It's about time.
Two fold.
It is about time I updated my blog.
It is about family TIME.
Last Thursday, March 7th Sean touched down in the good old United States. I got a text message in the afternoon that he was in New Jersey. It was hard to keep calm and keep my excitement to myself. The girls still had no idea what was going down Thursday evening. Around 430 pm I received a text from Sean that told me he had landed on Ft Benning. I was still at home.
The girls thought at this point we still had 4 days until Sean came home. The only thing I had told them was that we were going to go to an Army show and see Army actors in their "costumes," as Autumn calls the uniform.
There is a small part of me that feels bad for not being there for this moment, but I cannot imagine the girls seeing you here and then being made to wait 3 hours to see you again. That would truly have been torture.
I finally started getting everyone ready and about 6 pm, we headed out.
I had to tell myself to drive the speed limit. No sense in getting a speeding ticket. Before I got out of the neighborhood, I realized I forgot my engagement ring (I hardly wear it because it falls off and I would be devastated if I lost it), so I turned around to head home and grab it. Autumn says to me, "So that was the Army show?" Uhm no Autumn!!!!
I got my ring and headed back out again. Driving the speed limit.
Beautiful sunset.
At 645 pm I finally parked outside the terminal. I saw two other ladies from the shop in the parking lot working on a sign for their husbands. I got out of the car and told them about the Army show. They offered to go in ahead of us and let the others know so that no one would spoil the fun for the girls.
There was lots of music.
And waiting (this is the Army way after all). There was a big screen in there letting us know what the guys were doing and we were down to the last 30 minutes before the "show" would begin.
Autumn decided to hang out with Grandpa Jim.
I was feeling so anxious. I just wanted to get things started so we could see Sean again.
Finally the guys marched out. I could not find Sean in the crowd.
Autumn and Millie ran up to the rope. Autumn says to me, "It would make me so happy if daddy was in here." I told her that would make me so happy too.
The Chaplin said a prayer and then we had to wait for the changing of the colors.
The unit commander got on stage and said something along the lines of "Shortest speech ever. Thank you for a job well done. You are dismissed to your families.
It became pandemonium in there. People were running, screaming, shouting. I told the girls to be still because somehow I just knew that Sean knew where we were although I had no idea where he was. I finally made eye contact with him in the crowd and he was headed our way. I lost him again, but just moments later he reappeared. I asked Autumn if she could see anyone. I knew they saw him when I looked over and their little faces were so shocked. They couldn't move, they couldn't speak, they were just overcome with surprise.
Grandpa looks awfully happy!
When the girls finally made it to Sean's arms, I was holding back my tears. It was such a sweet moment.
Autumn showing off her new friend, a koala bear and an old friend, Walden.
Millie got a new friend too. I think it is a cat?
Sean had some work to do before we could leave and at first I was not bothered by it, but when I started looking around I noticed my deployed husband was the only one who was working, all the others were with their families. I felt a little resentful about that. When Sean made it back over to us, I told him I wanted to get a family picture now. He told me he didn't have time. This was about the time I lost my mind and stormed out of the terminal. I was angry. Not at Sean but at the Air Force in general. They have stolen so many moments from our family and it felt like they just took one more. Now that I have had some time to process and think about how I behaved, I wish I would have kept my temper under wraps better. EVERYONE knew I was mad, because that is how I roll. I am not good about hiding my feelings, they are plain as day. Anyway, I still feel a little bitter that I didn't get a picture with all four of us in it, but I am hoping to get some family photos in the upcoming weeks.
Sean had Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. He went back to work Monday for a few hours and now today, Tuesday (5 days later) he is working a full day and will through Thursday. Friday starts a month off and time to really spend with us. Millie is having a hard time trusting that Sean is here to stay. She gives me a hard time about going to sleep or taking her nap. She woke up once in the middle of the night needing confirmation that Sean was here. As soon as he kissed her and told her goodnight, Millie drifted off to sleep. She isn't handling Sean going to work very well, but I am hoping that over time she will come to terms with it. We have no idea when Sean will leave again, it is the nature of his job to go on trips here and there. There are talks about future deployments and that too is just the nature of his job. For now it is just talks and just like most people and things, it could change.
To my daughters,
I'm so glad we survived these past nine months together. Thank you for being so strong and so willing to participate in my shenanigans. Thank you for your constant reminders of what all that we went through really means, how much we love your dad. How hard our life is without him. It is my sincerest hope that we never have to be from your dad that long ever again, but I know that if we should, we will triumph. I will hold your heart just as you will hold mine. Together, we can accomplish anything we so set our hearts on. Remember that!
To my dearest Sean,
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that you are home. It isn't that I want you around to fix all the stuff that broke (or I broke), or that you can bring me my cup of coffee in the morning, it is that to feel you and touch you and love you makes me feel whole. I cannot imagine how you got through the last nine months without seeing, holding, kissing, tickling, scaring, aggravating, or hugging our precious girls. I know that we both are looking forward to retirement and never worrying about deployment again. You have been my closest friend for the last fourteen years of my life and when you are not around, I suffer in every way. Did you notice my new gray hairs? I am so thankful to have you home and I want to express my gratitude to you because you take care of us in every way possible. I love you and I am really excited about the time off coming up! I promise to keep my temper in check and you will not hear me utter the words, GO BACK TO WORK!
Your current wife and favorite airman. xoxo
Cherish Hope
It is about time I updated my blog.
