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.
