Kevin is Home!!!

After a long 5 months Kevin and all the rest of the guys finally got home from deployment on October 4th! Kevin flew a jet out, so he didn't have to fly one back. He was on the "main body" which means he comes back on a regular plane with all the other non-flying guys. They landed at Aviano and we were allowed out onto the taxi-way to great our soilders:) The week before was filled with excitment and anticipation, we all decorated the squadron and made signs, and tried to convince ourselves that it could still fall through so we shouldn't get too excited.

The Niebuhr's came with me to greet Kevin on his return...and it's a good thing they did because in all the excitment I forgot to bring my camera! So, thank you to Amy for being my photographer. I think Lily was as excited as I was to see Kevin:) Here's me with my sign with the rotator in the background...we're just waiting for them all to get off the plane! (oh, Tread is Kevin's call sign, for those who don't know).



I'm so thankful he was one of the first off the plane! You can see Lily running out to say hello too:)



It is tradition for all the pilots to grow a mustache while they are deployed. I don't know why, but they all do it, and they all look awful:) Kev had been growing this one for 5 months, and he just had to bring it back to Aviano so I could see it. He shaved it in the bathroom of the squadron about an hour after they landed...we both agree it's not really his best look, but I guess you can't fight with traditions:)





The deployment honestly went much better then I thought it would. Sure I had my bad days, and sure I would have much rather had Kevin home than gone, but I can honestly say I was strong and I made it through. I still believe that I, as an Air Force wife, have no room to complain when I see all those Army soldiers gone for a year or more. God bless those families. I am thrilled to have my family back together and we're looking forward to seeing more of Europe now that he's home!