5 months down!!!

Yep, its true! FIVE months BEHIND us!!!!!!!!!!

That's a WHOLE hand!!!!

That, my friends, is a BIG deal!!! 

This last month has been so emotionally exhausting.  Which, honestly, is not too much of a surprise to me.  The summer months of a deployment-for whatever reason- are always hard.  The days are longer, there seems to be more "action"- which results in more injuries, and more.... well, I don't even like to say it.  But this deployment has unfortunately kept in line with our past summer deployments.  So that has definitely made this last month harder.  Even harder than past deployments though, because we have so many close friends deployed right now- and to hear of things happening to friends of our friends- ugh.  It's just hard for everyone.

On top of that- there was all this nonsense with miss Mocha- but she is well on her way to a FULL recovery- in fact, she is recovering better than I had hoped.  At our 2 week post-op checkup, we got a wonderful report.  Dr. Farthing could hardly believe that it had only been 2 weeks since her surgery, because she is healing up so well, and already putting weight on her leg.  The incision is healing well- but she does still have a pretty sizable scar on her leg.  I guess she will never be a show dog! ;)  So hearing that good report definitely took some stress off of me, and I honestly didn't realize how much it had affected me until it wasn't there to bother me anymore.  I've been sleeping a lot better, and the day after that appointment, Randy called, and he commented that I sounded relieved.  Which I was! This dog drama has been ongoing since May 3rd- that's a long time with a pretty constant amount of stress on me.  BUT- it's all in the past now, and we made it through!

I think time is also starting to drag a little bit for Randy- which is hard and frustrating for me.  As much as I try to stay upbeat and positive, its hard when there's not much I can do to help the time pass for him over there.  We just have to take it one day at a time, and handle whatever is thrown at us.  

On a happier note- we are starting to hear rumors.  Great rumors really- of mail cutoff, of ADVON dates (ADVON is a group of about 100 Marines that come home 3-4 weeks before the rest of the unit to get stuff set up for everyone else), and hopefully within the next week, we will have solid post-deployment leave dates.  AND- on Friday Randy put some stuff in the mail.  When he starts sending stuff home- that REALLY means that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and I can start getting myself excited about Homecoming.   Pshhh.... who am I kidding?!  I've been excited about homecoming for about 3 months now! 

Looking forward, I am excited that the number of weekends I have to keep myself busy can now be counted on just 2 hands.  And I have a LOT to keep me busy!  I think there are only about 4 weekends that I don't have anything going on.  I need to go shopping soon though- for the elusive "perfect homecoming outfit!" I might need several weekends for that!!!