Monday, November 29, 2010

Let the COUNT DOWN begin!



Wow! What an emotional couple of weeks! Actually if we go back to the evening we got the phone call about Kiley being deployed....it's been an emotional 5 weeks!

Kiley left this afternoon to serve at Kirkuk AFB in Iraq. He is due to arrive there by the 2nd of December. This has been quite the process getting ready for this big day! We were first told that he'd be leaving the middle of December. Then one day Kiley called me & asked me if I wanted the bad news or the really bad news....ended up being that he was to leave December 1st instead. Long story short....that happened a few more times & the date kept being earlier & earlier. At one point, he was supposed to leave Sunday, November 21st.....we found out at 1:30 the night before that they were able to get him an extension until TODAY! Those were some stressful days! But needless to say, we were able to spend this last week together as a family & had a lot of fun! And had him for at least one holiday! We had a busy few days with Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl, Build a Bear, Christmas Decorations, movies, family pictures, parties, BYU/Utah football (boo), bowling, shooting hoops, playing on the new swing set, & some good old family down time! We are so grateful for such wonderful friends here in Texas who have been so supportive & willing to lend a helping hand & a listening ear! Kiley flew out to Baltimore this afternoon around 3. The kids & I were able to get passes to go with him up to the gate. So grateful we were able to spend those last few minutes with him as a family! We all cried, some of us sobbed! Sweet Olivia sobbed the entire drive home! I told her that daddy would be home a few weeks after her birthday. She asked me several times this evening if it was her birthday yet! Sweet girl has no idea that her birthday is a long ways off......6 months to her is gonna be like 6 years! Kiley will fly out to Germany tomorrow & then eventually make it to Iraq sometime on the 6th. He will be the only Anesthesiologist there & we've heard from several people that he will be working with a great group of people! They aren't too busy at the base he is going to, so he plans to workout, study, & watch all of the episodes of 24! I may need to be deployed when he gets back!:)
Driving home without daddy! Two very sad girls!!!!

***MORE PICS TO COME, BUT I'M GOING TO BED, SO IT WILL HAVE TO WAIT!!!***

6 comments:

summer said...

Wow! I caught a glimpse on a FB post that he was leaving...you are our heroes! I remember when my sister's husband left the timing was ridiculous as well - up and then back and all over the place. I'm so glad that you were all able to spend Thanksgiving together before he flew out!

Your family will be in our thoughts and prayers. We are so proud of Kiley for going, and super proud of all you will be doing at your own base of home....neither is easy and you both deserve our deepest appreciation! Loves to you all!

Becky Foster said...

Gosh Jen, I'm totally in tears right now. You are so strong! I'm glad that Kiley will be in a descent spot though. That helps. Hang in there. Lets plan a girls night soon!

Curtis Oscarson said...

I'm proud to have a cousin-in-law that is a hero. God bless your family.

Kimberli said...

Those were some sad pictures. :( We'll remember you guys in our prayers. I wish I could be of help (but if you DO think of something I could do from here, I'd be glad to). Good luck!

Brianne said...

Seeing those sweet girls crying their eyes out makes me sad! I can only imagine how hard this will be for you guys, and Kiley as well. Hopefully the next 6 months will go faster than you think. You are all in our thoughts and prayers!

Dallings said...

I hope your family is doing well. Those pictures were very sad. What a great sacrifice. We appreciate it.