A Year at Home

Every relationship has its important dates. The day you started dating (April 16,2008  around 1am), the day you got engaged (December 21, 2010 around 1 am...this is the first time I noticed that. I can assure you it was not planned on his part!), the day you get married (March 7, 2011, a Monday morning), and then if you're as cool weird as us, the day you had your wedding party (June 15, 2012, 4pm). For those of us in the military, we also have other days. Days when our soldiers get back from deployment (and days when we have to say goodbye, but those are not the fun dates I'm talking about). Sometimes we don't know what day a redeployment will be until a day or two before. But these are also special days. I was lucky enough to get my husband back right before Christmas last year (December 18, 2011, around 3am). Why do I have a sneaking suspicion our kids will be born in the wee hours of the night? ;)

This year is the longest we've lived in the same town since high school (graduation 2006). I've more than once found myself saying or thinking, "so this is what it feels like," to have a "normal" relationship. Even if our normal includes a constant threat of another deployment, I'd take a normal day with my husband over an extraordinary day with anyone else, any time.*

Check out the video I took last year of Kyle's redeployment ceremony. Or don't. It's mostly shouting and marching and flag waving.

- Mrs. M

*Maybe unless that means a normal day is driving for 12+ hours with unhappy cats for a couple days. Never again!