Jeff's Journal

Well tomorrow I fly back to Iraq to finish my 15 month deployment. I think I took my 18 days leave at the perfect time. The first 10 months really seemed to drag on and it was hard to wait to come home, but now I only have to go back for 4.5 months or so. Seems like nothing compared to 10 months but I know it will still be hard. Also no more big holidays to miss (except for Mother's Day and Emi's birthday).

We had so much fun over the past 18 days. It was great to go shopping with Emi and Kailie in Springfield and St Louis, and we got some great pictures taken at the mall. I think we bought Kailie something at every store we went to and she sure has a lot of stuff now. She is a lucky girl to have Emi to take care of her. I can also see how much of a handful she is now, and I know how hard Emi has to work every day to take care of her.

My parents and sisters came down to visit and for Kailie's birthday party. I think that was the highlight of everyone's vacation. Everyone had so much fun treating Kailie like the princess she is. She is walking now and you can see her get better every day, which is pretty amazing. We have a lot of fun chasing each other around the house and laughing. We've become best friends and play with each other all day.


I know that I'm going to miss Emi and Kailie so much these next couple months. I love Emi with all my heart and I know that we are meant to be together. Kailie is wonderful and is getting so big and so smart. It is never easy to leave but this one is a little bit easier because I know that we both can do it and it will be so much shorter. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.