I just cannot explain the relief that you feel knowing that your loved one is no longer in danger, is safe, and is in one piece. Because there are just too many families that never get to feel that relief. And I am forever thankful that I did. Now I know how special it was that I got to welcome him home.
Two years later and I'm way more emotional than I was that day {I cried my entire drive to work today}. I'm not really sure why- maybe because I was in shock or just too damn excited or maybe because I shut all of my emotions off during that entire year. I think the latter is actually the reason- I only cried three times that entire year. Once when I sent him back after R&R, once when his FOB got blown up & I didn't know if he was okay or not, and once when he told me that his friends had gotten blown up by an IED {thank God they all survived and are still with us}. So now two years later I am feeling all the emotions I had blocked out before. Every time I hear "The Boys Are Back in Town" I tear up, because it was the song that was playing as all the soldiers marched in. Every time I see pictures of T in his uniform I smile thinking of our memories from the Army. I'll even admit that there are some days when we miss it... doesn't mean we'd ever go back though!
God awful photo & it's the only one we took together that night! My biggest regret
was that we didn't hire a photographer/take a million pictures.
Oh and I look that awful because I got a call from T as soon as I hopped in the shower at the hotel saying they'd be on post in an hour so get there ASAP. I literally flew out of the shower, threw clothes on, and got in the car. Only to get there and find out they wouldn't be there for another two hours -_- FAIL! Also, it should be noted that the ceremony didn't start until 1am and I had been up since 5am! But in the grand scheme of things it didn't even matter.
I have two other great stories from that day that I just HAVE to document! Since I was flying from MI to LA alone and then needed to get to the post {an hour away} I rented a car on Orbitz along with my flight. I get to the airport and head to the car rental desk only to find out that in fact you have to be 25 {I was only 22} to rent a car. CUE PANIC ATTACK. Thankfully, a different rental service allowed 21+ {for a small extra fee} so I got a car... otherwise I would have been stranded! Just kidding, I would've paid 200+ for a cab.
I also got pulled over for the first {and only} time in my entire life driving to the homecoming ceremony. Like I said I had a rental car, a shinny Mazda 3, that I obviously had never driven before. I was cruising right along, when I saw those flashing blue and red lights and I about crapped my pants. This is how the conversation went with the MP
MP: "Mam do you know why I'm pulling you over?"
M: "No I do not"
MP: "You are driving with your parking lights off"
M: "What are parking lights?" DEAD SERIOUS
He then proceeded to reach in the window and turn the parking lights on! I didn't know what parking lights were because I've always driven cars with automatic lights... first world problems I know. I die laughing about it now, but I was SO scared while it was happening!
Even after all of the troubles I had that day, getting to hug and kiss him was beyond worth it! Some days it feels like this day was forever ago, but on others it feels like it just happened yesterday.
Friday is another big day for us, because it marks T being back home in Michigan for one year! Can you tell that I'm all about anniversaries no matter what they're for? ;) Man time is just flying by!
