R&R

Well it came and went... r&r finally got here and after 15 glorious days it was over... just like that.. its like having to quit cold turkey... Brandon comes home and we get fifteen uninterrupted days then he has to leave and that's it until homecoming. It was everything and nothing like I imagined... he was suppose to get to Atlanta on the 11th and well that day came and went and he was still stuck in Kuwait... communication was very limited and the flight kept being push back so neither us knew when he would truly arrive... then 3 days later on a very late Thursday night he calls me from Atlanta airport to let me know he got there safely but was going to have to sit around and wait awhile until his flight for Nashville. He informed me that he was going to get a rental car and drive in... so at 5 am on Friday morning he was finally home! I was so ecstatic but also a bit bummed there was no perfect outfit planned and no gregarious welcoming at the airport but at this point I was just so thankful he had made it and was home.. at least for awhile :) I'm not sure who was the happiest to see him that day... P was most excited when she came downstairs to our room to see her daddy in the bed... I like to think Henry was excited too and of course Pete!

We started off R&R with tackling some projects around the house... Brandon worked hard around the yard for a couple of days getting it into summer shape... we even ordered a new storm door for the front.. he did a great job.. and the house was looking fab!! Brandon was able to take Peighton to school a few days which I know just melted her.. and he even got to see her at one of her ballet classes. Needless to say whatever anyone had to do while he was home... we all went and did it together... we were an inseparable family of four! Brandon and I were able to enjoy a weekend in Savannah without the kiddos. It was a much needed vacation and quality time for both of us. Mimi and Papa kept both Peighton and Henry... and I think they enjoyed the bonding time, ha! We spent a few days in South Carolina... catching up with great friends and visiting family :) We returned home to spend a few more days together just as a family before Brandon's departure. We even managed to squeeze in a trip down to Nashville to the wonderful Mall at Greenhills and a scrumptious lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. The day finally came and Brandon had an early flight out... it was a quiet ride home from the airport that day.

And to think its already been over a week since he left... its been a long week and it still doesn't feel right him not being here.. we are readjusting back to the way it was before r&r. It's one of those catch 22 situations... r&r is a great experience but the ending of it leaves you with a realization that this it until he returns home for good. On the flip side I can finally say we are almost there.. not quite the home stretch.. but we are almost over the hump and i can see the finish line in the distant future... and I know we will get there.. we will make it.. and I cannot wait for that day to come!!