JAMES IS GONE BACK NOW....

we dropped him off at the airport at 6am on tue 8th....we got the boys up and placed them in the car and then we drove off....we just talked about what a GREAT time we had these last 2 weeks and how much FUN it was to be together....and how BLESSED we were also....when we got there,


and let me tell you, when james was leaving on tuesday and we were dropping him off at the airport, we were double parked in the area where you drop off your passengers and there was this man, sitting on the back of his truck, i guess WAITING for whoever was coming off the plane.....well, as james got out of the car, i followed from my side and i noticed him watching us as james opened up the back of the truck, put his uniform hat on, and got on his uniform coat....he just kept watching...so, as james went around the truck to start giving kisses and hugs to the boys, i finally spoke up and said, "he is leaving back to IRAQ today..." he said, 'oh....IRAQ?" and i said, "yep..." and then i turned around to give my hugs and kisses to james....we just held each other and talked a bit before he let me go....we got his duffle bag out of the truck and his carry on case....and he told me, "i will walk you to the driver seat.." and as we did that and said our final goodbyes, it was soooo hard for me to drive away....he and i both had tears in our eyes but smiles on our faces...the boys where saying "goodby daddy" and as i finally drove off, i looked in my rear view mirror for my last glimpse of james, and i see him waving to us and turning around to walk into the airport and he is stopped by that man who shook his hand.....i asked james later on that day what he had said and he told me that the man had simply said, 'THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND GOD BLESS..." that is PROFOUND for these men and women who serve in the military.....PROFOUND.....i am soooo PROUD of my man and i am sooooo blessed to live in this COUNTRY.....i will not HESITATE to say "THANK YOU" to those that serve.....ALSO, here is a WONDERFUL WAY to say THANKS to our troops when you see them...i know that when i do see them, and i DON'T say THANK YOU, i always feel like, man, if i had ONLY gone up to them and said THANK YOU....well, here is a GREAT way of being able to do that....here is a short clip...it is called THE GRATITUDE CAMPAIN....click on this link... www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

james arrived at ALI-A-SALEM on wed 9th after traveling from san antonio, to dallas, to atlanta, to ireland to kuwait!!! he got there after over 22 hours of travel...but THANK GOD he made it fine...just trying to adjust to the change of time!

anyway, since then, we have ENJOYED viewing each other on our WEBCAMS that we got for CHRISTMAS this year!!! i know, we should have done that BEFORE but we just didn't and know that we DO have them it is sooo muc FUN! with him being able to see the boys and talk to them at the same time and also us getting to see daddy....very NICE!! we use the service SKYPE that was recommended by OTHER military families and it is FREE and MUCH BETTER QUALITY then using YAHOO or something like that!! if you do webcam, try it out!! it is REALLY NICE!! here is the link to it!: http://www.skype.com/welcomeback/?cm_mmc=google/latsearch-_-NA-US|EN-_-BD-_-campaign=NA-US|EN:BD|adgroup=skype+exact/E|keyword=skype|matchtype=Exact|creative=1039335326

anyway, we have just been trying to get back into the "normal" of things for us here at home....with APPOINTMENTS, THERAPY, TEACHERS AND SUCH....just NORMAL things again....we are all thinking about when daddy will be BACK!! we are happy and excited...the boys did very well with him being gone. i think they NEEDED to see him for a bit and now they are READY for the next phase of the deployemnt...alex knows that JUNE daddy will be home, GOD WILLING....i am EXCITED that there is LESS than 5 months left!!

matthew has had 2 sz since the begining of the year...small ones but he had them! i figured he would have them a bit more with all the change in routine and dad home and all the exitement of the holiday but THANK GOD it did not happen!! i just PRAY that they are not setting us UP!!

well, now i am up to date!! FINALLY! thanks for catching up with our family....i will now post an EMAIL i recieved from james today in the next post....enjoy!!