As if you didn't know, Thursday was the happiest day of my life (in the last 6 months). Hehe. Jason, Rieley and I were reunited after what seemed to be the longest deployment ever. It was our second, but the hardest of the 2 even though the first time was during my pregnancy with Rie Rie. On the other hand, it was very nice to have company going through the long haul with me. : ) It was a very sweet homecoming, but it took a lot of work. I joke with J that it was like our wedding all over again. Haha. I will disclose the details (now that I can) from the top.
Jason left in June for his deployment across Asia. It was a tearful goodbye and I wasn't sure how Rieley and I would manage through it all, but we did. By now, we're quite sick of each other and are vying for Jason's attention, but nonetheless, we made it to this point together. Rieley really started to miss her daddy toward the end, but the move and preparations we participated in aided in both occupying her and getting her excited and ready for the sub's return. The preparations included planning for the wives' final fling together, making goodie bags for all of the single sailors, and putting up a cup sign in the fence across the main gate of Pearl Harbor Navy Base with the other wives involved in the FRG (Family Readiness Group). Aside from that, Rieley and I had some preparations of our own that included making a Welcome Home banner to hang on the garage, putting up Christmas lights and decorations, and getting ourselves all done up with the perfect outfit, hair, makeup and nails to sum up a long list. LOL. On the day of, we had a lot of running around to do, but got it done in time to meet an Arizona memorial boat we borrowed at a pier around 2:15pm to sail out toward the entrance of the harbor where the submarine would pause for a bit and pick up a giant lei that we wives put together and place it precisely on the sail. We raced the sub back toward the piers where we got off and stood waiting for the boat to tie up and for the men to depart. The marine band played while rows of sailors dressed in their dress whites stood at attention waiting to welcome the Key West back to its home port. The first men in white off the boat included a good friend of ours, Ron Arroyo, and sailor Roman as they won the First Kiss and First Hug contests. The Captain, XO, COB, and Ombudsmen's husband followed. Slowly but surely the rest of the sailors made their way into the arms of their very antsy wives and families. Jason was a part of a latter group that came off after taking care of some last minute tasks, but he did indeed come off the boat with a bouquet of red roses for me. I sent Rieley into Jason's arms to lei him with the lei she picked out. She gave Daddy a shy hug and as soon as the path was clear I, myself, lei'd Jason and jumped into his arms and planted a big ol' smooch on him!!! The world was right again!!!!
We hung out for a little bit on the pier and Rieley was no longer shy in about 2 minutes time!! Her daddy was back! Woohoo! She didn't wait very long before asking him to take her to the choo choo train at the Navy Exchange! Little does he know it's not going to be a one time deal. She also asked him to take her to see Santa and he's the one that's supposed to sit on the big red dude's lap. By the time he needed to head back to the boat to do some last minute work before we headed home, she was already rolling her eyes at him. They pulled in around 4 and we left at nearly 6pm. We drove Jason back to our new home and on the way Rieley tried to spill the beans of what surprises we had ahead for him. We stood him in front of the garage where he would see the Welcome sign we made as I turned on the outside Christmas lights. Then, he got the grand tour of the house and he took Rieley to take a shower as I made him a steak dinner with coconut shrimp. For the rest of the night, we exchanged gifts (souveniers from his visits and my shopping trips), relaxed a LITTLE bit and played a not-so-fun-for-the-parents game of putting Rieley to bed! She was quite jealous that there was 2 of us and 1 of her. Haha. All that preparation for a very short, but momentous, period of time.
Since then, we have already completed almost everything on Rieley's list of things to do when Daddy got back - on Saturday, we took Rieley to the NEX and she did indeed get her ride on the choo choo train and we got a family picture with Santa. She asked that we all go together and she sat on Daddy's lap rather than St. Nick's, but after he gave her a mini candy cane, she was ready to give the big guy a hug and tell him, "Merry Christmas." On Sunday, we went to see the Princess and the Frog. Rieley had been waiting weeks for her daddy to take her, but unfortunately she fell asleep halfway through. At least she got to see how it started and ended and most of all, she got to see all the parts the princess was on the screen. : ) Don't worry, we'll rent it, if not buy it, when it comes out on DVD. Hehe. Jason felt so bad that she wanted to see it so bad and didn't even get to see the whole thing. It still doesn't seem real that he's home. Rieley and I are attached to Jason 24/7...except on duty days, but if I had the choice, I would be. Hehe.
That was that in a New York minute. I hope you got a little bit of a feel for what went on in the last week and especially yesterday, but I'm sure it's a you-had-to-be-there moment. Enjoy the pictures nonetheless because we will treasure them forever!!!
XO,
the Elkins (together again!)
*Sidenote: Jason, we are so very proud of what you do to serve our country. You are so good at what you do and I am so glad that you got the recognition you deserve during your time at sea! You absolutely made us proud with your NAM award, Blue Jacket of the Quarter award, and your promotion to First Class!!! We love you so very much and cannot be happier to have you home! Now, please don't leave us anymore?!
P.S. There are some Halloween pictures attached at the bottom!
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