Flashback: Desert Storm

Okay, so I'm still looking for pictures and sighing a lot. R1 and R2 left for a midnight madness football game. I don't want to take Thing 5 and Thing 6 (they are being difficult right now, I've demoted them). So here I sit wishing The Marine was around. But look what I found! Pictures!

It's getting close to The Marine's Marine Corps birthday. This August he will have served 22 years. I'm proud to say the Corps and I have done a fabulous job! Okay, old joke and all kidding aside I wonder what this young CPL pictured below would have thought if he could see 22 years into the future.

I'll tell you one thing. He NEVER would have guessed he'd be the dad of a politically correct fire team with reserve. This picture was taken the night I took him to the airport to fly back to Camp Pendleton so he could deploy with his unit to Desert Storm.

I've always thought he looked like "I'm going where?" In actuality he was probably thinking "stop with the pictures and get out of the car!"

Check out the 1990 Hair do! I was 9 weeks post partum so no ugly comments. I've heard about sudden bouts of post partum depression just surprising you even years later. You wouldn't want to trigger that now would you? This fat baby is Recruit 1, the one I just bragged about growing so nicely a few days ago. I love this picture. The Marine was totally in love with her... Still is. He's a FABULOUS Daddy. Oh, and this may be the only picture in existence with me wearing a watch. The Marine won't buy me any. He says I'm irresponsible with watches. Missing him less now...

This was taken before we left for the airport. The Marine had moved me back home to my folk's place, "Monster Acres". I'm actually not kidding. I shall blog about it one day. I remember thinking I hoped this wouldn't be our only family photo together. Morbid I know, but it's what I was thinking.

Man! He was cute. Man! She was a chunk. R1 is only 9 weeks old here. I EARNED the nickname Dairy Queen! (Breastfeeding moms will get that.) Later on I upgraded to the Mobile Dairy Queen as I developed some skill!

That IS NOT a gas bubble smile. The Marine was gooing to her and she smiled up in her sleep at him. It was seconds later he handed her to me and we said goodbye. We had no idea how long it would be before we saw one another again. One man walking away from what meant the most to him to do what was required. That's what it means to be a Marine.

Somewhere in the Desert, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and yet he is totally cool looking! I must have carried this picture around with me. See the crease?

This is one of the most vivid, burned into my brain days. They were dismissed from formation and we attacked! R1 is now 11 months old! Yes, we are wearing matching jump suits. I was young.... No ugly comments, my mother made them! I loved them! In fact, I think the whole platoon should have matching jump suits this Christmas. Mom?

This was the BEST day EVER! And I remember thinking how grateful I was to have another family photo! I just love him...