A Reason to Smile

Daddy left on Sunday. It has been such a crazy roller coaster the last few weeks that I can hardly keep it straight in my own mind. We loaded all our stuff, we moved half way across the country, got settled into the BJ's parents home, BJ left for 2 weeks training in New Jersey. While he was at training the date for his departure changed about a dozen time, then finally on Wednesday afternoon he was told that he could leave NJ right after graduation on May 26 (one day early) but that he would be leaving for Iraq on the 30th. After quite an ordeal getting him home Thursday night (Sophie ended up being up till 1 am), he got a call Friday morning letting him know that once again things had changed and now he would be leaving Sunday the 29th, grrrrr.

So Saturday night we drove with BJ's parents to Chicago stayed over night and put him on a plane around 9 am. Of course the 365 day deployment didn't start till he landed in Kuwait the next day.

Lets face it there is nothing good about a deployment. I love my husband, and I actually really like him too. We are good together and now with Sophie we are even better. But the reality is BJ is in the Air Force and deployments are part of the deal. We have chosen not to complain (too much) but to try to focus on the blessings. So here's a short list of what we are thankful for...

-it's only 365 days. Without permission from the Sec Def (or congress or someone one super important and unlikely to give it) troops cannot be in country for more then 365 days.

-we were given 3 months warning. We actually know one family who got 2 weeks and another guy who got 48 hours! We had time to enjoy each other, plan what we were gonna do and BJ was around to help get Sophie and I settled.

-Facebook! Thanks to FB, BJ has already been able to send me messages, let me know he's okay and where he is. It will also be great for him to see pictures of Sophie and I and what all we are up to.

-Skype!!! Seriously it is awesome to be able to see his face and it is so good for Sophie. Being able to see and talk to daddy will keep him present in her life and keep their bond strong. Once he is settled in Baghdad, he can get Internet in his trailer and we will be able to Skype more often, but even now he can go to an "Internet cafe" on base and he and 1000 of his new closest friends can skype with their families.

-Family. Sophie and I are completely surrounded by family and its awesome. We are living downstairs from BJ's parents, mine are in town, and all our siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins are within a few miles. That might sound a little scary but the truth is its wonderful, and we are so excited that Sophie will get to know her family and they get to get to know her. Without this deployment our family would only see her about every 6 months until BJ retired, know they can see her all the time.

-That though we might now understand all the "whys" at this moment we know that this too is part of God's plan. We waited (and struggled) for 13 years to have a family and Sophie is more then we could ever had imagined, worth every moment. She is a constant reminder that God is good and He always overwhelmingly blesses the faithful. So we are choosing to be faithful.

- Finally Sophie! She's the best blessing and though it is so hard for BJ to be away from her, its impossible to not smile when she's around even if its via skype. She will give us both reasons to be joyful over the year.

Of course we are so appreciative of your continued prayers : )