Just a Personal Update

Hello all,

I am just reflecting on all the wonderful things the Lord has given me. We are getting closer to our closing date on the house (July 24th). I've got to start packing and get all of our junk together! :) We can't wait to make this big step in our lives!! It's a place we plan on planting our roots for a while. I've moved so much within the last 4 years, and I am so ready to finally have a place called home! Today marks 181 days since Drew deployed and oh it feels like it! I miss him constantly, but some days are worse than ever. Sometimes, I catch myself picking up the phone to call him...and then it hits me. It's so funny how you do things without thinking. We are doing great and hanging in there. Our love has jumped to a whole new level since day 1 of this deployment, and I am so proud of us! He's such a wonderful husband and I know I could never ask for more. He calls or e-mails me everyday, no matter how tired he is, no matter what time it is, he lets me know he is okay. :) He's really made my job easy by keeping such close contact. He's so tough, yet so soft and tender. I think this whole thing has turned him into a big teddy bear! Don't get me wrong, he's always been sweet and charming, but wow, now he's at an all time high! It makes me smile at the end of the day, even after walking into an empty house....knowing it's filled with so much love from so far away. He's truly my soul mate and God placed him in my life for so many different reasons. I wouldn't be where I am without him. Growth doesn't even come close to describing what's happened over the last 181 days...it has changed me forever. I've learned to love deeper and not just with my heart, but with my soul. Knowing he's making a difference in others lives and being so selfless makes me love him even deeper. Civilians live such a different life, not that its a bad thing, but I wish you could all experience this at some point in your lives and you would look at things so differently. As much as I hate the situation, I would never say a bad thing about this deployment, because we've embraced it and lived it, and its changed our relationship forever. I'm just so lucky to have such a giving husband and someone who is selfless in so may ways. I'm more in love with him than I've ever been and it makes me so happy. I couldn't imagine my life without him.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and remembers our troops away from their families. I'm heading to Dothan for our fun-filled, family extravaganza! I'm so excited to just relax, visit, and catch up with everyone! Be safe everyone...
'till next time,
Rach