There was a time when dirty uniforms and sand covered boots on the floor of our home would have bothered me- but currently I’m loving it, because that means one simple thing… he’s home.

Through my time of being a significant other and now wife to an Air Force Officer I’ve learned many things, one of those things being that as strict and regimented as the military may be, many a time things are left up in the air and there’s just no way of knowing when things will happen- until all of  a sudden, they just do! A great example of this is a deployment return date! All through Conor’s deployment I had people asking me when he’d be home- I had no answer! Even when it came to the month of his expected return, March, I still had no answer! By this point I explained to those asking…

“I will have a definite return date the minute his plane lands here on base”

And that’s pretty much what it came down to! The morning of March 12, I knew that the chances of him making it home that evening were about 95% (and I’d say that as sure as you could get with the Air Force!)

The day was filled with much excitement as I cleaned our house top to bottom, and prepared our home just one more time, getting ready for his arrival. I had so many fun surprises around the house, I was thrilled to finally be able to show them all to him! He was due to arrive that evening around 8pm or so, but, in typical Air Force fashion- there is NEVER a definite date or time- they actually ended up arriving EARLY! Normally, you probably would have thought this was a good thing (and in the end it was). However, a moment of panic came over me as I had just left my house to head to base to the pick up spot (thinking I was ridiculously early) and I had received a text from Conor saying they had landed and were hopping on the bus. At that moment I was terrified and felt like the worst wife ever, thinking I wouldn’t be there to welcome my husband home from his first deployment. Visions flashed through my head of him standing there, waiting for ME as everyone was already reuniting with their loved ones.

I hurried my way to base, met up with another wife, and headed to the pick up spot, all with just about two minutes to spare before Conor’s bus arrived!

It was a hug and a kiss I had been longing for for months now. And almost immediately a weight was lifted off my shoulders- all those nights I couldn’t sleep because I simply couldn’t stop worrying myself, the tears occasionally of just feeling a bit lonely in my own home, and all those times where I simply just missed my best friend- those were all ending now that I had him home.

ADJUSTING

Okay- real life talk here-

I won’t lie, adjusting has definitely not been easy. There are good days and not so good days for both of us! This is something that most military spouses will understand fully, however for those who have never experienced this before it may be a little difficult to comprehend.

What do you mean, it hasn’t been perfect? You’re not just spending every moment laughing smiling hugging kissing and loving up on each other? He’s HOME, how could this not be the best thing ever!?

He’s home, and it IS the best thing ever! But that doesn’t mean that adjustment is easy. Not only did he have to adjust to now being home, not on deployment, and actually having some time to himself trying to get back to his every day life here, but I  had to adjust as well! For about 4 months now I’d been living alone, and as any military spouse knows, you develop a routine and coping mechanisms strictly just to you and this deployment, it’s the only way you stay semi-sane through it all. All of a sudden this person who you love so dearly enters this routine and, for lack of a better phrase, “messes it all up.” So it was an adjustment for both of us. We had perfect days and not so perfect days, and that’s ok! This is new for both of us and it’s all a learning experience. We are simply just embracing this experience and allowing it all to help our marriage grow. Just a few weeks in and we now have a routine that’s best for the BOTH of us.

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

Conor had about two weeks of vacation when he came home, and luckily I had a good chunk of time off as well. Most of that time we spent just relaxing, having no plans at all, which was pretty great!

However, Conor did have a 26th birthday in there! He’s my St. Patty’s Day hubby 🙂
We spent his special day out on a Booze Cruise in the Destin harbor. It was a blast.

We also bought ourselves a new car during this time as well! Meet my new beauty!! To say I’m obsessed with this car is definitely an understatement.

I    LOVE   IT!

During the end of Conor’s break his parents came to visit. They stayed at our home and we had a wonderful week with them. We spent our days out on the boat, eating great food,  enjoying cocktails, visiting family, and just spending quality time together now that the family is all home!

This deployment and homecoming experience was  first for us. And, unfortunately, it’s just the start of many. However, we are enjoying our time together again and making the most of our months together.

One thing I’ve learned through all of this, is as a military family with Conor deploying quite often, our “normal” will always be changing. Never will he return home and we can finally say things are back to the way they were before. Because, with every deployment comes new experiences for the both of us, changing our lives indefinitely. But you see… that’s what I love the most about a military spouse.

Forever and always changing, simply just living life on the edge of our seats…