The Big Day!

Well the big day we waited so long for was finally here on Friday! Although it didn't go quite as planned. Actually it didn't go as planned at all!!! We woke up early and at this point hadn't slept more than about 3-4 hours a night for a couple nights. We headed to the Navy base early, got there about 5:30 am. He was scheduled to fly in on the helicopter at 7 am. Since he works in aviation (and I don't know the Navy terms here) he wasn't going to come in on the boat, he was going to fly in on the helicopters he works on. SWEET! So we were all very excited to see that. So we waited awhile and ate donuts that they brought us. Then we got news that they were delayed until about 9 am. We were really bummed about that. So we waited some more. Then they kept giving us "updates", which we came to dread. It got pushed back to 10:30, then 11, then until further notice. Apparently the weather decided to turn on us and get extremely foggy. It wasn't foggy at all when we drove in that morning but now it was really bad. So we kept getting updates and before we knew it it was 11:20 and they were ordering us lunch. We had now been there 6 hours and were really tired of sitting in the freezing cold hanger with NOTHING to do but stare at the wall. We weren't prepared for hours of waiting so we had no books, no games, nothing! So we ate the pizza they bought and were told that the aviation guys would just come in with the boat at 11:30, only now the boat was also delayed, until about 1. So we waited and were bummed we wouldn't see the helicopters but excited to see the giant boat coming in with all the Navy guys in their uniforms standing on the deck as it came in. Then we continued getting "updates" and the boat now couldn't come in due to the fog. So we waited and waited and waited some more. They kept telling us that if the fog cleared they'd send the helicopters. So the fog would clear, they'd start up the helicopters and then a few minutes later the fog would return and they'd shut them down. This happened at least 4 times I'd say. So now it's about 5 pm and we've been there almost 12 hours. It got so boring they actually pulled out a roll of bubble wrapped and taped it to the floor for the kids (and eventually some adults) to walk and jump on it for entertainment! Now they're telling us the boat is on it's way to the pier and the aviation boys are on it. Instead of heading out to the pier in the now pouring rain with the other at least 3,000 people waiting (we were at least lucky in that we got to wait with a much smaller group inside the cold, but dry hanger), they decided they'd send over some vans to pick up the aviation guys off the boat and drive them back to the hanger. That's right folks, instead of seeing Brandon get out of the helicopter, or even off the boat, we traveled across the country to watch him climb out of a van. So I'm sorry to say that by the end of it all we had waited over 13 hours for Brandon to come home and I only have pictures of him climbing out of a van to show for it!!

Killing time with nothing to do but sit and waitCadon waving to the helicopters
Cami, Cadon, P and I by one of the helicopters
Some of the "birds" outside the hanger

Waiting to meet Uncle B
Killing time during our LONG day
The cool pilots walking in through the fog
Paiton and I waiting
Waiting for the vans to pull up

Here is the vans that dropped them off. Don't worry though, they did some sweet manuvers and some killer formations to the Star Wars theme song. It was much better than watching the boat or helicopters could have ever been.

Here is Brandon with open arms running to Cadon


Holding Cadon for the first time in a looon g time!
Us four kids and our kids :)
Brandon and Grandma
B's family
Brandon, Cadon, and the babies
Mom, Brandon, Cadon, Dad
Brandon seeing Paiton for the first time!

Brandon getting his award for being out to see and doing a great job!
Uncle B holding Paiton for the first time!

Unce B, Pai, and me!


I have a bunch more pictures from the rest of our trip, but I'm really tired of uploading right now. So I'll post those when I get home. Just thought everyone in California might want to see these.
Check back the end of the week to see more!!