To my readers,
Did that throw you for a loop? Can I tell you how weird it is to not say Dear Rob? My hero actually told me he misses my daily letters to him so maybe they will come back. Okay I have a few minutes so what about right now.
Dear Rob,
Hello babe, it is so nice to have you home. You have been home for 10 days now. I know things have been interesting.
First let me apologize for last weekend. What was I thinking leaving you for seven hours with four children? I guess I should have realized you had not had the time to really check in with the kids. Thank you for being so patient with me.
We have been so busy doing things this week that we have not had time to really set and talk. Honey, I cannot tell you how much it meant to me to set on the porch and talk to you. I really plan on trying to make this a priority.
Things feel normal right now, you and Michael are off fishing and the girls and I are relaxing around the house. I hope you found a great place to fish and you guys are having fun. Thanks for remembering the sun block by the way.
I am sorry I was so short with you about the chocolate cake. It really was silly. I really was mad that the kids would take advantage of you and do things they know better than to do.
Rob my heart is breaking that our weekend getaway fell through. I know you are as disappointed as I am. Can I tell you that I respect you for standing up for what is right for our children even though it means you lose out on a weekend away. I support your decision.
It feels so good to have you in bed next to me at night, or setting next to me at church or driving me around.
Thank you for driving us to Chapel Hill for Grace to see the GI doctor.
I love you babe, I just wanted to take a minute to say welcome home!!
Pamela

I guess it is really not right to write to my hero since he is right here next to me. So I thought I would tell you about our day yesturday. I did not tell the kids that Rob was coming home. I honestly was not expecting him until today. He called me yesturday at 6am and said he was in Germany and should be home sometime around 4pm. So we went to counseling and then met friends for lunch. Then we went to Lowe's to pick up something to hold Rob's welcome home sign. I even stopped by the butcher shop and picked up a beautiful steak.


We were not home a hour before it was time to go. I wrote the FRG leader and asked if she had heard when my husband would be in. She said my huband was no longer in this unit and that she had given my name to the person whose unit we were with. She was able to give me a number to call about times. So I called and they said there was a flight at 5:45 and one at midnight. I decided Rob would probably be on the 5:45 flight.

We arrived around 5:30. The kids all brought there welcome home signs. They thought they were there as a practice run. I told them this was a way for them to support soldiers who did not have anyone there.
We waited forever for the soldiers to get off the plane. They were waiting on customs. The whole time Rob is texting me to tell me he is there. When they released the soldiers I told my kids we would leave in just a minute but that I wanted to get a picture of them first. So they let me take one picture, then I saw Rob walking up so I asked them to let me take another one. AS I was taking the picture he said BOO. I do not think they knew how to respond. We all snuggled with Rob for 10 minutes before he got on the white bus to go get his stuff and turn in his weapon. There was only one problem. He flew in with a different unit and no one thought to show up for him. Which meant no one was there to greet him, no one to take his weapon. After several phone calls he was squared away and told he could go. By the way he is still in the same unit. Either I misunderstood her or she was wrong. He was starving and it was 8:30. So we stopped at McDonalds and had dinner. Can you imagine your first meal being a cheeseburger. Before he could come in the house the cat escaped and he was chasing her around the yard. He took a minute to say hi to the dog who was going nuts and did not know what to do when he saw him. Then we put the kids to bed with instructions that if they woke up before us to not wake us. Which is comical because everyone knows I wake up early no matter what.

We have had a wonderful day. He had to go to work briefly but they are giving him tomorow off. Rob has fixed the riding lawnmower, push mower, updated my laptop and the main home computer. Mowed the back yard and put pest stuff down. The kids have not left him alone all day. I mean he does not get a minutes peace. This afternoon he was changing in our room and Hope was looking under the door. I could hear her saying OOH daddy took his pants off, OOH daddy took off his underwear. That was all she could see.
I am so glad he is home. I may or may not be around much this weekend. I plan on spending every minute I can with the man in my dreams.

