Wow. This post is way over due. Hope you are ready for a long, picture filled post. Hopefully this will help to catch you up with our lives. As I sit here and type this I reflect on the last 4 months. Yes, 4 months ago today Andy left. Boy, in a lot of respects it has gone fast. But there is still an emptiness in my life. I'm so glad that we've endured more separation then we have left. I'm so glad to be able to say that we are over halfway through our deployment. Its not always been easy, but we are strong! In May we were lucky enough to have Andy home for 2 weeks.
Andy had given me his itinerary (which was that he wasn't going to get to
BWI until 5pm), but called me at 8 am to let me know his flight was leaving Atlanta at 9am. I should have know...he is known to do this. He did it when he came home from Iraq, but I only had myself to get ready back then. Yikes. I was still in my
pjs. With my mom's help, we were able to get out the door in a flash!
Here
Caden is waiting to see his Daddy back by the gate! Thankfully we made it, but not with much time to spare. That was good I suppose....meant I didn't have long that I had to entertain him.
Walking to greet his Daddy. How special; especially since he had just started walking about 1 1/2 weeks prior. Look at the grin on his face---priceless.
What a special moment . I love it! My two guys reunited.
Caden seemed to remember his Daddy, but kept giving him this blank stare for about the first 10 minutes. Almost as to say, "H
mmm I remember you, but where have you been."
By the time we got down to pick up Andy's luggage you wouldn't have been able to tell that it had been a few months since
Caden has been with his Daddy. They were best buds (while I was fetching the luggage). I wouldn't have it any other way.
While he was home we did a lot:
Some days we just hung out at home. Actually this morning we had been to the doctor because the night before
Caden had spiked a fever of 102. He had double ear infections :( but you would have never been able to tell by his personality.
We went to the Washington DC Zoo
Daddy and
Caden watching the Panda. It filled my heart with so much joy to see them spending time together.
Caden's 1st haircut. Yup, at 16 months!
OH NO! She cut my hair off!
We went to the Great Wolf Lodge in the
Poconos. It was so much fun just spending 2 days playing! Oh to be a kid again :)
Pure excitement in the water!
This boy has no fear. Going down the baby
water slide all by himself.
Apparently he had too much fun. He was zonked out the entire way home!
Well all good things must come to an end and that they did. It was so sad watching Andy leave to go back. Much harder than watching him leave in February because we learned how much fun it was to just be a family. We are waiting with great anticipation of what this fall has for us.
Last picture right before he headed onto the plane. Please excuse my puffy eyes...too much crying will do that to you.
Please keep our family in your prayers for the last few months of this deployment. We appreciate the prayers and know that they are what is making this deployment go as smoothly as it has.
On June 1st I had him to the doctor for what should have been a 15 months checkup. However, he was actually 16 months at the time. He weighed 25 lbs 12 oz and was 33 inches long. He had a shot and dealt very well with it. 
Caleb and Caden enjoying a bath.
Playing in Caleb's pool in the backyard.
In action!
Pure Joy! I just love this little boy :)
