The Homecoming

As I posted earlier this week, Anthony came home on Saturday, almost a week early.  Mom and Dad came out Friday night and stayed long enough for him to land and to take us to lunch, then headed home.  I was happy to have Mom around to help keep me calm.  I was so excited.  He flew in to the local airport and he was the only military member on the flight.  The fire station chief, his supervisor and a coworker and his wife came to the airport.  I can not explain the feeling I felt waiting for him to get off the plane.  It was like waiting to walk down the isle on our wedding day.  I was anxious, nervous, relieved, and excited. 

Waiting anxiously

He's finally here!!!

When I finally got to see him I just burst out in tears.  I kept my emotions in during most of the deployment in attempt to stay strong.  Finally having him home and in my arms was a huge relief and a weight off my shoulders.  I think the crying freaked him out, he kept asking over and over again if I was okay.

I was really glad to see several of the guys from the station come out for his homecoming.  Kelly and Jon, the couple on the left, were a great help while Anthony was gone.  They watched the house while I was gone, changed out batteries in the smoke detector and many other random things.  His supervisor was a great help when I found out about losing our niece.  He took no time getting started and finding out what needed to be done.

These two guys weren't real sure what to thing about Anthony being home.  I don't think they remembered him.  They've finally warmed up to him though. 

A Nice Surprise

    All of my readers who are military wives know that the military is full of surprises.  Unfortunately, most of the surprises are not so wonderful.  We usually spend important dates like birthdays and anniversaries alone and we spend holidays away from our biological family.  In the short (almost) 2 years as an Air Force wife, I've learned to hope for the best but to always excpect the worst.  We've been granted leave for an anniversary trip and two days before it has been taken away.  We've made plans to spend Christmas with family only to find out that the extra day off is no longer going to happen.
    So, when our niece unexplectantly passed away, I wasn't the least bit surprised that Anthony wasn't going to make it home.  I was, however, surprised when 2 days later the commander did PT with my husband's squadron and told Anthony he would get him home in the next two weeks.  For the reasons stated above, I didn't count on it.  I had gotten excited and then let down too many times.   Even when he told me he had a specific date, I still would not let myself get excited.  I started cleaning house and getting things taken care of, but I wasn't giddy like I'd expected.  I was beginning to think something was wrong with me, but then I figured out, it was my way of protecting myself.  Thursday, when I heard he was no longer in Iraq, it finally became real and "official."  Friday when he was in the United States, I finally became excited.  He was really coming home (almost a month early).  And, on Saturday, the military provided.  My husband came home!!!
     Thank you Air Force for bring Anthony home early and for showing that you really do care.  Now, I actually get to spend our two year anniversary with my husband home (although he will be working all day). 

First Formal Air Force Affair

We attended our first Air Force dinner tonight. It was a "Celebrate Your Stripes" dining out. I wasn't sure what to expect. We didn't choose to go. We were voluntold as Anthony calls it. But, I'm glad we went. It was a neat experience.

We started with mingling and socializing. After that was all the formal introduction and color guard and such. Then they sat a place for the fallen and missing soldiers. That was very touching.

There were certain rules for this dinner. You couldn't talk about work. You couldn't clap...you had to hit a spoon on the table. When people did something wrong, it was called to the "president's" attention. Then they had to go drink from the "Grog bowl." It was a toilet bowl filled with liquor, juice, and other random food and drinks to represent things such as blood, vomit, urine, and fuel. It was really funny and entertaining.

After dinner, there was a retired chief that spoke. He gave a really good talk about being a good Airman which could really translate into life. He talked about the importance of attitude and aptitude. He was pretty entertaining.

So, atleast I now have that over with. I now kind of have an idea of waht to expect. People were dressed from as casual as a cotton dress or flowered church dress to as formal as long gowns that glittered. And I loved getting all dressed up!