1st group is HOME!!!!

The first group of soldiers from Joey's unit have arrived!!!

On Saturday evening I went to help get all the last minute signs and flags set up for the Welcome Home Ceremony that was held early Sunday morning. Two of the wives that were helping, their husbands were coming home on this flight and they got a phone call from their husbands telling them that they were in Maine and were finally stateside! It was so exciting to hear that and I was just so excited for them. I can't wait for that moment to happen that I see Joey's name pop up on my phone! Something as little as that just gives me butterflies in my stomach!

I was able to go home for a bit in between the setting up and the ceremony. But arrived back at 10:30 pm Saturday night. The soldiers were due to arrive in Killeen at 11:48 and they were right on time! At about that time the D.J. stopped the music and annonced that our loved ones have LANDED!! Everyone started screaming.
It is giving me chills as I am writing this because it was just so EXCITING. It is really hard to find words to explain the feelings and emotions I was feeling. And it wasn't even Joey coming home!

Once they have landed they do all their improcessing and turn in their weapons at the airfield before they come to us. This ended up taking about one and half hours. Than when the D.J. annouced that they had left the airfield and were on their way the anticpation of their arrival just excillated.
And about twenty minutes later we hear "15th STB family and friends here come your loved ones!!"

And than you see all the buses pulling up!

AHHHHHH~I just instantly started crying. It was just such a flow of emotions that words just really can't describe! And it wasn't even Joey on those buses!

Once they were all formed up we were told to yell, "MOVE THE BUSSES" and when they moved there they all were!

They marched forward with the Honor Guard leading them and all I can say is WOW! Words can't even describe the feelings that were going through me.


There were two very short speeches, one given by Col. Phelps who ended his speech with saying, "The only thing standing between your loved one and you is ME and I say GO GET THEM!"
And everyone was off!

Another very emotional moment. I got to just sit back and watch people reunite with their loved ones. It was such a special moment, there are really no words to describe this entire night/morning, except for BEAUTIFUL!

Here are some pics of people reuniting!

Can't wait to reunite with my soldier!!!!!!

It's official!!

Well as of yesterday I received a call from Joey's unit to tell me that Lieutenant Ross is expected to be home the week of June 14th! So I guess I can say it is official (well as official as anything can be when you are dealing with the army) since I have finally heard it from the unit.

Honestly, I can't wait so I can't even begin to imagine how some of the wives are feeling whose husbands have been gone for a lot longer then Joey has! So because I am so excited I have to keep myself even more busy because otherwise all I do is think about it and I get even more excited. But I have to keep reminding myself that I still have a month to go yet.

All I know though is that I hope that the rest of the time goes even faster then it already is. And I know I should not be wishing my life away like this, but without my husband here to share thing with, life is just not the same! Once he comes back then life can move slowly again!

It is not a muzzle!!

This is not a muzzle, it is called a gentle leader. It is to help prevent the dog from pulling. If you see a dog wearing this, don't be afraid because it has nothing to do with the dog being viscous. This will not prevent a dog from biting a person!

This is by far one of the best inventions ever. Because Duke is so strong it is almost impossible for me to walk him without this. And because Duke is so STUBBORN, he still can pull me, but I just have more control.

Duke absolutely hates the gentle leader and usually hides in a corner when he sees me bring it out. While on our walks or runs he attempts several times to get it off, but is not successful. I feel bad about putting it on sometimes, but even though he hates having it on, his tail wags like crazy the entire time we are walking or running.

I am hoping that the older Duke gets, he will put 2 and 2 together and figure out that if he stops pulling he will not have to wear it. But that will probably take awhile especially because he is so stubborn.
Until that happens though he will continue to have to wear this because I don't want to end up with another broken arm from walking a dog! And Duke needs to be exercised to keep him out of trouble!

Grace in Small Things

#1. A busy week at work! Love that because the week just flies by and that brings me one week closer to Joey coming home! We are now under the 50 day mark-Yippee!

#2. Talking to Joey at his brigade via video conference. It was so great to see him, but very diffcult to say good-bye!

#3. We are now in May and I can finally say that Joey will be home next month!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!

#4. Cutting the grass with Duke. He is my little helper and it tires him out because he is running all around! Here is a picture of his paws all grass stained!


#5. Getting up 3 times to run before work! I had a super busy week and was exhausted by the the time Friday came, but very proud of myself for pushing myself to get up!

#6. Thursday night T.V. I love that night and then the next day is Friday!

#7. Going to the Chiropractor. My neck does not feel as tense anymore.

You never know what path life may take you on.....

When I was a little girl, I used to imagine what life for me would be like when I grew up. And I think like most little girls, I used to dream about what it would be like to fall in love and marry that one person that you just absolutely cannot live without! Then the older I got I wondered if that dream would really come true and if there really was that one guy out there for me.

Well at age 25 little did I know that my soul mate would be a guy I happened to be pretty good friends with for awhile. Joey and I met on a church retreat back when I was 17 years old. Little did I know that when I met him, he would be the man of my dreams and the man I marry. I remember having a crush on him then and several other times during our friendship, but never acted on it. I was way to shy. But New Years Eve 2007 was the magical night that we became Joey and Melissa. It just happened, looking back I see now that things were building before that night, but just never wanted to admit it.

Now after being married to him for almost a year and half, looking back at that night still gives me butterflies. I wish I could bottle up that moment forever so that it never fades. That night to me was one of the most perfect nights I have ever had.

What brings this up is that today I got to see Joey for the first time since he has left for Iraq. They offer this video telephone conference to families to help them stay in touch when one is deployed. Well I took full advantage of it this morning. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. just a bundle of nerves just like I was when Joey and I first started dating.

Obviously, things are much different now, we are married but our marriage is not the typical marriage you imagine having when you are a little girl. In the entire three and half years we have been together, we have also been apart quite bit. We of course hate it, but the one positive that being apart brings is that we really end up appreciating each other and what we have. At times in our relationship I know I have taken things for granted. And it wasn't until we were apart for the first time for a good amount of time did I realize this. Now the saying, "you don't know what you have until it's gone," really hits home.

Well this morning, as I waited until it was time for me to leave to go to our meeting, I was just a bundle full of nerves. I was excited, nervous, insecure, and had a stomach full of butterflies at the thought of getting to see him. And when I first saw him he took my breath away and I just started to cry. I knew I missed him without having to see him, but seeing him just made me realize just how much I miss him. It was so great to see him and once my nerves calmed, we had a great 30 minutes. And just like that new years night I wanted to bottle up this moment too.

As I have finally started to adapt to Joey being gone, I have found a routine and so far it is working to help pass my days until he comes back home to me. But, as great as it was to see him, it was also very hard. Seeing him just made me miss him even more if that is possible. And as my morning went on, I could feel myself deflating. It was almost like I was back to ground zero again, trying to figure out how to go on without him here with me. And honestly, today I did not do a very good job of staying strong, today I hid. Until tonight I just got sick of myself and decided that I was not being fair to Duke. So as hard as it was, I got myself out of my P.J's put on some workout cloths and took Duke to this school by our house to play fetch in the huge field. It felt great because he was just so excited, which made me realize why I have to be strong because not only does Joey need me, but so does Duke. Everyday is a struggle and this is by far one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I will keep on fighting. Because everyday that passes is one day closer to Joey returning home.

So back to being a little girl and dreaming of the man I would marry someday and the life we would live. I can honestly say I never imagined I would be living the life I am, but Joey is just the man I hoped and dreamed I would marry someday. Now this next month and half needs just just hurry on by so I can get the man of my dreams back home where he belongs!