He's Home!!!

My ship has come in so to say. Brandon is now home, and I couldn't be happier about it. Here are a few pictures from the first time we got to see each other. And of course a picture of the beautiful ship. :)

Brandon's deployment got extended somewhere in the middle and he ended up being gone longer than was expected. It was a long while for both of us to be away from each other. But we are so thankful that he is home now.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Jackson and I got Brandon a gift for his homecoming. I had it set on the kitchen table so it would be the first thing that he saw when he walked in our front door. I unlocked the door and pulled it back so that Brandon could go in ahead of me. And then I stood behind him ready to try my best at jumping up and down with excitement. There on the kitchen table was a PlayStation 3 and a wireless controller. Brandon has wanted one for a long time, and we haven't been able to find them anywhere. It will go perfect with our new big flat screen TV. I am already working on our blue ray disk collection for the PlayStation. We could find one nowhere in Japan and Bran has been pretty bummed about it. I had made a little sign and taped it to the box that said "Welcome Home Daddy". The first thing he saw was the sign. He didn't even realize it was taped to a PlayStation. I stood silently behind him until I knew that it had registered in his mind. Finally he said, "Oh Wow a Play Station". Then I hugged him and we laughed about it. He was so surprised that I could pull it off without telling him or letting it slip. I tend to get overly excited about gifts and I can never hold in the surprise. I did it this time though. And Brandon said it was the best surprise I'd ever given him.

He also got me a few surprises while he was away. A beautiful new Coach wallet that matches the Coach purse he got me for our anniversary. I think I trained him well, because his taste is getting better and better. He really did a great job picking it out all by himself. He also got Jackson some Navy onesies. They say cute things like "Navy Baby" on them. I also got Jackson a USS Essex onesie that I am so proud of. He can show his Essex pride just like Dad.

We went to dinner at one of my favorite little restaurants down the street from our house. They have amazing Japanese food and I love it there. It's kind of like a Japanese Denny's. They also have Banana Bread hot fudge sundaes. With ice cream and sliced bananas, hot fudge and big chunks of bread with whip cream on top. It is heaven in my mouth and I get one every time I go there. It was so nice to sit face to face and have a meal together. E-mails and phone calls that cut out every 5 seconds don't really have the same feeling to them. Just sitting there and visiting was so great. Seeing his face light up when he talks and holding his hand across the table between bites, ahhh I loved it.

When we got home from dinner, Brandon could not wait to open his box. He opened it and immediately started putting his surprise together. Then we played one of his favorite games together until it was time for bed. Brandon talked a lot to my belly before bed, and Jackson is so excited to hear Daddy's voice again, so excited that he didn't want to go to sleep. He did eventually fall asleep and both of us slept great. I slept all the way through the night. I only woke up once for a potty break. Something about listening to him breathe next to me that helps me sleep. I am more relaxed and rested today just knowing that he is home. Brandon had to wake up and go to work early this morning, back to business as usual, but he will be home tonight and that's all that matters to me. I'm planning on making him a nice dinner and maybe even going to the movies later on for a date. I have loads and loads of laundry that he brought home with him, and my house is already littered with items from his sea bag, but none of it bothers me. I am once again a happy housewife. Happy to have my hubby home. Couldn't get much better than this.