One thing I try to keep in mind is that at the end of the deployment, we get to experience something wonderful…homecoming.
After all the long nights, computer conversations, emotional breakdowns, tears and lonely nights…it is finally over. You wake up with a smile on your face thinking, “Is today really the day?” And it is. You get ready as soon as you can only to have hours to sit and wait for the final phone call. And finally, you get it.
Someone on the other end of the line tells you those magical words, “Your soldier will be arriving at the gym at 2pm.” And now you have a time. You can countdown in hours! Before you know it you are at the gym with your kids with all the other wives and children waiting for everything to start. It seems like forever as you sit there with a smile on your face. You can’t help it. This is such a happy day!
Finally someone important tells you it is almost time and to take your seat. The gym gets quiet, you see smoke and hear music and see the first of the boots march in. “Where is he? My husband is tall I should be able to spot him, ” you ask as you search the crowd of uniforms for your husband. And there he is, so serious. You know how excited HE is but he can’t smile about it, at least not yet. All the men are finally in the gym and you can’t stand it.
Someone important says a few words, maybe a prayer and then you hear those words…the words you have waited a full year to hear, “soldiers you are released”
The room goes nuts. The men in uniform start to smile and laugh and the women run to them. Children shouting “daddy daddy,” and you find him, and you hug him and you kiss him. Finally, the deployment is over. He is done with the deployment. The deployment stress is gone and he is in your arms again. All around you are daddy’s meeting babies, wives kissing husbands, and the room is filled with joy.
Other than my wedding day and the births of my children, there is nothing more wonderful than homecoming day. So after he does deploy I will remember that after some time, that day will come again. And we will have another homecoming day.
Very beautifully written! Thank you so much for linking up at Heartwarming Homecomings!I added your button to my blog buddies page. I'd love it if you could add my button (either my blog button or the Heartwarming Homecomings button) to your blog roll.P.S. I'm your 400th follower!!! YAY ME! 🙂
I loved all your pictures! Homecomings are such a surreal feeling, aren't they! And all the wait, makes that moment even more real and special!