It is about family TIME.
Last Thursday, March 7th Sean touched down in the good old United States. I got a text message in the afternoon that he was in New Jersey. It was hard to keep calm and keep my excitement to myself. The girls still had no idea what was going down Thursday evening. Around 430 pm I received a text from Sean that told me he had landed on Ft Benning. I was still at home.
The girls thought at this point we still had 4 days until Sean came home. The only thing I had told them was that we were going to go to an Army show and see Army actors in their "costumes," as Autumn calls the uniform.
There is a small part of me that feels bad for not being there for this moment, but I cannot imagine the girls seeing you here and then being made to wait 3 hours to see you again. That would truly have been torture.
I finally started getting everyone ready and about 6 pm, we headed out.
I had to tell myself to drive the speed limit. No sense in getting a speeding ticket. Before I got out of the neighborhood, I realized I forgot my engagement ring (I hardly wear it because it falls off and I would be devastated if I lost it), so I turned around to head home and grab it. Autumn says to me, "So that was the Army show?" Uhm no Autumn!!!!
I got my ring and headed back out again. Driving the speed limit.
Beautiful sunset.
At 645 pm I finally parked outside the terminal. I saw two other ladies from the shop in the parking lot working on a sign for their husbands. I got out of the car and told them about the Army show. They offered to go in ahead of us and let the others know so that no one would spoil the fun for the girls.
There was lots of music.
And waiting (this is the Army way after all). There was a big screen in there letting us know what the guys were doing and we were down to the last 30 minutes before the "show" would begin.
Autumn decided to hang out with Grandpa Jim.
I was feeling so anxious. I just wanted to get things started so we could see Sean again.
Finally the guys marched out. I could not find Sean in the crowd.
Autumn and Millie ran up to the rope. Autumn says to me, "It would make me so happy if daddy was in here." I told her that would make me so happy too.
The Chaplin said a prayer and then we had to wait for the changing of the colors.
The unit commander got on stage and said something along the lines of "Shortest speech ever. Thank you for a job well done. You are dismissed to your families.
It became pandemonium in there. People were running, screaming, shouting. I told the girls to be still because somehow I just knew that Sean knew where we were although I had no idea where he was. I finally made eye contact with him in the crowd and he was headed our way. I lost him again, but just moments later he reappeared. I asked Autumn if she could see anyone. I knew they saw him when I looked over and their little faces were so shocked. They couldn't move, they couldn't speak, they were just overcome with surprise.
Grandpa looks awfully happy!
When the girls finally made it to Sean's arms, I was holding back my tears. It was such a sweet moment.
Autumn showing off her new friend, a koala bear and an old friend, Walden.
Millie got a new friend too. I think it is a cat?
Sean had some work to do before we could leave and at first I was not bothered by it, but when I started looking around I noticed my deployed husband was the only one who was working, all the others were with their families. I felt a little resentful about that. When Sean made it back over to us, I told him I wanted to get a family picture now. He told me he didn't have time. This was about the time I lost my mind and stormed out of the terminal. I was angry. Not at Sean but at the Air Force in general. They have stolen so many moments from our family and it felt like they just took one more. Now that I have had some time to process and think about how I behaved, I wish I would have kept my temper under wraps better. EVERYONE knew I was mad, because that is how I roll. I am not good about hiding my feelings, they are plain as day. Anyway, I still feel a little bitter that I didn't get a picture with all four of us in it, but I am hoping to get some family photos in the upcoming weeks.
Sean had Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. He went back to work Monday for a few hours and now today, Tuesday (5 days later) he is working a full day and will through Thursday. Friday starts a month off and time to really spend with us. Millie is having a hard time trusting that Sean is here to stay. She gives me a hard time about going to sleep or taking her nap. She woke up once in the middle of the night needing confirmation that Sean was here. As soon as he kissed her and told her goodnight, Millie drifted off to sleep. She isn't handling Sean going to work very well, but I am hoping that over time she will come to terms with it. We have no idea when Sean will leave again, it is the nature of his job to go on trips here and there. There are talks about future deployments and that too is just the nature of his job. For now it is just talks and just like most people and things, it could change.
To my daughters,
I'm so glad we survived these past nine months together. Thank you for being so strong and so willing to participate in my shenanigans. Thank you for your constant reminders of what all that we went through really means, how much we love your dad. How hard our life is without him. It is my sincerest hope that we never have to be from your dad that long ever again, but I know that if we should, we will triumph. I will hold your heart just as you will hold mine. Together, we can accomplish anything we so set our hearts on. Remember that!
To my dearest Sean,
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that you are home. It isn't that I want you around to fix all the stuff that broke (or I broke), or that you can bring me my cup of coffee in the morning, it is that to feel you and touch you and love you makes me feel whole. I cannot imagine how you got through the last nine months without seeing, holding, kissing, tickling, scaring, aggravating, or hugging our precious girls. I know that we both are looking forward to retirement and never worrying about deployment again. You have been my closest friend for the last fourteen years of my life and when you are not around, I suffer in every way. Did you notice my new gray hairs? I am so thankful to have you home and I want to express my gratitude to you because you take care of us in every way possible. I love you and I am really excited about the time off coming up! I promise to keep my temper in check and you will not hear me utter the words, GO BACK TO WORK!
Your current wife and favorite airman. xoxo
Cherish Hope
Comments