It's been a long couple of days here. I started my new job at the daycare. It's just part time, whenever they need me, but it will give me something to do since there's no school right now. They have the cutest kids. There is one with down syndrome, he's 2 years old and he has little glasses that he hate to wear. We kept finding one of the other little boys wearing them instead. It was so cute and funny. Saturday my sister asked me if I would babysit her friend's baby for the night. I've known her friend from the time she was born, she's only 15 and she had a baby last year. Her mom and dad divorced a couple years ago, and they both pretty much just tossed her out on her own. She lives with her dad, but it seems like every other day she's being thrown out of his house. She's not allowed at her mom's anymore, and I feel really badly for her and the baby. I would love to just take the baby and adopt her, but of course I can't do that. So, I agreed to watch her for the night. She is such a wonderful baby. She'll be one next month, and she's very active, but she was such a joy to watch. I just love her to death. Her mom had her dressed in an outfit that was way too small for her when we picked her up so my sister and I went and bought her a new outfit and a pair of shoes, she's so adorable. I know that her mom does the best she can for being 15, but I still think that her parents (the baby's grandparents) need to be kicked in the butt for not making sure they are both taken care of.

I'm trying to find a place back up in Kansas. I've been calling and emailing people, but so far haven't found what I'm looking for. I want a place that has a washer/dryer (or at least the hookups) and allows pets. Those are really the only two things that I want, but it seems like an impossibility around those parts. I can find all kinds of one but not the other. So my search continues. I hope to find one before August, when all the college students start coming back. I'm not a big fan of moving and I'm beginning to wonder why in the world I even came down here to begin with. Not just because I don't like moving, but for several reasons.

Having Eric away again is harder this time than it was the first. On the one hand it seems like he's been gone forever, on the other it's like the days have been dragging since he left. Man, I hope the rest of the time doesn't go by like this.

I pray that everyone takes some time to remember the troops that have sacrificed everything to give us the freedoms that we enjoy today. It's not about the long weekend or the cookouts. It's about the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us and everything that we take for granted each and every day. I wish everyone would understand that our men and women do this for us, and not take advantage of the fact that we are free because of them. God Bless the troops and their families!

Eric left yesterday. My mom and sister went with me to take him to the airport. My mom didn't want me to drive by myself all the way home. It was a lot worse this time then it was the first time. Watching him walk onto the plane, it felt like my heart was being ripped out. I was trying to be strong for him, but I couldn't hold back my tears. I am grateful that the airport let me go down to the gate to tell him goodbye. We got to spend the last hour and a half alone, and that was really nice. It passed by way too quickly, just like the other 15 days had. I woke up and rolled over in bed expecting him to be there, but quickly realized that I was wrong.

It was so wonderful having him home with me. Having him in bed next to me each night, and each morning. We had so much fun while he was here. The theme to his R&R was, "Crap, I forgot my camera!" We got tons of pictures when I did remember the camera, but it seemed like everywhere we went I was forgetting the camera. I forgot it at the zoo, the Omniplex, the River Walk, and in the car at airport yesterday. Thankfully my mom and sister ran down to the car to get it for me. The first three nights, when we were alone, were so amazing. We went to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill. It was so good! We went and watched, "Failure to Launch," and "RV". Both good movies. We walked down the River Walk in downtown OKC, it's so beautiful there. We went to the Omniplex and watched a movie at the Imax Theater. It's a huge room, and the screen goes from floor, all the way up onto the ceiling, and it stretches all across the room. It's huge. The film we watched was about Greece. Then we went to the zoo. I hadn't been for so long, and it was really neat.

