Match Maker, Match Maker, Make Me a Match

Meet My Husband: Matching Making is apparently a new thing he picked up.
Apparently one of his Soldiers noticed Brittany taking our pictures and well he was a bit intrigued. Here's how the story unfolded, while the guys where waiting to go through a short safety brief before being released for the day. He called me to let me know it was going to be a bit longer then we'd though and to ask about Brittany. (this was after the ceremony)

Hubbs- Hey _______ wants to know if Brittany is single. 

Me- Well yes she just so happens to be why? Would be like a number?

Hubbs- He was interested and wanted to know. 

Me- Where are you standing (as B and I are looking out the window to see this guy) I'm trying to see what this guy looks like.

Hubbs- Over here, see me waving? He's right here wearing the glasses. (we quickly jumped away from the door, after realizing they where starting right at us)

They went back about their business waiting to be release while B and I chatted about how funny it was. Shortly later the Hubbs comes back and we head out to take a few pictures before leaving. As we are walking outside the Hanger....

Hubbs- So did Brittany drive her own car on post or did she ride with you?
Me- She drove on, this way she could leave when we where done and not have to wait on us.
Hubbs- Ok, good. She's going to take _______ back to the barracks, he needs a ride.
Me- Wait, What, No. You can't do that. She doesn't even know him. That's not ok, you can't just pawn him off on her.
Hubbs- It'll be ok, he's harmless. He just needs a ride. She can do it, it'll be fine.
Me- No, No, you can't be serious. I'm not going to make her take him back to the barracks, we can drop him off we drive right past it.
Hubbs- It'll be fine.

Mean while Brittany is trying to take our pictures and I'm dying inside laughing because I don't know if he's serious or not. I still haven't mentioned to her what just happened.

Hubbs- So Brittany do you have any plans today?
B- Well I've got to go into work at some point.
Hubbs- Ok well good. ________ needs a ride to the barracks and your going to take him.
Me- You really don't have to do this its ok. I feel so bad. I'm so sorry. I promise we can take him.
B- (with a dumb founded look on her face) Ummmm, what, really, ok, is he serious ? My car's going to smell like McDonald Cheese burger with Onions (she stopped for a burger at 3:00am, and didn't eat it bc it had onion's)
Me- Really you don't have to.
Brittany- Umm, ya so I'm just a little socially awkward around people I don't know.

This conversation went back and forth for a bit me telling her she didn't have to and how bad I felt for the hubbs throwing her in this situation. She said it was ok, but you could tell the hesitation. She didn't even know the guy, heck I didn't even know him.
They went and got their bags and met us back around by the cars. As we loaded up our car, Brittany was trying to quickly spray her car so it didn't smell awful and move stuff around. (2 kids and a crazy job lets just say it's not the prettiest or most presentable sight lol) I told the hubbs we had to make sure he got all his stuff in her car before we left.

Before leaving I told ________ Hey that's my boss don't do anything crazy and you'd better be nice.

As we where driving home I asked him....

Me-How is he? Is he a nice guy?
Hubbs- He's a good guy, just a little socially awkward around girls.
Me- OMG, I seriously can't believe you just did that.

A bit later B texted me to let me know that _____ had made it back to the barracks safe and sound, and that he didn't ask for her number. I again told her how awful I felt for putting her in such a awkward situation. She said it was fine, that it really wasn't that bad.

The next day (the day after they got back), _______ told the hubbs he was a idiot for not asking for her number he was just tired from traveling and nervous. So that's when he texted me _______ number and told me to give it to her. She then in turn told me to give him her number. All of this was done between me, the hubbs and Brittany texting back and forth. It was quite comical.  That afternoon he text Brittany they made small talk before he asked her to dinner that night. He was actually with the hubbs at our house and since he'd just gotten home the day before all is stuff was still in storage so they went shopping at the PX for him something to wear. And that night they went to dinner together. A local restaurant called The Black Horse, she had to pick him up from post because his car is in CO still till August.
The next day (Thursday; myself, her mom and another co-worker) we all couldn't wait for her to get to work so we could hear how it went. She said it went really well, that she didn't mind picking him up she understood. I asked her if he was nice and paid for dinner and if she would go out with him again and she said yes to all.

We still laugh at the whole situation and I still can't believe the hubbs totally handed him off on her but from what it seems it didn't turn out to bad at all. I guess we'll have to wait and see if anything comes from it. You never know right!?!?!? 

Homecoming Pictures

A picture say's a thousand words and these most defiantly prove that to be true. I couldn't be happier and relieved that we have made it through our 3rd deployment. I thank God every day for bring him home safely to me with out any issues. As many other families are not so lucky. I'm in love with these pictures and can't wait to get some printed and hung up in our house. I'll cherish them forever. 

A special shout out and thanks to my fabulous boss BK for capturing this moment for us. 

Deployment November 2014 - July 2015 

He's Home!!!!!!!!

