Hello and Happy Pug Friday everyone. I had intended to be a more active blogger this week but sadly that did not happen.

I seem to have ideas or start to write posts then I think...wow this is dumb, dumber than usual...no one would care about this. I don't even care about this. So I delete them.

But with all that being said, its Friday and Friday around these parts means PUGS! Sorry for all the sad puggie pics lately. But with Mr gone they make me smile.

Happy Pug Friday :)

During deployment the guys tend to do some crazy things. They can't drink and they need to do/have things that keep their lives enjoyable/fun. One of the random things they do are grow mustaches...aka deployment staches.

I was fully expecting Mr. Jetplane to grow a killer mustache while he was down range (aka the sandbox... aka the desert) But what I wasn't expecting was this...

Happy Pug Friday Everyone...

I haven't written this post for a couple of reasons.

#1 Mr's departure days/time is sensitive for obvious reasons.

#2 It makes me sad.

#3 I don't have good pictures.

These departures generally happen at night and they are notorious for getting canceled and rescheduled....and of course that happened to us.

We said our goodbyes and I love you's and I left him at his squadron for the 2nd night in a round. I then met up with the other wives at our sister squadron. They were nice enough to host us and take us down to the flight line. The squadron leaves in waves that are spread out over several days and they leave in groups which they call ships. If you see 4 jets in a group that is called a 4 ship. There were 2 ships leaving the night Mr. Jetplane left.

I apologize for the pictures, they are horrible. It is sooo dark and only 2 generators with lights were out there. It was FREEZING and my hands where shaking.

This is Mr. Jetplane's jet. I stood, waved, and spun my glowsticks so much you would think I was at a rave...surprisingly he said he never saw me until they lined up for take off. Here they are lined up and preparing to take off. They took off 1 by 1. It was truly an amazing and moving experience. I was proud to share this time with my fellow spouses and the entire sister squadron out there to show their support. I cheered and jumped up and down as Mr. Jetplane pulled up and waved goodbye. You then hear and feel the jet take off. You watch the jet engines create these balls of fire and then become smaller and smaller balls of light in the dark night sky. It might sound cheesy but you haven't lived until you feel a group of jets take off from the flight line...it is an amazing sight.

And then...they are gone. Its this strange, surreal feeling that you can't explain. You come home around 2am and this is what you have left...And you are filled with pride and sadness at the same time... You try to go to sleep in your empty bed and realize this is how its going to be for a while. You try to calm down your big bulldog because he's wandering around the house looking for his daddy and you cry because you have to tell him over and over that daddy isn't here.

I've been told numerous times the 1st deployment is the toughest. The first week is the toughest. You have to take it day by day... and that's exactly what I am doing.

Less than 1% of the US population serve in uniform and I am honored to call one of those few my husband.

Thank you all for your love and support during this time. I greatly appreciate it and all of you.

XOXO