It's Official- I am a FOUR deployment survivor!

It's OVER!!!!!

Finally, finally, FINALLY, deployment number four is a thing of the PAST.

September 19th ranks right up there with September 25, October 1, and March 21.  All of these days mark the END of our deployments.  Each year when they roll around, they make me smile.  They remind me of what I have accomplished as a Marine Corps wife, and what Randy and I have conquered together.

There are no words to describe seeing those buses pull into the parking lot.  It is the BEST feeling in the world.  (Ask any Marine wife- those buses are the worst, and then the best thing ever!)

And then when you FINALLY- after 206 days- get to see him again- once again, there are no words. 

Good thing for pictures though!!

Every time I look at that picture, the only word that comes to mind is relief.  Relief that we made it through stronger and better, relief that my husband is home safe and sound, and relief that it is over. 

I am so glad I had a photographer there- because honestly, that whole day is a blur.  (Amanda Courtney did a fantastic job- check her out here!  I can't wait to see the rest of our pictures!) 

I was lucky enough to have not only my parents, but my sister and her boyfriend, AND our good friends Nick, Christi, and Christi's adorable little girls to keep me occupied and laughing while we waited a solid three hours.  (Honestly, Christi's girls were waaaay more patient than I was!!)

I think I was much more relaxed this time though because Randy had a cell phone with him and was able to let me know exactly what was going on every step of the way.  He called me when they landed at Cherry Point, when they left, and when they hit certain landmarks on their way back to base.  It definitely made the waiting a lot easier for me. 

It was great to be able to spend that time with everyone- and what I love MOST about our pictures is that our family and friends are in all of our pictures too.  It just makes it even more special for me.  It meant so much to both of us that they took time out of their day to be there.

Funny part about this picture is I honestly do not remember Nick yelling and carrying on like he is.  It's like the entire world froze for that moment, and nothing that was happening around us even mattered. 

I could have stayed right there in that moment forever.  Nothing else mattered- except that Randy and I were together again.

Turns out, seven months is a pretty decent chunk of time.  I accomplished a lot, I kept myself busy, and I learned some things, and was reminded of others.  Now that this deployment is behind us, I can reflect and realize that as much as deployments suck- it will only ever be as bad as you make it.  

I could have sat around and moped and cried and not eaten- but what's the point? It's not going to change anything, and the dog would have starved- she only eats after I eat.  I could have attempted to do every single thing myself- but I realized that it's a lot easier to ask for help, especially if people are offering.  


I was reminded that I am much stronger than I think I am, and that my Marine wife friends are some of the toughest, strongest and most dedicated people I will ever have the privilege of knowing.  I am incredibly lucky to know the women (and I guess the guys too!) that I do-and so thankful to be a part of this crazy Marine Corps family.  

Whew- and I was also reminded what it feels like to breathe.  I'm pretty sure I had been holding my breath since February 25th!

Deployment Goals- the FINAL Update!!

Ok.  Seriously.  Where have the last 29 weeks of my life gone???

Somewhere in the midst of the madness- time has flown by.

And this girl is NOT complaining.

As I type this, my darling dearest is on the move, and I can count on ONE hand the number of days left until I see him again.

The anticipation is just about enough to drive me crazy. 

But regardless of how slowly these next few days drag.... the end result is the same.  Randy will be home, safe and sound.  And deployment number 4 will be behind us. 

I thought now would be a good time to revisit my goals and see where we stand. So here we go:

1.  Pay off my car- still done, and still a great feeling!  I get into my car and say to myself- "Look at me in my paid off car!!" ha!

2.  Get organized, and clean out.  Turns out I was a little more organized than I thought.  This didn't keep me as busy as I had hoped.  I left Randy's uniform closet for him to deal with though- that sucker is a hot mess, and I'd probably get in trouble if I attempted to deal with the uniforms!

3.  Lose 15-20 lbs.  I am down 15 lbs (depending on the day!) since the boy left!

4.  Have a savings acccount again- Mission accomplished!  Although I don't think I saved enough- I always kick myself right about now- and wish I would have done things a little differently and saved some more.  Oh well.  It is what it is!

5.  Have one fun something to look forward to each month- also done!  Thanks to all my fabulous friends and family for keeping me way more occupied than I thought I would be.  It is thanks to you that time has gone by so quickly for me!

6.  Get our cruise booked and paid for- Well.  About that.  It's booked, but I am scared to pay any more on it.  With so much up in the air right now, there is just no telling what January will hold.  So until some decisions have been made, that is on hold for the moment.  Although I am pretty sure we will be able to go.  You just never know what the Marine Corps has in the works for you!

All in all, I feel successful and accomplished. 

Regardless of the outcomes of my goals, the deployment is behind us.  I survived it with my sanity and dignity intact.  I hope I also made it through with a little bit of grace, patience, and understanding. 

But most importantly, Randy is on his way HOME!  What more could I need or want???

I remember, and will never forget.

Today is a day that has changed a lot of things in a lot of different ways. 

It is a day of unspeakable loss and tragedy, and a day of courage and patriotism.

I always remember my parents talking about how they remembered exactly where they were when Kennedy was shot, or when the space shuttle Challenger exploded.  I had hoped that my generation would never have one of those days.  

September 11, 2001 was that day for my generation.

Ten years ago. 

I still remember every single detail of that day like it was yesterday. 

I was a sophomore at Penn State, getting ready for my Political Science class at 10:10 at the Forum.  I watched the Today Show every morning, and was sitting on my floor curling my hair.  I remember the breaking news of a plane hitting one of the towers.  I continued to get ready, and I remember thinking how stupid someone had to be to crash a plane into the towers.  As they continued their coverage, a second plane hit the other tower, and that's when the entire world realized it wasn't just an accident.  I left for my class, knowing at that point that another plane had also crashed into the Pentagon.  I don't think I quite understood everything that was happening, and what it all really meant.

By the time I made it to the Forum, the first tower had collapsed.  Our professor had the TV going in the lecture hall, and announced that class was cancelled.  He told us that we could stay- because we were watching history unfold.  While I sat in that classroom, the second tower collapsed. 

The whole week was a fog of emotions, tears, and sadness.  Penn State held a candlelight vigil on Old Main lawn that Friday.  I think that's when it finally hit me what all had actually happened to our country. 

I could go on and on- because I really do remember every detail of that day.  But this day- September 11- ten years later- is not about me. 

It is about those that had no idea that would be the last time they saw, spoke to, touched their loved ones. 

It is about the innocent lives that were lost at the Pentagon, at the World Trade Center, and in a field in Pennsylvania. 

It is about the families that will forever have an empty seat at the table, and forever have a piece of their heart missing. 

We can never forget the lives lost that day.  We must make sure that the next generation knows of this day, and knows how it changed our lives forever. 

Hopefully, the next generation will never have to face such unspeakable horror, sadness, and tragedy the way we, as a nation, did on September 11, 2001.

We will never forget.