Reunited...

And it feels so good!

Of all the many days of my life, yesterday was second best. October 18, 2009 still holds out as the reigning champion, of course. It was a brutally long day. We were expected to be on Ft. Bragg no later than 5:45 a.m. in order to greet their 6:30 flight. That meant I had to get up at 3:15 to shower, get dressed and ready, take Andi out, and get Natalie ready. Funny that I thought I'd actually be able to sleep... I laid in bed like a child listening for Santa on Christmas Eve. I think I got 30 minutes.

All the family members met at Chase's work, in order to "convoy in our POV'S to Green Ramp" (like that Army lingo?), which is a whole other post. Let's just say it was the most poorly organized, stressful and rage inducing event I have ever participated in. I digress... We reached Green Ramp (Pope Air Force Base's flight line for all incoming and outgoing deployments, jumps, flight etc.) around 6:15. In no time the plane had landed. They opened the huge door and all the family gathered in the freezing cold to cheer for the airplane! The plane rolled by very slowly and the energy was incredible! After what seemed like an eternity they got off the plane and the crowd went wild again! Natalie wasn't so sure about all the cheering and was starting to get a little disgruntled. Not a good way to greet one's father. I tried to tell her that, but she was just not reasoning with me! The soldiers began marching in and slowly but surely they got closer and closer, the anticipation was killing me. Finally they reached the building, it didn't take long for me to find Chase in the crowd. He was in the middle of the large grouping of soldiers, it was like someone had put a spotlight on him just for me. Of course Chase busts my bubble and tells me he was standing next to a bunch of short guys. Whatever. Natalie and I waited for the speech to be over (and of course there was one... this IS the Army), and thankfully it lasted all of two minutes. Suddenly the soldiers were released and there was absolute chaos. I stood in the back waiting for Chase to find me (we had agreed on that earlier), I wasn't nervous and I wasn't hysterical (like many other women), when he hugged me and Natalie I simply felt whole.

Natalie and Chase are doing really well getting to know each other, and I'm enjoying watching Chase discover things about Natalie for the first time. His excitement is contagious. It's been a long and very difficult year, but thanks to the support of my friends, my family and God we've made it through to the other side in one piece. We're very lucky. For the first time in 365 days I fell asleep thanking God, not begging Him. And I slept peacefully... until 4:30, thank you Natalie. :)