Welcome Home, Snow and catch up

As a friend said on her blog, I might as well stop apologizing for being behind on the blog.  Tis the story of my life these days.  

I'll start with the most important and exciting update in our family - welcoming our hero home!  

On October 28 last year we began our 2nd deployment. On October 13th it was finally our turn to welcome him home.  As an FRG leader, I tried to be at every welcome home ceremony to celebrate with families and welcome soldiers home. It was fun and exciting to go to all the ceremonies, but it was bittersweet leaving alone each time. 

At Ft. Campbell we were able to see the plane land and the soldiers marched in basically right off the plane.  They had to take care of a few things after the welcome home ceremony and then we were free to take them home. 

Ft. Drum does it differently.  The soldiers take care of everything before the ceremony, so that when you see your soldier, you don't have to watch them leave again, even if it is just for a few minutes.  While I enjoyed leaving the hanger with Chad right away, the excitement of watch the plane land with other families at Ft. Campbell was incredible. (Especially when your standing next to someone as fun and energetic as Mya Parker! :)  During redeployment briefs I asked if we could watch the plane land, and while they thought I was crazy, they said sure.  

Thankfully the timing worked out perfectly to watch the plane land.  I would not have taken my kids out at 4 AM to watch it, but since it was 5PM, it was perfect.  Chad's parents were able to come in town for the ceremony, so we lined up next to the fence and looked for our plane!

 Long awaited day - Daddy comes home!  I found these matching shirts at Gymboree the week of the ceremony.  I'm not sure why I struggled so much with what we were going to wear.  I thought these were adorable.

Here comes the plane!!

And there it goes...

At this moment our Rear-D 1SG walked up.  I laughed and said "Where is my plane going??"

Turns out there were turkeys on the runway and the pilot had to abort the first landing.  There are TONS of wild turkeys around here, so that doesn't surprise me, but from where we were standing we couldn't tell what happened.

Second attempt - success!

How exciting to see that plane on the ground and knowing that Chad was on it!

We had time to go grab a bite to eat and then head back to the hanger for the ceremony.  

Patiently waiting!  I am was not thrilled with my outfit choice for the evening, but had been so busy that week I didn't have the time I wanted to get the right look.  I had our Squadron commander's wife bring her straightening iron to the ceremony to try and help my hair since it was quickly becoming a fluff ball in the rain.  As I was standing in the bathroom smoothing my hair out, I had a sudden fear that I would set off the smoke alarm, set off the sprinklers and ruin the ceremony for everyone...so I unplugged it and called it good enough! 

I took a lot of pictures, but few turned out.  I decided this was a good week to start shooting in manual with my camera.  All of you photographers would laugh at the quality of my photos.  I was super frustrated that I couldn't get clear photos without using the flash. 

I cannot explain the exciting, relief, and joy in the room when they open the hanger doors...it really is something you have to experience for yourself.  We were sitting right on the front row, and while it took us a minute to spot Chad, he said he spotted us right away.

 Short ceremony...  then mass joyous chaos.  I'm pretty sure I was the first one on the floor when they said dismissed.  

 Daddy!

HOME!!

We have really enjoyed the past two weeks relaxing and getting back into the groove of a family of four.  Chad was sick the first 4 days he was home, and then Mya was sick for almost a week.  Thankfully we are all well and looking forward to our last weeks before the snow arrives! :)