Day 1/2:

I didn’t expect the call to come while I was in the shower. The weeks of preparation for what I would wear, how I would do my hair, make-up, and especially the need to shave my legs were completely and utterly pointless. The call went like this:

“Honey, I will be landing in Nashville in about thirty minutes. Talk to you soon!”

My answer, "Holy Crap, I'm in the shower! Meet me at baggage claim!"

Well, if you live around here, you know that it takes about fifty minutes to get from post to the Nashville airport. I only had one leg shaved and conditioner in my hair as I heard his words on the other end of the phone. I threw on the closest available clothes (a very unattractive pair of spandex capris and Old Navy graphic tee). After the initial shock...wait, I never came out of shock. You know how I know? I made it to the airport in about thirty minutes. That has got to be a record for me. I am the grandma-type driver (no offense to grandma).

Racing through the parking garage that felt somewhat like a rollercoaster in my stomach after the rush of travel and now the swirling vortex of doom (only it went up instead of down). I parked the car at the nearest spot I could find and jumped out, and literally sprinted down to Delta baggage claim.

NO JIM. Where could he be? Finding the nearest man in ACU’s I frantically asked him if he was on the flight with another tall, dark-haired man with BUTCHER on his ACU name tag. As the polite soldier tried to calm me down by saying he thought so but wasn’t sure, it only made things worse. I TOLD JIM TO MEET ME AT BAGGAGE CLAIM. He was no where to be seen! Just leave it to us. Get lost in the airport and take a day to look for each other. That would be us.

Another few seconds go by...I scan the arrivals pick up area and my eyes stop on another man in ACU’s. Hushing the man in front of me, I ran towards that lone soldier and when our eyes met, I knew. He was mine.

There is no other feeling in the world than a loving man’s arms around you. With tears streaming down my face, exhausted from the run, and breathless from the sight of my husband, I could no longer hold the emotions of the six month absence in my body.

The sight of him...Oh how I cannot describe it. Words are no longer effective for love. My heart beats with a steady pulse for his next homecoming. Waiting to rush into his arms again; how I do miss him already again.