Bryce is home!!

Bryce got home yesterday, August 9th from his 6 month deployment to Kuwait!! I am so excited that he is finally home!! Here’s the story…

He was originally supposed to be home on the 6th. Then it got changed to possibly being the 1st, then it changed to the 8th, then a couple of days before he was supposed to be home, they changed it again to the 9th! Of course I am used to the dates changing because it’s the military! Nothing is ever set in stone. I had to change my wedding date 3 times because Bryce’s graduation day from tech school kept getting changed. It was crazy!

So a couple of days before Bryce got home, I found out about an organization called Operation Love ReUnited! Its an organization where you choose a professional photographer in the area and they come out to take pictures of your deployed soldier returning from a deployment. I thought it would be so cool to have pictures of seeing Bryce for the first time and seeing his reaction to my ever growing belly. I got in contact with a lady that was doing one of my friends pictures when her husband got home. I was even able to meet her! We kept in touch over email and she agreed to come take pictures the day of Bryce’s arrival! The night before Bryce got home, I emailed her and gave her the time of Bryce’s arrival which was 8am. Unfortunately, she was unable to come that early. I guess 8am is too early for her…I’m sorry…I’m still a little irritated and bitter about the whole situation. I was extremely disappointed and tried to get in touch with any photographer that I could get a hold of to come take pictures! I heard back from a couple of photographers and they were all unavailable at such short notice, which was totally understandable!

So…. I asked a very close friend if she would come video tape and she was more than willing to do this for me!! She then asked one of her friends if she would come take pictures and she also agreed. I went to bed that night still very upset but thankful that at least someone would be there to capture the moment of Bryce’s return.

I got up really early on the 9th (5:30am) and got ready and headed to the airport right at 7am to go pick up my sweetie. The two girls that were going to take pictures and video tape were going to be at the airport at around 7:30 or 7:45 so I was just going to meet them there. Bryce’s plane was scheduled to land at 8:05am.

Right before I got to the gate, which goes to the airport, I got a phone call from a weird number. I answered and it was Bryce! He said, “Hey babe, we just landed”. IT WAS 7:15am!!! He got home an hour early!!!! So I was freaking out and hoping to make it in time before he got off the plane to welcome him home. Right when I got off the phone with him, I called my friend to tell her that he had already landed and it was pointless for them to come since he landed early. I was a little sad that I wasn’t going to get any pictures but I honestly didn’t really care. All I wanted to do was see my husband!!!

I hurried to the terminal hoping to make it in time. Thankfully I did!! I waited in a glass box for about 5 minutes and before I knew it, the soldiers were coming in!! I got a small video of him walking in and seeing me for the first time. It was the most excited I think I have ever been! I seriously don’t ever remember being THAT excited!! I even jumped!! ha!! I was just beside myself!!

When we first saw each other, we couldn’t hug or even hear each other through the glass. Bryce had to wait and get his luggage and once he got everything, he came outside and that’s when I finally got to get a hug!! It was the greatest feeling ever!! When Bryce first saw me, he commented on how big and cute my belly is! He kept touching it and rubbing it! It was the sweetest thing!

 

Here are some pictures and a video of his arrival…

 

I took this through the glass box so that’s why it looks kind of funny.

 

Bryce waiting to get his luggage

 

Finally together again!!!

 

This is the first time I actually saw Bryce!!