They're HOME!

Sorry again for the delay, gang!  You've all been such good sports about waiting for my "they're home" post.  :-)

I said "good-bye" to the boys on Christmas night last year, fully expecting that Uncle Sam keep them in Afghanistan for the full 12-14 months.  I can not tell you how happy I am that they were returned early!!

Even more than a week later - I'm ecstatic!

Many of you lovely ladies have friends or family in the military, so you know how unpredictable Army life is.  Hurry up and WAIT... and that we did a whole lot.  Originally, the guys were supposed to be home "sometime the first week of December".  That didn't happen.  Then it was the 13th at 8 PM...then the 14th at 2 AM...then 1:30...then back to 2..and on, and on, and on. 

They touched down at 3 AM.  The ceremony was at 7 AM in Magrath Gym.  (BTW - I still claim that navigating military bases is a life skill!)  The fabulous staff in charge of the ceremony/abbreviated shin dig asked that we be there at least 2 hours early.  So, after almost no sleep; a shower in frigid water; and fighting with a hair dryer that didn't want to work - I had my keister in the gym at 4:45.

We were then treated to 2 hours of patriotic songs and slideshows while we waited.  I actually found people I knew in the slide show; SCORE!! I have tons of pictures, but here are my favorites.

Marching in...

It takes a few minutes to get 297 soldiers in place.

Precision saluting!

G is trying NOT to make eye contact with me. (He's the big guy in the second row)

JC is back row in the middle. :-)

My favorite part was at the end when they had to sing the 10th Mountain Division song.  It was horrible and fantastically hysterical.  What you should know is that this song is short.  And painted on the top of the wall.  All they had to do was read...and have some semblence of rhythym.  It would have been a whole lot less memorable if they all had sung the song together; and in tune!!

As soon as they broke formation - I got some of the best hugs and kisses of my life.  :-)

*Also of note: The roads of Watertown, NY are ghetto-rific after a snow storm and I am extremely thanful for 4 wheel drive.*

And I'm Off...

Ladies, the time has come. 

I'm off to Fort Drum.  Cross your fingers, say a prayer and hope for a fantastic 2 AM arrival. 

You heard that right.  My boys are coming in at 2 AM! (BTW, Army - you sucketh big-timeth!) That means that yours truly will be up at the crack of dawn, prepping the car and driving up the the frozen tundra.  Then... waiting, waiting, waiting.  If I'm lucky - Ellie will still be up at "The Drum" when I get there.  Her hubster arrived Thursday night, and she flies home Sunday night.

The goal is to see their return ceremony, pack them up in the car and drive back home.  When all is said and done - I plan to be ecstatically happy (cuz, who wouldn't be?!?!) but downright exhausted after being up for almost 24 hours.

This is my only pre-set post, so I apologize if Monday's post is late and/or missing.  I'll be updating Facebook and Twitter, if you miss me.  :-)

Musical Monday - Home

Another weekend has gone too fast!

We had what I'm going to call a monsoon, for lack of better terminology, from Friday night through Saturday night.  Ick!  I love rain, but this was ridiculous!

Saturday, Mom and I went up to Maine for an Air Force going away party.  That's right - another member of my extended family is joining the military. It's a little messy trying to explain exactly how Steve is related to me, so I'm just going to say he's my cousin.

Here he is with Kirstren.

My song this week is Marc Broussard's "Home".  I've liked this song for years.  As an added bonus, Marc Broussard's voice sounds a lot like that of someone I know and miss.  :-)




Have a wonderful week!

I Miss Road-trips...And These Guys!

I've always loved being in the car; especially if I'm the one driving! I was a lucky kid who got to travel far and wide (the perks of being the oldest grand kid...heeheehee). Don't worry. The joy of driving wasn't discovered until my teen years. I promise!

But, for over a year - road trips weren't going towards an amusement park, party or a vacation. Instead, it was to see JC and "the guys". I won't even tell you how many trips I made up there...

I miss the drive up (all *ahem* six to six and a half hours of it)...

The tolls

The cows

The rural road...OK, it is pretty.

The ability to lose all radio stations except for one Spanish station, one french station, one on Canadian weather and something that played show-tunes and The Muppets. (You wish that I was exaggerating...oh, wait...that's me that wishes I was exaggerating.)

THE GUYS!! (Left to right are: G, Tony, JC and Joe)

Fine. I miss the open road, but I miss these camo-clad dorks in hero's clothing even more.

They're in Afghanistan, but that doesn't stop them from acting goofy....

...and dancing. (Ellie's hubby- Trebor)

Or making faces at people. (G [left], and a guy I've never met)

Smiling despite living 40 men to a tent. (Tony)

Smiling through a whole lot of body armor. (JC)

I can't wait for them to come home and road-trips to commence. :-)

Musical Monday - Fidelity

It's Monday again, ladies. I hope you all had fun-filled weekends! Mine was quiet again...but that's just fine with me. I watched a few movies (Death Race- which I DON'T recommend & Becoming Jane- which I really liked), played some video games (I'm a geek and really like my Nintendo DS), and finished two books and knitting a scarf. Yep, nice and low key... :-)

I love this song! Regina Spektor has a great voice, the video in black & white is aesthetically pleasing and then there's a third reason. See, every time I hear this song I laugh; not because it's a funny song, but because I can still hear JC & G singing it to me. We went out to a bar one night last November and they sang to me in the car. Good times!

How did you spend your weekend?