As the title said, JULIE IS COMING HOME! In one hour, actually 
So for those of you that have prayed and thought of us, my heartfelt thanks. Now, I better go pick her up at the airport.
Best wishes,
Erik
p.s. for those of you that I haven’t met, my wife was deployed to Iraq about 13 months ago.
Why are you typing???
WOO HOO!
So glad!
It is a relief!
Wow. I can only imagine how you feel. What a thing.
Hooraay!
Thanks, guys (and gals, emm ) It’s very nice and feels a lot like being in a dream. We have already very much shifted back into our roles but it will be interesting to watch over the next few weeks.
Our littlest, Leah, warmed up to Julie in about 10 minutes. Julie left when she was 14 months old, so we were concerned that Leah might have forgotten (which happens at that age).
One of the happiest things about her coming back now is that she gets to take the kids to school. Nathan goes into kindergarden so she’s happy to be back for that.
I pretty much tore the house apart while she was gone and I’m 90% finished with putting it back together. Now that she’s home I should have some extra time to finish up (and hopefully some extra time to get back here a little more often).
Erik
Yaaaay!
Congratulations. Um … Julie is your: wife, daughter, sister, au pair, disciplinarian, other?
djm
That is wonderful news!! I can sense your excitement!! God bless your family, and Christ keep you!! I’m so happy she’s finally getting to come home!!!
djm, Wife and disciplinarian.
Thanks, Cran!!! Good to see you; it’s been a while. I hope that everything’s going well for you. Still in school? And 10,000+ posts??? I remember when my 1500 was a lot.
I can’t even imagine it (having a wife and mother of a young child go away for that duration for those circumstances). But congratulations!
I’m glad your family is reunited!
Welcome back to the full family circle Erik. I must say you’re one of the most conscientious single parents I’ve ever seen in action. Must be such a blessing and support to have Julie back again.
Now back to whistle making…?
Jennie
Thanks again for your well-wishes. It is fabulous to have her back. Here I sit on the couch - by myself - while they are at the store. I’ve been by myself while she was gone, but usually I ended up feeling guiltly because someone else was watching my children for me and there was always a time constraint.
Jenny, sorry that we didn’t make it down to your place a couple weeks back. You’re coming to my place on Saturday, right? Jim said you were. 
Whistle making… yes and no. I will now use the next 6 months for some long needed R&D and then I will begin “production” again. Just this morning I was going over some whistley things in my mind. I got some materials a few months back that I want to play around with… considering redesigning a bit. But I don’t want to start making them for other people again until I’ve been back in the shop for while and I don’t want to be in the shop until I’ve been with my wife for a while
I also just stumbled across some flute blanks that I had made before Julie left and so I’m feeling that bug itching.
Erik
Quite impressive man, I don’t think I would have managed on my own more than… 10 minutes! To me, taking care of children is like an obscure science, I’m always impressed when people manage to handle kids on their own.
I’m so glad for your wife’s safe return!
Carol
I’m glad she’s back from the sandbox alive an in one piece. It’s always hard on the loved ones when folks get deployed… but then I don’t have to tell you that.
Happy days, Erik!