First Deployment Anniversary- 98 Days Away...

Hello there dedicated readers...I know its been some time since I left anything on this site, but last it was to announce the upcoming R& R of Lou....which has come and left again so quickly. He arrived to the Louisville airport on September 1st, at approximately 4:28 pm. I was there and had been since 2:30-but I managed to hold in the jitters until right as the plane landed! The airport is a relatively small one, and as a military spouse you're allowed to get a special "unboarding pass" to the gate that the plane is landing at, so instead of hanging out in the main baggage pickup/taxi area-you get to see your hubby as he walks down the hallway into the terminal. I sat with the passengers waiting to board the next flight to Atlanta and tried to look nonchalant as I waited, but it was pretty difficult.
It was an amazing time! Seeing the man I love come down that aisle and in the flesh-I hadn't seen him in 8 months....(speaking of Lou, we pause here for an unexpected 8:30pm call from the above mentioned man-so good to hear from him tonight!) was absolutely one of the best moments in my life.

The gentleman in blue in Picture #1 came up to me as I hopped up and down from foot to foot waiting. He said,"You must be waiting for someone important" and I babbled characteristically, "YesI'mwaitingformyhusbandwhohasbeeninAfghanistanforthelastsevenmonthsandiscominghometodayforhismidtourleave!" with lots of hand motions included, of course. :) Then the stewardess got in on the act and started announcing any military-appearing mens' appearances as they neared the entrance,"Does he have brown hair and glasses?".....etc etc...and then when Lou came out of course I saw him right away and he was smiling and then I started crying and that man had this entire little group of businessmen clapping! It was funny and sweet and wonderful! And then once I stopped sobbing, they shook his hand and thanked him as we left the area. :)
The time forward is just a blur of happy memories mixed with catching up, waiting and patiently (sometimes impatiently) trying to sort through all that has happened to us in this year.

Second day at home, already busy taking care of our little place.

Working hard, doing the work of 2 in a fraction of the time. My husband is a wonderfully hard worker!

Off to buy supplies and flowers for the front beds! Our favorite date spot is Lowes and we ended up there on R&R several times!

After a long day's work, stinky but so happy to be together.

With all this yardwork came a magnificent bonfire, and we are very blessed that we didn't manage to burn the place down-because I've never seen the remains of 5 shrubs and a tree that sat out in the sun all summer burn so brightly and high! We piled them up Saturday afternoon and decided to light it after dark...perhaps roast marshmallows...and this was the result

See the little man to the right? That's my 6 foot tall hero..in contrast to a fire that looked almost Old Testament in its proportions...I was reminded of my childhood idea of what the "pillar of fire" resembled in the Israelites wanderings through the wilderness.

 Then of course we had Japanese out at Kansai's Hibachi and Sushi, followed by

Lou's Chinese Chicken, here at home...along with many other foods...so much in fact that by the time Lou left he had gained 18 lbs and acquired a cute muffin top that he proudly showed his men! He has since twindled to his former pre-R&R weight.

 4 days into leave, Lou's family were able to come all the way from Jersey and stay close by for much of the time. They camped at Camp Carlson about 5 miles away and we all took day trips to various eating, kayaking and swimming spots in the western Kentucky area.

We even managed to fit in some Scrabble competitions-this is the boys' characteristic "tickle Corrie" routine! :)

 

And more eating, at a German restaurant in Radcliff with the largest pretzel appetizers we have ever laid eyes on! So delicious!

Lou enjoying some Koenig Ludwig, a true German....teehee..

 More good times spent in the great outdoors......

 Campfires with family.......

 More kayaking, this time we did 7 miles down the Green River near Mammoth Cave, KY. Beautiful!

 I'm not sure what Lou was up to here but he couldn't stop laughing so it must have been mischief!

 Taking Lou's shirt at its word(s), literally! On Thursday, we said goodbye to Mom and Dad Crist, Jess and Corrie, and started the mental prep for Lou's departure as well. Our time together was so full of happiness and thankfulness to God for keeping us safe, its hard to describe it. It was as close to perfect as life on earth could be, we decided.
Lou had to be back in Louisville by 9am Saturday, September 17th. The night before we went through the "haircut ritual", something we do before every big event, it seems. The night before Ranger School, right before deployment, and now Lou added to it shaving off his 16 days' worth of beard....

 I was sad to see it go, but not as sad as I was to see HIM go!

 My dear sweet husband, the toughest man I know and yet so tender with me.

 Waiting for the plane to depart Saturday morning.....

My last sight of the man I love and am honored to be loved by! God bless and keep you, my Lou! 98 Days to go.....more or less!