanks Sweetheart!) you're probably going to have to wait until next week...

1.) He is on California time-after being on Iraq time-so he's a little "off"(and I mean that in the nicest way) and then there's the whole time zone thingy...
2.) He has tons of administrative duties..and if you have ever seen him type you would understand..
3.) He is working on about day 7 with about 12 total hours of sleep.
4.) He and the other Marines desperately want to leave California on time to get to Chicago as quickly as possible to be reunited with their families, so all the top dogs have them working round the clock to get everything squared away.

So-don't worry. I'm sure he'll call you when he gets a chance!!

Getting Ready

Paula got Dayden this shirt and had Granny added a few extra touches...and Granny made the skirt!



"I'm ready to come to Chicago Daddy!!"



Libby, Chad, Bailey and Ashlyn got this travel treat bag together for the flight. Libby made the bag and had the older kids added some of Dayden's favorite things!! Thanks guys! Mommy will appreciate this more than you know!!

Mini vacation with Auntie Krista

Bailey and Ashlyn went to visit Auntie Krista (my younger sister) and Cade (7yrs)for the better part of last week. They had 2 fun filled days at Sea World, an evening at the county carnival, and lots and lots of good ole country air. Ashlyn is a HUGE fan of the trampoline and Bailey is in heaven playing Cade's play station. Neither of them have either of these at home...

Naunnie was there too, hanging in like a real trooper in the heat. I hear they did LOTS of walking and rode some really fun rides at Sea World.

The kids had an incredible time and are already making plans for their next visit. I think it took 2 days for them to recover!!

One commin'-One goin'

My sister, Devin, dropped her eldest child off at college last week...

I cannot imagine what she must feel right now. So many emotions must be swimming through her head. Now, I think I have had some tough good-byes, but I think this would have to trump mine. It's one thing to say good bye to your spouse, but another to say good bye to your baby. It doesn't matter how old your "baby" gets...they are still your baby. Now, I am very certain that Sutton went off to college with anything and everything she needs-and I'm not talking about dorm room decor and a map of the city. I KNOW this young lady is well prepared for this next chapter in her life and I KNOW that her mom and Jimmy have made every effort to prepare her for this next step. I wish I had all the right things to say to my older sister to help her through this "transition", but I don't, so she'll have to settle for just letting me listen if she needs me to. I remember when she left for college...and the pictures on her post take me back to that same day. I can still remember the somber ride home-and getting her room wasn't all that awesome after that good bye.

Sutton-I am so proud of you. You will certainly continue to do great things and I hope you spike it down their faces each time you go up to hit!!

Devin-I send happy thoughts your way and many, many prayers of strength to help you adjust to your changed home.

Sooo...our family has such a whirlwind of events happening! We finally get David home and the first grandchild heads off to college. Whew! Oh, and did I mention Sutton was born my senior year in high school?!? Getting old SUCKS!!!!!! Can somebody say "XANAX!"

Guess Who...

is alive and well at 29 Palms??? David is back in the USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sort of an update...but not really

Well, I haven't heard from David since Tuesday morning at 7:15 when he sent an email that he has started the first leg of a long journey home. I do know he is no longer at the base where he has lived for the past 8 months and he was already at the "local" airport waiting for a flight to Kuwait. I assume the lack of communication is a good sign...

His email said he was sleeping in a tent and it was 137 degrees outside! Yikes! I'll update you when I know he is safe and sound on US ground!!!

Out of Office

Question:
What is better than getting a reply email from your husband in Iraq?

Answer:
Getting this: "Out of Office AutoReply-I have departed for the USA."

PRESSURE, PRESSURE-PUT IT ON HER (from my cheerleading days...)

Oh my, the pressure is on.

Sigh.

I have been in my house almost a year and David has never even lived here. He painted, he installed appliances, he mowed, he hung stuff up, he moved box after box, he cut down a tree, he programmed new garage door openers, he moved pieces of furniture that really should've been a 2-3 man job...

...and he has no idea where his underwear drawer is much less the silverware drawer.

I have slowly been able to make this house a home. Some things I put off because I thought I needed help, other things I put off simply because, well, why do it now when I have a year to get it together?? Well guess what? That time is now and I am way, way, waaaayy behind the power curve.

Is it sad that I haven't even unpacked most of his stuff? I mean-his shoes are still in a box. It started out being too hard to tackle the job. Not physically hard-emotionally hard. I guess I wanted as few reminders of his absence as possible. To unpack things that wouldn't be used seemed useless and such a slap in the face since he wasn't going to be needing them anytime soon... and now the poor man will have to come home to a box of shoes and "where did you put my underwear?"!! Now for those of you who know my husband, he wears the same thing every day. I mean it...e-v-e-r-y day. Just ask any of the kids. We give him such a hard time. But, the man has more clothes than most women I know. Thankfully most of those are on hangers and collecting dust just as they do when he is home.

Sigh.

So, here's a recap of my weekend. Woke up Saturday and drove to JCPenney to get Dayden's pictures, bought cute lil summer stuff for the kids for $1.97/piece. Went home and put the baby to bed. Put together the sofa bed in Ashlyn's room so her sisters have a comfy place to sleep. Hung more pictures in the kitchen. Hung shelves, mirror and pictures in Bailey's room. Hung chandelier, mirror, bulletin board and pictures in Ashlyn's room. Hung cute little decorations in Dayden's room. Stripped the border out of the kids bathroom. Washed the Expedition (outside only), and cleaned out and re-organized the linen closet. (Yes, I threw it all in there a year ago!) Not sure if I mentioned everything, but you get the idea.

All I hear in my rattled little head is..."Pressure, Pressure-Put it on her" over and over again.

Oh my, so little time...

...and I am so excited!!!