Deployment weekend...

 T-shirts we had made for Jeromey. This is the back. The front says "Supporting our Troops" with the Engineering castle on it

Yes I am BAWLING in this picture

So the last 8 days flew by of course.  We had a party for Jeromey last weekend which was a succes.  This week we were busy tying up loose ends and preparing for his deployment.  Thursday he had to report to Decorah.  My in-laws were wonderful and took the boys for the night so it was just us.  We drove up and checked in to our hotel room before he had to be at the drill hall.  About the only good thing I can say about this place was that my room was warm. We didn't do anything exciting. Just a quiet night in with pizza and tv.  That is a perfect night for us, so it was nice.  I had to drop him off early the next morning at the drill hall so he could prepare for the send off ceremony.  I had the whole morning to myself and I took full advantage!  I took my time getting ready and watched MTV all morning since we don't have cable at home.  The rest of the family arrived around 11:30 and we hurried up to get ready to head to the send off ceremony.  The minute I walked up the the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College where the ceremony was, I began to get emotional.  There was a group of what I think were Legion members holding Flags outside of the building.  It was just so overwhelming to think about what they were there for.  There were a lot more tears shed before the ceremony even started.  There were 23 of us there to show support for Jeromey. I know there were MANY more who wish they could have been there, but sent there well wishes and prayers.  The ceremony was held in an auditorium at Luther College.  The band started it off by playing as the soldiers marched in.  I cannot describe the feeling when they began to march in, and when I spotted my husband out of the group of men and women who all looked the same.  I was SO proud.  I started crying (again), I had a huge smile on my face, and I was filled with pride.  These people are doing something that not just anyone could do, they do it willingly, and without many complaints.  MY husband is one of these people.  It was a wonderful ceremony with several speakers.  I cried some more, when they read the order, when the Captain spoke about missing his children's activities, when a soldier re-enlisted and she read her oath.  I'm sure you get the picture that I cried at just about anything.  We had a nice dinner at   the "Oak Steakhouse" attached to the hotel with our family that came for the ceremony.  It was nice to sit around and relax with our loved ones.  After dinner we spent some time playing games before heading to bed.  Saturday was pretty uneventful since Jeromey had to spend the day at the unit packing and preparing for their trip.  The worst was going to bed Saturday night.  Just knowing that this was going to be the last time we would be able to sleep next to each other for a long period of time made it difficult.  We had all the boys climb in bed with us and we enjoyed some family snuggling for a little while.  I kept thinking that if I didn't go to bed, then today would never come and he wouldn't have to go.  Well that didn't work. I passed right out and sure enough, Sunday morning arrived.  I woke up at 6 when my alarm went off, and woke Jeromey up.  He had to report by 7am. I had been told that I shouldn't show up unitl 8:30 or so, so I went back to the hotel and finished getting ready. I hurried as fast as I could, because when I dropped him off I saw there were other spouses there.  I wanted to get in as much time with him as I could.  The morning consisted mostly of us following him around while he got everything ready.  The boys were in awe of Dad's gun he was carrying around.  I was trying to keep it together.  I did okay until I saw others cry.  That made it that much more difficult to hold it all in.  We stood around and took more pictures, because you can never have enough, and just waited for the time to come.  It did and let me tell you, I hated every minute of it.  Jeromey gave everyone a hug and some words of advice.  They seemed to be about the same for everyone.  Something along the lines of "Be good, and mind".  I did not want to let go of him and I held on as tight as I could, for as long as I could.  This last part was all outside in 11 degree weather.  So after 20 minutes of standing outside we were all freezing.  We stood outside and waited for the buses to pull away so we could wave one last time.  After they were all gone we went back to our cars to thaw.  I had a hard time when I finally got home this evening.  Pulling in the drive and knowing he wasn't going to be here, had me wanting to stay in the van.  I pulled it together, got out and made it in.  Getting supper for the boys and other little things kept me busy until the boys bedtime.  I got emotional once again after sending them to bed.  Its not the same sitting here alone in this big house.  Tomorrow night it will be that much more empty because Matthew is going back to his mom's.  She has decided that since Jeromey is gone, Matt should live with her and he will be transferrign schools.  I pray that this is best and that he will adjust well to not only his father being gone, but moving homes, and switching schools in the middle of the school year.  I will be an emotional basket case in the months to come but have several ideas for keeping busy.  On top of the kids, my full time job, and my Scentsy business, if there is time left I plan on taking a course for medical transcriptionist or coding, or possibly a pharmacy technician. This will be 100% paid for through a grant that is offered to military spouses.  I will be able to take this while I am still working for Proctor and Gamble because it is one of those "work from home" type programs.  I'm really excited about this because in the future I want to find a job at the University where I don't have to work 2nd shift.  So I am surviving as I knew I would.  But of course would still rather have my hubby here at home.