“hey-la, hey-la, my boyfriend’s back!”

Yes, he’s home! Yes, he has returned! The baby boy has found his way home, home, home, home (I’m quoting Marc Broussard there).

We had a great time of reconnecting some on Friday morning- my expectations were set very low (because of all the recent turmoil in getting out there and not being able to see him), so when he called an hour and half earlier than I expected him to, I was SO excited (that’s an understatement). (More, I was happy that I had taken a shower and was almost finished getting ready when he called- the other things I’d planned to do between then and the time he was supposed to call were kicked to the curb!) We met outside the hotel, and that time together was so sweet. Too quick and albeit a bit rushed, but so sweet.

In our time together, he took me around the base and showed me exactly where I’d be coming from and exactly where I’d be going- the route to take and everything. (Good thinking, baby- REALLY good. Good call.) He showed me where he’d been for the past 3 months- his dorm, gym, DFAC, BX, comissary, library, bank, track and field…. It was really neat to see where he’d called “home” for 3 months, but I could feel the excitement in the car and how very, very ready he was to get out of there. I don’t think either of us will ever be able to say “Texas” again and not a feel a certain angst and emotion that goes with that name. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

Anyway- he told me to be there 30 minutes early, I showed up an hour early. (Might as well try to be really really early in case something goes wrong [which I was sure it would've considering the past few days!].) I sat outside the hangar and watched, from afar, the Commander’s Call that happens every Friday at 150oh. I saw them dispersing and began to make my way inside. He had shown me earlier where to go, which doors to go into (again, calmed my nerves because I felt like I had control over something and I knew exactly where to go and when to be there- thanks, again, babe…), so I made my way inside and peeked in. Half of his class (including him) was already in there, sitting, waiting on instructions. They all turned around to see who it was that was coming in, and I saw a huge smile on his face (and then subsequent blushing!). I sat in the back and tried to control myself . He looked so handsome in his blues! The instructor (whom I knew from pictures only) began to go through the procedures for graduation and waited on a few more of their classmates to come in. He greeted me as “ma’am” and even included me in the ceremony (“we are happy to have our commander here for today’s ceremonies and also Jennifer Bush in support of Airman Roberts”). That was completely unnecessary, though, as I didn’t want any attention called to myself. They had a few minutes between the run-through and the actual ceremony- S got up from his seat with a huge smile on his face (nice that I can elicit that from him…. ) and since there’s no PDA when a serviceman is in uniform, I initiated the well-known “knuckles”, which was almost neater than a hug in uniform. And man alive, did that kid ever look handsome! He was so excited to be there- to be THERE and be within arm’s reach of being FINISHED, but to be getting his top graduate award as well. We had a few moments together, then the ceremony began. The room was pretty full because there were other students watching the graduation as well- and booooy, was it hot. The A/C was working double-time and still not keeping up. The commander came in, we all stood, listened to the National Anthem and continued on. TSGT Lovell was in charge of the ceremony and he introduced the commander and myself (again, totally unnecessary, but maybe it made S feel good!). He shared a few stories, a few anecdotes, then proceeded with the graduation. Everyone (all 8 of them!) shook hands w/the commander, were presented w/their certificate, got their maintenance badges pinned on their left chest, saluted the commander and walked off as a graduate from USAF Tech School. It was fantastic- and my boy was grinning ear to ear. They all were presented as graduates, everyone clapped, then they “zippered out” (one from the left side, one from the right, one from the left, etc.) and we were all asked to congraulate them on our way out. They came back in, we made some pictures, then headed back to his dorm. He changed (I waited- story of my life…) and got the rest of his stuff to pack in his already packed-up-and-ready-to-hit-the-road Maxima, then we hit the road. We drove from there to Dallas where I dropped off my car at Budget (thanks, Budget, for working with me), then began to make our way back towards home.

The music was blaring (of course, that’s the way we like it!), the lightning show was on in full force (but no rain, thankfully), I was SO happy to have my precious uniformed man next to me in the car, and I was anticipating an incredible ride home….filled with some talking, lots of singing and invisible-drum-playing, lots of smiles and stolen kisses and stopping for gas and caffeine.

But why would I think ANYTHING about that trip would work out the way it was supposed to? Again, here’s what actually happened….

