It's True

He's home. For a LONG time. I am overjoyed.

In January Doug's company announced it was moving it's corporate headquarters from Portland to Chicago. Thankfully Doug's job at the plant here was not going anywhere, but he was given a major role in this huge undertaking. He has done an AMAZING job with the project. He even got a promotion in the middle of it... no doubt because of the work he has been doing. I am so proud of him.

It didn't come without a price, however. Countless hours of extra work, increased stress, and travel have taken him away from us the past 6 months. For 2 weeks in May and for the past 4 weeks (well, 20 out of the last 25 days) he has been in Chicago finishing up his part of the project. He has worked 70+ hour weeks under pressure and not sleeping or eating well. I have held down the fort here, with kids who miss their dad terribly and who are both in challenging phases of their development.

For both Doug and I, it was hard. Brutal some days. Frustrating other days. Good days were peppered in between. I would be lying if I said we did fine. But we did it. Only by the grace of God. And by the love shown to us. We are so thankful for friends and family who have been praying for us and caring for us while he was away. From meals to phone calls, from emails of encouragement to a friend mowing and edging our lawn... our "village" rocks! (And it really does take a village, ya know!)

He came home last night with no plans to return to Chi-town for a while. We both shed tears. Happy tears. Exhausted tears.

We are excited to get reconnected as a family. I am excited to get more time with my husband.

Absence does make the heart grow fonder. I am so in love with my amazing husband, even more honored to be his wife.

It's true.