DALLAS IS HOME !

The kids and I arrived at Ft. Meade yesterday where we met several other families. We were then driven on a bus to the airport to meet our returning Soldiers. Of course the plane was 23 minutes late!

So we waited and waited and waited and....

The kids kept themselves busy:

Tru wanted to buy Daddy some flowers.



Lin-Ley and her new friend Emma held long telephone conversations.








Tru really tried to get Daddy some money! This kept him busy for about 10 minutes.


















Finally we saw all of the Soldiers coming through the security check point. All of the families (there were over 30 people there) started yelled and the kids started running toward them. Lin-Ley ran right through security to her Daddy. Tru and I eventually got a hug and kiss. As far as Lin-Ley was concerned that moment (and the remainder of the day) was all about her and her daddy. That's fine!

I had two choices - enjoy the moment or worry about taking photos. So here are the only photos I have:

We made our way to baggage claim. The Soldiers' bags had already been collected and put in the luggage trailer provided by Ft. Meade.

If you are wondering where Tru is - he spent the rest of the day chasing these balloons.

He did give Dallas a kiss and then went on his merry way.












Back on the bus.

Lin-Ley was all over Dallas so Tru and I just talked amongst ourselves. The bus had a police escort to and from the airport so Tru was concentrating on the police car and it's flashing lights.














When we arrived back at Ft. Meade there were other soldiers there holding up "Welcome Home" banners and cheering as the bus pulled in. There were many more military and civilian friends inside where they had a short ceremony. As the Commander's wife I had a seat reserved on the front row. That was a challenge! Tru just wanted to chase his balloon around and eat the potato chips he spotted in the back of the room. I did everything I could to keep him in my lap. He babbled throughout the ceremony, kicked the man next to us constantly, somehow threw yogurt raisins on the floor right at the Soldiers' feet, and kept saying, "chip, chip, chip now!".

Dallas gives his troops a few last orders as their Commander.













After the short ceremony there was cake, sandwiches, chips, etc. If we were ever missing our kids we just looked toward the chips and there they were.

It was a happy day. Everyone there was smiling. Between the balloons and the potato chips our kids had a ball there.
I met many people I had only heard about and several of the other wives and I had some bonding time as we waited for the plane to arrive.

Once we finally made it home Dallas took a stroll around the house checking out the new windows and the yard. He took a look at the flower beds around the front porch and said, "So... did you do any weeding while I was gone?" I just looked at him... and he looked at me... and we both smiled. Enough said.

A GOOD DAY!

This morning Tru sat on the floor of Lin-Ley's room next to Dallas. He looked up at me and said, "I like-a Daddy."