Welcome Home Daddy!

The long awaited day finally arrived. Brad was delayed about an hour but overall things went smoothly. The terminal was chaotic and cramped and it made the wait pretty miserable. The girls colored to pass the time and ate as many cookies as they could sneak from the snack table. Brooke ate a miniature American Flag while she waited.
There were a bunch of young, immature wives without children that crowded in front of the glass doors pushing children out of the way and screaming like teenagers at a concert when the plane landed. These same girls were primping in the bathroom while they giggled as I stood in the handicap stall waiting to wipe a poopy bottom...not mine for clarification...man, did I ever feel old listening to them. I convinced the girls that if we stood towards the back of the line (not that we had much choice thanks to the selfish and immature wives without kids...yes I am a little bitter) Daddy would be able to see their signs better.
Mckenna was the first to spot Daddy and ran to him. I think he felt her on his leg before he ever saw her. I don't think she really let go of that leg all night! Mckenna is a Daddy's girl and I think this deployment was the hardest on her by far. I think she had all she could take and with the anticipation of his arrival she had several meltdowns in the terminal. Picture a cute little girl with pig tails in a "USA Girl" costume holding a sign she scribbled in one hand and an American flag in the other loudly crying "I want my Daddy in my country!" I think she melted a few hearts.
Although Mckenna never let go of Daddy, she did have to look away in disgust of his ugly mustache...okay maybe that is Mommy commentary, but I'm doing my best to convince every girl in our house to have the same opinion. Power in numbers!
Brooke did well with the initial reunion, but she is warming up slowly overall. I told Brad not to be frustrated or disappointed since it has been four months and it'll probably take a few weeks...I also suggested that the entire bonding process would go more quickly if he shaved off that scary mustache!
So we survived...did we thrive? At times. The reunion is over, the reintegration begins. I'm looking forward to it even if it may be a bumpy ride at times especially considering we've been apart 4 months and now we'll have the next 14 days of being together 24/7. The girls are ecstatic and Daddy is a rock start and I'm second fiddle now...but I'm definitely happy to play that role...at least it's a new hat!