NC weekend

Mike was invited about a month or two ago to go camping at Jordan Lake, NC. We've been planning and buying for over a month to prepare to go, but not enough planning in the world could keep a pregnant lady satisfied in 95 degrees of heat.

We started the trip rushing from FSI to Fort Bragg to hopefully meet our good friend off the plane from Afghanistan! Which, by some unknown luck, we were able to do! We constantly called a friend for an update on the flight and from the Cumberland County line the flight had already landed. That's about 45minutes away from Green Ramp. We made it to All American FWY with another update, Paratroopers have not deboarded. Good! That gives us at least 20 minutes! For those of you who have not experienced a redeployment 82nd style, it takes a very long time. After attending about 100 redployments, literally, I still get choked up and teary eyed. My first redeployment ever,(march 2005) I met my future husband, he just didn't know it yet :) For me I can feel all the emotion and excitement in the air and when the National Anthem plays, I always shed a tear, even when I know not one person coming home. The best part about my job was when I did know the people coming home. I got to see most of my friends coming off the plane, which no one else gets. I was supposed to be professional, but usually I couldn't contain myself. I always love a good reunion. I've been witness to many great reunions: engagements, fathers meeting their children for the first time, fathers rushing off the plane to the hospital because baby was about to be born. And a few not so good reunions. In the end, I am just glad to have 1 more good friend home, for a while.

After the redeployment we cooked out and stayed up till 2 a.m. catching up with old friends. It was a fantastic trip!

Early Saturday morning we packed up and left for the lake. Saturday was great, till a thunderstorm hit. Luckily Mike bought the outrageous tent from REI that kept every drop of rain out, but I wouldn't recommend getting into the tent until the sun goes down. The kids spent all day splashing and swimming in the lake till it started raining, so they slept like little rocks. Sunday the heat hit immediately and we had to hit the road, which Mike had to pull over on a few times to let me out. I wouldn't give camping a thumbs down, but first trimester and heat do not mix well.

All in all the entire trip was worth it and I'd do it again. Oh and although we had the camera we managed to leave it in the van and not take a single picture.