Homecoming

I feel like there are very few moments like it in life...in fact, I would be willing to rank my "most anticipated days" in the following order...

1. Waiting on the birth of my children

2. Our wedding day--after dating for five years (four of which were long distance)

3. Deployment homecomings (In our 7 years of marriage, we've had 3)

It's that important and exciting. And I don't want to be too philosophical or too political but man, the sense I pride I feel when I'm standing there waiting for my husband to land a huge helicopter right in front of us--knowing that he has just returned from flying that helicopter around dangerous situations, people, countries---that our family has endured a long separation* for some ideal belief in "serving your country" a "sacrifice for the greater good"--these are powerful issues that I can't help thinking about as I stand there for what seems like an eternity waiting for the door on the helo to finally open...I'm telling you, it's a moment...

And I can't capture all of that emotion with my amateur camera skills, but you can tell my kids love their hero-daddy and couldn't wait for him to hold them...

This homecoming happened almost two weeks ago. At this point, Phil probably thinks his "hero" status has worn off a little. I might have asked him to fix the dishwasher, attend to Zachary's crying fit in the middle of the night, and take out the trash. In fact I'm wearing fleece, penguin pajama pants as I write this blog--pajama pants that make him shake his head at me. Life is returning to it's normal rhythms. Homecomings are thrilling, adrenaline-filled moments, but it's regular, real life where I'm reminded daily that he is a hero. And I'm just so happy he's home!

*his deployment was short for US standards--and I realize that--many, many families are surviving separations much more intense. And for those of you who are doing that, I'm impressed and encouraged by you.