It feels like it was all a long drawn out nightmare. I went to the hangar yesterday after hearing the plane was landing in 20 minutes down the road at Eileson. I dropped my daughter’s lunch off, and promptly fell on my ass, buising both my left hip and butt. That hurts today. I then stopped at the shopette to get something quick to eat and headed over to the hangar where the guys would be bused in. I didn’t take my camera, just my palm corder. So there are no pics of our greeting. But I’m sure you can imagine.
In four years I have never spotted him in even the small company formations. This time I did. I watched all the rows march past me, and was going to stick with my plan to just stand and let him find me. That’s what we agreed on. Well then the last row passed and there he was. I have the video, I’ll upload and post it later. You can see exactly (and hear) when I spotted him, because the camera gets very shakey. I’m talking it looks like earthquake footage. I waited and waited for the Col’s short speech to end, and it was short. Under a minute actually. As soon as dismissed was called I was of like hell wouldn’t have me, I saw him starting to move, and as he turned I leaped…literally flew into his arms, feet OFF the floor, and he, to his credit caught me in the air. And stayed on his feet. It can’t be easy catching 118 pounds of flying wife but he did…lol!
Now it’s like he never left. Like I woke up from a long nightmare. The only thing making it real is the stories he’s been telling me about his time there. And I could listen to that all day. He’s very open about things he did, saw etc, both good and not, and I’m relieved about that. And I love listening. We stepped right back into place when he walked into the house. He hasn’t really missed much, with our children being over. And with a 13 year old daughter, what he has missed he’d rather deny happening…lol! The biggest difference was going to sleep last night, being able to turn off my computer, not worry, and not sit here waiting to hear from him. I can now look across the room and speak to him whenever I want. Life is good.
To my friends with soldiers still deployed, who are dealing with everything I just put behind me (temporary though it might be) I wish this for you, and pray that you have happy reunions and your time passes quickly.
Follow Me!