Let me tell you, the last fortnight of a 6 month deployment is the longest fortnight of your life! Each day seems to take about a year and each week takes a decade to pass.
Yesterday it was ‘5 sleeps’ until he came home and it was beginning to feel like the end was in sight, although I was starting to worry that his flight might get delayed/cancelled at the last minute. My birthday is the day before Hubby was due to return and I was looking forward to the day being over more than celebrating. I went to bed but couldn’t get to sleep – too much to think about with the imminent reunion and the subsequent move to the USA.
It was midnight and I was still lying awake when I heard a taxi pull up outside. We live at the end of a cul-de-sac and it’s unusual to have much in the way of car noise during the night so I got up to look out the window. I could see my Hubby getting out of the taxi! 5 whole days early! Excited does not even come close to explain how I felt as I ran down the stairs.
I am not exaggerating when I say it was like a scene out of a movie – I threw open the door and gave him the biggest hug while sobbing(tears of joy!) into his uniform! I have never been so pleased to see someone in my whole life.
My Hubby is generally a terrible liar and apparently he has kept his real return date quiet for 5 months! That is the longest he’s ever kept a secret from me and it was the best one ever. He’s really setting the bar high for birthday surprises – I hope he realises that!
My daughter (almost 4) climbed into our bed at about 6.30am and was basically on top of him before realising it wasn’t just Mummy in bed. Her face was an absolute picture and she just kept telling us how happy she was that we were all back together as a family again. I share her sentiment!
When my son (21 months) got up, he was rendered speechless for about 5mins. He kept pointing at his Daddy then grinning at me as if to say, ‘Have you seen this? He’s really home!’ He was only 15months when Hubby left so he has changed the most over that time and is probably more used to Hubby’s absence than presence. He is massively excited to have him home though.
Since that welcome this morning, neither child has left his side. Everything needs to be shown to or discussed with Daddy and Mummy is surplus to requirements. My Hubby can’t even go upstairs for 5 mins without our son calling for him from the other side of the stairgate. I would be upset by suddenly being relegated to secondary parent but to be honest, after 6 months of being the only parent, I’m just going to enjoy the peace!
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Military Spouse New House 