MISSION COMPLETE -- OUR HERO IS HOME!

After 14 long months, our wait is over! Buck's mission is complete; our hero is home!

He arrived Wednesday, the 27th of May, one day before our 5th anniversary! I couldn't have had a better anniversary gift than to have the man I love more than anyone else in the world, my best friend home with us, where he belongs.

The welcome home ceremony was supposed to be inside, at the Hall of Champions gym, but for some reason, when we arrived, we found out it was being held outside! Wednesday, was no day for outside ceremonies. It was so cold! The high was around 55 degrees and there were some major cold winds blowing! I know...it's May...but this is Germany and apparently it's always cold and windy here. I wore a strapless top because (I thought) we were going inside and I could brave the cold parking lot to look cute when I got in the warm gym. Instead, me, Brady and my friend Monica, who took most of these wonderful pictures, waited in the car with the heater on until the last minute!

When we finally got to the field the guys were standing about 100 yards away on the other side of the fence. We spotted Buck early, (which isn't so hard to do when the guy you're looking for is a head taller than anyone else there) and then, nothing else mattered. I didn't care that I was shivering and chilled to the bone. I didn't care that my hair was blowing wildly all over my head and in my face. I didn't care that my tears were streaking the mascara I had so carefully applied. I didn't care that anyone else was on the planet! My HUSBAND, Brady's FATHER, our HERO was home!!

We watched as the gate opened and those brave men marched onto that field and I thought that I would burst with pride! To be honest, I don't remember anything about the ceremony except that it felt like an eternity before we heard the word we were all waiting for..."DISMISSED!". With that, Brady and I took off running across the field and fell into the arms of our hero. I sobbed and Brady just had this bewildered look on his precious little face. It didn't take him long to warm up to his daddy though, and by an hour after we got home, they were best buddies!

That day, those first moments we had together as a family, will be forever etched in my memory. Not a day will go by that I won't say a prayer of thanksgiving that God brought us together again. More than ever I realize that He is faithful to his promises and that His word is true. He has given me so many moments to cherish and to be thankful for, but this one was one of the greatest. "Your LOVE O, Lord reaches to the heavens; your FAITHFULNESS stretches to the skies..."

Father, I thank you that you are a God of your word. Thank you for being faithful and true. Thank you for covering us with your divine protection, for arming us with your mighty strength and for wrapping us in your holy love. Today, I celebrate that you brought your son, my beloved and Brady's father home. To God be the glory!



We decorated our little part of the stairwell to welcome home our hero!

Before we left for the ceremony, Brady wanted to practice waving his flag for Daddy...

And then, he was ready to go!

We waited in the Jeep with the heater on.

And in they marched!

We spotted Daddy!

Waiting out the ceremony.

Finally...our next chapter begins!!

When we got home, we let Brady play with the balloons...

He was thrilled to finally get his chubby little hands on one...he had been begging me for one all day!

Showing Daddy some love!

The perfect ending, to the perfect day!

*On a side note...I want to thank you, Monica for the wonderful pictures! You made these precious memories possible to share with our family and friends and for us to enjoy for years to come! (Monica left her husband, who had come home only days before, on her anniversary, to be there for us! She's a better friend than most, and a better friend than I would have been!) Love ya' girl!