welcome welcome daddy!

i'm much overdue in sharing this wonderful memory with you, but alas - the pace has quickened ever steadily with the return of our hero. i loaded our three beautiful babes into the van at midnight and drove perhaps too quickly with my heart surging with joy up to camp pendleton to greet our hero.  my very talented and dear friend joined us to capture the whole thing with her photography (all photos are credited to Catie of Vuefinder Photography). i also met my sweet military sister who was greeting her man alongside. betsy was so snuggly and sleepy in the van, but peter jumped right out of bed and was babbling over chit-chatting to me the whole drive up, and never stopped talking once we arrived and he had a new audience to entertain. curtis was just a gem and went along with the whole thing beautifully. double-stroller in tow, we walked up to the meeting area and rounded the corner to see a huge crowd of people, full of excitement and anticipation, waiting to meet their Marines. a text from reid tells me they are about 15 minutes away. betsy wants to jump in the bounce house across the way that i'm sure is there for the daytime crowds to occupy babes while they wait. peter is still chatting and people watching and pointing out the moon in the sky. curtis just takes it all in. my heart is pounding and i just want to run across base and find their bus and drag him off of it and kiss him. i can't wait another 15 minutes. then the energy in the crowd shifts, i can feel they must be getting close as i'm sure everyone is getting texts that they are almost there. i have no free hands to check my phone but feel it vibrate in my pocket and know that its him telling me the same.  then we hear a rumble in the distance. it brings the energy of the crowd even higher as that rumble grows, they're getting closer. its their awesome motorcycle brigade escort. my heart is jumping with joy but then i remember my sweet, sensitive to loud noise boy who is gripping my leg, face buried and sobbing. he is so terrified of the loud rumble that is now upon us.  i awkwardly pick him up and put him on the hip opposite of curtis and attempt to cover both of their (four) ears with my (two) hands and am reminded of how many ways i am divided when it comes to caregiving. poor betsy has her thumb in mouth, wide-eyed and i'm thankful for my friend who scoops her up and tells her what is happening. she is unphased and happy, but my two boys....oh those two boys are filled up with concern and trembling.  the motorcycles are past with a last good rev or two of their engines and here come the vans and buses. reid said he was in a van. is that his van? oh no there it goes...was that his van? i can't see him and now the buses are coming and coming and i am holding too many kids to even think about walking. i hope he sees our sign and comes to find us. the crowd is overwhelming and there are people jumping up and down and clapping and crying and yelling to their loved ones everywhere. and then the people just sort of parted and courtney says "that's them!" and here come between two buses the most handsome guys you've ever seen. even though they are all dressed exactly the same and its two in the morning, its effortless to find your man. that man you've been missing desperately for 7 months. that man you've been picturing in your mind's eye at bedtime and all the other special times you've been apart. that man you've been just aching to touch, to be held by. and now he's walking towards you.  its the most amazing sight as time moves in slow motion; he's really here! the big kids go to him immediately, betsy snuggling into her daddy's shoulder with barely a hello; he needed no introduction or welcome, just a giant hug from his sweet lady bug. peter is looking at him and touching his face and chatting to him "you're here daddy! i'm so happy! you are the best dad i ever had." he's hugging his babes and peeking between them at his littlest, the one he's never met or held or kissed or smelled. i steal a quick kiss, even though i'd like to just wrap my arms around him and join the snuggle - not sure he can hold all four of us in his mighty arms. i know i'll get my chance.  after a few minutes, betsy is ready to snuggle into the stroller and peter is content to stand by his side, holding his hand or his giant cargo pocket, watching the crowd shift and move as people start to gather up luggage and go their ways in the wee hours of the morning and reid finally takes curtis into his hands. a moment of perfection when father finally meets his babe. he held him up in front of him to really gaze into his face then immediately pulled him to his chest and kissed his head and my whole existence just surged with happiness and contentedness. all is well. we are whole again. he is home.