Homecoming!!

O happy day, Sean's home!! I've been looking forward to this for seven long months. It was the best day. A perfect day. I didn't sleep very well the night before but really, who can blame me. It was like Christmas Eve, times 10. Anyway, I got to the pier and met up with my friend, Beth. She had two photographer friends there to take pictures. Thank goodness, I was worried about getting good pictures that day. There was a clown making balloon animals, a DJ for a festive atmosphere, and tons of free stuff (games, pompoms, flags, Beanie Babies, baseball caps, drinks, and snacks) William was acting really weird that morning. He didn't want to play with his friends. I don't know if he sensed something big about to happen, or if he didn't like the wind on the pier. He was very clingy. It was so exciting spotting the ship, sporting the giant lei that we made, as it rounded the pier and prepared to dock. Then we all crowded at the pier entrance and waited for our turn to meet our sailors. We had to wait for the new dads to see their babies born during deployment and the first kiss/first hug winners. I was so excited. I had butterflies in my stomach and sweaty palms. I couldn't stop smiling. We walked up to the quarterdeck of the ship and looked for Sean. There were lots of sailors hanging over the railing waving at their families. William waved back at them. Finally, the big moment arrived and we spotted Sean. What an amazing feeling it was to see him again. I couldn't stop laughing after hugging him. He was finally home, for real, holding my hand. William was a little shy at first but once we got home, he was smitten. He couldn't wait to show Sean ALL of his toys. He also loved being tossed up in the air and tickled until his face was beet red. Our family is whole again and we're loving every minute of it!

A special thank you to Linda Anderson for the photos. If you're in the Hampton Roads area, check her out for your next photo session. Linda Anderson Photography