If memory serves me correctly I got back to my wife and child on the 6th of October, or maybe it was the 3rd? Either way early October. It was pretty startling to see how much Ellie had changed since I left. Sure I saw her at least once a week via Facetime but those shaky, frozen images didn't really do her justice. But of course as I got off the bus and made my way through the crowd to my family I excitedly threw my arms around Christina and inadvertently smacked Ellie in the face. Thus her first contact with her father in 5 months left her in tears. After that mishap my mother laughed at me when she saw me holding our then 7 month old as one would hold a newborn, all wrapped up and close. I clearly had some adjusting to make. Which I did soon enough and now I toss her around and have her laughing far more often than crying. Seeing Oliver again for the first time was quite memorable as well, he went pretty nutty with excitement.
It did take some real adjustment the first few weeks back. Sleep didn't come easy and after working 7 days a week at an average of 11 to 12 hours a day for 5 months straight, I was left pretty fidgety. Christina said she's never seen me unpack so quickly. But going north to New Jersey soon after getting back helped immensely. Just being able to put on a pair of jeans and go run errands around town does wonders to help one feel like a normal human being again.
Those few weeks spent at home also held a few memorable events, which I believe most of you reading this were a part of. The two big ones of course being a wedding and a baptism. Both were fantastic times, and provided me great opportunities to just see everybody again. Oh and escaping to Bermuda for a few days wasn't to shabby either. When Christina and I were discussing where we wanted to go once I made it home I told her I am never going to want to see another grain of sand again, but I relented and I'm glad I did. And as you can imagine my mother and father were just miserable having to watch Ellie while we were gone. Honestly I think they were sad to see us get back, they'd have to share her again.
Since we got back to North Carolina things have gotten back to normal. I work by day as Christina keeps Ellie alive and the house running relatively smoothly. I come home, we eat dinner, watch some TV, Ellie goes through her bedtime routine and then we go through ours. Routine is good.
The holidays came and went. It was our first time not traveling north to our original homes. I feel lucky that this was the first time, it easily could have been the third. My mother was upset that we weren't around but I reminded her that I may not be in New Jersey but I'm still home. I know enough men who were stuck over in that hellhole for the holidays. So I counted my blessings.
That brings us to about now. Christina is trying to fix our Blu-ray player remote, to little avail, as an endless stream of insanity inducing children's songs emanate out of Ellie's play area and I sit on the couch, wrapped in the robe I haven't taken off since I opened the box on Christmas eve, typing this post. Life is good and I still feel grateful to be home. I plan on never letting that gratitude be forgotten. But before I close this out I have to make mention of how amazing my wife is (and yes i wrote that sentence on my own accord). She kept hopeful and strong while successfully navigating the rigors of raising a new born while her husband was in a war zone. She is the glue that holds this family together. When people come up to me and praise me for what I've done I shirk it off and think I have done nothing in comparison to what Christina has.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
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