September 2002- Paul & I moved from Amarillo to Rockport,Texas (down around Corpus Christi) to follow my family
October 2003- Our son Holden is born in Corpus Christi, Texas
October 2004- Paul went to Great Lakes, Illinois for 9 weeks of basic training (& we thought it was tough to be seperated for 9 weeks...ha!)
January 2005- Paul was at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for school. While he eventually changed his rate to a GM. Gunner's mates (GM) are responsible for the operation and maintenance of guided missile launching systems, gun mounts and other ordnance equipment, as well as small arms and magazines. They work with electrical and electronic circuitry; mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. What it has equaled to me is a ton of deployments.
Febuary 2005- We recieved our first duty station- Norfolk Naval Base, Norfolk, Virginia
March 2005- August 2005- Paul went on his first tour. Europe (Amsterdam, Rome, France, Norway, Spain, Ireland & Italy)
August 2005 (days before Hurricane Katrina) - My neenee, Holden & I made the 3 day, 1,600 mile drive from Rockport to Newport News, Virginia. We called this home for 11 months & during this time Paul was stationed aboard the USS Saipan. He underwent several shorter (2 months or less) deployments as part of the War on Terrorism.
June 2006- Holden & I (24 weeks pregnant with Kamdyn) returned to Rockport for major deployment #2.
June 2006- December 2006- Paul is deployed as part of a mobile security unit (not attached to a ship- The USS Saipan was decommisioned in April 2006) The new duty station is out of Portsmouth, Virginia. Paul is sent to the oil platforms in the middle eastern Iraqi waters. He was responsible for providing security & earned awards in the training of over 250 Iraqi marines.
December 2006- Our daugher Kamdyn is born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Ten days after her birth Paul traveled from Rockport back to Norfolk to settle us in to our new home.
6 Months Pregnant with my Sweet Baby Girl!
Late February 2007- Holden, Kamdyn, my mom & I traveled back to Norfolk. My mom stayed for a week and helped us to settle in. During the next year Paul underwent several more small deployments and trainings. It felt like he was home for about 2 months and then gone for one.
May 2008- My dad flew in to help the kids & I drive back to Texas. Paul was leaving again for Kuwait this time (Camp Patriot). During our almost 2 week long road trip we traveled to Little Rock to see my sister, to Amarillo to attend my grandad's funeral and eventually we ended up in Austin. I spent the next 8 months in Austin with my mother in law.
December 2008- Paul is back! I flew to Norfolk to pick him up mid December and we returned to Austin where we spent Christmas with family in both Austin & Amarillo. Shortly after Christmas (before 2009) Paul returned to our new home in Suffolk, Virginia.
January 2009- My mom, the kids & I make that well known drive again from Rockport to Little Rock to Virginia. We saw snow storms in North Carolina but, we made it safely home to what I would call "home" until July 2009.
July 2009- In preparation for another deployment the kids & I are moving yet again. Only this time it is only about 20 miles away and still in Suffolk. This is in preparation for Paul's upcoming, 4th major deployment as part of The War on Terrorism. He is expected to leave in the fall for an upwards of 8 months to an undisclosed, secure location.
Who knows where we will end up next- only time will tell. It seems like Texas should have it's turn again here soon. While we miss family & friends tremendously- this is our life. It has made us stronger. It has made me more independent. It has made me have a superb amount of respect for single moms & dads. It has made Paul & I both understand the value of trust and faith.
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