Let the Homecoming Countdown Begin!

BLESSINGS!

First allow me to say that I LOVE MY U.S. NAVY HUSBAND! I cannot believe that I am finally in the home stretch of having him back in my arms! Safe. Loved. Proud. <...smiling so big right now) The children are super excited to make our deployment homecoming calendar and chains (posts with pics coming soon;) and just being able to see him, hold him, play with him. You never realize just how much you miss that nasty Navy ship smell as they walk in the door, until that uniform is hanging empty! Seeing your children standing in your closet hugging and smelling their Daddy's uniform, just to have him 'feel' close is heartwrenching! I know, I remember doing it as a child.

Many times I found our eldest daughter "Kitty", sitting in a corner with his boots on and wrapping herself inside him uniform shirt crying. The only thing you can so is hold them tight, not speaking or uttering a single sound, because no words can take away the longing for their Daddy. The simplest I LOVE YOU, is sometimes not enough.....but for the time being, it has to be
.
One day, as I was getting us prepared for bed and gathering our nightly bedtime stories, I found that Kitty took Daddy's uniform out of the closet and hung it on the downstairs coat closet by the front door. When I asked her what she was doing, she looked at me with her big brown eyes and long face then said, "I am just waiting for Daddy to come back home Momma, this makes me think of him."

How do I not cry looking at this face?

I couldn't hold it in...

.....I bawled

.....then she bawled,

then we both put on one of Daddy's t-shirts

and slept in our own puddle of tears.....good night sweetgirl, tomorrow we are one day closer.

This deployment is surely the longest one to date (1 year)  as we are at our 16 1/2 year mark. Hubby is talking about going for 30 years, so I am sure there will be more to come. But, to date we have been through 6 deployments and with each passing one, they seem to be getting longer and harder. Our 2 daughters don't quite remember the other deployments, as they were rather young, but Pika does. Having to say good bye in the midst of losing our 9th child and our home in Hurricane Irene makes this deployment even harder and one they will never forget!
Watching the news and seeing all the tragic events, natural disasters, and knowing that Daddy was right in the midst of it all, had us on the edge of our seats! The earthquakes in Japan and Thailand, the tsunami warnings, the piracy of the Somalia Pirates etc...was nervewrecking!

 I am so thankful that this deployment was not done alone though, as a few previous ones had been. We have so many dear friends here who kept us busy and never let us get too down in a rut!
Thank you friends....thank you!
Not that I would want ANY wife (or child) to have to edure the pain and longing for their husbands and fathers, but to know that we had friends here with us (10 of them in fact) that all had husbands deployed....made things so much better!
The mornings within the walls of our home gathered with girlfriends around the dining room table while sipping coffee as our children payed inthe back yard, made conversations something to cherish forever. The words spoken will never be shared -only understood, for the voices being heard spoke with honor, faithfulness, and pain......and came right from the soul. Some of them were fun and full of laughter and smiles. Others, not so simple as we craddled each other, cried on the shoulder next to us, and fought to hold back the anger that our deployments spewed from within our hearts. How they "never seem to go quick enough" and that "Everything that could go wrong on a deployment....did just that".

Seeing the hurt on their children's faces however, opened the door for a very valuable lesson to be taught and witnessed with our children. In the midst of our pain, we can still bring joy and comfort to others in need. Just having baked cookies and hot chocolate awaiting their arrival at our home, brings the joy out in everyone...no matter how hurt they made be. Just knowing that "someone cares" makes our hearts smile and we know it does the same for others as well!

 Our children also made many lifelong friends all because of this deployment. Seeing them hug and play games with friends who's daddy is deployed too, made them realize that there is no time for a pity party, because others need a friend just as we do! That a smile and a prayer go along way. Afterall, those who pray together....stay together right? ;)

Now that we are in the final stretch of having him home, I can say with MUCH appreciation; I AM READY TO HAVE ALL OF THE CRYBABY MUSHY STUFF OUT OF THE WAY! lol
Well, until we see eachother and make up for lost time that is ;)

AND NOW, FOR THE BEST NEWS EVER...........

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

I received an email from my husband giving us our "OFFICIAL" homecoming countdown! We have 87 days left until our HERO is home safe in our arms and we cannot be happier! For the next few weeks, the kids and I will be putting together our homecoming handbook full of projects, pictures, and artwork for Daddy to see when he gets home. We will be preparing our signs (a bit premature, I know.....but OH SO FUN!), getting things ready around the house, making our menu of Daddy's favorite meals etc. This is the very best part of saying goodbye....being able to say HELLO again ;)

The homescoming of the USS Ross 2008 (our last deployment)

Be Encouraged!