The Greatest Christmas Gift

A few weeks into December Will and I received the greatest Christmas gift we could have asked for. We found out that Will was not needed in Japan until after Christmas and even possibly early January. The reason was because the Diamondbacks (Wills new squadron) were all coming back from deployment around Thanksgiving and really had no need for Will to get there right away. Up until this point we had fully prepared to be packed up and moved for our first Christmas in Japan. The joy we felt knowing we would be in Raleigh with family for our favorite holiday was indescribable. 

Christmas Eve, Will and I stayed with my family and spent Christmas morning with them. Liam, our nephew, was such a good age this year to watch open all his gifts. 

Bennett's first Christmas!

Liam loved his new slide we gave him

After all the fun of opening gifts, Will left to go to his parents house where we were going to do Christmas day lunch and spend the rest of the night with his family.

 Unfortunately this Christmas day was bittersweet for us as well because Elkie, Ben, Liam and Bennett were leaving to see Ben's family in the mountains until New Years day. This meant our goodbyes had to happen before they hit the road. This was the moment I had dreaded ever since we found out our orders. As you can imagine…I was an absolute wreck. 

Being an Aunt has been the most amazing and life changing experience. Being away from these two nuggets is going to be so hard for me! Even though this is not the ideal way to watch them grow, Will and I both feel so blessed that we have so much time with them already. Aunt CaCa and Uncle Wee Wee promise to FaceTime you as much as we can Liam and Bennett! We love you so much! 

Will and I said the rest of our goodbyes to friends and family, which almost killed me, and headed back to Virginia Beach so Will could check out on base and I could be there for our movers. It was really starting to hit us that within a week we would be living in Japan. Things were getting real…