Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Soooo it's almost been about 2 weeks since Kyle has been gone training at PTA on the Big Island. The time has gone by super fast (thank God) and I can't wait to have him home with me again this Sunday. Maybe it's just my crazy pregnancy hormones, but I can't stop thinking about the next several months and what they are going to bring. Kyle and I made a very hard decision for me to come back home to Michigan while he trains most of the summer. At first, I didn't want to go...I wanted to just stay here and wait while he trained so we could spend time together even if it was only for a week or two at a time. Time is so precious to me now, I would wait a thousand years alone if he meant I could at least have a few days with him. He leaves in July for a few weeks comes back and then leaves again in August for about a month and a half. We decided August would be the best time for me to go. So as of right now, we are going to pack up the house and give it back to base housing for another waiting family, and I am going to go home until May of next year. The great news is Kyle will be coming home for pre-deployment leave hopefully around October, so I wouldn't miss out on too much time with him. I'm just trying to stay positive and not focus on him not being here for the birth of our baby, and the holidays. I know his job is very important, and if brave men like him didn't go and fight we wouldn't get to enjoy the everyday pleasures. We wouldn't get into enjoy our freedom. I keep that in mind when I start to get down about it...because I know there are so many out there less fortunate than our family...and I know that eventually he will be back home with us holding his new baby boy or girl and our family will be whole once again.

Pitter Patter of Little Feet

On March 23, 2010 Kyle and I found out we are expecting!! We had been trying for a little one since he had returned home from the deployment in November, so after months of trying we were THRILLED! We had a little rough start to the pregnancy, as they were unsure of how far along I was at first and my hormone (HCG) levels were coming up too low. By 5 weeks along we found out I had just ovulated later than what we thought, and everything was on track like it should be!! Although we had many worry filled days, the bright side is we were able to see our little one by ultrasound several times! Usually most expectant parents are not able to get a glimpse of their bundle of joy until 20 weeks! We are looking forward to the day when the baby is old enough to understand the ultrasound pictures and we can show them to him or her =)

The first two ultrasounds we had, they did not give us copies of as the baby wasn't developed enough to see. But we were able to take home three of them!! This first one shows the baby at 6 weeks! We originally went in to see the heartbeat, but they were unable to see it at this appointment. They told us that it was probably too early to see. But what you can see here is the gestational sac (the big black shape on the left hand side which is what the baby grows in) and the yolk sac and the fetal pole which is the tiny circle inside of the gestational sac (which is the baby).

We went in again at 6 weeks 5 days to see if there was a heartbeat...sure enough there is was!!! Beating nice and strong at 140 =) If you look close enough you can see two circles that make up the baby's body, the one at the bottom is the head, and the one at the top right is the body...and in the body is a teeny tiny little black dot and that is the heart. It was amazing to see our baby's heartbeat for the first time. We were both in awe =)

I went back again due to some other health issues, but they did an ultrasound just to make sure the baby was doing okay. This ultrasound was given at 9 weeks. You can clearly see the baby's eyes, nose, mouth, little arms and legs!! We also saw the baby hiccup! Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to be pregnant before this ultrasound and was excited to be having a baby...but when I saw this picture of the little one...I fell madly in love. I never knew it was possible to love something so much.

Before you were conceived I wanted you

Before you were born I loved you

Before you were here an hour I would die for you

This is the miracle of Mother's Love.

Maureen Hawkins

This Crazy Little Thing Called Life

Wow. I look back on the last 2 years and I can't seem to figure out where the time went. So many amazing things have happened in our lives in the last 2 years, and I wish I would have stumbled upon the blogging world before now! I decided to start this blog for several reasons, the main reason being that I thought it would be a great idea to keep friends and family back at home up to date on what's happening in our lives here in Hawaii. Although we are an ocean away, I hope this blog will help shorten that distance a little bit.

Just to bring everyone up to date (although I'm sure many of you know most of this information), 2 years ago Kyle decided to join the United States Marine Corps. He entered into basic training in March of 2008 and graduated in June of 2008. I was fortunate enough to have been able to attend his graduation at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. If you have never been to a USMC graduation, I urge you to go at least once. It's a life changing experience.

Seeing one another for the first time at his graduation in California!

Kyle was able to go back to Michigan in June for a short 10 day leave before heading off to California for more training. It was in those 10 days when he asked me to be his wife...I of course said, "YES!" In August of 2008, Kyle had completed his infantry training and received orders for Marine Corps Base Hawaii...what a shock! He made the move to Hawaii that August, and I packed up everything I owned and flew out there to marry him in September. We were married on Magic Island in Waikiki on October 11, 2010. It was one of the best days of my entire life.

Becoming Mr. and Mrs.

In May of 2009, my heart broke a thousand times as I had to say goodbye to my new husband for our first deployment. The time had come and he was heading to Afghanistan. After many sleepless nights, lots of prayers, and endless tears, I welcomed my husband home in November 2009. There will never be words to describe how it felt watching him come off that plane after 6 months of worry and wait. He was home safe, and I couldn't wait to continue our happily ever after.

The plane Kyle arrived home on from Afghanistan.

Our first embrace after 6 long months apart...

In February 2010, we welcomed our new furry addition, Luke, who has been such a joy in our lives! He keeps us very busy!

He smiles like this all the time!!

Don't let that sweet face fool you! He can be such a handful!

I can't believe 1 year ago I said goodbye to my love and watched him walk away. It has been 6 months since he has been home from war, and I'm trying to savor every moment I have with him until the next deployment which is due to happen this Fall. For now Kyle is keeping very busy with various training operations, and we are enjoying our time together as much as we can!!

Kyle spear fishing in Kaneohe Bay =)