The "D" Word

Have I mentioned how much I loved our time in Yuma?  Part of the reason we loved it there so much was that Jeremy didn't deploy.  He was still gone about 3 months out of the year, but it was spread out in shorter trips and all within the US.  Well, we're back in NC now and it's time to get back to real USMC life.  Jeremy left this morning for the usual 6-7 month deployment to Qatar.  This makes our 6th combat zone deployment.  Can I take just a second to sound all whiny and tell you how much I am over having to live without the man who is not only my husband, but my best friend?  His sense of humor and quick wit keeps me laughing and his giant hugs are a fantastic way to end the day.  My kids couldn't have a better dad.  He is constantly thinking of them and always makes sure that no matter how busy he is, that there is time left in the day for them.  It has become common place to see him out in the front yard at dusk (when he is coming home) helping the girls perfect their gymnastics or showing the man-cub some new way to cut off the circulation to someone's brain.  Abby, Marshall and myself are rather quiet and introverted.  Jeremy, like his youngest daughter, brings a life and excitement to our house that is painfully obvious when missing.  Not that they wouldn't miss me... sooner or later they would get hungry.  ;)

 The Sunday before "D" day, Jeremy took the clan for a 3 hour bowling/unlimited laser tag adventure.  It was A LOT of fun.  Especially the laser tag.  We plan to go back when he comes home, skip the bowling and just play laser tag for 3 hours.  Turns out my accuracy with the grenade launcher back in my "Jane Wayne" days of TBS must have been a fluke.  I am Terible (that means EXTRA terrible, right Jeremy?) with a laser gun.  I was consistently in last place.  Well, except the time it kept score for 2 guns still attached to the wall.  Then I beat them.  After the afternoon at the bowling alley, our built in babysitter kept watch on the little two and Jeremy and I went out for dinner.  We went to a local Japanese place and while the food was great, the service was too fast.  ;)  We realized about halfway through the meal that our afternoon of laser tag had us in super fast mode and we were scarfing down our romantic dinner like we were on a game show.  We slowed it down to a more reasonable pace, but the evening still ended too quickly for me.  We were joking that we would be back home in 30 minutes and could see what the kids do when they don't expect us home...

 Jeremy was all set to leave on Friday morning, so I thought I'd try to get a few snapshots of him with the kids before he left.  Of course, it was their bedtime before he was able to get away from work and come home.

 The kids all slept with their Daddy Bears.  He bought these back in 2004 (Amelia's in 2005) to keep the kids company while he is gone.  He added those little recordable voice chips with special messages for each of them.  After tearful goodnights (He was departing before they awoke the next day), they finally fell asleep.  0445 the next morning, he and I were up and getting ready to drop him off.  He called at 0615 to tell me that the weather in the Atlantic was causing them to slide their departure 24 hours.  YIPEEE!!!  Around 10:30 he was finished with work and ready to hang out with us for the rest of the day.  It was a wonderful gift to have before he left as he was so busy in the weeks leading up to the deployment that we really didn't see much of him.

We decided to spend the afternoon doing what I was going to do with the kids if he had left.  I was planning to take them to downtown New Bern to walk around, stop in a few shops and get some ice cream at the Cow Cafe.  These painted bears are all over New Bern.  We thought this USA/NC/New Bern one in front of City Hall was pretty cool.

 Sweet Treats at the Cow Cafe.  See?  Told you Jeremy adds life to our family.  ;)

 Oops!  Someone got caught!

Unfortunately, the weather didn't save us a second time.  He actually did leave this morning.  We had the pleasure of seeing his jet fly right over our house.  Wonder if he saw us out there waving and crying like fools?  Hope the neighbors didn't!  He placed a sweet card and gift at each child's breakfast spot before he left this morning.

We will miss him for sure, think of him and pray for him every day.  I'm actually glad that this isn't my first trip down this road because as awful as today is, I know the routine.  Today is pity party day.  Tomorrow will be better.  The next day even better and as we get used to him not coming home, we will still miss him lots, but it will sting less.  Many thanks to all who will be joining us in praying for his safe return.  If you are interested in a physical mailing address for him, please email me at torrybeaven@gmail.com and I will pass it on to you.  Given the current climate, I don't want to post it on the blog for just anyone to be able to see.