Jim's deployment

I finally feel like I can post about this, and it definitely needs to be a part of our family journal. So I'll write the whole story from the beginning. In May of 2009, we moved from Greeley, CO back down to Colorado Springs, CO. Almost as soon as we got here, Jim started hearing about other Logistics officers deploying, even ones who had gone to get a PhD. Normally after a move, you won't get deployed for at least 6 months, so when Jim started hearing about this, he decided to contact assignments to find out. They told him that he was #1 on the list for a year deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. We asked if the year he had already done in Greenland counted and they said no. So we mentally prepared for another year apart. Jim called back 2 weeks later and they told him there was a mistake and that he didn't have to go at all. That was a relief. But, as the weeks and months went by, Jim started having a gut feeling that something was going on with his assignment. So again he called, and that person said "who told you you were off the hook? You are #1 on the list for a year deployment!" So, we scrambled a bit to figure out what to do, and after asking many people for advice including his bosses, he found a six month deployment that would get him back home before football season. ( He is a big fan of football, but his job is team logistics for AF) Anyway, on Jan 2nd Jim left for Balad, Iraq. Honestly I feel blessed that he is there, it is the best case scenario in my opinion. He is over the airport over there, and it is a very busy base with over 40 planes coming in a day. He is mostly in charge of the "heavies" and doesn't have to do much with the fighters, so the 40 plus planes he deals with don't count the fighters. His first day he had his first mortar fire, and there have been multiple attacks every day. But he honestly feels that the base is very safe. Throughout the decades before when Saddam was in power, the Iraqi's would bomb Balad regularly because he was stealing all the water. So it's almost a part of life to bomb the base. With the elections coming up in Iraq, alot of people suspect the bombings will become more frequent. He has been able to go to church, and last week during a talk there was mortar fire. I asked him if everyone "hit the deck" and he said "No the speaker just kept on talking". We laughed at that. But they do take each one seriously, in fact yesterday there was an attack in Jim's area and they all dove for cover except for one airman who kept driving his truck and almost ran over the commander. So he said things got exciting after that. As for me and the girls, the first 2 weeks or so were very rough. They handled it a bit better than me. I don't remember taking it so hard last time. I think last time the kids were babies and I couldn't even take one second to think about it because I was physically "on" the whole time. This time the kids are self sufficient, so I get more time to stew over my thoughts. I am a tad bit worried about him, but mostly I just miss him terribly. He is my best friend, and I told him that I'm sure everyone is getting sick of me talking about him constantly.
I have had wonderful friends who check on me constantly and have us over, They are the best! My dear friend Wendy, just flew out to visit for a week, and we had a ball. We have Dave and Amy here in town, and we all love to be with them! They girls love to play with the boys, and we all have to take turns holding Annie. In fact the day Jim left I was able to mope around for hours and hold Annie who was 2 weeks old, I tell ya that was like therapy! I'll never be able to thank Paul and Dave enough for spending the entire day with Kimrie. I get choked up even thinking about it. I know they wanted to hang out with each other, but they let Kimrie tag along all day and that night played rock band with her for hours. I don't think they know how huge that was for Kimrie, and how touched I was to have them love my girl. They filled a huge void for her and I think helped her have a great transition to having Jim gone. I have honestly felt so loved and supported and I am so grateful.
One thing I'm not looking forward to so I won't dwell on it, is moving while he's gone, but I've had so many people offer to help, so I think it will be ok. Just mentally tiring.

So here are a few pictures of Jim leaving, I'll try to post the least sad ones!