We stopped for food (for me- he hasn’t been eating like he should b/c he said the food wasn’t great and he was only really eating one meal a day- how he survived, I have no idea!) at McDonald’s. I know- sounds bad- but I planned it that way. I’d planned my cheat day so that I could whatever whenever on the trip home, so that he wouldn’t have to stop and find me something healthy to eat somewhere and I could have caffeine-infused calorie-laden drinks to keep me up for the ride back home. We got food and I went to the gas station next door to get some energy-in-a-bottle (5 hour energy)…and I picked up some NoDoz, too. Bad idea. Well, something about one of those or the combination of those didn’t sit well with my stomach, and no less than an hours later, it hit me like a mac truck. I was staring out the window trying to keep my food down. S looked at me a few times- my peripheral vision is good- and I could see he was concerned but I was just concentrating on not…getting…sick…in…his…car. What a horrible feeling that is. I hate it! So we stopped to let me go to the bathroom and get something to hopefully settle my stomach. Of course, the place we stopped didn’t have any Drammamine (she’d thrown out the last bit of she’d had a few weeks earlier and I’d been the only one to stop in and ask since- go figure.) so I got some Pepto tablets and some 7Up. YUCK. I got in the car and felt better for a total of about 11 minutes, then it came back on again. So the next time we stopped (I asked him to stop 20 minutes earlier than he was planning on stopping), we stopped at a more reputable place and I DID find Drammamine- though I also got Sominex (so at least if I puked I’d sleep through it) and some Coke. Again- nothing doing. Didn’t help and the Drammamine didn’t help me sleep either. I was miserable. AND I was anxious about getting sick, which doesn’t make my stomach feel any better and only perpetuates that horrible feeling.

What was worse is that I felt like I’d completely screwed up S’ plans for driving home, though he seemed OK. I asked him a few times if he was angry with me because he was soooo quiet I was afraid he was angry with me (secretly, I think he was, but if he’s says he’s not, I’m going to take him at his word!). There were SO many things I wanted to talk to him about and get his opinion on and hear from him, and none of it happened because I was terrified that if I moved one inch or said even one sentence, it would have aaaaall been over. (Ha, literally.) There were SO many times I looked at him and just watched him sing, watched him drive, thought about what I wanted to say. I reached over a few times and touched his arm, brushed his arm with my hand and left my hand there, simply so I could have some contact with him. I needed it so badly. In my haze of Drammamine and anxiousness and nausea, I remember hearing some really good songs and I wanted SO badly to get up and sing along with them, but I knew that was out of the question. I can’t believe I made it all the way back and didn’t get sick. How did THAT happen? “What a BEAUTIFUL sight!!!” I wanted to yell as we watched the sunrise together from the car. Then we came through Tuscaloosa and started seeing the familiar sights of 459…of McCalla, of Bessemer, of Hoover, of the Summit, then making our way onto 280. I could only muster a smile and a “welcome home, baby…” as flew past Target, headed for the house. Fitting end, huh?

We made it back and he took me home with him (again, thank you, baby- sweet move) and I immediately went to the downstairs bedroom (“the cave”) and tried to sleep it off. S was able to spend a few minutes with his parents, then he went upstais and went into a sleep-induced coma. No more had he gotten upstairs and settled than the rain started coming down and the thunder and lightning began again. By the time I was able to walk normally again, it was about 11, so I made my way upstairs and found a note from his parents saying they’d gone to run a few errands. I tried to eat a little something (but that didn’t work) and piddled around the house- watched the rain come down, returned some voice mails, wrote a bit, etc. They came home about noon, which is about the time S woke up and joined us. We all talked for a few minutes, then I started getting bags in and helping S unpack some. His sister and her girls came over a little while later- I heard them upstairs. I finally had enough energy to take a shower and I thought “I probably need to put some clothes on in case a little girl finds her way downstairs before I’m dressed….” and sure enough, here comes niece #1 peeking her head around the corner no sooner than I’d gotten the shirt over my head. Precious little girl!

We all got to hang out together- in the house and around the pool- most everyone got in the pool, but S’ sister and mama and myself all hung out around the pool. That is…until S and his sister decided to throw me in…fully clothed. Awesome. It was fun, however, I have to admit. I had a blast- even fully clothed. We played around with each other and the kids were climbing all over us and jumping in everywhere and showing us diving and horseplay skills We had a blast, then we all jumped out and dried off. His sister and I went to get dinner-making stuff and we all had dinner together. We got to hang out some, then we were all off to bed. (Including me! I stayed downstairs !)

I was able to wake up rested and refreshed (thank you, Sominex!) and had breakfast w/my precious boy and his parents before heading to church. I was SO excited to be there with him in the morning, to see him dressed in his blues and ready for church and then to get to go to church with him after 15 weeks of going alone (well, not totally alone- C and C were always there!). It was just exactly how I’d imagined it- we listened to some music on the way, I kissed him at the red light I always kiss him at and we parked and walked up to church together hand-in-hand. As he was in his dress blues (and looking SO darn handsome!), more than a few people walked up to him and shook his hand and thanked him for his service to our country. My heart swelled with pride each and every time, and I remembered how fortunate I was that God gave me him. I’m sure there were so many people looking at him and oohing and ahhhing over this military man (which he, of course, loved every second of!), and I was so happy to be a part of his “glory”. I so VERY much enjoyed looking over at him during church, resting my hand on his thigh, holding his hand during prayer…it was fantastic. I was so happy to be there with him after so, so long of not.

We went to eat w/C and C afterward, got caught in a monsoon and drove home where we both changed and were able to have some time together- nothing exciting, no pressure on either of us, just watching TV and enjoying having each other next to us. It was fantastic- I’m so, SO glad he’s home.

MY PRECIOUS BOY IS HOME!