Hyrum's Homecoming from Afghanistan

When Hyrum deployed, we knew he'd be coming home early, because we were scheduled to move in June.  The plan was -- vaguely-- to return at the end of May.

And unfortunately it took him 8 full days to get from Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan to Colorado Springs!! 

The flights from Kandahar to Kuwait were full for several days (he was basically flying 'stand-by') so eventually they created a flight to Qatar, where he waited several more days to fly through Germany and back to the states. 

I don't recall crying at all during this deployment, but when I was planning on him coming home mid-day on a Wednesday, and then he couldn't get out of Afghanistan to make that connecting flight, I cried.  When you have no expectations, it's hard to be disappointed.  But once you start making actual plans it's a big let-down!

So then he was supposed to get home Friday evening, and then a flight was delayed 30 hours so he was supposed to get home at midnight.  And then another flight was delayed (theme?) and he almost missed that last flight to Colorado. 

Fortunately, he eventually arrived.  I told the kids in advance that I was going to wake them up in the middle of the night.  (Hyrum didn't like my suggestion to take an Uber....)  I was really nervous to see how'd they react, but once they woke up (around the time they were being buckled into their carseats) they were completely coherent.  They were also so excited.  Tiago couldn't believe what the city looked like in the dark.  They all wore their pajamas into the airport and waited excitedly for Hyrum to walk through the door. 

Smiles all around.

We hauled all those heavy bags out to the van, went home, and threw the kids back in bed!

Every day for the first week the girls would ask me first thing in the morning, "Where is Papa?"  I think they were worried he was going somewhere again.

The adjustment was pretty normal, which I attribute to him only being gone a few months with no major life events.  The biggest adjustment has been parenting, and trying to get on the same page.  That could have something to do with two 3-yr-olds.  Three is hard!  And Hyrum has never really been around 3-yr-olds.  (He was deployed for 7 months of when Tiago was that age.)

We are so so so excited that Hyrum's next position is non-deploying.  He should be home for at least a few years.