Complete

So, I've been a little distracted lately.  In a good way.  I'm so grateful our family is complete again.

Clay came home Thursday, August 4th.  He was originally supposed to be in on Wednesday.  I didn't tell the younger 5 kids when he was coming until we got the "wheels up" phone call to let us know he had left Kuwait.  I'm glad I waited.  They sure had a hard time going to sleep Wednesday night.  I'm sure part of it was my wanting them to go to bed as well so I could get some things done before Clay got home.

Thursday morning at 3 am, I got a phone call.

From Maine.

It was him.  Calling to let me know, he was back in the states.  :)

I don't mind those kind of phone calls at 3 am.  It was so nice to be able to talk to him again on the phone.

The kids and I got up and headed to post where we picked up the photographer from OpLove who photographed our reuniting.  I'll post pictures from her later when I get them.  I just knew that I didn't want to be fumbling with a camera and 6 kids too.

His ceremony finally began about 9:45 am (about 15 long minutes late).  His group ran in through the smoke and formed up.  When they were released, it was a mad rush to go find him.  He couldn't find us and we couldn't find him at first.  Luckily, after a few moments, we were able to find each other.  Christina actually spotted him first.  It was so good to be in his arms again.

A month or so into the deployment, Clay ordered some necklaces for us which we wore every day while we were apart.

They finally got to be reunited again too.

 Excuse the blurry photo, but I love the joy on Clay's face.  Ethan did great going right to Daddy.  We both were a little concerned about it but he remembered Dad and hasn't stopped calling for Dad since he got home.  (Which of course, makes us all happy.)

 These two won't leave Dad alone.  Samantha had a hard time the first day Clay had to go back to work.  I think she's afraid he's going to leave again.