Remembering Where I Came From

Let's just call this what it was...a really tough day. It was Saturday morning, and I had hardly slept the night before. Three days earlier, I had confirmed that I was indeed deploying. I had just said goodbye to Rob and I was waiting in the line to have my passport checked at Frankfurt to take off on my amazing journey...but at the time, this journey didn't feel amazing at all.

Actually, I'm crying just sitting here looking at the picture (taken with an iPhone, so it's low tech). You can't see the tears in my eyes (thankfully) but it was impossibly hard to look up at Rob going up the escalator knowing that I wouldn't see him in person again for nine months. Yick. Even more terrible to be crying while wearing a uniform.

I guess the silver lining there was knowing that other families had a much more difficult challenge with kids and houses and bills...by comparison, my departure was relatively simple. Except, since you know me, you know I am awful at saying goodbye.

I'm still here in Louisiana and still loving every minute of it, but pictures like this one put me right back in my place. Yesterday I went out for a 5 mile run, followed by an 8 mile walk, followed by an afternoon in the sun just relaxing. Today I feel like someone stepped on me. But that still feels better than the memories of saying goodbye.

There are pictures of this new place called home, and I'll try to get my act together later and tell a few more stories and post some pictures of our luxurious Army-provided accomodations.