A Look Back at "R & R"

Well, I have jokingly referred to my "bi-monthly" blog updates, but this one is actually a "quarterly"!! Terrible, I know. Even though the news is a little out-dated, I wanted to try and complete our deployment story anyway just to have for us to look back on. Here's my attempt to explain and to begin bringing the news up to date . . .

We had a terrific "r & r" in November, but since then everything just seemed to come at me so fast! David left to go back the day before Thanksgiving, so we dropped him at the airport and kept driving to Alabama so we didn't have to come home to a quiet house. Since Thanksgiving was late this year, it was already December by the time we came back home. And, I must admit that we were completely irresponsible and selfish during his leave . . . the only thing we thought about was what sort of fun was on the family agenda for the day. So, when I got back to reality and it was December already, Christmas was coming at me like a Mack truck! We had a busy two weeks or so with Christmas parties, school programs, Christmas shopping, cooking, etc., and then it was back to Alabama for two weeks for the holidays. We came home more tired than we were when we left . . . Harper apparently gave up sleeping for his New Years' Resolution, and he kept it longer than any resolution I've ever kept! We are just finally getting back to a normal sleep pattern (most nights), and my head has stopped spinning a bit. I'm trying to catch up on all the things I've neglected the past couple of months . . .

It has been daunting to think of trying to catch up on the blog. So, I thought I'd do it a little at a time, starting with our precious 18 days with Daddy . . .

Long story, but David's plane was delayed a day coming home. He was on lock-down in a hangar in Kuwait with one phone between a few hundred guys. So, he couldn't call to tell me exactly when he would arrive in Nashville. He called that morning from Atlanta and was going to be arriving three hours earlier than we had originally thought! Yikes! We were all still in our pajamas, but scrambled to make it there - I thought in time. When we got our passes at the counter, though, we found out that the plane had landed 15 minutes early! I begged my way to the front of the security line as I was about to go into the ugly cry with thoughts of David getting off the plane and us not being there!! I threw everything, shoes included, in the stroller, and we ran to the gate barefooted. People were already deplaning when we ran up, but just a few. I shoved my camera at a lady sitting nearby and asked if she'd take pictures. We had been there maybe 90 seconds when he got off . . . we greeted him in bare feet, but we were nonetheless there to greet him! It was great . . . we were screaming and waving our flags. Price ran to David and, after a little nudge from me, so did Harper. I didn't even get the chance to tell the nice lady that took pictures for us that I have the worst, slowest camera known to man . . . so, all we got from our beautiful reunion was a few really fuzzy pictures. On top of that, David was embarrassed by all of the attention and wouldn't even pause for two seconds for pictures. Here is the best we got . . .

Harper just kept looking at David . . . I think he thought he was just a picture on his wall that we called "Daddy!" He finally figured out that he was a real person - and that he was lots of fun!!

Harper still doesn't have his shoes on . . .

David was also a little embarrassed by the banner and the car, but we didn't care!!

After a welcome home ice cream cake, David and Price wasted no time putting the "relaxation" in "Rest & Relaxation". . .

There was lots of batting practice to make up for!!

David came in on a Friday, and spent the weekend catching up on sleep and football. In fact, we had the entire first week to ourselves. This was purely family time with nothing but trips to the children's floor at the local museum (above), the jump zone, playing in the backyard, etc. There was only one bit of business that David insisted on taking care of right away . . . I had refused to get Harper his first haircut until he got home. People were taking bets on whether or not I could (okay, should) hold out that long, but I wasn't giving in. He did have quite the mullet when Daddy finally got here . . .

He was great during his first cut . . . as long as we didn't dare touch that pacifier! Also, he'll do just about anything with the promise of a "pop" . . .

I guess it looked much better, but he seemed to instantly evolve into a little boy instead of my baby!

It really took no time at all for David and Harper to become huge buddies and share lots of "peek-a-boo" moments . . .

After a full week together, we headed to Alabama for the weekend. We had an early Thanksgiving, and David and I got to go to the Alabama v. Mississippi State game (that was back in the undefeated days, and it was very exciting!!) . . .

The next week, Nonna and Grandpop came to visit for a couple of days. The day they left, we headed up to Gatlinburg for a couple of days . . .

Price was thrilled that he got to go "horseback riding" ~ in reality, we paid a small fortune for this lady to lead him around on a horse for all of 5 minutes. But, he really had his heart set on it and really thought he was hot stuff!!

You can't leave that area without a huge pancake breakfast at a "pancake cabin"!!

We had a few days left together after Gatlinburg before we, painfully, had to say good-bye again. I will say, it was a huge relief to know that we only had a few months left to go when he went back. We felt like it was a good amount of time to have together, too. While no amount of time is "enough," we both agreed that it didn't feel like he got here and turned straight around and left. The travel to get here and then back is grueling on the guys, but David did feel refreshed and a bit recharged when he left. It was definitely good for the boys to get to spend time with him and to know that he is okay. I can't imagine how confusing all of this is for Price. While he tells everyone that "daddy is in Afghanistan," he really has no idea what that means and what is going on. Every time we go near David's office on post, Price asks "is this Afghanistan? is daddy here??" So, I am grateful and hope that this at least let him know that Daddy is, indeed, just somewhere else for a while "helping the people" and "doing his important work" and that he is coming back home to live with us when it is all over.

Here we are saying our farewells at the airport before heading to Alabama. Price cried for his Daddy until I stopped at a gas station and distracted him by letting him pick out whatever junk he wanted . . . he ate M&M's the rest of the way!

As soon as we got to my parents' house, Grandmama had them busy "helping" with the leaves . . . another welcome distraction.