Gone

Well we left Tony on post this afternoon for him to head off to Afghanistan. He had to work this morning so I got the kids ready and we waited for him to come home. Then we hung out for about 45 minutes before loading everyone up to go get the "last meal". Tony wanted Wendy's so we had to go all the way to Lakewood since we had to take him to post at noon. When we got there they formed up and accounted for all those leaving today. I must say how sexy I find it when he's one of the soldiers walking around on the outside of the formation instead of in the formation like in the past. ;)
After that they had weapons draw and then were released until 1500. Being that it was only noon and we hadn't planned to be there long I opted for the kids and I to go ahead a leave him there and go home. I had wanted to see him get on the bus, but since he couldn't leave the area to go far there would have been nothing to do but either sit in the car or wander around outside in the cold. Tony let each of the boys hold his weapon and then we did the sad goodbye ritual. He hugged and kissed each of the kids before we loaded them into the car. Then we let Zachary take pics of us as we said our "goodbyes". He then teased me as my eyes teared up because I told him I wouldn't cry when I left him. However I have turned much more girly during my last pregnancy than in the past. However I just gave him a smile and I left him. He had already given up his phone's sim card so I can't call or text him. He can contact me through skype with wi-fi eventually.
I then drove the 30 minutes that seemed like forever home. I felt trapped in the car. We went over what Daddy's next steps were in getting to where he's going, but other than that the kids were quiet in the car on the way home. Once we got home I got back to my role of doing laundry and feeding Abbie.