Here we go again...

Well, it has been a little over 3 years since your last deployment and now we are preparing for you to leave us again. At least we have more warning this time and the boys are that much older. To my fellow military wives, I apologize for not checking in over the past 3 years but I am back!
Tom will be leaving again in January 2010. This time I hope to share my thoughts prior to him leaving as well as when he is away. We have decided not to tell the children until the summer. To those of you who know me, please respect our wishes and not share this info with my kids at this time. Thanks and here's to another safe deployment!

Tom's homecoming Oct 2005

Your finally home!

It is over. I really can't believe it. I think the smiles on the boys faces says it all. It has only been a week and it seems like you never left. Hopefully, we will never have to go thru this again...We love you!

Just waiting...

Where are you now? I wish I knew. I know that you are in the travel stage but have no idea where or when I will hear from you. The not knowing is driving me nuts! I can't believe that it is finally here. You have been away from us for 16 months now. We are different people but the love I have for you is even stronger. I can't wait to see you, to hold you, to kiss you and tell you how much I have missed you. As I look back at all that has happened the past year and a half, I guess I can honestly say that it has been a really tough road. I never thought I could handle it, but I did. The boys are doing great and are so excited to finally see you again. We survived, but it wasn't easy. It will be so nice to have my best friend with me again. I have missed your company so much.
Be prepared Hun...that is all I can really say.
We love you and are anxiously awaiting your call...

Only 1 month left!

It seems so strange. We have been waiting so long for this and I can't seem to get myself motivated. I have planned in my head for over a year now just what I would do to prepare for your homecoming and now that it is almost here, I just can't seem to do anything. I think I am afraid that maybe the army will change dates on us. It doesn't seem real to me. I guess I got so used to being miserable most of the time that I can't get myself out of it.
Rest assured that I won't let you down...You know I will be well prepared for you, just not as organized as I usually am!
I hope you will be OK. I know in my heart that everything is going to be fine. Just like when you were home on leave...we talked about whether it would be awkward and it wasn't at all. I know we both felt 100% comfortable...just like you never left.
Do you remember the day you flew back to Iraq? That was the worst day of my life. I thought when you first left was bad but that was unbearable. I remember sobbing so badly that I had to pull over on the way home. I couldn't see a foot in front of me. I think of that day and how terrible I felt and it reassures me that everything will be ok. I know we have both changed in so many ways but the love I have for you has only grown and there is noone in this world that I would want to be with other than you.

6 MORE WEEKS!

I can't believe it is actually happening...Before you know it, this will be all over. The boys go back to school next week so Sept. should fly bye. It must be exciting for you too. Just knowing that you will be out of there soon must help everyone with morale.Just think hun, pretty soon you will have a stocked fridge at your disposal at anytime...I promise to have enough budlight waiting for you to last at least a month!I had alot of fun this weekend...Figured I would put up a picture for those that are curious what I look like. I am the one in red and my favorite sister in law is with me! Hopefully the weather will stay nice so you can check out my tan lines when you get home!!!!Love you more than anything...the countdown continues

2 more months and your out of Iraq!

Part of me is so excited and part of me is a little afraid. I am scared that we will overwhelm you. I am scared that you won't be able to handle all the attention. You have basically lived in a tin can for the past year isolated from any love and security. We have done our best to keep on going but there has never been a day when you were not spoken about. We have been waiting a long time for you and I just hope you can handle us when you get home. I have this feeling of insecurity for the first time in our marriage. I don't know why but it is very strange. I assume it is just the home stretch anxieties but sometimes I just can't shake it. I just hope that if we are over bearing you will let us know. We need to respect your need for freedom and space and I will work on that with the kids...I just hope I can follow the same rules!
We love you and we miss you so much. Before long you will be back home where you belong...
I thought I would put a picture up of the kids. They were so proud to wear these that day and are so dissappointed that they have outgrown them.
Stay safe hunny...we are almost there.

3 more months

Thankfully the past month went by pretty fast. It amazes me that summer is already half over. Soon enough the kids will be back in school and I will be preparing for your homecoming. I can't wait until this is over. I pray everyday that we will never have to go through this again. I suppose in some ways it has been a eye opening experience. I love you now even more than before. I know I could never live without you. If only I could get you out of my mind every once in a while I would probably be so much better off! Everything I do through out the day I have you on my mind. I constantly wonder what your doing and if your ok. I hope your too busy to sit and think like I do because some days it could kill me...Stay busy and know how much I love you