November 20, 2013

Dylan's homecoming

One very happy father
I guess my tears at Lackland Air Base where unfounded because Dylan was home in Alaska 3 days later!  While I was exploring missions, she was running around base busting her but to make her leave happen ASAP, as only Dylan can do.  Her work paid off and Miles and I where thrilled to get her call with arrival date and time!  We had all been planning for a while to surprise Willa by not telling her that Dylan was coming home.  Dylan really wanted to show up at Willa's school and knock her socks off!  On the night of her arrival-after midnight-Miles and I picked Dylan up at the airport and brought her home.  She stayed quietly in her room the next morning until Willa left for school.   Willa had NO idea her sister was home...and in the house!  About an hour before school let out that day, Dylan, Miles and I met up at Willa's school.....here's the video!


Willa was REALLY thunderstruck I think!  Wanting not to disturb her class's read aloud time she kept it mellow in the classroom, but that hug in the hall....and you could just see the dazed shock!  She was SO happy to have her big sister home!


Dylan's leave was about a month long!  It was so nice to have her home....to see her light on under her door in the morning and know she was behind it, to have her walk into the house at night  after working at her recruiter's office and tell us about her day, to chat while I cooked dinner....
 We threw her a Welcome Home/Arrivederci party so that everyone would have a chance to see her before she left for Italy.  We enjoyed eating out, having friends over, decorating the house for Christmas early so that Dylan would be included, Dylan took Willa to the movies and picked her up from school a few times, spent time with her friends...




someone's catching up!


Grocery shopping on base with Dylan.  I have never seen such a  long check out line in a grocery store!!!  But the Ben and Jerry's prices were worth it!


Just another Sunday

Cleaned up purty for Dylan's party

She asked for lemon cake


Another fun party at Casa de Pruner.  Dylan trying to fit in my lap.....

Uh....RESTAURANT MANNERS?!?!??!?
A month seemed like it would be such a long time....but, of course, it was NOT.  All too soon we were back at the airport saying goodbye.  This time knowing that visits with Dylan in the future will be few and far between......and that is unbelievably hard....and that's all I'm gonna say.
 

Bye,bye, Girlie........

 
It helps to know that, so far, Dylan seems to be having an amazing time in Italy exploring, making friends......and that we will see her in May.  I've been spending a lot of time researching and planning our family trip to Italy, and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!!