The Path to Re-Deployment

Events from November and December 2020

Josh's replacement arrived in Manda Bay mid November so that meant that he would be able to return home BEFORE Christmas.  This seemed too good to be true, especially since mentally, I had been gearing up for a March return. Everything had been so rocky for his arrival there, I just expected the same on the way back to the US.  For weeks, I still refused to believe he might be coming home while he worked on getting the paperwork from Germany and his flights booked.  I did not want to think or say anything because then I would feel devastated.  I lied to everyone who asked if I had a date of his return as January was approaching.  I lied to the kids, family members, neighbors.  I started to worry that I would be caught in my web of lies!

For this same reason, we did not tell the kids until we knew that Josh was on the way.  Even this was problematic because days before his first flight, the internet in Manda Bay went out.  I was not sure what was going on with Josh's travel.  He sent an email to the kids the day he left Manda Bay and arrived in Djibouti.  The kids all screamed and jumped off the couch as I read Josh's email to them. 

By this point, I only had a few days to prepare for Josh's return and the excitement was infectious.  The kids and I each made posters (cheap), I ordered clever shirts for each of us (moderately priced x4), and I had a banner made (not cheap).  Oh well, your husband only comes home from Deployment during COVID once right?   I swore the kids to secrecy amongst our family members.  We still felt we had to keep the news hush hush.

Bub's shirt did not come in time.  Pictures of his shirt later.

The only thing left to do was wait.  For two days it was radio silence because Josh was somewhere between no internet in Djibouti and Baltimore.   And then it arrived, meet Josh at the OKC airport day!

Waiting for Josh to deplane.

The kids rushed him as soon as they could

Our Daddy's girl was so happy!

The masks can come off for a reunion outside

The banner was waiting at home to welcome Josh

And a treasured doggie was waiting at home too.

As well as Bub's shirt!

We are back to being a family of five.  My language of "I" can change back to "We." It was like a Christmas miracle, Josh arriving nine days before Christmas.  What a blessing.

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! 10 Tips to Surviving Deployment