Welcome Home USS Pittsburgh

Holy cow I haven't written in forever.  I have an excuse- my sailor is home.  My little family is complete again. The USS Pittsburgh pulled into Pier 17 at 1:00 on October 15th 2010.  After 6 1/2 months being apart can you imagine all the nerves!? From what I heard- we had one of the biggest Homecomings a lot of people have seen. My mom and grandma even made a special trip out! From the time you first see the submarine to the time it is tied to the pier is maybe 15 minutes but it felt like everything was in slow motion.  I remember just standing there looking around at the 300+ people waiting for their loved ones.... their Sons, Brothers, Dads, Boyfriends & Husbands.  All the kids yelling for their daddies & proudly waving the flag.  It was like it was silent and all I could hear was the faint sound of that "Proud to be an American" song in the background... and I think everyone else heard it too.  It was crazy windy and like 50 degrees but I was so excited I didn't notice. 

Finally they opened the gates to let the family on to the pier. I put Harper down and made sure her little Sailor Dress looked perfect.  Made sure my mom & Cameron had the cameras on and ready to capture every moment on camera!  Then- he finally came out of the sub... 3 roses in hand, and looking more handsome then I remembered.  All the nights where I cried and yelled that I hated the Navy for taking him away were gone.  It was overcome by a sense of pride. I was proud of him and all his shipmates for a job well done. I planned to let Harper walk to him... but she wasn't walking fast enough. I picked her up & ran to him... heels and all.  When he finally hugged us, I don't think I could even breath.  It was surreal.  He was HOME. Harper starred at him at first, and he gave her a little bear he got her in London.  She hugged it, then hugged him.  She knew her daddy was back home.

After Josh got to come home, Lindsey and I had to go get our hair done for the Navy Birthday Ball that night.  He stayed with Cameron and my family, made a few phone calls to his his brother and his dad then later met us at the MGM Grand.  A perfect ending to a perfect day.