Dear Rob,
short and sweat, thank you for coming home. Help me for keeping it a secret from the kids that you were coming home. So now that the kids have done this.
It is time for me and you to do more of this

. (Sorry dear blog readers but this is my life. Lots of smooching and comments like DADDY YOU ARE NOT IN IRAQ, OR DADDY I PUT MY POOP IN THE POTTY NOW.)
I love you babe and am glad you are home with us.
Pamela PETRIE

Dear Rob,
I love you and cannot believe you have not been able to call today. For some reason I thought you were going to call.
We had a good day. The kids helped me make welcome home signs for the ceremony we are going to this weekend. I figure I can keep them for when you get home. It does get me more excited about you coming home. Speaking of you coming home I think it is time I take your shorts out of the bathroom and wash them. My first thought was HOW DARE HIM LEAVE SHORTS HANGING IN THE BATHROOM. But every day I look at them and it reminds me of you.
I got the laundry caught up and put away so I feel like I can relax a little. Our school stuff has not come in yet and it still has not been shipped. I am okay with it because it gives us a couple more days to relax.
I love you but it is almost 11pm and I still need to make sure the kids are asleep. I sent them to bed a little before 8 but then they refused to sleep so I had them get up and clean up and I think they are finally asleep for good. I do not know what is going on but we are not sleeping well.
I love you babe and PLEASE feel free to call me even in the middle of the night.
Pamela PETRIE

Dear Rob,
We are doing good. We miss you. We had a wonderful day. I went to pick up Michael's testing this morning. Kinda useless. His spelling scores are lower than normal but not bad but his reading is higher. He said that did not make since. His Asperger's test were not done. So I have to go back in a few days and pick up the final test.
We came home and I got all the clothes from the weekend put away. I got the girls closet cleaned out. Faith got her closet and dresser straightened out. The school stuff still has not shipped. So tomorrow I will work on getting laundry put away and basic straightening. I feel like I am nesting (I am not PREGNANT). I have a desire to clean out closets and re organize. I want to work on Welcome Home signs tomorrow. I told the kids we may even go to one this week so they will understand the process and I think it is a nice way to support other people.
I love you babe but I am going to head to bed. I know I have been going to bed earlier and earlier. The sad thing is I am not falling asleep like I should. I am trying to sleep on MY side of the bed and can I just say it is hard. I think we need a king bed. I love you, have I told you that today.
Pamela PETRIE

Dear Rob,
First of all, IT IS AUGUST!!!! Do you know what that means? YOU COME HOME THIS MONTH!!
I love you babe and cannot wait to have you home. Can you come tomorrow? The laundry is caught up, I slept good last night and there is plenty of food. Plus I do not want to take the girls with me to get the results to Michael’s testing tomorrow.
We are thinking about picking blueberries tomorrow. Part of me wants to rush home in case our school stuff arrives. I am almost giddy about it arriving.
Michael’s friend came over today and they had a good time. I cannot wait to get to know the family better. Maybe we will have a cook out when you get home.
I have a lot more to tell you about but I think I am going to go to bed early again. I was in bed and asleep before 10 last night and it was amazing.
I love you babe and hope that you were able to sleep today.
Pamela PETRIE

Dear Rob,
I love you. I love you because you called me back today just so I know you did not hang up on me. You are a wonderful man and I do not know how I am lucky enough to have you.
We had a good day, we went to church for the swap and came home with about 5 bags of clothes for the girls.They are in the garage now but I will put them away tomorow. I did get all the kids school books from last year put away. I even got all the laundry put away. I really need to deep clean the house. It honestly just seems like I am tired all the time and I can not figure out why. I was falling asleep at 4pm today. As soon as the kids are asleep I am going to bed.
I had planned on going to the commisary today but some how while we were at the swap Grace changed into pajama pants and high heels and buy the time we left her clothes were on the bottom of a trash bag in the van.
We are picking up Kim at the airport in the morning and then I think Michael is having a friend come over tomorow afternoon.
I love you babe and can not wait for the time when we can talk without interuptions of fear of one of us hanging up on another.
Pamela PETRIE