Waiting 167 days for THIS moment!

From the very beginning of my military wife journey, I have been told to be very flexible because the military life is not easily planned. BUT when you get told that your Husband will be coming home 2 1/2 months early off of deployment... I'll believe it when I see his gorgeous face walking towards me. 

AND THAT, ladies & gentlemen, is exactly what happened. Scott had told me the night before that he was heading home and it didn't truly hit me until I was getting dressed in my homecoming dress, getting dolled up, as my sister is trying to calm my nerves. The drive seemed like it took hours, and the plane felt like it was taking it's sweet time to land. Not quite knowing that there was an anxious wife waiting for her beloved to come through the gate. 

When I knew that they had landed and about ready to come off the plane, we moved to the front of the crowd so Scott would be able to see us and my sign first thing. But what caught me off guard was the look my Husband gave me when he turned that corner and walked towards me. I'll never in my whole life forget this moment. The moment I waited 167 days for. The moment I could get lost in my Husband's embrace again. The moment when it seemed liked Scott & I were the only two people in the world, caught in a lovers embrace and not wanting to let go. 

And we were so blessed to have my sister there to capture all of it.   I made a video of Scott's homecoming, him and our puppy, and surprising his mama. You can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/101790727
"Marry Me" was our first dance song, which I thought was a great song for this video. I vowed to marry Scott on our wedding day and every single day afterwards for the rest of my life. Including through the dark valleys of deployment.

This season of deployment was one of the hardest seasons of my life. Being separated from Scott nearly killed me, making me live with a broken heart every single day that he was gone. But it also made me & us {together} stronger. Each of us experienced things that we wouldn't have been able to if we were together back in North Carolina. I was able to spend that time at home! My home away from home. There I got to have quality time with my parents & siblings, live in my mountains, be in my bestie's wedding, be with my family when my Grandmother passed away, learn family recipes & enjoy time with my grandparents, create lasting memories, fantastic girls nights, celebrate birthdays, making new friends, time at the lake, help my brother propose, get to know my soon-to-be adorable nephew & sister. So many opportunities that I wouldn't have had if this deployment didn't happen. God definitely knew how to comfort the tender heart of this military wife.

I am so grateful for my family & friends that were there for me through this season. The prayers, the compassion, the love, the comfort, the support, the shoulders to cry on. I seriously couldn't have done this without each and every one of you. You will never understand how much it meant to me! 

As for now, I am going to enjoy being "on vacation" with my sister &  feeling married again! Thank you God for answering prayers and knowing what is best for me. Your ways are not my ways and I trust You more & more each day!

A whirlwind of emotions.

This blog post is dedicated to my Grandma B.

 My Grandma's house was the home where cousins came as family, & left as best friends. Growing up we had many traditions that kept our families close: leaf parties, birthday parties, Easter & Fourth of July BBQs, she had the best snack closet, she always made sloppy joes for Halloween, our huge Christmas party, and a wall where our height was marked throughout the years.

 Because of my Grandparents, all of us cousins grew up together. We would all go "search for the bears" as my dad would hide and scare us in her backyard, always sat together during the Fourth of July  parades, played with the Lincoln logs, enjoyed her amazing garden and flowers, always getting a new hoodie for Christmas, and teaching me how to crochet.    

My Grandma loved my Grandpa so much, and when he passed away four years ago this month, she would never let his memory die. She always told us stories of when they were younger and him as a greaser, or throughout their marriage.

One of my favorite memories is when she sat down with me before my wedding and showed me her collection of antique silverware. I wanted to use them for my wedding and she took the time to find the exact ones that I wanted. They turned out perfect! My Grandma & Scott could talk for hours and he always joked that she loved him more than me! ha So I am so thankful that we had a piece of her and my Grandpa at our wedding, pieces that we will cherish for forever.

We love you, Grandma!

   

Bestie is MARRIED! 

Allyson, who I went to Australia with, is finally part of the best club, EVER. The forever love club. 

Her wedding & reception were beautiful, they are incredibly happy, and I can't wait to see the professional pictures because I wasn't able to take any! 

So to Mr. & Mrs. Sanders--- 

CONGRATULATIONS on making the best decision of your life. 

Cherish and protect each other.

Be each others' best friend & cheerleader.

Always make lasting memories.

Build forts in your living room.

Dance in the kitchen.

Travel to see Scott & I! ;)

Go on couples trips, hint hint.

Tell her she's beautiful, tell him he's handsome.

Tell secrets and laugh until you cry.

Endure the hard times, it will only make you stronger.

Look back at this day and smile because you know that you'll have a marriage more beautiful than your wedding.

