Reunited

He is finally home!  Michael has returned from his 7-month deployment to Afghanistan.  We are so freaking happy!  

Bristol was the most excited!  I think her shirt says it all... 

The kids and I hung our traditional banner along the roadside.  Of course, I never tell Michael that I am going to do this, but I have hung one almost every single deployment (except the first, but that's because I didn't know I could do this).  Yet, Michael is surprised every time.  :)

   We also hung a sign up on our garage.  Joey personally helped with this one!  

Michael wasn't due to arrive until the afternoon, so we had all morning to handle the butterflies, nerves, excitement, anticipation, everything!  I don't know if Joey fully realized that he was going to get to see Daddy this day, but I think he knew something was up because of how I was acting.  Anyways, after I cleaned the house 20 times, put little notes around the house, changed all of our clothes for the 7th time, and so on, we went for a walk and a little playground time to keep us distracted!

This was our 5th homecoming, but this was the weirdest one.  Michael came home with the advanced party, so there were only five guys returning.  Since the group was so small, there was no big homecoming or really any organization to this meeting.  

It was more of Michael texting and calling me to tell me how close they were and me telling the few people waiting to meet the returning Marines.  I had hired a photographer to capture this special reunion, so her and I chatted and tried to pass the time while we waited.  We finally walked outside so we would be there to greet Michael.  

As soon as we stepped outside, Michael was walking up!  I squealed and ran into his arms!  I didn't even know where Joey was at this very moment!  Fortunately, since there was such a small welcoming group, I had some extra eyes!  Michael hugged Bristol and myself first.  Joey ran back into the building to continue to play Foosball!  

Joey wouldn't even give Michael the time of day, until Michael walked inside to play with the "Balls!".   

Once Michael started to play balls with Joey, little man warmed right up to Michael!  It was great!   

I'm not going to lie, though, it was strange having someone else completely take Michael's attention away from me at a homecoming.  Ahhh, the things that change with the addition of children, huh?  

 We helped Michael retrieve all of his bags...he didn't wait to get all of that stuff before he met us.  He said he couldn't wait to see us, so he just left all of it!  :)  However, that meant that we had to follow him all over the Battalion's area collecting his gear because Joey was not going to let his Daddy out of his sight (and he wouldn't let Mommy out of his sight either).  

Once we got home, Joey wanted to show Michael everything that has changed in our house since Michael left!  Michael also wanted to have some snuggle time with Bristol.   

Joey was attached to Michael within 5 minutes!  They were totally inseparable!   

As great as the reunions are, there is always the trying time of reintegration.  This is the time after the reunion when the returning military member has to fit back into the family's lives.  This sounds like it's a pretty easy thing, but it's not.  It's a lot of relearning each other, new habits, routines, etc.  Michael and I have both gone through major life events in the past 7 months.  These things have changed us, as people.  We now have to get to know each other again...oh, and throw a trying toddler and a newborn on top of that!  

If you're military related, you know exactly what I'm talking about!  Some of the hardest times in a military family member's marriage is pre- and post- deployment.  They are both super trying times.  Communication is definitely the key.  However, with two small kiddos, communication can be almost impossible.  

No worries, though!  Michael is fitting right back into our lives and we are all trying to get into a routine as a family.  One day at a time.  We are all so happy to back together and work on our new lives as one united family!