Homecomings, Easter and all the things from there to here.

  Hey blog hey! I promised an update and here I am. Things have been what they call crazy in my house lately because.... wait for it.... BRYCE IS FINALLY HOME!!! *Audience Applause!* EEEEeeeeKKKkkk!! I still am waiting for myself to wake up and realize that this is just a dream and I'm really fucking with myself, but thank goodness it is not. I did it y'all! I survived one whirlwind of a deployment. It was long and it was hard sometimes, but my god it was worth it. Just a word to the wise for my readers with deployed spouses and loved ones, there are going to be times when you're going to feel like this is impossible. You're going to feel like if just ONE more thing goes wrong, if even ONE more lightbulb in the house blows out that you can't reach then you'll cut a bitch. Let me tell you, keep on keeping on, because it will be over before you know it. There are no words to describe how much I missed Bryce and his deployment is what most would call a TDY, it was very easy on both of us. That doesn't mean that it wasn't hard or that I didn't lose sleep over not having my best friend with me. Don't ever let anyone make you feel like you're wrong for missing your husband/boyfriend/son/daughter because they aren't deployed for as long as their husband/boyfriend/son/daughter will be or because they're not in harms way. Love is love and missing somebody is hard no matter how long they're gone for or where they're gone too. Don't let ANYONE tell you any differently. You have every right in the world to be sad and to miss them, because that's what love is. I don't care if they're going to be gone 6 minutes or 6 years, you miss them and you miss them openly and if anyone has anything to say about it, you brush your shoulders off. Ya heard!?, because 9 times out of 10, those people are just seeking attention anyways. Okay, sorry for that mini rant y'all. Now on to the good stuff!
  I guess I'll start with homecoming day! Essentially I started my day with a lot of cleaning, because I left pretty much 90% of it for the day of. I'm sure you've all heard the saying, but it goes something like this, "Having kids is a lot like using a blender with the lid off." Well they proved that saying true that day! After cleaning, I helped Emory and Lily make a homecoming sign for their daddy (they didn't expect him home until the next day!)

then a few of my friends came over to help me with the girls and basically to give me moral support while I tornadoed through my house like a mad woman freaking out, because the love of my life was going to be in my face in a few hours! The day went really smoothly and it wasn't until my amazing photographer Ashley (Click here for her beyond AMAZING pictures!!) showed up that I realized what was going on and I started repeating, "This is fine, this is totally fine... I'm okay... it's okay..." while pacing and panicking. Cute right? I know. We arrived at the airport only to find the flight from O'hare wasn't supposed to be in for another hour. Naturally, I started to freak out and get kind of sad, because B told me it would be there at 6:36 pm. So I sat and waited, while Ashley snapped pictures of me impatiently waiting. I was deep in worrisome Amanda thought when Ashely said, "There he is!" I glanced over and at first didn't even recognize a 20 lbs lighter Bryce, but as soon as it clicked I quite literally THREW my homecoming sign, balled up my fists like a giddy child and took off for him!

Everything about it was perfect. I just couldn't stop smiling at him and poking him to make sure he was real. He did inform me that he accidentally left his wedding ring in the norfolk bathroom when washing his face while he changed into his uniform for our pictures. (yeah, he rocks that much.) I just couldn't take my eyes off of him or get the smile that he had when he first saw me out of my mind. That look alone, was well worth the 6 month wait for sure. Then we obviously drove home and surprised Lily and Emory with their favorite person in the world! At first both of them were like..."uuhh... da fuq?" then they warmed up to him. Seeing them together again just absolutely melted my heart into a puddle of OH MY LORD I LOVE THIS FAMILY!, don't worry y'all, it's not melted any more. The next few days after that we just spent together soaking up each other and pretty much just loving being under the same roof again.

it was the best "first" kiss that i'd ever had

The next few days were filled with Easter fun. We did 2 egg hunts for the kids. One the day before easter and one easter morning. Emory was THRILLED to just find the eggs and she's still egg hunting to this day. Lily felt special, because this year SHE'S the big kid and she had the most eggs. She also has been begging me for a pet sheep (we pass a heard of sheep every morning on our way to her school) so, Bryce made sure his baby got what his baby wanted and he bought her a stuffed animal sheep. Cute much? yup. She LOVED it. There is just something about Easter that really lights up a child's face and makes me so happy. It didn't hurt that they were wearing their Easter dresses made by me, that really helped. For Easter dinner I made my own tradition of making Easter tacos for the fam jam and my awesome friend Amanda. Have I ever mentioned that I make the world's BEST freaking tacos!? Well, now I have and now you know and knowledge is power! HOLLA!

  Since then it's been a whole lot of hanging out and gyming out. Bryce one really wanted to eat out once or twice since he's been home, which is weird because most guys when they come home want to eat everything they can, not Bryce. He actually requested just my homemade tacos for his dinner when he got home. That really makes a lady feel pretty special. I love having him home and for a gym partner. It's embarrassing sometimes though, because I just catch myself staring at him like, "That's MY husband." and he usually catches me and says something like, "can i help you creeper?" Uhh... sorry you send my uterus into a frenzy bro, shouldn't have gotten so sexy man. I guess me telling him if he didn't look like Channing Tatum when he came home I'd divorce him helped. I was joking, but he did me one better and came back looking like Bryce Laysitdown Mande. Other than spending copious amounts of time with my best friend, I've been pretty boring. We did manage to zoo it up with Lily's friend Zoey and her wonderful parents Madeline and grandpa Ray. That was a mad house that was 100% worth fighting, because the weather was perfect and the kids adored seeing the animals actually out and about in their habitats.

That night I went dancing with Madeline (she's stalking me because she loves me), Amanda, Ciara and Carla and my good lord moving the next day was not fun. I had the most fun ever swimming in the Yellow Roses sea of plaid and blue jean and hearing Madeline's comments about pretty much everything country. Hilarious doesn't even cover that night.
  I can honestly say that right now, I'm the happiest I have been in a very long time. No stress, no problems... Just life. Just living life here in good ol' Ohio with my family and my amazing friends. The weather is finally turning around and I just can't get enough of it. I know a lot of it is the "honeymoon" phase of Bryce being home (I haven't had to lift a finger since that amazing man of mine has been home.... he's seriously the best husband ever. Sorry other husbands. Take notes.) and I actually opened my mailbox today to find a card he sent me the day he left just to let me know he loves me and I'm awesome. Life is perfect or my definition of perfect and that's close enough for me.

G'night y'all.

-Amanda

p.s.
You should probably be on the lookout for a new blog layout soon... Having a web designing best friend is kind of the best thing ever sometimes. :)

p.s.s.
I officially have a workout clothing buying problem.... is there a support group for that!? You wanna see my newest additions!? okay, you twisted my arm enough.

I WANT TO WEAR THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME ALL DAY EVERY DAY!