Right now, in this very moment, I swear I wish time would've stopped.
JOHN'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!
Plain and simple!!!!!
I can't upload any photos or videos to this blog because the computers here won't let you use the USB ports :(
I guess they don't want you screwing up the library's computers.
So I'll write about homecoming then when I get the chance I'll upload the video!
Okay Sunday about 1230am I got a call that told me wheels up (the boys are in the air from Kuwait) I couldn't sleep ... but I knew it'd be a LONG day ahead, so I forced myself to nap. I woke up at 4am to a wheels down call (they've landed and are getting onto buses soon). Tiffany and I, along with her kids, head to post about 6am. We get here and it's like everyone is buzzing little bees all excited about the day's events. John's main body consisted of 188 guys. If not the biggest to come back, definitely the 2nd biggest. Some of his "comrades" or co-workers were already here as they were in another main body. I got to meet some of them, and everyone I met was so nice and welcoming to me. I didn't feel like the newbie wife that no one knows ... I just felt like the wife they all wanted to help. It was great. Every soldier had a sign hanging up in the hanger, and I had made John one from me ... but since I got here after they hung up them all ... as in the FRG hung ALL of them before any main body came home ... mine wasn't up. I'd left it in the battalion's office, but it was forgotten I guess. When I met John's Platoon Sgt, Sgt Sal, he asked if I'd made one and I told him yes, but it was left out ... he called some soldier I have no clue who he is over and made him go get it and hang it for me.
Now there was soooooo many people here ... and all the sudden they announce that the boys are at the front gate. You better believe that everyone that didn't have itty bittys went running. Well, even new mommies with babies in arms went running to the motorpool (the place they turned into). I need to stop here to explain that the busses come in, but the guys get off and then have to go through all this paperwork and whatnot before the ceremony, which was about an two hours from the point of busses arriving until ceremony. Okay back on track. Everyone went running! We got to the motorpool and they were escorted in by MPs (military police) and I was video taping this whole thing. Well halfway through the 6 busses coming in I realized I was watching my camera and not the busses ... like a ding dong.
Once every bus was in, we went back to the hanger. There was a big open space where the soldiers were to stand, and we were all in the stands waiting. After what seemed like an eternity, we saw uniformed soldiers start to line up at the hanger doors ready to open them. And then it started. Now let me stop here to say I always get a tickle in my throat when I hear patriotic music, however this time ... WOW it was much different. They played "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" from Toby Keith.
American girls and American guys
We'll always stand up and salute
We'll always recognize
When we see old glory flying
Theres a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night
When we lay down our head
(now picture the biggest American flag flying over these hanger doors)
They start pushing open the doors as the song goes ... "My daddy served in the army ..."
AND EVERYONE IS SCREAMING. Not clapping, not hooting ... SCREAMING AND YELLING!!!
We see the guys, behind those hanger doors, with two fire trucks behind them. They're standing at attention all in formation ... I swear, I've NEVER been more proud in my entire life to be an American. Those fire trucks start spraying that water as high as it'll go in the air. The guys march into the hanger and stop right in front of us. I'm searching for John while sobbing nonetheless ... but come on ... if you know me ... you KNOW I can't keep tears in. I'm a blubbering fool.
Commanders exchange "charge" I guess you'd call it, and then There's a short speach after a prayer. John finds me before I find him. I'm not paying attention to the prayer, I'm just looking for John ... and I feel his eyes drilling me. I'm searching face after face for his, I look up and there he is. Staring right at me - like no one else exists in the entire world. The speach is over, all the soldiers yell "Quickstrike" and that's it. I couldn't believe how short it was, but boy I was thankful for it. Everyone went running into each other. I was what felt like ten feet from John and lept into his arms. I swear on my life, I can't think of a better hello. I was sobbing, he was squeezing me tight. PERFECT.
We're holding each other and don't even notice there's anyone else in that hanger. I had my arms around him and told him he was skinnier than I remembered. But God he looked good. I literally fell in love with him all over again.
We met other soldiers and their families, exchanged hellos and welcome homes and it felt like this was the happiest place on earth. I'll tell ya ... Disney's got nothing on the feeling when a soldier comes home to his family.
