A lot of people have asked me what it is like/how it has been having Jeremy home for leave. I’ve mostly just said “awesome”, or “great” or something in that vicinity of verbiage. But really, it feels a bit like I breathed out for the first time in half a year. I can’t say that I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for the last six months, but now that he is home I just noticed I let out a deep breath. I feel relaxed, I’m sleeping better at night, stuff like that. It’s more than nice to have him home.

Jeremy was pretty tired for the first couple of days, but his body adjusted after day 2 or 3. We’ve talked A LOT. He has helped fill in the gaps for some questions I have had and that has been helpful as I try to wrap my head around what he is experiencing. As I mentioned, we have done a lot of talking and dreaming about the future and that has been super fun. I love that my best friend is my partner in life and that we get to journey through these places together. Life is so much better and more joyful when you get to share it with someone else.

I didn’t really make plans for us or this time that he would be home because I’ve heard that unmet expectations are the biggest “issue” when your spouse is on R&R. Instead, I just tossed a couple things out and we’ve planted them on the calendar as we’ve had time or motivation to do them. Jeremy has to head back VERY early the day after Christmas. We are not real thrilled about that mostly because the hour of his departure makes things kinda challenging with the kiddos. We did decide to celebrate Christmas about a week early. We thought it would be more fun if we had the chance to enjoy a week afterwords together so it didn’t feel so sudden for us or for Cooper and Chase. I believe we decided Monday or Tuesday will be our special Christmas day just for us!

I’m not really sure how I or the kids will feel once Jeremy goes again. I think it’ll be much the same as it was in July. My friend Carrie Shirkey gave me some great ideas when we met up in St. Louis to talk and visit with each other. Her hubby is a Chaplain and just deployed a few weeks ago. Jeremy and I have both tried to uplift and encourage each other that we are almost done with our respective roles in this um, “adventure”, and that has helped.

I think our prayer requests right now would be that the kids and I would get through the next 3 months pretty quick and that we would slide back into our little schedule we had before in a smooth manner. That Jeremy would continue to be safe and busy and that we would all continue to enjoy the frequent communication we’ve been able to have together. That communication has been a life line for me and the kiddos and has encouraged us and kept us connected.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and enjoy this time with your families! Much love from us,