2010: A Year of Changes

2010 was a year of big changes.  My husband Robbie joined the MN National Guard!

A year ago, April 14th, was one of the hardest days of my life. The kids and I said goodbye to Robbie as he left for Army Basic Combat Training. He would be gone for 5 months for basic training and AIT (job training). Even though we spent a lot of time discussing this huge decision, I really couldn't for see how hard it would be to say goodbye. Especially how hard it would be for Eli, he cried so hard for a long time. It was a really rough couple of days adjusting.

And then we got an offer on the house and I packed up and moved while he was at basic training. Thankfully I had some help from family and friends. I know basic training is hard, really hard, but moving on my own... that was hard too in addition to my busy season of weddings and portrait photography.

Pictures of our charming old home. Our first home where our sweet lil family started... I especially miss the kids' room. My brother, Jeremy, painted it beautifully in outdoor wall murals.




We counted down the days with a paper chain for the last month basic training.  Surviving 10 weeks of basic was hard.  Robbie was in a really tough company and only got to call home 4-5 times once training started and the phone calls where super short! 

We flew out to Fort Jackson in SC for BCT Graduation.  We were so excited to finally see Robbie!  The kids did great.  Due to weather our first flight was slightly delayed and we had to run through the airport to try to catch the connecting flight, we made it barely.  Flying home was much worse, won't fly alone again with the kids for a few years unless I have to. 

A tired little man on the night before, very excited to see his Daddy.  Last wake up!!!

Robbie's mom came too.  We are anxiously waiting to see Robbie.  At 8am it was already ridiculously hot and humid, it was over 100 the days we were in SC and VA.

 

 

A very exciting entrance

 

The soldiers had to stand at attention until they were found by their family.  It was really hard to find him!  He was in the middle back.  When I found him it was hard to be sure it was him from his profile.  When I shouted his name I honestly wasn't sure it was him, thankfully it was!!!

Thanks to facebook I got to know other wives of soldiers in Robbie's platoon.  It was so great to be able to make new friends going through the same challenges.  This is a friend's daughter looking at her Daddy while the guys lined up for a group shot, adorable!

 

Words can't even express how proud I am!  It was so amazing to see our hero.  It was a very short time together but we all needed it.  After 2 days it was time to drop him off in Virginia for AIT (advanced individual training) at Fort Lee. Saying goodbye again was so hard. 

 

Going through the 5 months apart was hard but I realized that I can handle it.  If he deploys it might be harder because its longer but I won't have to go through selling a house and moving on my own.  After another 10 weeks of AIT we went to the airport to wait for Daddy to arrive. 

I was so emotional it was hard to get any good pictures, but I still love this one!
 

Very happy to be living in a new house (our old house was built in 1920's) with closets!!! One of them is filled with his army stuff!

Any military family will tell you what makes a soldier a hero is sacrifice.  Missing Lily talking, Eli riding a bike, hockey games, days at the park and birthdays...  Now I think often of two friends recently deployed to Afghanistan.  And of their families waiting for them to return home safely.

Let me know if you want to include anything in a care package, we will be sending lots.  Also for the wives and children of the soldiers...  I feel they don't receive nearly enough recognition for the amazing work they do during deployments.