2008

Well, 2008 started on a sad note. We had to take Dean to the airport so he could go back to Iraq. The first of the year was the beginning of the second half of the deployment. We are not sure exactly when he will be home for good but we are thinking it will be sometime between July and August. Yes, I know that is still along time away.

Jolie is doing wonderful. She enjoyed having her Daddy home because it was one more person to spoil her. She loves all of her Christmas presents. She has learned to sit up and sometimes she will sit up for as long as 15 minutes without falling over. She is always amazing me, she learns new things daily and is now saying DADA. It is very cute but her Daddy is convinced that it is not him she is referring to, which is may be true, but I still think it is adorable because she did start saying it right after he came home.

We enjoyed every minute of having Dean home. The day that he came home, he and I went up into the mountains for a short little vacation. We spent 3 nights in a cabin in Helen, Ga, all by ourselves. It was great to finally see him after those first 6 months of the deployment. After our short stay in the mountains we went back to Calhoun, Ga, to have Christmas with his family, a couple days early. It was very nice. We were able to see his parents, Amber, Jennifer and her family, his Grandmother, and his Uncle David and Aunt Sandy. We left the following day to go back to our house. It was wonderful to have him back home wear he belongs even if it was just for a short time. It was perfect having Jolie's 1st Christmas at home, and it was even better because her Daddy was able to be there. The rest of the time was spent relaxing and just having a good time together. It was extremely difficult taking him back to the airport, but we did it because his leave time had to end so that the deployment can end. Jolie and I came back to a messy house, and an empty house.

I am doing okay. Of course I am sad, but what is to be expected. Jolie and Dean are truly the most important people in my life. It is hard to have one of those people half way across the world. Oh and of course I have my other baby, Roscoe. Who is just as big of a handful as the other 2 are. I am backing to reading, sewing and taking care of Jolie. Dean has told me to go ahead and sew my little heart out. He thinks that I will be able to sell the stuff that I make, so I am very excited about that but very nervous.

Well I had better end this blog now so that I can get some rest. I want to tell everyone THANK YOU for all the cards and presents for Jolie. She loves all of them.

Love, Teresa and Jolie