Always say "I love you" more times than you can count.

Look for a solution, not ways to "be right".

Always be on the same team.

I love you, Allyson! 

And welcome to the family of best friends, Richard! 

Bridesmaids in pink. With Maddi & Hannah.

Allyson & my roommate in Sydney, Australia. She came to America for BOTH of our weddings!!!!!!!!!! She's amazing!:)

Scott sent this email when I told him that the wedding was about to start & I couldn't talk with him. *Tear... but He is still amazingly thoughtful!

Bryce, my handsome date for the wedding!

Sister stayed at the reception with me!

My "bridesmaid in crime" Maddi! Had a BLAST with this lady and her sister.

These guys. My Grandma actually passed away right after the wedding and these guys let me be sad, but helped me still laugh. Couldn't have asked for a better support group that night. Thank you again guys! Meant the world to me. And Scott thanks you for being there for me when he couldn't be.

Making lasting memories.

 

My adorable Grandparents taught me how to make my Great Grandmother's caramel popcorn! 

  Then Grandma had to hide the bowls because we kept sneaking bites...

 

 Hahah too.much.fun!

HALF WAY POINT!

Scott's deployment is half way done. Which means what?!

 We are on the down hill side!!!!!!! 

No more saying, "He's been gone for 1,2,3,4 months." Now I can just say, "We only have 4,3,2,1 months to go!" 

EXCITING.

As exciting as this weekend was, it was also such a hard weekend. I am so fragile and I really never know what can be a 'trigger'. The wedding was a trigger because it made me miss Scott more. During the wedding my Grandma passed away & I couldn't run into my Husband's loving arms. Couldn't even call him and tell him the news. He finally was able to call me yesterday and just let me cry on the phone. He was what I needed. Scott knew exactly what I needed to hear, how I needed to hear it, and just knew what his wife needed. He is such a great Husband and I am so blessed to have found a man who knows my heart so well. 

Although he can't be here for the funeral and to physically hold me, God helped his words wash over my hurting heart and of my family's. I know that he will be praying for us all throughout the week and giving us strength. In our first year of marriage we have had to go through the death of his Grandfather and now my Grandmother. Which honestly has made our love for each other grow that much stronger because we learned very early on to run to each other.  

But another exciting point, HE IS AMAZING! His ship, the USS Bataan, helped with a rescue of almost 300 people out in the ocean. They aided them with food, water, medical attention, and temporary shelter.

Here is a picture of my amazingly wonderful Husband working! 

I love & miss you, Mr. Cummings!

My amazing Hero.

Welcome home!!

Husband is HOME. 

Yes, yes I am an extremely happy wife! Scott is training for his deployment next year and this training lasted a loooooooong month. BUT, he is finally home for a little while and I am going to take advantage of any minute spent with him. 

I love getting butterflies in my stomach, and they definitely were fluttering around as I drove to go pick up my Hubby. I was just a liiiiittle nervous. I love that even after we are married, I still get butterflies. And I still get the opportunity to experience our "first kiss" over and over again. 

Even if we do have to be apart, it makes being together just that much more special. We have gone through many, many homecomings and months apart, but this time was different. 

This time we are married.

This time we both have rings on.

This time we are going back to OUR home.

This time we can fall asleep in each other's arms.

This time we can wake up to each other in the morning.

This time we can have dinner and cuddle in our home.

This time was the best time!

Mallow and I have done a few things around the house to surprise him and I can share a few! ;] 

I wrote this letter from us to be the first thing that he saw & then signed with with love from both of us.

{Mallow's paw may have had ink all over it for a while ha, she's a good sport!}

The house was SUPER clean, I thoroughly cleaned his car for him, and decorated the home for Autumn. He was so happy to be home and was grinning from ear to ear. :]

Mallow attacked Scott with kisses for literally twenty minutes. She would not get off of him or leave his side. 

My heart was full seeing her remember her daddy!

Last week Scott called me and told me that he had a dream of cooking me steak for dinner when he got home. 

So, he made it happen! [Yay me!!]

I took pictures of him grilling, but he didn't want me to share any of them. {Maybe because I had him wear my apron with his jeans [; }

Yummy steak, sweet potato fries, salad, & monkey bread. 

We shared dinner, just the two of us, candlelit. 

It was so romantic.

Praying, holding hands, sharing what has been going on.

Then cuddled on the couch, watched football, & headed to bed.

PERFECT day! 

 My cute Mama-in-love gave me this cute idea! 

In honor of 9.11 

I can't believe that it has been twelve years. 

Please say prayers for the families who lost love ones that day.

Also, pray for the family who has loved ones fighting today.

And those who continue to fight for us.