It's Almost Over .... Yipppeeeee !!!

Well, the dreaded 4 month deployment will come to a close next Thursday when Aaron will finally arrive back in North Carolina. I am certainly no stranger to these deployments but this one will go down in history as the most challenging "adventure" yet.

This little gem of a deployment was veeeerrry different then the others because of one major factor (a factor that I love with all my heart), Ms. Sarah-Grace Lillian Ffrench. You see when Aaron left back before her first Birthday, she wasn't even fully walking yet. Now, she is a walking, talking, running, eating, mess-making, dog-ear pulling, full-on toddler. While Aaron has gotten to see her on the webcam almost everyday for the last 4 months, I think he is still in for a big surprise when he arrives home as the webcam only gives him a very small snip-it of what life is like here on a daily basis.

Really, I cannot believe all that has occurred in the last 4 months. We made two, yes two, plane trips to Texas and visited with friends and family, traveled to Charleston (and the ER) for the 4th of July, joined a parent/tot gymnastics class, learned more words then I ever thought a 16 mo old was capable of learning, watched lots of Dora the Explorer and Baby Einstein, used the word "No" so many times I lost track after the first one, attend storytime on a regular basis, had friends come to visit us here in NC, spent countless hours on the webcam with Daddy and the grandparents, and the list goes on and on. WHEW, I am one tired Momma and soooooo ready for my best friend to be home. I know he is so ready to spend time with the family and become reacquainted with the daughter he left as an infant and has blossomed into a smarty pants toddler !!!!

I often have people tell me that they admire me, that they find me to be strong, and that they don't know how I do it because they never could. Don't get me wrong, I find this extremely flattering but I could not have survived these last months without the undying and unconditional support of my husband, my family, and my friends. I am also very lucky to have one curly-headed blonde little girl that greets me each morning with a smile and a "hi" as I walk in her room. When you have such wonderful and loving people standing behind you and cheering you on, you can do anything no matter how painful, trying, or difficult.

So, next Thursday as we drive to the base to pick up Aaron, I am sure I will be reflecting on all that has happened in the last 4 months as I think ahead to how we will spend the next few months together as a family. For now though, I am just trying to make it through the longest part of any deployment....the days leading up to the homecoming and I think It's Almost Over...yipppppeeeeee !!!!