317 days

317 is the number of nights away from home, the number of mornings we didn't wake up next to each other, but most important is that the number will not get any larger because MY HUSBAND IS HOME!!  I can't believe it's finally over. A year ago I decided to start this blog as a way to be creative while Cameron was in Iraq. It ended up being more a outlet for my pregnancy with SJ and a way to keep my mind clear while I was alone and my goodness did it help. There were even times I wrote posts and never published them (they were so scatterbrained and mostly just bullet points), just because it was nice to get all my thoughts out. 

I learned his homecoming date back in October and it was SO hard not to scream it from the rooftops that he was coming home... not only that, but he would be coming home the DAY BEFORE my birthday. Talk about a great gift. 

On the 3rd of November, the FRG put together a party and we got to make signs for our soldiers and that is when it really hit me that soon enough I wouldn't be along anymore. I carried on with my life as normal but counted down the days until he was back under the same roof with us. 

On the morning of the 18th SJ and I got up and finished cleaning up the house and making room for Cameron's things. I had really gotten used to having a whole closet to myself... we were tracking that they would be arriving at 4pm that day and we were taking our time with getting ready. Then I got a call from Cameron letting me know they were getting on a plane, I think that's when it really hit me that he was going to be in my arms THAT DAY! I got SJ dressed and put him down for his nap. He slept the ENTIRE time I got ready and actually allowed me to look decent. Team work! 

We left the house at 2 to head to the airport, my dad was following the flight online and when I called him from the road he informed me that the flight was AN HOUR EARLY! I was freaking out, thinking that there was no way we were going to get there, parked, and signs set up in time for them to land. We pulled into the base around 3 and lucky for us we had made it on time. We walked into the hangar and were greeted by friends and their families all waiting for the arrival of their loved ones. Looking at everyone and seeing the joy and excitement on their faces was the most amazing feeling. We were all there for the same reason, to make our families whole again. 

The doors to the hangar opened and we all funneled outside to see the plane on the flight path coming in to land. Screams, tears, and excitement filled the air and little feet ran around holding their signs waiting for moms, dads, uncles, aunts, etc to come walking off the plane and into their arms. Once the plane landed you could see the excitement of soldiers looking for their families through the windows. The second they started coming down the stairs everyone dispersed and went running into the arms of their heroes, back after 11 months. 

We were no exception, I watched Cameron get off the plane and when he got into the crowd he was lost for a moment. Once he found us he wrapped his arms around both SJ and I and we both started crying. There is no better feeling than welcoming home your soldier for the final time, knowing they are home to stay. 

That was 4 days ago, it has been a little weird getting back into the swing of things as a family. I'm still used to doing it all on my own I have to remember to step back and NOT micro manage him. It will take some getting used to and learning how to live together again, but for now I will just revel in the fact that we are a family again. 

Cameron's time home + SJ's Birth Story

I've written this out about 4 times, but nothing that I wrote seemed like enough. It was just facts, no emotion. How do you explain the sweetest most amazing moments in life through writing? Hopefully this rendition will do just that. 

My C-section was scheduled for August, 26th and Cameron was scheduled to be home on the 23rd. I anxiously awaited for the moment I got to have my husband back in my arms. I cleaned the house, from top to bottom and got everything ready for the arrival of both of my boys. 

August 22nd I got a call from Cameron, and it went something like this:
C: 11:22
P: okay... 
C: you have no idea what I'm talking about do you?
P: No,should I?
C: You should probably be at SLC Int. at 11:22 because I got an earlier flight

And right then I lost it, I about collapsed on the floor crying. We hung up and I started getting ready. That night my mom and I got to the airport about half hour early, sign in hand and I anxiously waited for him to come down the stairs. The moment I saw him, he collapsed at the top of the staircase and we both broke down in tears of pure joy. I've never felt more in love than at that moment (or so I thought) 

The next couple of days were a blur, we ate at our favorite places and relaxed just soaking up the few days left we had just the two of us. 

Friday morning we woke up at 4am to get ready to meet our little boy. 

We got to the hospital at 5:30 to start getting the show on the road for the 7:30 scheduled surgery time. After getting into the hospital gown, labs drawn, an IV in and Cameron got into his "outfit" we were ready. Around 7 our nurse came in and let us know that our surgery had been pushed due to an emergency C-Section and we would be going back around 9-9:30 instead.. GREEATTT I had been completely psyched out and finally pushed all my fears aside but once we were told we would be delayed... I was 10x more terrified. I went through every C-Section birth story I could find in the blogosphere trying to get myself calmed down and so I knew EXACTLY what to expect. Turns out that just scared me more than before. 

Around 9 the anesthesiologist came in and introduced herself and told me about how the spinal block was going to work. Honestly that was the ONLY thing I was afraid of, a needle to the back? No thank you. However, they wheeled me back into the OR.. I've never seen an OR before and I was a little disappointed it wasn't anything like you see on Grey's. They put the drape over my stomach so I couldn't see anything and then the anesthesiologist told me to roll over, at that moment I started shaking and crying uncontrollably. She was nice enough to give me some medication through my IV to calm my anxiety and Cameron rolled up a stool and told me to look at him, only him and to breathe with his breaths. The local anesthetic was given first and the next thing I knew, I couldn't feel the lower half of my body and it was go time.

Cameron wasn't sure he wanted too watch the surgery, but as soon as he saw the first cut he was hooked and snapping pictures of the entire thing. At 9:57am our little man entered the world and was screaming his little heart out. Hearing his cries for the first time was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. They took him over and cleaned him up, Cameron cut the umbilical cord, and they wrapped him up and brought him to me. I've never felt so in love with Cameron (this time for real) seeing his tears and complete happiness when we met our little boy was the most emotional and fantastic feeling in the entire world. Within 15 minutes we were out of the operating room and in our recovery room with SJ. We must have just stared at him for hours, and even now, 3 weeks later I find myself staring at him. He is the most fantastic and amazing gift we could have ever asked for and although Cameron is gone he still skypes with SJ regularly and I blow up his phone with pictures all day long. I can't wait until our family is whole again. 


GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW: If you're squeamish, definitely end your reading here.