There was a lot leading up to this day.
It was supposed to be seven months, not nine. Children grew older and so much more responsible. A baby was born without his father present. I was both mom and dad. He dealt with war tensions while life went on here while he was away. The daily doings and happenings kept on.
When the day got pushed back by two months, we worried whether or not it would get pushed again. We kept up with the news and happenings of the Middle East.
But; this day finally came!
I had decided to get us a room at the Navy Lodge on base so we would avoid all of the traffic coming over the bridge and getting onto base.
We arrived later than I wanted to after multiple days of constant cleaning and tidying of the house. It wasn't exactly as clean as I would have liked it but we left nonetheless. The drive to base felt surreal.
Was he actually coming home?
The rule you learn as a Navy family is that you don't fully trust in them coming home until you see the ship.
We grabbed dinner from McDonald's (somewhere I haven't eaten in years upon years and don't let the kids eat from) because it's the only drivethrough on base and I wasn't about to get them all out at the commissary to get dinner. Check-in at the Lodge was quick and easy and you could feel the excitement rising from other families who were doing exactly what we were doing.
Our room was on the ground level in the new building that I hadn't been in before. It was a bit of a hike carrying one child while the other three slowly followed behind but we made it to our room and got to see the pretty grounds on our way. We dropped our stuff and then went to the playground to eat our dinner and get some energy out. It was a beautiful evening with the fresh ocean air and the sound of waves crashing onto the sand just 100ft from us.
Bedtime went easily enough with everyone past their bedtime and truly wanting to go to sleep. Rosalie had a hard time once she realized she had to sleep in our travel crib which she has never done before.
The children all slept soundly through the night with only Elijah waking to nurse. I however, woke many times and had a hard time getting back to sleep. The anticipation of tomorrow. Finally being reunited. Matt getting to meet his newest little one (only ten days past three months old), and to see the joy on the kids faces when they would get to see daddy in person.
Morning came slowly, but it did come! I got myself ready while letting the kids sleep and then realized that we were quickly falling behind. The rush then began! One adult trying to get four children ready when only one of them can almost completely get themselves ready is alright on your average day; however when you feel rushed? Tensions rose on my part while my children acted as children do. Not fully comprehending what the day would bring. We managed to get ourselves ready and packed. I reloaded the wagon with our bags and made sure there was room for Rosalie this time. We walked out of the building and looked right to the ocean.
There was the ship! Still too far to see the number but there she was. And it was a beautiful sight. That's when it truly becomes real. As a Navy wife, I know not to get my hopes up when they say that they're coming home. Does that mean I succeed? Absolutely not. But I really try so that if plans change, I don't get too upset.
We already dealt with one extension and right after they left the middle east, tenstions snapped. I had half assumed they would get turned around to go back right after they left but they didn't. They could have been turned around at any point while I waited for them to transit back home. However, if I can see that glorious sight of a ship, they aren't going anywhere but home (even if they had to leave again soon after, they're at least coming in)!
We rushed to get the car loaded up and then ran in to check-out. The boys asked if we could go look at the ship again so we went out to the beach and she was right there! coming into the channel! We could easily see the giant 71. Such a glorious and beautiful sight with the point of Point Loma right behind!
Now the rush was really on!
We arrived to the yellow barrier of the pier like I was told, to go to the "new parent" parking and was pointed in the direction that I was supposed to go. When I arrived at the parking lot however, I was told that it was full and I would have to go to the next closest one to try to park a few buildings away...so much for a dedicated parking spot like I had been told. If I had realized that was even a possobility of happening, we would have left the hotel much earlier. Lesson learned. If an officer tells you that something will definitely be a certain way for a homecoming, don't believe them. What they say is supposed to happen may be what is supposed to happen but that doesn't mean that the enlisted guys who are having to deal with the hoards of civilians coming onto base are going to follow through with the chaos.
Needless to say there were a lot of tears and cussing as I made my way to the literal farthest lot to park knowing I was going to have to hike all the way back pushing a stroller and pulling a wagon with four kids and my bad hip. They tried telling me that there was a bus to shuttle people but guess what? Strollers and wagons don't fit.
As I started huffing it towards the piers, we could see the TR already being backed up to the pier. Cue even more freaking out that we're going to miss it and more speed on my part.
This is where two other women who were also rushing to get to the pier saw me and offered to help me get over there. I gladly accepted their offer and I pushed Elijah and they took turns pulling the other three in the wagon (I offered them the stroller but they said they would do the heavier load for me). We chatted together as we made our way over.
Once we got over to the pier, we seperated. Everyone waits off the pier for their loved ones. There were food trucks, the Navy Band, a jump house, games, and booths to help with the waiting. Basically, it was one giant party.
I asked some sailors where the parents with new babies were supposed to wait and they told me I needed to go onto the pier.
We got ourselves situated on the pier in the designated waiting location along with other "VIP's" and a couple of moms with new babies. Surprisingly there weren't very many of us with new babies and all the rest were "VIP's". I stood near three other moms with children all around the same ages as my older three. The kids played together with the games we brought and one of the moms had brought sensory bins (the kids loved it but one of the CMC's totally almost ate it...she had a spectacular save after her feet flew out from under her on the spilled black beans and corn kernels). We got pushed back a bit once the crane came to place the brow in place and then all of us moms seriously joined ranks to keep all of our young children from going to where we weren't supposed to go.
Rosie did not stop trying to get past the little chain line showing us how close we could get and had to be grabbed by multiple parrents, sailors, and one very kind MP before she got over to the crane truck and other heavy equipment.
Finally they started coming off and Matt was right behind the "first kiss", "first hug", and "first high-five"!
The boys took off for him and I started running myself while holding Elijah and then I had to stop and turn around as I realized I had put Rosie in the wagon to contain her and she was still there as the rest of us left her. Whoops! Our friend from church who came to take pictures for us scooped her out and off we ran again for Matt who was already hugging the boys. We all ended up on our knees for our reunion since that had us all at eye-level with the kids.
It was such a sweet moment as we were finally all together again and I put Elijah into Matt's arms for them to meet and see each other for the first time. There was some awkwardness as a lady with a big camera put the lense right next to my face but Matt was back and that's what mattered the most to me.
We got some pictures together and started our hike back to the van.
As is tradition, we stopped at Sombrerro's on the way home to pick up some lunch and drove onto our street where every tree and electrical pole had a yellow ribbon tied around it, our house had banners and signs and the sidewalk had chalk messages written on it for him.
We were home, and we were finally together.
A perfect and joyful day!
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