
September 20, 2008
365 days complete.
It was a year ago tomorrow that Jason kissed me goodbye and got on the bus to leave for a year.
Emmie and I spent a few days in Alaska before we headed to Michigan to be with family...

We spent nine months at my parents house counting the days, week, months until the move back to Alaska and the time closer to Jason coming home.
I can promise you I probably looked at the counter AT LEAST every other night to make sure my week total was correct and the estimate on R&R and his arrival home.
I spent many holidays I had previously missed with my family although each one seemed dreadful knowing where Jason was. No matter what I tried to make the best of it.
Jason spent his time in I-town where communication was few and far
in between because he was on an outpost not an actual FOB.

We spent 345 days apart and if you add R&R in that year it was technically 330. ;)
I spent many nights crying, praying, sleepless, stressed and hopeful.
It was ALL WORTH IT leading up to this very night...

I am nothing but proof that a year apart IS survivable. I used ours as a learning experience to find new interests, accomplish things I have always wanted to try, go back to school, church, join a gym, travel, you name it I used the time to do it.
Most importantly though that I am proud of my husband. He holds his head high each and every day no matter what the task at hand is and he is my strength whenever I feel like I just cant push myself anymore he is always pushing for me. He is truly the love of my life and although I know this probably
isn't the last year apart it is another chapter closed.
September 19, 2009
Mission complete!