Birthday Party Pictures

Watch out, this Monkey is turning One!

Monkey Cupcakes, YUM!

My new ride from Grandpa Lloyd and Grandma JuJu!

Everyone is singing Happy Birthday to Me?!?!

How you doin? Max's future wife, Cailin and his proud Godfather, Drew.

Learning how to play football...and learning how to punt.

Opening Presents with Mommy and Daddy! Thanks Yo!

All tuckered out with Granny Lisa

Max had an awesome birthday! We had a pavillion at the park and LOTS of friends and family came to celebrate. He had a monkey themed party and it was lots of fun! There were even monkey cupcakes and a hanging monkey too. Max can't wait until he turns 2 but we can.

Always, Jesi

The Finale

Well, I know my loyal secret readers are eagerly awaiting my Homecoming story so I came out of my reclusive fog to share a bit with you.

Monday morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn, after just a few hours sleep. Max and I decided that 5:30AM would do just fine; after all it was finally here. We were just hours from picking up Daddy!

Off we went, coffee in hand, my parents driving along, and multiple cameras in tow. I decided to wear a cute outfit, new jeans, and a favorite shirt. No dress for me, I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around a dress and heels at the crack of dawn. We got to the college where we were supposed to wait, and wait we did.

Rob’s aunt, his sister and some of his friends made it too. All sitting, and waiting, and laughing at a sleepy Max as my stomach flipped flopped with the nerves that always show up. Finally we heard what we wanted to know, “your soldiers are on the other side of this wall” and the crowd erupted in cheers.

And in they marched, some full of pride and boasting as they waved and smiled, some marching in, just another day to them. Rob walked in finally, chewing gum and looking somber...my tired love. Tired of waiting, tired of travel and tired of dealing with inconsiderate guys who don’t understand how to process homecoming.

Tired and somber, doesn’t matter to me. He looked wonderful, in the uniform and boots that have graced his slimmer figure for months on end. We listened to lots of important reminders, announcements and some lovely accolades but I didn’t hear a thing. I craned and strained to see my love through the crowd, Max on my hip, sleepy from his early wake up call.

Finally, a call to attention and release to their families, a salute for a job well done and off they went. We crowded the floor, eager to see one another and remember how it feels to be together again. I caught Rob’s eye before I touched him. So I waited as we pushed through the sea of chaos and finally.

He was there, I was there, Max was there. A simple hug, a simple smile, a simple kiss. And a lot of pictures.

Hello again, you’re home. And it was wonderful.

I wish I could say the next few hours and days were filled with extraordinary moments but they weren’t. They were filled with tender embraces, laughter and normalcy, creeping back in minute by minute. We are in transition now. Remembering how to be together, reminding ourselves that this is our normal and figuring out how to function as three instead of two. So far, smooth sailing. But readjustment can be scary...because everything that should be the same has changed and things are different now. You have to learn what that means, and you realize that you are entering yet another, New Normal. We are on our way...to our new normal. Taking it day by day, remembering to embrace the changes and cherish the moments...the simplest and most mundane moments, in remembrance of what we lost and what we have to gain. And even in the moments where we question everything that has happened, are you really home? Is this temporary? Is it really over? The smallest whisper, “I love you and I am so glad to be home” makes everything perfect.

For we are on our way, taking it day by day.
Always,
Jesi

Almost Done

We are almost done, we are almost done, we are almost done.

I can't hold in my excitement. In fact, more than excited I am VERY distracted. So distracted that I completely blanked out on a breakfast event at work and had to call my assistant to come in and save me. He did, he totally saved my butt this morning and all is well.

So distracted that I woke up at 3:30AM, wide awake, hardly believing that in less than a week Rob will actually be next to me in bed. Someone to kick and mumble at, "your turn, you get the baby"

Wait, it's been my turn for 11.5 months, surely it's Robs turn for the next year! Nah, I wouldn't do that to him, we are all about the gentle reintegration in this household. No need to stress ourselves out by trying to make everything perfect.

I wish I had a date to shout from the rooftops but I don't. I can tell you that we are 98% done with this stinkin deployment and I love it!

Almost Done, Almost Done, Almost Done,

Excited Beyond Measure

Ok friends...it’s here. My new blog for the book I am working on is up and running!!! I am beyond excited about it. The design was by Real Life Design and I think it turned out fabulously! Sarah was so sweet and dealt with my many questions and opinions like a good ol southern peach.

Anywhoo, about the blog...you can find it here at http://www.militarymommys.blogspot.com/
The posts that are up right now are more informational, as I had to create the links up top. I want Military Mommy to be a place where woman around the world can come together with the click of their mouse to laugh, cry and be encouraged that they too can survive motherhood and deployment while drawing closer and closer to Christ. I want them to shift from hating their deployments to embracing their deployments as the catalyst that changed their lives for the better.

So if you want to be my new BFF you can hop on over to Military Mommy and use the html code on the sidebar to post my button on your blog. My aspiration is to get the blog out to as many Military Mommy’s as possible so that they can be encouraged through their own deployments. I think each of us knows someone who is in the military. Help me spread the word about Military Mommy so that we can see God do great things through a lil ol blog and lil ol me.

I’ll be eternally grateful and like I said, we can be BFF’s for life.
Always,