Deployment

I thought Aaron was coming home on Friday, Jan. 13! The boys and I had a count down chain and we were excited for him to come home. Since the boys and I had been gone for several months, I missed my friends so when Teigan asked what I was doing on Wednesday, Jan. 11, I told her I was craving a girls' night so I'd invite everyone over for a tea party. Turns out Aaron had been in touch with Teigan to arrange all of this so imagine my shock and surprise when after visiting with my friends for a couple of hours, Aaron appears at the door with flowers. It's actually hilarious because several of my friends came throughout the evening so when my friend Ann hear the doorbell at 10 p.m, she went to answer it. I hardly heard the doorbell and thought it was someone's phone that beeped. Teigan was the only one that knew Aaron was planning this surprise so it was funny how it all played out. 

I wasn't emotionally prepared for Aaron to come home so when he was here, I was shocked and confused and surprised and happy he was home safely. Deployments are an emotional rollercoaster, I tell you!

Once my friends left, Aaron held me and said, "You did. You survived a deployment." I had a good, long cry as he held me. At times I didn't know if I could keep going, but I prayed lots and strength came to make it another day. I hope we can look back on 2016 as a family and always remember that as we rely on God and each other, we can do hard things!