After our time together alone was over, we went to meet his mom. The surprise went off so smoothly. I had her meet me at a restaurant, I told her I had a dentist appt up there that day. So, his mom and sister and his sister's friend came to meet me. Eric hid behind a pillar by the door. I called and told his mom that I was in Eric's pickup because my jeep had a flat tire (ironically my jeep did have a flat tire that day). So when she got there we walked up to the door, and before we went in I told her that I told Eric I would get a picture of them for him. So, I got my camera out (yes, I remembered it that time), and got it ready and then Eric came over and stepped into it. When his mom realized it was him she instantly started crying. She said "That's the best Mother's Day present ever!" YAY!!! It was so wonderful. I think that this picture is priceless.

So, after we stayed with his mom a few days we came down to my parent's house and they had my birthday party for me. I actually got two, one up there and one down here. We went to Mt. Scott, and did a little hiking. It is so beautiful up there! We had a blast just being together. Eric said that it was the best 15 days of his life, I agree. We did everything that we wanted to do, plus some. We even went out on the lake in a canoe. That was the first time I had ever done that, and it was a lot of fun. I did forget though, that you don't stay out in Oklahoma sun for very long without some sort of sunscreen. That's ok, it was totally worth it!

I am so thankful for the time that we had together, but wish that it wasn't over. I hope that the next part of this deployment goes by a lot quicker than the first part does, but somehow I doubt it does. It's lonely without him here, and I want nothing more than to be able to go to sleep and wake up with him here again. Sorry this post was so long. I'll put up pictures of our time together in a little bit.

Eric made it home safely. We have been having a blast together. He came in on Sunday afternoon, a whole day sooner than we expected him to get here. It has been wonderful. The plane was delayed, but I was able to go down to the gate to get him. It was so great to see his face as he walked out of the gate. He said they even bumped him, and the other six soldiers, up to first class. It's been so great having him home. I'll update more after he's gone. I put up a new picture of us on my profile, but I'll be putting up more next time. I really hope the rest of these days go by a lot slower then they have been.

Today is my dad's birthday, he's turning 49, but whining all the way (just like he does every year). He told my mom that he's getting old, so she might as well start to puree his food for him from now on. So, we decided to go with his idea. I bought him some metamucil (since older people need to be regular), my sister bought him a bib that says "Whine and Dine", and some baby food to make it easier for him to eat, and my mom got him a depends. I can't wait to see his face when he opens that.

Today has been a long day. I didn't sleep well at all last night. I didn't fall asleep until around 1:30 a.m, woke up at 4, stayed up until 6 and then slept until 9. I hope that the time speeds up some, it sure couldn't get any slower. I am super excited though. Eric will be here very soon, and I won't be on here until we get back from our time together. It's so close, and I feel like I have a million things to accomplish, I think I need a nap.

Well, we both finished our school work yesterday. So, we're completely done, and now we're just waiting for time to pass. I'll see him very very soon! I'm excited, but also so nervous. It's scary to think that we haven't seen each other for six months. I know that our love for one another has done nothing but get stronger since he's been gone, but I am still wondering how it will all play out. Will it be like he never left? He's seen pictures of me since he's been gone, I send them to him all the time, but I've lost 38 pounds since he left. Will he like the way I look? Will it be weird to be in his arms again? I know it's going to be alright, and he's assured me that everything will be fine, but the thoughts just keep running through my mind.

My dad's birthday is Saturday. Eric found a set of DVD's of The Rockford Files, the first season. He knows that dad loves that show, so he bought it for him and sent it for his birthday. I thought that was so sweet. I already gave it to dad, he was thrilled. In the box that he sent that gift in, he also sent home a few of his clothes that he had over there. He sent home a couple shirts that he wants me to pack to bring up to pick him up. They still smell like him, so I've been sleeping with them, I'm not quite ready to put them in the wash. My sister seen them laying on my pillow and said, "Are you missing him so bad that you're sleeping with his clothes?" Of course I am! I just wish time would work with me a little bit.

I found the music video for "My Girl", by The Temptations. I put it at the bottom of the page. My dad always played this song for me on his guitar when I was little, and we played it at our wedding as the bridesmaids walked down the isle, while me and my dad stood in the back waiting on the wedding song. Such wonderful memories!