The missing link....

Everyone else has had a heartfelt blog written about them by Mr. Kirby-I suppose it's time for his turn....

The Sunday drive to the airport was uneventful. The kids were tuned into Mighty Ducks in the back seat--I quietly hummed along with various tunes--traffic was moving along smoothly.

Turning onto the road to the airport, I started to image what the reunion would look like.
He'd come down the stairs and we'd be waiting for him and he'd see us and we'd all run to each other and hug just like in the movies........

Reality turned out to be me not turning into short term parking but going straight into baggage claim and having to maneuver my way through the multiple lanes of people just parking and waiting and figure out that I could get back to short term parking but I had to take the loopy-loop road back out and around the airport.  A text from Kirby telling me that he's landed---another text from Kirby asking me where we were.... Me texting him back telling him I goofed and we'll be there soon.  Another text stating he was waiting for us at baggage claim.  Me parking and having to use the restroom REALLY BAD once we got into the airport.  A phone call from Kirby asking where we were...me on the phone talking to him telling him that we were coming up the escalator and walking towards the baggage claim-Kirby saying he see's us and.....

The kids run to him, I follow a few steps behind and we hug this rugged, hairy, smiling, red bearded husband and father.   So-it was kinda like a movie scene...maybe a romantic comedy?

We were happy.

Then he tells us the story that he barely made his fight and was pretty sure his luggage/tote didn't make it on the flight.  So-we sit while he talks to the 'luggage' employee and learns that his luggage is somewhere still in Alaska. Oh well, we have the most important thing....

We introduced him to the truck, got him settled in the passenger seat and off we went.

I got on the interstate and started zipping in and out of traffic like the excellent drive that I am and looked over at Kirby to see why he stopped talking......

What I saw reminded me of that scene in Cast Away with Tom Hanks and he comes back to civilization and he sleeps on the floor cause he's not used to the 'comforts' of home.

Kirby was 'lightly' gripping the door handle and his knee.  I then realized that he hasn't been in a car or has driven at 75 miles an hour in 5+ months.

I asked him if he was okay and asked if the world was flying by really fast right now.

And that's how the 12 days of Kirby being home felt to me....it flew by really fast.

It was perfect. We relaxed, we laughed, we slept in, we ate out, we did everything, we did nothing.

The funniest part of him being home was having to actually sleep in the same bed as a human being. I've become quite accustomed to sleeping in the middle of the bed, or off to one side, or the other and using all the pillows I want. Heck-sometimes I even lay diagonal just because I can.

The dogs have rightfully taken over 'his' side of the bed and are enjoying their new privileges of not being told to get off the bed as soon as one of us walks into the bedroom.  Now that the hairy master had come back--they were a little grumpy about losing their prime sleeping quarters.

The face that I was accustomed to waking up to 5 months ago was not the same face I was used to waking up to now......Let's just say that on Monday I woke up to Chewbacca, Tuesday I woke up to Yukon Cornelius, Wednesday I woke up to Teen Wolf, Thursday was 'Who the heck is this hairy guy in my bed!' and by Friday I realized that I was no longer alone and would wake up next to Kirby.



Kirby has outlined the other details of his visit home so I won't continue on. Just know that I love my husband.  I'm still very, very proud of him.   I think he's amazing and feel blessed to know him like I do.  I'm grateful that he's the father to my children.  I'm thankful for small blessings.

(Even if we take family pictures without you...you are still in our hearts. LOL)