Deployment Homecoming!

Wow! The last month really flew by. The weather warmed up so I could do more outside, took my last few Saturday girl’s trips, and I got in a deep cleaning mode. Needless to say, I finished cleaning and decorating the last room in the house only moments before I went to pick Jared up from the Memorial Gym!

I couldn’t believe that DEPLOYMENT was finally going to be over and that Jared was coming back home for good! I was soooo excited to have him come back home but also a LOT nervous for how our reunion would go. We have both had several briefings where we have been advised that it could take time readjusting to one another’s quirks and personalities again. Even though we had regular communication with one another during the last year and were on the same page with how money was to be spent/saved, which goals we were trying to accomplish, etc., we have been living two completely separate lives and missing out on everything in between. We have missed out on an entire year of each other’s lives--(living together, eating together, making decisions together, the daily chit chats, etc. Would our reunion be EVERYTHING that we had hoped? 

First, waiting at the Memorial Gym for the soldiers to arrive!  Yes, the nervous jitters were there!

This is the quilt square that we submitted for Jared!

Me and my friend Merideth Marano

Second, the smoke and soldiers entering the building!

Third, waiting for the National Anthem to finish playing!

Finally, running to MY man!

Wiping away his tears!

Jared, me, and my batle buddies!

I must thank my friend, Dana, for coming to take these photos for me.  We will cherish these happy moments forever!

Tammy

Deployment Gift

To welcome Jared home, I decided to send him on a SMALL scavenger hunt.  At each point, I provided him with a little taste of home.  All of the clues had to do with our lives together.  I gave him the first clue as he left the Memorial Gym.  Below, are the clues along with what he received at each stopping point: 

1. Welcome home Jared!  I've missed you so much.  I just want to welcome you home with a few of your favorite tastes of home.  First, go to the place where we had our first kiss (the car).  
2. Now go the place where we first called home (our home).
3. Doing good! You'll find you're first treat where you do most of your cooking (the grill).
4. Very good.  Now go to the place that flooded after your first shower in your home (the ceiling in the living room).
5. Aren't you glad it's now still dripping on us! lol  You're next refreshing treat will be found where you keep things cold (the firdge).
6. Enjoy the Dew.  You're almost done. The next clue is found near the place where you first asked me to be your wife (A picture that relates to the Twin Falls temple). 
7. I hope you've enjoyed this small walk down memory lane.  Your final gift will be found where you lay your head at night next to your wife (this is where I decorated our bed with little chocolates, gummy bears,  Happy Hippos, and the blanket).

As many of you know, I made Jared a welcome home quilt.  Several family and friends were given a quilting block to decorate and return back to me so I could incorporate them all into a quilt.  Originally, I was going to have the quilt be ARMY themed since that has been his LIFE.  But I decided that I wanted to personalize it to something that I know he LOVES, the Chicago Bears.  This is how it turned out.

A special thanks goes out to all the family and friends for helping me accomplish this quilt!


Tammy