After 11 months in Afghanistan my husband returned home from deployment on Wednesday. This year has been a challenge for both of us; not only were we apart for the first time in our marriage but I was focusing on my Olympic dream while he was fighting the Taliban. All the emotions I had been holding (maybe even supressing) for so long with him being gone overwhelmed me when I saw his plane land and the soldiers march onto the airfield. Its finally over.

The ARMY way of life is unique in not only learning to live with deployments but I also feel like it has its own culture, language, and mannerisms. Being away from it for a year and coming back is like living in the US and going to Canada. By all appearances the people, the stores, and the food are all the same but when you spend enough time there you realize there are fundamental differences. Today at church for example Mike was answering questions from another Blackhawk pilot soon to deploy about helicopters that were shot at and what to expect of insurgents while his wife stands by holding her 6month old son blinking like its standard procedure. At dinner with friends the discussion ranges to rank promotion to FAB's and rules of engagement. A friend of mine has had her husband deployed 36months in the last 5yrs, its a lifestyle like that forces a woman to be independant and raise children by herself many months at a time. on a lighter note,the best part about being active duty military? Tax free income during deployments, tax free groceries, tax free appliances, low interest rates etc... Anyway, I could go on about it but there really isnt a point i'm just glad Mike is back :)

I am getting anxious to start BMX specific training again. I have been keeping up on conditioning doing spin classes, road rides, and light weights. I even ran on the treadmill for a few miles yesterday but nothing compares to shredding the ole BMX bike. Now that we are back in Tennessee I will be hitting up Music city BMX with Logan Collins, Chase Campbell and Tommy Opincar...its a good crew here and I am excited to get back into it.