a kiss a day: The Most Perfect Day.....

After waiting in anticipation for hours our family was finally complete again!

This past Tuesday , was the most perfect day! The kids and I headed off to pick up Daddy who was finally coming home... The excitement that filled the armory in those two hours of waiting was amazing, you could literally feel it all around you.

It was hard for the little ones. They kept asking "When are they coming, when's daddy gonna be here?" "soon" was the repeated reply. I think they stopped buying it after awhile. Especially B who we could not keep in one spot. She was seriously like the energizer bunny, she just kept running, and running...

.....and running

until we finally plopped her up on top of Pape's shoulders to give us all a little break (for a few minutes anyway) Thankfully his parents were waiting with us, if I had to chase her by myself for 2 hours I would have needed a nap instead of a hug when he finally walked in.

Then they made the Big announcement, "The eagle had landed" They had boarded busses and were en-route to the armory. "The boys are back in town" began pounding out of the PA system and of course..... B danced ;)

Soon everyone began cheering and adrenaline raced through the room as we watched the police escort come up the road followed by two coach busses and some military vehicles. They pulled up under the huge flag hanging from two firetrucks at the back of the armory where they would parade in and be greeted by us!

Nervous and excited are two words that pop into my mind when I think of those moments. It makes me tear up now even thinking about it. It was just awesome! The kids were so happy to be able to jump right into daddy's arms and give him the biggest hugs and kisses.

K man gave him "big squeezes" like he said he would, and was pretty much stuck to daddy like glue from that point on. Except when he had to let go for a few moments while they lined up for their last formation.

But after that it was right back into Daddy's arms!

Missa was a little "nervous" I guess you could say. Of course at this point she didn't want to be held by anyone, she was flailing herself about and trying to get away, So when she saw daddy and we tried to hand her to him she let out a cry. It made me feel so bad, and I know he was trying not to take it personally, but it's hard when they are so young. It was very overwhelming for us, so imagine being her size and not fully understanding all of this commotion. Then add the media surrounding us...apparently we had positioned ourselves right in the "hot spot". Every time we turned around there was another newspaper reporter asking to interview us as they snapped pictures left and right.

We answered questions and let them get their pictures, and I have to say they got some pretty great ones! We had to go out and buy 3 or 4 different newspapers the next day! Not to mention his interview on channel 9 news that night!

However above all else, we were focused on US, and all the feelings we had running through us in those moments.

Finally, Missa did come around, and with a little coaxing and getting down to her level, she went to daddy and hasn't left him alone since!

We have been enjoying having all of us under one roof again, and not having to squeeze our "together" time, into a mere 2 weeks. All of us playing together, eating dinner as a complete family, sharing the parental duties.. it is all so perfect. Each deployment we have been through has taught us new things, and each one has made us stronger.

There may be an "i" in the word f.a.m.i.l.y but to us it is "WE"