Deployment...Round #2

As you may have guessed from the title, we have just begun our second deployment. About one month after we had Tierzah, Stephen came home from work and asked me how I felt about another possible deployment. He told me what this deployment would entail and that made the lump in my throat a little harder to swallow. At that time, he had only been back from a previous deployment for three months or so. As crazy as it sounds, I knew in my heart as he was telling me about the orders that this was something we needed to do. We both cried and prayed together about it and he accepted the assignment. Now that I knew what to expect during a deployment...the "yes" carried a lot more emotional weight than before. He would deploy in 10 weeks to training at Fort Jackson, SC and then on to Kuwait/Afghanistan for the next 10 months. He is no stranger to Kuwait as he was deployed there 3 times while enlisted in the USMC. Stephen (and myself) cares deeply for those in the war zone and having this opportunity to reach out to them is one we could not pass up! I'm so proud of my hubby doing what he has a passion for and making this huge sacrifice to be there for our military men and women.

I love you, babe!

If you would like to follow him on his journey his blog information is: www.marinechaplain.blogspot.com.

SO...I am going to try to blog at least once a week to share the experiences of this deployment from the home front. This is our first time being in a deployment with a little one so prayer is definitely appreciated. :)

The pictures below show the story of Stephen's last morning here in VA. I dropped him off at base at 6:45am and from there they loaded up in the buses and headed down to SC. Ah yes, we stopped at McD's for some breakfast first. lol I know, it's not especially healthy for you but it was our "last" indulgence before the deployment as we both have been trying to eat healthier and work out since then. :) Anyways, this good bye wasn't long and drawn out like the farewell we had when he deployed on the ship and I think I actually prefer it that way. I took some pictures and then drove away. The songs on KLOVE radio that morning were all so encouraging and perfect that I cried all the way to the grocery store. I cried because I felt like God was wrapping His arms around me reassuring me that I could trust Him.

Stephen- sippin his coffee before leaving to check in


One last "car picture" on our way to base.
I miss him already!


The Griffins
I took this a few days before he left. We were trying to spend as much time together as we could.

In a couple days we will have completed week #1....39 to go. As predicted, things start to "go wrong" as soon as the hubby leaves. :) It's actually pretty comical. As soon as I got home from dropping him off, I was unloading the groceries and the power to the whole house randomly shuts off (it turned back on within the hour, thankfully), light bulbs start burning out around the house, the ants begin to invade, Tpot decided to wake up every 2 hours during the night, birds made nests in a hole in our roof and mailbox, and our dog goes on a chewing binge. :) I had to laugh. Ok, I wasn't laughing while I got up through the night with Tpot but the rest seemed to be part of my initiation to deployment #2.

The blessings definitely abound also, though! Stephen has been able to call and skype this week!, I have a sweet little girl to keep me busy :), great family and friends to keep in touch with, awesome neighbors, a church that I love to be apart of, and the opportunity to fully rely on God.

There certainly have already been tough moments that I never thought would end but I'm looking forward to seeing the growth that will come through this for our little family.

Until Next Time...