Homecoming

Hubby is home!

We are all very happy that he's back home with us.

And his homecoming was, as always, wonderful.

The girls and I got to the Navy base at around 7:30 a.m. and found a parking spot. We took the shuttle to the pier where his ship was going to be pulling in, where we met up with his parents, who were also there to see him come home.

So many people were there to see their loved ones come home, after being gone for six long months. Many had signs welcoming them back. The military had MANY booths there for the families and friends to visit, get a drink, buy t-shirts, and make signs to welcome them back.

My girls wanted to make signs to welcome back Daddy. The eldest made her sign, and I helped the youngest with her sign. All I had to do with her sign though, was to tell her how things were spelled. She knew exactly what she wanted to put on there and she just needed to know how to spell "Welcome Home". She already knew how to spell Daddy.

At around 9:30, we saw the top of the ship's mast moving behind the other ship that was already docked at the pier. The crowd was cheering immensely! At last, he was coming home.

Hubby and I had already decided via e-mail that he would call me on my cell phone as soon as he was able to when the ship was pulling into port. I checked my cell phone to see the time and I saw that I had a message from him. He must have called while the crowd was cheering and I didn't hear it. He said that they were pulling alongside the other ship and were coming around the corner.

Then we saw the bow of the ship, and all the sailors lined up around the top of the ship. If you have never seen that, it is an amazing sight. It makes you so proud to be an American and so proud that you have a loved one on that ship and they are coming home to you. Once I saw that sight, I had a flood of emotions overcome me. So proud, so happy and so relieved that he was home again.

He was on that ship. He was coming home to me and his daughters.

The ship slowly pulled forward and lined up parallel to the pier. Then the tugboats slowly pushed the ship toward the pier (it's such a large ship, it's not like they can just parallel park, you know).

It is such a wonderful experience to be there, seeing your loved one come home, but it does definitely take a while. Once the ship is docked, then they have to put the ramps and stairs up to the ship so they can depart the ship. From the time they pulled in, to the time they got off the boat, it's easily a 1/2 hour or longer.

When they lowered the bays, hubby called me and I told him where I was on the pier. He told me where he was on the ship. We were able to see each other and wave madly to each other.

The first ones that get to get off the ship are the new daddies. The ones whose wives' had babies while they were out to sea. We have been very lucky in which hubby has been able to be home for both of his daughter's births.

The next ones off are the officers and senior enlisted. Then the junior sailors. I have been on both ends of that spectrum. On our first deployment apart, he was one of the junior sailors so it definitely took a while for him to get off. Now he's a senior enlisted sailor so he gets to get off sooner.

Hubby called me to tell me he was about 5 minutes away from getting off the ship. Then when he was off the ship, he called again so we were on the lookout for him throughout the crowd.

I spotted him and I told my girls that I saw him and pointed to where he was walking towards us. The eldest saw him and took off for him and the youngest followed.

They found their daddy and they hugged each other so tight. This was the eldest's fourth time being away from Daddy, but really the 2nd time she remembers it. As for the youngest, this was her 2nd time, but she was just a baby the first time. She went running up to Daddy too and they hugged each other too.

I sat back and watched happily, tears in my eyes. My girls had their Daddy back. My mother-in-law stood behind me and put her arms around my shoulders and we watched together. She said, "You need to go up there too", but I declined. This was their moment with their daddy and they needed to have that time for their special reunion. I could wait a few seconds longer.

Then they walked over to where we were and hubby and I hugged and kissed each other (not too passionate though, the in-laws were watching.....) and hugged and kissed and held hands.

I just love the youngest's expression in this picture. :)

I have my hubby home again.