First days in NC

Well we had a long day of travel on Friday, the 4th. The kids couldn't have been better though. Zachary was a bit frustrated with the layover in Phoenix...just in a hurry to get on the next flight and get going. I couldn't look out the window, it was really a little hard to be there. I loved living in Tucson and all my years in Arizona and it will be a while until I am used to that not being home base for me. I love North Carolina though...this is my home...I grew up here. It is so pretty and green and just feels like home to me. I love the trees...something we never see at my house. My kids are in awe I think of the green and tall trees. My parents new house is beautiful...they have this awesome view of the golf course and of course as only parents can do it, live by a resort here in Greensboro. They have a beautiful sun room that I would spend every day in if it was mine. My mom always does a beautiful job making every house look amazing and I love how this one looks.
We got to see my sister and her family last night and that was great...all the kids did well together and the boys actually played together. It was awesome to see them interact that way. Zach actually was asking to play with Jacob and excited to see him and do things...it was a nice change...we had some meltdowns and issues, but not as bad as before. He has a bit of an obsession with his leapster right now and I am frustrated with that. Otherwise he is doing well and has accepted the change pretty well.
As always it is bittersweet to come home. It is harder now to be here with my parents and sister so close together and me now so far away. I know this is the life we have with the AF, but it doesn't make it easier. I would love to have a place that was mine and feel at home in a community.
And for those out there who love to comment, "well you chose that life". Yes and no. I get really pissed off at that. Yes, I chose to marry Brandon and I knew when I met him what he was doing with his career...however I was not aware of the military life and all it entailed...most people aren't. I had no idea some of the places we would live...and FYI we don't get to pick. I had no idea that some people would get great locations, no deployments or even stateside ones and others would be gone more than home...there is no instruction manual that comes with it. So while I chose my husband, I didn't knowingly choose so much of this. I don't complain endlessly or play the poor me card, so that is even more why that comment irritates me. I take things with a grain of salt and try to always remember ever single day so many military families have it so much worse than us. Many wives have their husbands gone for a year or more...some deal with injuries and worse yet, some suffer the ultimate loss. I know how blessed I am for what I have. But, it never makes it easier to watch friends come and go from my life and move so often. It doesn't make it easier to watch your children just learn to not expect daddy to be around and if he is it is fantastic. It is not easy to prepare for deployments, make out wills and say goodbye to the person you love for months. It just isn't easy...sorry. I accept my life and gladly accept the sacrifices that come along with it and try to do so without bitching and moaning...so for those of you that don't live this life and don't understand, think before you speak. No one really asks for their life...things happen to all of us and we all just learn to adapt...I am so thankful and grateful every day for so much I have and that others have sacrificed for me.

So...just wanted to share that while it was fresh on my mind...I hope everyone had a great fourth...photos to come soon.