The morning was going to start EARLY. I set like 5 alarms on my phone so I wouldn't miss it and over sleep. My hair was already done, since Barbie my co-worker did it the day before at work. It was in a beautiful side swiped french braid with a twist across the top. I made sure every last detail of my house cleaning / getting ready preparations where done the night before. I wanted to go to bed stress, care free and not have to rush around in the morning to do last minute things. I seriously contemplated even going to sleep the night before since 1) I had to be up so early and 2) I didn't wanna mess her hair. But around 10pm I had everything done and was just randomly surfing the web. I knew at that point that if I didn't go to bed I'd be exhausted the next day, not to mention it would make time go by even slower. So off to bed I went. 

I fell asleep, and woke up. It was only 12am. Back to sleep I went, waking up checking my phone and the flight schedule online and it was only 1:45am. Back to sleep, waking up again shortly later and it was only 2:30. Aaaahhhhh time was creeping, I knew it would but seriously. Finally 2:45am rolled around and my alarm went off. I laid there scrolling through FB and checking the flight schedule again. No changes, yay!!! I slowly got up, made the bed, had a little something to eat, surfed the web a bit before finally going up stairs to get ready. 3:45 dress on, make-up done, made a breakfast banana wrap and headed out the door. I was meeting Brittany my director / boss at 4am right down the street from my house so she could follow me on post. She so kindly offered / agreed to take pictures for us. She has an amazing talent / eye for photography which she does on the side. 

We arrived on post at the Hanger right around 4:30am, it's recommended you get there 2 hours early. I didn't wanna take any chances so 2 hrs early we where. Thankfully since their arrival was so early and it was a smaller group (150-ish) we where able to park there at the Hanger vs. at their Company area and having to be bused over. 

Walking in there wasn't to many people there yet, a good amount but not over whelming. We found great seats in the bleachers,  floor level front and center for our up coming 2 hour wait. I have to say it went by pretty quickly. We went out to the air field a time of two, to check it out and get some air. Finally at 5:50am we decided we'd go wait outside till the plane came in. This way we would be able to secure a spot in the front. Not to mention it was so much nicer outside temperature wise then it was inside. 

(quick back story, at Ft. C. Homecomings you are able to see the plane come in and land right there at the airfield and watch the Soldiers walk off the plane into formation to enter the hanger.) 

Their flight was suppose to come in at 6:35am, well 6:35 came and went....6:50, 6:55, 7:00 came and went. Finally around 7:05 their flight was spotted coming in and the excitement grew from the crowd. It landed just behind another hanger where we couldn't see it and a few moments after it came pulling through following behind a truck. That's when it finally really hit me hard and it really clicked that "HEY MY HUSBAND IS ON THAT PLANE" and I'm going to have my arms around him in the next few minutes. It did a little zig zag coming closer and closer before finally stopping, the door opening as the Color Guard approached the plane. That's when Soldiers started coming off and the crowd went crazy. I was eye balling each one of them looking for mine, one after another they walked by and no husband. After a while you saw the last of the line come off the plane. They where still a little way's out (walking distance) so I couldn't see the last set of them clearly and just as my heart started to race with worry, THERE HE WAS!!!!! A sign of relief settled in me as I was able to breath again. Brittany snapped a couple pictures and then we booked it back inside to get our seats before the ceremony started. (They assured us they would allow everyone time to get in and seated before starting the ceremony.) 

The hanger doors opened and the crowd went crazy as the Soldiers marched in. My eyes searching like crazy to find him again. Back left side I pointed out to Brittany, I couldn't take my eyes off him the whole time. The ceremony was short, brief and to the point before they where released. He was looking the opposite direction as I came running up behind him. Wrapping my arms around him and seeing his face was the best!!! It was over, finally he was home and out of harms way. In that moment every thing and everyone slipped away. It was as if we where the only ones there in the hanger. Soaking it all up!!!! We had about 15-20 minutes together lots of hugs, kisses, laughs and small talk was exchanged. 

After that short time had passed the guys had to form back up in formation to go check in their weapons, get their bags and have a short safety brief before being released for the day. Brittany stuck around to take some more pictures afterwards of just the two of us outside the Hanger. She was / is seriously such a doll and I am so grateful she agreed to come be apart of this moment in our life. Their briefing seemed to take forever, really it actually did take forever. Thankfully he knew I wanted to get a few more pictures before we left and he was totally ok with it that once he was released he came out and we where able to get right to it. After snapping a few pictures, he grabbed his bag and we where on our way to the car. He was all mine for the rest of the day. (unlike in Hawaii, he had to report to work the next day and the following 7-10 days straight for re-intergration SRP) A quick stop at the company area so he could say hello to a couple of the guys he works with that came home 4 months earlier then him. 

Finally we where headed home, life was back to normal again. Well with a few changes from each of us but normal. We completed our 3rd deployment, in just shy of 8 years of marriage. We've been through more than most normal civilian couples will ever go through in a life time. Each time its only made us stronger and brought us closer together as a couple. 

I'll leave you with this picture I posted on FB and Instagram announcing to everyone that he was home. We didn't tell anyone ahead of time, there was literally 4 people that knew when he was coming home. Keeping it a surprise and my lips sealed made it that much more special for me and was totally worth it. Once I have all the pictures back from Brittany I will be sure to flood this here Blog, FB and Instagram. So be on the look out for those!!!! 

Blog Post Coming Soon: Match Making Husband.