Homecoming - Short version!

Our homecoming was perfect… I had no complaints about THE DAY!  Let’s go back a bit though.

Due to the fact that we are moving in 2 weeks, our house is a bit of a mess BUT I made sure to hire a maid service to do the deep cleaning before he walked in… which is total PRINCESS FASHION, didn’t happen.  They did a HORRIBLE job and I spent money on absolutely NOTHING.  NOT a happy Army Wife!  Oh and my inlaws are staying with us this week for a few days so there is a level of clean I expect.

  

So we decorated the house, put up our BIG welcome home sign and headed to Bakersfield the night before.  Once we arrived we went straight to the unit to help any last minute decorating.  I was virtually ignored, basically no one knew who was a spouse or just a random good Samaritan helping out.  We chose to stay with our unit friends that night and let our kids terrorize each other in hopes of them sleeping better that night.  Bright and early homecoming morning we set off back to the unit for the outside decorating.  Then the news came (I got a text from my soldier) that they were going to land about an hour and a half early so we finished up quickly and headed home to change and ensure the kids were all ready.

Back at the unit all pretty-fied, I met with our Operation Love Reunited photographer.  This is a non-organization that pairs up photographers with military families for pre-deployment, during and homecoming photos at no charge.  I LOVED our photographer.  She was there to take photos and just be.  Then the plane landed and I felt nauseous.  I had just seen my husband 2 months before for R&R but this was it… this was the moment that had been in the back of our mind for four and a half years, the END of our first deployment. 

SIDE NOTE - Not to be a snob but seriously some women looked like they just rolled out of bed - LADIES you haven't seen your man in months, a wifebeater and flip flops is just not appropriate!  I wore a cute sundress and heels... thats just me.  We were interviewed by the local news, Diva stole the show... no big surprise there.

As soon as the busses were in sight the crowd went completely crazy!  We screamed, hollered, waived flags, it was amazing.  My husband was on the first bus, off he came and our daughter was up in his arms before he could read her sign.  There were a lot of sunglass covered eyes, a lot of tears and a ton of screaming.  We hugged soldiers we didn’t know and welcomed them home; we hugged each other and just smiled.  I don’t think I could have let go of my husband if I tried – note to others, a dress at homecoming can be a tough sell with kids.  There were many times I was FREAKING out that my butt was being shown to the world!

Inside for more pictures, awards, formation, lunch and release.  The rest of the day was family time, just to relax and be together.  Our soldier was asleep about 1800 on the first night; he woke up for a bit and then right back to sleep by about 2100.  Luckily we all felt the same way and were just out cold.  The next day started with a formation, some formalities and then he was released for our 3 hour drive home.

At home… we stopped by the new house so he could see it and we took some pictures.  He loved it, THANK GOODNESS!  I couldn’t imagine moving into somewhere that he may or may not love… especially not for as long term as the plan is!

Beyond that – bed early every night and he is so far so good with being home and a normal sleeping pattern.  Lets see if this lasts for the poor guy. 

Diva's sign for her daddy - held with pride!  BEST PART was the amount of glitter on his ACU's!

Signs on the building... AMAZING

Here they come!

Final formation- Thats my soldier leading it.